Hey everyone, I'm back. Sorry for the long absent, my work took longer than I expected and truth be told, I was too tired to post anything for a few days. I will get back to posting again next week but for now, have a short chapter.
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"How the hell did this happen?!" Seraphina shouted.
The council and several guards gathered in the main meeting area around a large round table. Vesperia was tending to Andries's wound, carefully stitching up his side. The dimeritium seemed to have weakened Andries's healing power, leaving him in need of attention.
"I have no clue," Draugor said. "The guards in the mansion were killed. Around twenty soldiers were taken down by these assassins."
"They also had a large amount of dimeritium, which allowed them to bypass most protection spells," Eldrin added, his face tense with worry.
"We have to do something. We can't let this go," Seraphina said, her voice determined.
"Do what exactly?" Andries asked. "My crystal needs recharging and without corpses, I really can't do much. You guys are also not that powerful. Yeah, sure, we have a good amount of mutants, but Nilfgaardians number in the thousands."
"There are other ways to fight a war," Vesperia said, finishing the stitches and tying off the thread. "For a long while, my apprentices and I have been making bombs, poisons and things like that. Maybe we can use them for something."
"We can use some hit-and-run tactics," Draugor suggested. "If we get the location of the enemy supply camps, roads and places of importance, we can do a lot of damage to Nilfgaard."
"That wouldn't do shit," Seraphina said. "We have to find a way to better our security. These assholes just walked in and killed a bunch of our people, they almost killed Andries. We have to think of that."
"Causing chaos would actually work; it just has to be the right chaos," Eldrin said thoughtfully. "Whatever we do shouldn't lead back to us, so Nilfgaard wastes a lot of resources fixing the issue."
"Ciri could work," Andries interjected.
"Who?" Eldrin asked, looking confused.
"Princess of Cintra," Andries replied. "Nilfgaardians claim they captured her a few days after the war started. I heard they are naming her the empress of Cintra and forcing her to marry Emhyr var Emreis. People are stupid enough to believe that this is the real deal. If we have psionics among us, they can suggest to the people that the timing is convenient for Nilfgaard and it's a lie."
"That might work, but it will take a long time," Eldrin said, nodding slowly.
"So will the war," Andries pointed out. "While that is happening, I say we use hit-and-run tactics. Take small squads with lots of bombs, then blow up important structures. Meanwhile, we can also recruit more skinless mutants from the enemy ranks."
"I don't like this," Seraphina said, shaking her head. "There has to be something else we can do to hurt the enemy. This feels like too little."
"There is something else we can do," Eldrin suggested. "The time Andries summoned the dead. You overdid it and opened a portal, right?"
"More or less," Andries said, recalling the incident. "I directed the energy to the blood on the ground to combine hemokinesis with my device. That caused the blood to start pulling a large amount of energy into the world. The wraiths seemed to have felt it and pushed from the other side, cracking the veil between worlds."
"Are you two really talking about causing a disaster?" Draugor asked incredulously.
"Yes," Andries and Eldrin both said simultaneously, exchanging a knowing glance.
"Okay, hold on, what exactly happened after that?" Seraphina pressed, leaning forward with concern.
"The portal stayed open for a while," Andries explained. "Since the portal was more complicated than normal portals and had no anchor, it started shifting to different worlds. Monsters began to pour out of that portal."
"What types of monsters?" Vesperia asked, her curiosity piqued.
"No clue," Andries admitted. "I saw them from afar. I could see monsters coming out, and they avoided my army because there were so many of them, but I didn't see what kind."
"I hate to admit it, but these portals can be useful," Draugor said. "If we manage to make more of these in the Nilfgaardian territories, even in times of peace, monsters will be a problem. In wartime, it would be a nightmare."
"We can also use their mutations," Vesperia added thoughtfully.
"Or tame some of them," Seraphina suggested, her eyes gleaming with the possibilities.
"So, we want to do more of these?" Andries asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I have some crystals," Eldrin said. "You said you want to make a device that helps you control these devices, right? Do you think you can?"
"Not exactly," Andries replied. "As I said, the portal worked from both sides. The magic coming into the world pushed our side, and the wraiths pushed the other side. I am thinking of ways to push and pull, but I still have to find a way to push the portal from both sides."
"Well, there are ways to do that," Eldrin said. "There are portals that appear in the world naturally. There are also extinct creatures that can travel between worlds, like unicorns. If other worlds exist, then maybe one of them has unicorns."
"These natural portals, how do they work?" Andries inquired.
"They appear all around the world," Eldrin explained. "The problem is that we don't know where they lead, and they can sometimes lead to places where people might not be able to survive, like an ocean."
"That sounds terrifying but interesting," Andries said, his mind racing with possibilities. "I might be able to stabilize these natural portals with my devices. I just have to find a way to change the destination. This wouldn't be the best, but it gives us access to monsters from other worlds. And maybe I can send one of my devices to the other side so I can push the veil from both sides."
"How about unicorns? Would they be helpful?" Seraphina asked.
"Very," Andries said. "I can either use them as a connection to the device or, if possible, mutate someone to be able to do what a unicorn does."
"Getting a unicorn would be impossible without the first portal," Eldrin pointed out. "I will do some research to see if I can find locations of the ones we can use. I will also have some people look for magic crystals."
"I will also go look for some virgin girls, just to be sure," Seraphina said with a wry smile.
"New prisoners have arrived. On the morrow, I will get to work on them," Vesperia said.
"If you ever want to start small attacks, just come to me," Draugor offered. "Until then, I will be training some of our men. Feel free to join the training if you want."
"Right now, I really need some sleep," Andries said, stifling a yawn. "We will continue whatever we were doing after we get some rest."
The council agreed and started to disperse, heading to their respective rooms. Andries made his way back to his room, with Mathies, Felix, and Umbra in tow. At Eldrin's orders, three mutants were to follow and protect him. Andries didn't care about the guards, he simply needed rest.
As they walked, Andries felt the weight of the day's events settle over him. Despite the exhaustion tugging at him, his mind buzzed with the possibilities ahead. He knew the road would be long and fraught with danger, but with the council by his side and the promise of untapped power, he felt ready to face whatever came next.
Andries sank into his bed, feeling the day's weight lift as he slipped into a deep, dreamless sleep. Mathies and Umbra settled into their own beds in Andries's room, while Felix snuggled up close, the gentle purring of the cat providing a comforting lullaby as they all drifted off.
As usual, Andries's sleep was dreamless and restful. The following morning, as he prepared to head to the labs, he encountered Vesperia.
"Andries," Vesperia greeted him. "Quick question—do you prefer to be addressed as Andries or 'my lord'? Eldrin mentioned your preference, but I'm still unsure."
"Call me Andries. I want to emphasize that we are a council," he replied with a nod, and Vesperia acknowledged his choice. "People also would love me more if they see us as a council of them and not people above them."
"All right, Andries," she said with a smile. "Some of the mutants were thrilled to have you here and wanted to be helpful, so they set up a workshop for you. I oversaw the purchase of items you might need. You're always welcome in my lab, and I'll likely expect you there for help, but if you need to work on something else, feel free to use your own lab. I'll also make sure half of the materials we harvest are sent to you."
"Oh, that's great! Where is the lab?" Andries asked, curious and eager to see his new workspace.
"I can take you there," Vesperia offered. "Don't worry, it's close to the mansion. We'll be there shortly."
"Okay, lead the way," Andries said, gesturing for her to proceed.
Andries, Mathies, Blightborn, Wyrmblood, and Umbra followed Vesperia as she led them north, away from the mansion.
"So, about those ghoul farms," Andries began, wanting to understand more about their operations.
"Most of the non-combatant people here are alchemists," Vesperia explained. "We use potions to make the livestock grow bigger and mature faster. We harvest enough meat to feed our people, sell, and feed the ghouls. We've created tunnels made of stone under the city, where we keep the ghouls. We let them grow to the right size and then trap them. We kill many to ensure they don't grow in number."
"How fast does a ghoul reach adulthood?" Andries inquired.
"I'm not sure about adulthood," Vesperia admitted. "But I know after two months, they start searching for food on their own. We usually harvest them then."
"How many other plants do you have?" Andries asked, intrigued by their resources.
"Almost everything," Vesperia replied. "Since most of our food comes from the meat harvested from the animals, most of our farms are either for the cattle or alchemical purposes. We still lack certain alchemical ingredients that won't grow in this climate, but we have the ones that can."
"That's great," Andries said, impressed by their self-sufficiency. "But are we going to leave all of these lands after we take over Cintra? It seems like taking over Verden would be a better idea."
"You want to do what?!" Vesperia exclaimed in a hushed but surprised voice.
"Nothing," Andries said with a slight smile. "I simply want to stay back and wait for Nilfgaard to make their move. It's only a matter of time before Nilfgaard attacks Verden, likely from the sea since the roads are dangerous now. They'll probably want to take us out. I plan to wait for their attack to start, let the Verden army be destroyed, and then hit them with my undead."
"What about the rulership of Verden?" Vesperia asked, raising an eyebrow at his ambitious plan.
"We'll turn them into mutants or kill them." Andries explained and pointed at Umbra. "My type of mutant, like Umbra. That is, if they survive the siege. I'll control their bodies and take over Verden."
"I'll tell the others about your plan. We need to discuss it more," Vesperia said, nodding thoughtfully.
"Obviously, we should," Andries agreed. "I'm open to suggestions about what we can do next. Personally, I don't want us to lose this town."
Vesperia led Andries to his new lab, a large stone structure guarded at the entrance. Inside, Andries found an expansive workspace filled with alchemical tools, tables, and an area designated for mutations. There were also sections for his magical devices and a selection of parts he could utilize. The storage area contained everything he had seen in Vesperia's lab, giving him all the resources he needed.
"This place is great, I can work with this," Andries said, satisfied with the setup.
"By the way, we got word of prisoners being sent to our town from both Temaria," Vesperia informed him.
"Have you started work on our current prisoners?" Andries asked, curious about the progress.
"No, but I will soon. Do you want half of them?" Vesperia offered.
"Not half," Andries replied, shaking his head. "I want to test their blood and mind. I need a special type right now."
"Sure, feel free to come to me if you need anything," Vesperia said.
"No, I'm good for now," Andries assured her.
Vesperia nodded and left, leaving Andries and his guards to head to the prison area. The prison was a wooden building with multiple guards, including two normal mutants who knew the command words for eight skinless mutants.
The guards allowed the group inside, and Andries saw the prisoners, stripped of weapons and armor. He meticulously checked their minds, searching for any hint of psionic potential. With Umbra's help, he identified three prisoners with weak psionic abilities.
He ordered Blightborn, Mathies, and Wyrmblood to bring these three to his lab.
In his lab, Andries began experimenting on the first prisoner, using various spells and potions to awaken the prisoner's psionic potential. The main ingredients in these potions were his and Umbra's blood. The experiment was successful, but tragically, the prisoner's head exploded midway through the process. The remaining two prisoners, terrified by the spectacle, struggled violently, forcing Andries to sedate them.
For the second prisoner, Andries used only Umbra's blood. After probing the man's mind, he confirmed that the psionic power had awakened. Andries proceeded with the process of turning him into a half-undead. However, the prisoner's willpower was far weaker than anticipated, causing his brain to deteriorate and ultimately fail during the transformation.
The final prisoner was a woman. Andries repeated the process, using Umbra's blood to awaken her mind, which worked successfully. He administered potions to enhance her body temporarily and then began the half-undead transformation. By carefully monitoring her with spells and proceeding cautiously whenever her brain showed signs of strain, Andries managed to complete the transformation. Although her body became slightly desiccated and weaker, her mind remained active and powerful, marking the experiment a success to an extend.
Andries was cautious about giving mutations to the newly transformed woman, now called Nyx, due to her physically weakened state. Instead, he focused on testing her powers to understand their potential and limitations.
Much like with Umbra, Andries found that he could easily control Nyx and even enter her mind to see through her eyes. While she couldn't speak, there was a shared intelligence between them. Though not as developed as a human's, it was sufficient for her to understand and execute complex orders.
Andries explored Nyx's psionic abilities, noting that the transformation had awakened powers similar to his own, including telekinesis and mental attacks. She could also establish a telepathic link for Andries to communicate with others. Although her powers were not as strong as Umbra's, Nyx had a unique ability to amplify Andries' and Umbra's psionic abilities when in close proximity, enhancing their overall effectiveness.
Andries dedicated most of the day to these experiments. Meals for him and his companions were delivered to his room, featuring a variety of animal products: roasted cow meat, milk, cheese, roasted boar, and unusually large eggs that the servants assured him were normal chicken eggs. The food was delicious, and Andries savored each bite.
Once he finished experimenting with Nyx, Andries instructed his guards, including Mathies, to rest. They had no issues sleeping on the ground. Umbra, however, remained awake, needing far less sleep than the others. Andries had never been able to determine Umbra's limits in this regard, as he himself couldn't stay awake long enough to find out.
With the night stretching on, Andries began using the materials provided to construct a golem. It seemed the townsfolk anticipated this project, as they had supplied him with pre-carved stones. Andries started by creating the golem's core, etching intricate sigils onto a central stone. He then carved additional sigils onto the rest of the golem's body. By the time he completed the physical structure, dawn was approaching.
Preparing to perform the ritual of awakening, Andries suddenly had an unconventional idea. He woke Nyx and, together with Umbra, they formed a circle around the golem, holding hands. Andries wanted to see if he could harness the connection between them to draw more energy from the elemental planes. He still used blood in the process but a little less, hoping he could find new ways to awaken a golem.
Initially, he felt nothing, but he persisted, maintaining focus. Gradually, he sensed a shift—the two half-undead required time to adjust and focus to channel chaos energy effectively. While this process wouldn't be suitable for combat situations, it proved valuable for controlled, focused tasks like this one.
By using the unique nature of the half-undead, Andries succeeded in drawing chaos energy toward the golem. Their state allowed them to withstand the immense energy flow and their mental connection to Andries enabled them to channel a significant amount of energy into the physical world. It still wasn't that great and he needed to use the blood but still it was a good first step.
Andries was eager to create more golems when a knock interrupted him. He instructed one of his men to answer the door and was surprised to find a human servant girl standing there.
"My lord, the council wishes to meet with you." she announced.
"You're not a mutant." Andries observed, curiosity piqued.
"I... I hope that isn't an insult to you." she replied nervously.
"No, not at all. I just didn't know we had humans here." Andries assured her. "Don't worry about it, you're dismissed. I'll discuss this with the others."
After dismissing the girl, Andries commanded his golem to guard the lab entrance. He then left with his entourage, heading back to the main building. As he walked, he noticed that people respectfully made way for him, something he hadn't paid attention to before.
Upon entering the mansion and traversing the halls, Andries saw Felix lounging on the floor, being playfully entertained and fed scraps by three servants. When Felix spotted Andries, he bounded over, and Andries picked him up. Together with Mathies, Umbra, and Nyx, they proceeded to the meeting hall.
Andries instructed most of his half-undead followers to remain at the entrance, entering the hall with Mathies, Felix, Umbra, and Nyx. Inside, the other four council members awaited him.
"Ah, Andries." Eldrin greeted him. "We're about to start a council meeting and thought you should be part of it. You are a council member, after all."
"Great, what's on the agenda today?" Andries asked, settling into his place.
"A lot, actually." Seraphina began. "First, we need to address the influx of refugees. Many have arrived at our gates and we've been allowing them in. But at this rate, we won't be able to feed everyone."
"Yes, but we are putting them to work." Vesperia added. "Quite a few want to undergo mutations. I usually screen their blood to make sure they can be safely mutated. Not all are suitable, but those who are can bolster our ranks."
"Numbers are important, but so is land." Eldrin pointed out. "We have fertile land, but it would take time and magic to make the surrounding areas viable for farming."
"We could always turn them into skinless mutants," Andries suggested with a chilling nonchalance. "Only the ones without family ties, of course. We don't want anyone noticing too many people disappearing. We need to stay discreet."
"It's true that skinless mutants are easier to control," Eldrin replied, his tone pragmatic. "But the issue remains—we need more food to sustain our people. Our livestock may be impressive, but they still take time to grow to a size where their meat is useful."
"We could raid Nilfgaardian camps," Draugor proposed, his voice laced with eager malice. "Our people are fast, and we've got enough with psionic abilities to track them. We could use that to our advantage."
"That plan could work if you strike quickly," Eldrin agreed. "But even so, we're turning away too many refugees. We'll take whoever we can, but this will hurt our image."
"There's not much we can do about that," Andries remarked, his voice tinged with resignation. "People are going to hate us eventually, just for being different. So, do what you have to."
"I'll start organizing some hit squads," Draugor said, a glint of excitement in his eyes. "We should hit Nilfgaard as soon as possible. I'll leave some of our best guards with Andries to ensure his safety."
"Actually, I'm planning on leaving," Andries interjected.
"Leaving? Why on earth would you want to leave?" Seraphina asked, her voice sharp with concern.
"I need to gather materials and items for my experiments," Andries explained calmly. "I can achieve incredible things if I have the right tools, but we're severely lacking in resources here. I also want to check if the portal between worlds is still open. This way, I can stay out of trouble and find more opportunities to advance our cause."
"And what if there's an emergency while you're gone?" Vesperia asked, her voice edged with worry. "You still can't create portals, and even if you could, you can't transport ten people through one."
"That's true," Andries admitted. "But I don't need to teleport ten people. I'll take my necromantic device with me. You can contact me if you need my help and I'll get to you as quickly as possible. If an emergency arises and we absolutely must teleport me, I'll reach out to Tissaia, Lyette, and Eldrin. The only mutants I'll need with me are Mathies, Blightborn, Wyrmblood, Umbra, and Nyx. The rest... can be sacrificed if necessary."
"I still don't like this plan," Seraphina said, her voice firm. "You're a member of the Mutant Council, the leader of the mutants. You can't just go off on some adventure."
"This isn't an adventure," Andries countered, his voice cold and measured. "If we had a megascope, all of these distance problems would be solved. Do you know why? Because I could modify it to control it remotely and teleport back whenever I wanted. But we don't have a megascope, nor do we have the materials to make one. The issues we're facing can be fixed if I can acquire the necessary resources, and the only way to do that is to travel."
"I agree with Andries," Eldrin chimed in. "He might also uncover more about that portal. It's crucial to our plans. Meanwhile, we'll spread the rumor that you're heading north to Thanedd Island for a meeting. That should divert Nilfgaard's attention."
"We can say I'm meeting Tissaia," Andries added. "People know we're close."
Though the others hesitated, they eventually nodded in agreement. The meeting continued, covering topics like food stores, the growing number of refugees, and their relationships with neighboring factions.
Andries exited the council chamber, the weight of the decision still lingering in the air. As he made his way to his quarters, his mind toyed with the idea of staying longer to craft more golems, but he quickly dismissed the thought. Speed was of the essence.
In his room, Andries gathered his belongings with practiced efficiency. The necromantic device, a crucial tool for what lay ahead, was secured carefully. He issued orders to his half-undead servants, ensuring they stocked up on additional supplies this time—enough to avoid any risk of starvation. He also packed enough tools that he basically had a portable lab.
Andries had also brought his necromantic device. He had done some modification and upgrades to the device, small ones of course but now he could create what he called an undead veil that hid him and his servants from wraiths.
Weapons were strapped on, mutant horses readied, and preparations made under the cloak of night. Andries tucked Felix into his bag, the small mutated kitten curling up inside, seemingly unfazed by the impending journey. With everything in place, the group began to move silently, the darkness shielding them as they slipped away.