What is it to serve the lord of the undead? More so a king, a high king?
It is.. Glorifying, to serve in undeath the king of the dead, to spill blood in his name and not hold back in the dark deeds commited. This is how Mahel felt, standing now at the behest of his own troop. He had spread them in the brush amongst the road. Awaiting the caravan spotted not long ago.
He himself had to command from afar, but still stood with a small bulk of his troops. The arua of a death knight is often felt, concealing it was not an easy feat. So much power in a 'brittle' body cannot be concealed.
So he stands condensing it so it wouldnt reach the road, needn't scare their client yes?
Speak of the devil, here they come.
The entire point of their strategy is to cut connection. Didn't matter if people were leaving or entering the city, any and all were subject to the same rule.
In this case, they were coming to the city.
Unaware of the dead that lurked the forest just feet from them.
There were three carts, the head of the caravan happened to be armored, strange.
The other two were cargo esk. The first and middle had cages, with..
Hmm?
Mahel tilted his helm, the blaze in his eyes seemed to spark. The cages carried both beast and large jars of a bluish wisp..
Bluish wisp..
Sheeeeink
Mahel drew his sword, his arua threatened to break. It's floodgates bulging.
"Soulllssssss"
Before he could act, he heard another cart. A fourth?
He craned his helm to the other direction, where a dozen miles down was the city and its checkpoints.
This cart was alone, with just three adventurers. One acted as the coachman, two riding horses. Oh?
He could see a cleric amongst them, a fighter and man in heavy armor, another fighter.
The carrage they rode was enclosed, a man within reading a book calmly.. How.. Familiar they were.
Mahel simmered his anger, a struggle to hold it in. He wasn't just holding down his own, but the thousand troop he commanded.
A feat of its own..
###
Oren has awaited this moment. Though the dead have been sparsely active around Farevie, he trusted the hired help could keep them back and his own prowess could kill them. No legions have been spotted up till now.
So no problem should be expected. He didnt even try to ask the cleric to cast a life detect spell, nor would he do it himself. They had far too much firepower to worry about the dead.
Infact, if anything.
Let them come, he wouldnt mind taking some free souls. That said the seller he was meeting had brought alot of souls to bear. This was needed for Michael's project(s) and for his own.
BOP BOP!
Hmm?
"Their here."
Oren cracked a smile, closing his book and rising to take up his staff.
Feeling its mana course as he had always kept a select few spells at the ready. Such as a 3rd tier fireball, 5th tier viper rasp and a ritual spell that always took him an hour each day to prepare so he could instantly cast it.
Oren stepped from the carriage just as he saw the seller step out of his armed caravan. Five adventurers followed suit, a blademaster, pisoliteer, alchemist, and two fighters.
There were also guards, but they weren't hired help. Even still looking no more armed or specialized than the very hired help the seller had.. Hired.
"Oren, nice to see you. I brought that order you requested, eight hundred wisp like you requested. Do you have the item?"
Oren nodded.
"Of course. Lets heal that limp of yours. Thank you for your discount."
The seller smiled as he had a limb with him most his life. He had bought this service for a cheap cheap price of six hundred souls and a heavy discount to fix his life issues.
When both were face to face Oren pulled an amulet from his neck. Placing it in the sellers hands. No he wasn't giving this relic away. But touch was required to activate its effects.
He smiled before applying magic to the amulet. In the meantime the jars were carried over carefully.
[Item - Amulet]
Desc: An item forged by Oren, using a healers powerful soul he has crafted a life saving item that is akin to the relics of legendary kingdoms.
Passive: Mana regen and Health regen are boosted by 30%
Active: Bleed the soul and restore your vitality. Cure all illnesses, alignment issues, curses, any and all debuffs.
Soul Hp: 680/1200
The soul within screams in agony, blood curdling and bone chilling, when all said and done the seller clenched his fist, feeling the power in his body restore to its peak!
"Haha yes! Im finally-"
###
It had only been a moment. When they had disregarded the powerful soul that wriggled in agony their strength used to empower the living without choice.
That scream was blood curdling, chilling, even to the dead.
It was also another message, help.
And help did come.
Her scream had woken the very dead. Their spirits roared with an onslaught of rage. Yet they were mere candles in the wind.. They were small wicks of flames amongst the hurricane.
For one amongst they burned the brightest, deepest shade of rage.
Mahel!
The forest cracked, trees bending at the rippling airstreams. The grass wilted, nobody saw it coming. A blur from above, a silhouette.
Sheeeeeink!
A wet splash of blood burst from the sellers body, for a sword split him down the middle and lodged itself into the ground. Splashing outwards onto any unsuspecting members of the two parties.
Oren's eyes widened, he was mere inches from a figure. Towering over him with bright crimson eyes, the ire within reached the bottom of his soul, that ire showed him the damnation he would be looking forward to, the eternal hell that may have not existed before.
But by all means..
Certainly would now!
Mahel roared a distorted blood curdling thu'um.
The dead sieged forward. The forest, alive with a sea of skulls, a sea of blue eyes with the same wrath as their commander.
They all felt it, they all knew.
Their High King's cousin stands there in that amulet, in agony.. In pain..
She called out to anyone, anything..
And the dead answered!