3 weeks passed, and the gate to underground prison was ended. Dezen was really delighted with it, and was appreciating the work for 20 minutes, when he saw the final result for the first time. However, he didn't come there for this, but to examine the monstrous wendigo.
The creature was calm since imprisionation, and didn't even attempt escaping, thus he believed the cage is strong enough to keep the creature, and that fact made him confident enough to try it. Not personally though.
Accompanied by 2 human undead, he went down the stairs, and soon saw Nanan, who seemed to be happy, because of him coming. He even got on all fours, and lowered his head to get patted. Dezen slimed slightly on this, patted Nanan, and then continued what he was there for.
Using the spell "Almost Like I Was", he took control over one of the undead humans and accompanied by the second one, went inside the cell, through a smaller door, made in the wall sized ones.
The metal undead tree tightened its grip on the wendigo, when they entered, but the monstrous wendigo did nothing special. He only kept staring at Nanan, and completely ignored "visitors".
Dezen didn't think too much about it, and began the painless examination, with the human undead, who was proficient in them.
This action made the creature a little curious, and it even tried to move a little, to give them better access to his body, but the tree stopped him. Seeing this, Dezen wondered if the creature really wants to make it easier, trying to become his fried, or is it his way to make him lower his guard, allowing him to attack. He already knew the monstrous wendigo is intelligent, but didn't know how much, and wanted to check it. Thus, he let the creature move, if it stays calm, it could be friendly to some extent, if it attacks, that mean the creature is highly intelligent, and can plan stratagems.
Luckily, he didn't try anything, what made Dezen really intrigued, but he didn't let himself get distracted, and focused on examination.
It lasted for a few hours, and they got a lot of information from this, but the most important were structure of bones, muscles, tendons, and so on. Now, if he manages to recreate it, and give it to his undead, their strength will raise greatly, what is always one of his main interests.
The same day, he made the first attempt, but it was a failure. Only after a few hours it succeeded, and when it finally happened, he tasked 2 human undead responsible for modifications, with doing this to their brothers made from flesh.
Then, he started wondering about the monstrous wendigo and his behaviour. In fact, it could be friendly towards him, they were just staring at each other, back at the forest, and he was the one to attack first. He even wants to believe it, because it would be the best scenario, but it would be too risky.
Another option is that he admitted defeat, and now wants to ally with him, to get freedom, or just wants to deceive Dezen, and kill him when there will be a chance.
Now, Dezen doesn't know which option is, or is the closest to truth, but there will be possibility to find out in the future. Either by becoming so strong, that he can suppress the monstrous wendigo with few spells, or by the new magic, one of his undead creates - mind magic.
Although it's just a name, and he doesn't yet know of its capabilities, Dezen expects this to be helpful. Even if he won't be able to feel the intentions of the monstrous wendigo, he can still try to make the creature more favourable towards him, since he could get a similar effect using enslavement magic, which is connected with mind magic.
He knows about the connection, because magics that are connected, are easier to learn, if you have one of them, and the creation of the mind magic is easier, than creation from nothing.
Besides the mind magic, he also learns other ones, using 2 undead, what looks like that: First, the undead learn the magic, absorbing mana from the magical resources. Then, when they succeed, Dezen uses a special spell to learn the magics they have, what takes a few hours. It doesn't sound spectacular, but it is incompatible, than if he was doing it himself.
There are also other 2 undead, that are using Dezen's mana to create specific spells, like sealing ones. Normal spells, like healing, movement spells, he buys from the Church of Alen. He does it mostly to save time, since even with undead it takes a lot of it.
***
Dezen were slowly raising his strength, and getting more undead, but there was no use of it. Nothing appeared close to his home, nor to any of his caravans, so he focused on development, once a week checking if the kingdom, or any church has any assignments of killing criminals.
There were none, but it wasn't that bad because 1 of his human undead already started researching ways to raise intelligence. Even though he hasn't achieved anything great, Dezen is patient, and can wait even a few years.
Most of the money he now has, Dezen invested in breeding animals, and buying knowledge. Magical resources to change his undead aren't needed, because he is creating spell, which will let him do the same by using his own mana.
***
One day, he was visited by the kingdom's mage, who wanted Dezen to rent them some of his undead. Although he didn't tell anyone besides Alex and Chloe about his plan of doing this, he wasn't surprised. It is known to them, that he already did such thing for the Church of Alen, thus he should be willing to do it again. For appropriate price.
It was a brown haired woman who came to him, in an armour without a helmet. He took her inside his home, and offered something to eat and drink, before they started talking about business.
- Besides renting undead from you, we would like to buy necromancy and some of the knowledge you gathered. Are you interested in it?
- I can rent you undead, but I cannot sell you the necromancy. Not yet. I have already sold it to the Church of Alen, and part of the contract was that I won't sell it for the next 10 years, which haven't passed yet.
- I understand, we all have to respect them. But, by what you said, I assume you are willing to do this in the future?
- Of course. Now, shall we talk about the renting. Which do you want?
- To protect people, we plan to concentrate them in cities. I will not get into the details, but it will destroy the economy, and will cause famine throughout the whole country. However, if we use undead, to replace villagers, it could be prevented. That's what we want, someone who can be sacrificed without hesitation. However, we do not expect you to replace every farmer, miner and so on in the country, we will create and develop necromancy by our own, to do this, but your help would save us plenty of effort and time. The question is, how many more undead can you keep?
Dezen looked at the floor, from the armchair he was sitting on, and deeply thought about what she said, before speaking.
- If you put it this way, I think it will be possible to cancel the contract, and let me share my experience and spells.
- It will be no surprise if the Church will agrees, and we will be thankful. Now, what do you want in exchange? We already prepared you corpses that you will turn into undead, so you won't lose any of yours. Also, we will take care of educating them, if I can use such term. Making you noble is one of the possibilities.
- For now, I will need the knowledge the most. About formations, enchanting, some special spells, and the creatures that appeared in our world, that you encountered. I have encountered the latter by myself, and will encounter more in the future, so we can treat it like an exchange. But most important, I want you to grant the people who will lose their jobs' money, that will let them survive. You can use for this majority of my payment.
The woman stayed silent, not expecting the last part, and spoke only after a few seconds passed.
- I did not, we did not expect that, but I think it will be possible. Though, we have already foreseen it, and planned to create new jobs for them, and even pay for using the properties, like farms, so I do not think this sacrifice of yours will be needed.
- Is that so? Well, if they do not need my help, then it is even better for me. - Dezen then told what he wants as the first payment, and even offered that he will inform them if he encountered something appearing, and couldn't deal with it by himself, what she accepted, because he didn't want any payment.
When she left, Dezen came back to the living room, sat on the armchair, and started once again thinking about the future that will come.