Emopa sat on a hill of rock and cobblestone. It had been two years since he last seen or heard from any of his friends. The party he was in with Vatel has long since diminished when he entered the Undergarden.
"Great." He spoke aloud, having grown a small mustache and a patch of hair under his chin. He regularly shaved, but hasn't been able to find time to properly do so.
He had a different feeling in his stomach, one of discontent with the living world around him. To sacrifice such empathy was the cost of being a necromancer.
He still pondered the words that Isshin said to him whilst training. Emopa inquired about the Abominations, judging by the comment made by the Isshin about him having Mana.
The Isshin seemed hesitant to even speak on Abominations in the first place. He didn't say much, only really noting that they are enemies of the one above and monsters.
Emopa steadily tapped his feet as he continued to ponder that statement. His system said something about them being hated by Pure Gods.
Gods... There are truly such things?
Emopa couldn't grasp the fact of a God. If he were such a huge enemy, wouldn't he have been sought out and killed by now?
It didn't make sense to him. He stood up, sliding down the rough hill of cobblestone and reached down to the gravel below. He turned to his left, seeing a vast blue sea, the rays of the sun giving it a beautiful shimmer.
"To hell with it all." He said, placing a palm on his face. "This is what it means to be a necromancer? To sacrifice all type of empathy? I don't understand."
Emopa turned his back to the beautiful sea, his bangs slightly obscuring his vision. "Vatel... I'm coming back." He said, starting to walk to a dense, blue forest.
The forest seemed extremely dense on the outside, but on the inner parts, the trees weren't that tightly packed. Their bark had the color of the night sky, and leaves the colors of the ocean.
The sound of leaves and twigs crunching beneath his feet and his light breathing were the only things he could hear with his acute senses.
"The game I've once made, becoming a reality and turning everything I've built upside down. If anything, I wonder how the world adapted since then." His mind began to drift, his sight fixated on the ground he treaded.
The necromancer he encountered stated that he would have to become a Lich in order to advance his necromancy further. In order to do that, he would have to commune with The Dead Father. To do that, however, he would have to find a suitable place to make the proper ritual.
Preferably, to be more effective, he would more than likely have to do it in some ruins. They were abandoned places away from prying eyes and usually where mana concentration were high.
I don't even know where I'm going...
Emopa thought, sensing a large sum of mana coming from a place in front of him.
Intrigued, Emopa began to head down that path. Then, as if by a stroke of luck, or by some string of destiny, an abandoned church sat in front of him.
The grayish wood, old and decaying, gave a sort of dangerous vibe to the place. It had a triangular brown roof, with a dome at its top. Atop the dome stood a golden symbol, not one he had seen before. Even then, the ever spreading vines desperately trying to reclaim their place in nature seem to hug the symbol desperately.
The symbol stood on top of a small golden rod that was about 2 feet long. It resembled the sun, but with an eye at its center. The eye had two irises, which probably symbolized being watched by some unseen force.
Creepy.
He pressed forward, however. Inside the church didn't look much better, in fact it probably seemed worse that the outside. The dark oak floorboards being caved in or destroyed hinted that something had been there prior.
The dents were that of a human sized foot, however, so he didn't understand who or what could've caused it. Then again, what he saw in the Undergarden surprised him even hundreds of times more than this.
Seats were decaying. Peeled off wrappings that covered the chairs had vines creeping through them, some in ways that looked like they molded with the seats themselves. All of them were in various states of erosion and decay, but Emopa didn't care for any of that.
The air smelled stale and natural at the same time, which kind of threw Emopa off a little. As he walked forward, his footsteps echoing throughout the medium sized church sounded out. He looked around, the walls were of the same color inside as they were out.
Large windows were lining both sides of the church, letting in a decent amount of sunlight. Nothing hung from the ceiling, it seemed just like a simple place for worship or communion.
Being here doesn't feel right. It feels like I'm gonna get crushed if I approach that altar.
Emopa said, staring to the front of the church. His eyes narrowed, gazing at the altars form. It was a simple pedestal that had a medallion of the same symbol the roof had.
"I can't get close to that thing..." Emopa said, sighing as he took out a random dagger he had on hand. The dagger gleamed in the rays of sun peeking through the glass. It was a simple dagger. Silver blade, small, silver guard, a wooden handle, and a silver hilt.
Emopa slit his index finger and began to draw a circular ritual circle. It had three outer rings, with the inner rings having runes separating them from the other rings. In the middle, he drew a detailed drawing of a skull, a crack in the middle of its forehead.
"Oh Dead Father, I come to you asking for a favor..." Emopa said, closing his eyes as the circle began to illuminate the area.
"Strip me of my mortal flesh, and take me as your own. I am willing to be your son. Mind, soul, and body. I am your vessel, yours to command." Emopa prayed, feeling a slight cold breeze brush against his cheek, feeling his hair begin to wave a little.
He opened his eyes to reveal nothing but gray skies overhead. He looked to his left, nothing but desolate ground. He looked to his right, the same.
"Where... Am I?" He looked below him, realizing he was kneeling over a pile of bones. As he stood, he looked up, seeing a hill of them in the distance.
Cautiously, Emopa made his way to the hill. The closer he got, the more he could hear a faint sound. It sounded like a guitar playing.
Suddenly, the bones beneath him began to coalesce into something.
"Moragin, deal with our visitor please. Do see what they want." A soft voice called out. It was quite obviously male, but something about it seemed off. The voice... No, the voices sounded different. There were two. Though they sounded exactly the same, except one trailed behind the other.
Suddenly, the bones that had coalesced in front of Emopa shattered, revealing a woman long blue hair that went to her waist, same as Emopa. The type of blue was dark, like a deep blue sea. "Take it from me, Mortal, you better have a good reason to commune with our Master during the day hours."
Emopa stared into her eyes, a little stunned by her beauty. She has brown skin, like caramel, and carries glowing green eyes. The energy she radiated felt divine in all aspects. Emopa looked at his hand, realizing it was shaking.
"Well?" She inquired, her eyes narrowing. She looked up at Emopa, being at around 5'6 compared to Emopa's 6'4.
"I've been meaning to ask, uhm... I was seeking to become a Lich." Emopa said, looking down at her. She wore a black scarf around her neck along with a black and green striped sweater, a long with some black pants. She appeared to be barefoot.
Moragin scoffed. "You've come to bother our master over such small things? Maybe I should-"
"Wait." The same voices called out before the guitar playing stops. Silence takes hold for a moment before a skeleton rises up from the ground, it's sockets glowing green. Clearly this wasn't the person, but the vessel for it.
"Hmm..." The skeleton examined Emopa with rigor, looking him up and down. He grabs his wrist, examining the pitch black trenchcoat he wore that seemed to be molded entirely from darkness itself. He noticed Emopa wearing all black. Fashion preference? Maybe.
"Ahh, would you look at that." The vessel spoke without moving it's jaw. It was weird how it worked for Emopa. "Looks like a little wolf has entered the dead worlds. So, you seen to become a Lich? To discard your humanity?"
Emopa nodded. "Yes, sir..." Emopa looked at the skeleton. It looked like a normal one besides the green sockets, and the red glowing orb on the middle of its ribcage.
"Interesting, what's your name, boy?" The skeleton asked.
"Emopa Abomination."
The skeleton stopped in its tracks and Moragin raised an eyebrow. "What?" She narrowed her eyes, chuckling a little.
"You're joking, right?" The skeleton asked, Emopa shaking his head in response.
"How are you able to use magic?" The skeleton circled Emopa, it's green sockets shrinking into small, green pupils. "Odd... Odd indeed." With each step, the bones around the skeleton rattled in anticipation, as if waiting for some sort of judgement.
"This changes things a little. Normally, I'd tell my followers to kill themselves and if their soul has enough blot on it, I'll turn them into a Lich. You, however, are a different case." The skeleton's green pupils began to glow as it began to chuckle. "If you manage to land a blow on me, I'll turn you into a Lich."
Emopa's eyes narrowed.
[Scanning... Opponent is not part of game files. Large sums of divine energy detected.]
So there are gods... "Very well, I'll play your game."
"Not like you had a choice, Anomaly." Moragin said, narrowing her eyes at Emopa once more. It was a look that a mixture of disdain and curiousity.
"If I win, not only will you make me a Lich, you will give me some insight on my heritage." Emopa drew out his odachi, it's silver blade with a black edge shimmered ominously under the bleak sky.
"You dare to strike deals with our Master?!" Moragin extended her hand, but the skeleton put it down.
"Very well, let us begin." The skeleton began to back up. Moragin sighed and looked away. "I apologize, my Lord." She bowed low, her hair dropping forward a bit. She stepped back, watching the fight about to unfold.
Emopa narrowed his eyes and cautiously shifted his feet to plant himself firmly on the ground of dirt and bones. He moved slowly, his eyes scanning for any openings. The skeleton was full of them, ones that were surprisingly undefended.
It's a skeleton... This should be easy.
Emopa readied his weapon, and dashed forward, leaving some dirt and bones kicked into the air.
He ran quickly, jumping into the air and bringing down the odachi to strike. However, it was grabbed effortlessly by the skeleton, which caught him off guard.
He didn't have time to brace himself as the skeleton landed a powerful kick to his abdomen. It sent him flying back bouncing slightly across the dead ground beneath him. He managed to play it off somewhat and backflip, landing on his feet.
He clenched his fist, only to feel that the odachi he once held wasn't there anymore. "What.." His senses screamed at him to dodge. Instinctively, he dodged out of the way and narrowly avoided getting split in half by the skeleton that just appeared in the air.
Emopa got on his left hand, spinning around and attempting to land a spin kick on the skeleton's head. It dodged back, weaving through attack after attack like a fly.
Emopa coated his fists in mana, raising his fists to block an attack.
The skeleton brought down the odachi, but before it made contact, Emopa dodged out of the way, his instincts screaming that he couldn't block anything from this thing, and getting hit would mean death.
"Good instincts. Telltale signs of an Abomination... You lack the aggression, the bloodlust, the strength. You're unawakened, aren't you?" The skeleton's eyes glowed with amusement.
Emopa stood in silence and confusion. What didn't he know about his family tree?
Emopa had no time to dwell on such things however. He ran forward, leaping into the air and got ready to attack.
The skeleton appeared in front of him, catching him off guard once more. "The air isn't your friend, Emopa." It said mockingly, pressing it's foot against Emopa's chest and kicking him down.
Emopa crashed into the ground, causing a cloud of dust and fragments of bones to shoot into the air.
The skeleton looked down, realizing the leg it used to kick Emopa back down had been ripped off. "Clever." It said, it's sockets going black and its body falling apart.
Emopa coughed, holding the leg in his hand as he panted a little. His long, black hair being a bit disheveled from the fight, but in the end, he won. "Shit... My back, dude..." He stared up at the dreary sky, Moragin peering down at him. "Get up."
Emopa stood, Moragin shoving a blindfold onto his chest. The blindfold was completely black in color. "Put this on. Since you aren't a Lich, and a mortal, seeing our Master's form will kill you."
Emopa stared at the blindfold for a brief moment before taking a deep breath, placing it over his eyes and tying it behind his head. To confirm that he couldn't see, Moragin held up 4 fingers.
"How many fingers am I holding up?"
"Uhm... I don't know, two?" Emopa responded, Moragin nodding in approval. "Alright. My Lord, you may come."
"I know, I know." The voice spoke as Emopa could hear footsteps in front of him. He felt nervous, but the presence felt familiar, almost fatherly.
From Moragin's point of view, she saw her Master for the man he was. He had slight, wavy black hair that reached just past his shoulders. His eyes were glowing green, the irises consisting of swirling souls, looking as if they were in agony while his pupils gave off a strange white glow. He wore a long fitted coat, almost as if it were tailored to him. It was an impossible black in color, as if it was made to absorb light itself. The cuffs of the sleeves were small, boney hands wrapped around it, fingers interlocking.
Small bones also lined the edges and collar of the coat, a testament to his status. Underneath, he wore a black turtleneck sweater, with the edge of the turtleneck being green in color. He wore black trousers, once again seemingly tailored to him specifically. He wore black boots that were polished and refined, they looked and sounded heavy. With each step The Father took, the bones beneath him would be crushed. The edges of said boots would be green, having a slight glow to them. His hands were in his pockets, but once he took them out, it was revealed he had black gloves on. They seemed like combat gloves.
Signifying his place as a God among those who entered his realm, a halo of bones floated over his head. Skeletal hands interlocked fingers as the halo levitated over his head, creating a design similar to a crown. In the center of the halo, a floating green orb floated along with it, faint screams could be heard coming from it. Surrounding the bone halo, a green mist rotated around it, its shape slowing resembling skulls the more one looked. He had brown skin, resembling chocolate.
Moragin kneels on one knee, her submissiveness carrying respecting in it. "I accept you as one of my children. You shall refer to me as Father once your transformation is complete, Emopa. You will be my main vessel, since you display such strong potential, I will guide you." The Father said.
The footsteps stopped right in front of Emopa. The Father looking down at him. "Now, let's begin. This will hurt."
The Father extended his hand toward Emopa, impaling him right in the chest and grabbing his spine, not completely piercing through Emopa. Emopa screamed out in agony as blood began to pool in his mouth, soon flowing out. He felt small orbs forming in his body. One formed in his brain, causing his body to convulse and twitch, one formed in his throat, choking him. One formed around his heart, feeling the beating stop, and his heart rupturing. One large one formed in his abdomen, causing him to throw up blood. Lastly, one formed on his left lung.
The Father yanked his hand out, watching Emopa drop to the ground with a thud. "Interesting. He's not turning into a skeleton."
Emopa twitched a little before going limp.
"Give it a moment." The Father said, shaking the blood off his glove as he saw and invisible chain form around Emopa's neck. "There we go."
Emopa began to rise again, the pain in his head feeling like somebody shoving a metal ball that was dipped in lava for 3 weeks, and with a drill slapped on it being slammed through his head and left in his skull.
However the wound healed and the pain subsided, "What..?" Emopa took off the blindfold, bearing witness to The Father's form. "Welcome back, my child. You are now officially a Lich."
"Oh..." Emopa looked down at his hands. He couldn't feel the new additions to his body, which intrigued him a little. He checked his hair, seeing that the tips of it and his bangs were now green. He brushed his hair from his face, and when he blinked he was sent back to the same church.
[Congratulations. You are now a Lich and a vessel for The Father.]
Emopa sighed, thinking of nothing but his friends at this point. However, he felt a strange disconnect with them, like he never cared for them in the first place. Abandoning all feeling from the living to have ties to the dead. It didn't matter to him though.
Guys... I'm coming!
He ran out of the church, ready to see his friends.
"Wait! He forgot to tell me about my lineage!"