Master Of None

Chapter 2020: 2020. Unsettling Differences

”This does not look good.” Walker was trying to think about why not a single undead was moving. Every single theory he had was being shot down before he could even formulate it properly. Mostly because he had never seen undead act this way.

”They are all out here just standing still. Zombies, undead dogs, and even a few that I havenʼt ever seen.” Gil was also feeling like this was somehow amazing. The variety of undead alone was more than what they had seen or expected.

From just the outside edges of this ruin, they could see that a great deal had stayed the same since the party was here. But with so many things the same, that just meant that what was different stood out.

Specifically, there were undead that shouldnʼt necessarily be there.

ʼSkeletal lizard

This undead was perfectly raised by an elder lich. Due to this, its flesh was taken perfectly off of it using a unique darkness mana to decay it and have it be used elsewhere.

The rune carvings on the bones are enabling it to move faster and with more force than a skeletal lizard undead would normally have if naturally formed or raised by another. Due to this, it has exceptional battle prowess and a controlled instinct. It will not go rampage as more undead will….

Zombie python

This is a monster taken from the depths of a rainforest. Preserved using powerful ice magic from skeletal mages, it was able to maintain the flesh needed to become a regenerating zombie.

While a regenerating zombie is already exceptionally rare, it needs five times the mana to be able to use the flesh of those it consumes to repair its rotting body. Due to the strength of the python body used to create this regenerating zombie, it is able to move much more fluidly and with greater strength.

It does not possess venom but due to its body rotting, the various illnesses that can be contracted from its bites. It is also able to eat prey larger than it. While it also carries strength that it had when it was within the rainforest that it was born. Other serpents will naturally feel this pressure if they are of a weaker species…

Undead Night owl

This may be a monster considered to be alive, however, it is not. The night owl is actually a skeletal undead which has not lost its feathers due to it being infused with powerful manas when being raised.

It is able to fly easily while also maintaining the senses it had when it was alive. Due to it being bound to an elder lich, it can transmit what it hears, sees, and feels to that elder lich. It is created for the respective reason that it can scout and learn things from a distance.

It is also able to use the talons to attack with much more viscous movements due to being undead. It will not fear pain. It will continue to attack until the talons and bones it is made of are destroyed. Flames will burn away its feathers very easily though…ʼ

Walker could have kept using the all around appraisal on the many different undead scattered through just the edges of the ruins. He understood that they were stopped because the immortal king made it so. But he also understood that there was somehow a way that he had so many undead.

The entire city had been a place full of secrets. The research by those who once lived here was great. It covered a wide variety of topics in an attempt to find immortality. Believing that they preserved thousands, if not a hundred thousand monsters from all over the continent might not be a large matter for them at all.

Even just comprehending that when the party was here last, most of these ruins were falling apart. All but for the large tower in the center. The best buildings and the tower were the most unkempt. They were also certainly the most well built in the first place. For many reasons.

The tower was made to steal away life from others. It was unfinished and caused the elder lich to become trapped there, but it must also house the pieces of monsters, research materials, and many other things.

Just the fact that the party recalled the many things within the chamber the elder lich lived and experimented was enough to believe that all of these undead had been hidden away. But why were they here?

”You may enter and follow.” The gravelly voice that came from the undead night owl put everyone on edge. So much so that Remey had some flames jump up around her. Yet, the undead night owl did not move again.

”I knew you would be watching. You already should know why we are here, right? I expected you to use another pen of those undead to speak with us on the Sigil continent. But you didnʼt use the pen, so, you canʼt?”

Walker was well aware that the immortal king could not use the same thing he had done again. When it had brought an undead to their garden to see a unique plant that was lost years ago but the immortal king recalled from the years he was alive. But that was one of the rare things that could not be done over and over.

No reply came however. The party just took deep breaths and began to walk. Not a single undead moved. Even the air was oddly still. The scent of rotting dead still existed, but it was no longer being blown in their face by a breeze.

The soft growls that did come from nearby were from Ventus. She wasnʼt sure if warning the immortal king of what she would do was worth it, but she still did it. This put the rest of the party at a much calmer mentality as well. Even if the worst happened, they would have someone here to destroy everything that had caused them the worst. A viable threat indeed.

Unlike the memories of undead gathering and chasing them from an exit door, the party found that a path was cleared for them this time. The winding through ruins of homes and other buildings didnʼt need to happen now.

Yet, when they saw the undead amalgamations that were gathered in one place, the party felt even more stress. They remembered the toughness of this opponent, and now there were six of them in one place. All frozen in their movements like the other undead. It was incredibly unnerving.

Now though, the party could easily defeat them. They had the strength alone to manage this. The repertoire of skills that the party each had was enough to outmaneuver, overpower, and end the monsters that they were seeing. That was, when they were not controlled by the elder lich.

The walk to the massive tower was short. Much shorter than the running from undead zombie rats that they had done before. In fact, they did not see one such undead the entire time. Instead, they had just seen the more unique undead.

But they had also not seen any adventurers or grave robbers exploring. Clearly, the undead would still go after them. Or the people nearby would not approach this area at all any more. There was always someone foolish enough though. Which meant that they were also scared away by the odd actions of the undead here.

The large doors of the tower opened up. Now the party did not need to risk going through the underground. Facing the undead leeches, or rising water left there for unknown years. It also meant that they did not need to break through a skeletal door or wall with odd runes either.

From what they had seen before, the staircase that led upwards and downwards was the same. Now though, large torches burned with odd glowing green flames. They contained some different form of magic that the party had not seen before.

”To the top.” the voice echoed down. It was the immortal king. Instead of the lower area of the ruins, he was above them, at the top of this tower.

Moving upwards, the stairs were fine. Nothing stood out. Nothing felt wrong. Just a general walk upwards that took them too long. Noone wanted to speak though. Every word would be heard.

Everything they did was certainly seen by the immortal king.

”You should already know why I have called out my legions of undead. Here they are organizing themselves.”

”Years of research without a solution to my problems. Years without a single opposing force that could cause me issues. Just the knowledge that the runt who caused this was running around full of his own evil intentions. Now, that runt has caused more trouble and brought upon the world the remaining hiding rats with wings. Those disgusting things that refuse to be undead or alive.

Immortal but not truly immortal. A fake race that should have remained sealed!”

The entire tower thrummed with trapped mana for a moment. The party could only keep walking while they heard the immortal king ranting.

…

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