Pestilence: Rise Of The Pure Undead-Chapter 347: Fear The Night : Take The Hand

"How long…?

How long have we been there for?" asking in between heavy breaths, Antieeld realised that she had no idea just how long she had been struggling against sleep for, helped in this endeavour by regularly occurring shakes and booms echoing throughout the royal palace, signs of dreadful battle, that had ended after a nearly constant series of heavy strikes, or what she believed to have been strikes.

All had ceased now, only the distant echoes of footsteps could be heard, like insects crawling within the walls, the undeads were not easily fooled, the maze created in secrecy in the undergrounds of the royal castle told them that something was to be found here, stronger corpses, less easily affected by the defence mechanisms put into place must have arrived, dismantling all, searching for what was hidden.

Which was the youths, and also other rooms, where citizens had been taken secretly, just before the beginning of the last battle, as the duel between Thanatok and Loimos had been raging on, a bet to be sure, as no one could be certain who might be spies, but it was a risk the king was willing to take, Wanneck had never believed strongly in the chances of life, but his champions and warriors, they absolutely did, and if they did not, they would have never given up the chance to defend the last living lands of Viridis, it went beyond all else, few saw running away as an option, and even if it had been presented to them, refused it would have been.

The copper king might have not trusted in victory, but he too would remain in place as the undeads stormed his nation, and even as he layed in a pool of his own blood, mixed with that of those who had stood alongside him, Agilulf Wanneck did not regret his decision.

Below, Antieeld could sense the troops being crushed, or rather, that they had definitely been crushed already, fights were breaking out in the hallways nearby, it seemed like another group was heading for this secret room, managing to force their way through undeads confused by the environments, luck was on their side, managing to slip inside unseen.

Antieeld’s attention was focused on the vibrant orb partly tucked away into the wall, at the very end of brightly lit room, looking at herself next, she realised that Minli had already tended to her every wound, wrapping her body and face with bandages dipped in healing water, and since the little healer was thorough, the commandant had been basically made into a mummy, but humid.

Not paying attention to her fellows laying on the ground, or the new arrivals, which turned out to be the leaders of the death hunters alongside some of their followers, instead, she approached the orb, this was the greatest discovery made during the race to get anything on the undeads, this was basically the only thing that qualified as such, and even Antieeld did not know what it was for, only that it could be activated by simply touching it, she could infer that it was a mean of escape.

’Teleportation to another continent?’ she wondered, her thoughts interrupted as she felt like something physically constricted her throat, everyone reacted to it, even those deeply unconscious. Enjoy new tales from novelbuddy

"What is this?!" blurted out Minli, who had already begun tending to the newly arrived death hunters, although unhurt, she had not stopped at all for hours now, stopping the blood loss upon grievous wounds, closing slashes and gashes, placing bones on the right tracks, performing surgical operations, signs of fatigue upon her face vanished, the source of this discomfort was still far, marching through the gates of the capital, having suddenly appeared, presence irradiating like a malevolent sun.

Walking into Wanneckssa, surrounded by his subordinates, Nitok, Prince Of Death, walked upon conquered lands, logically claimed after a confrontation that had lasted for nearly an entire day, an expeditive invasion that could only be qualified as exceptional, only below the domination of the rest of Viridis, some obstacles had been great.

Taking all of the lands under his dominion, King Nitok’s influence soared, walking into the palace’s throne room, the ceiling, the pillars, the throne, all were in ruins, Körpersucher was already there, wearing Lylya’s body as his, bowing to his king, presenting the corpses of those that opposed him, the ghost lord may have gone overboard, only keeping Agilulf Wanneck alive, if only barely.

Dracula was the only other gravelord present, the rest being a bit busy at the moment still.

"How fareth it?" asked the king, the vampire lord nodding his head, Dracula’s refined appearance and immaculate clothing made it hard to believe that he had engaged in brutal combat against Svaltimas.

"Total victory, my king" he assured, bowing his head as Nitok moved before the copper king, the living was kneeling upon the ground, slack and pale, tapping his dark staff upon the defeated ruler’s head, King Nitok extended death’s kindness upon him and healed his wounds, Agilulf Wanneck opening his eyes wide open, suddenly recovering all attention.

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"Living, thou hast fought well, until now" sockets blazing with dark flames, extending his free hand toward him.

"Take mine hand, spare thy people pain, shun the well of oblivion, squander not love for ire…"

"...Thou art king, make the right choice"

Agilulf Wanneck sighed wearily, standing up before the king of the dead, his throne room squirming with undeads, his lands being taken apart and changed under the watchful eyes of the minor lords, the loss of Tamaris was set in stone, there was no changing this fact.

"I take it that both options lead to similar outcomes, yes?"

"Similar... Similar... They art as night and eternal night, utterly different, mine friend! But I do suppose that it may seem thus to thee, behold thus: Pain, or an eternity of compassion!" King Nitok spread his arms wide, quickly extending his hand again, beckoning for the living to take it.

"...Very well…" he kept himself from making any other comments, reaching for the skeleton’s hand shakily, expecting everything to disappear the moment he did so, he hesitation was palpable, but Nitok did not budge at all, letting Wanneck take his time, until finally, their palms touched.

The moment it happened, all turned dark for the king, a sight of oblivion and the sensation of another’s hand upon his, not of the Prince Of Death, something smoother, pleasant, alluring, a hand one would never want to let go off, but just as the feeling settled in, imprinting upon his mind, it was gone and only the King’s skeletal limb remained.

"Didst thou feel it? Death is gentle and kind" as he spoke, Nitok stared directly through the ground, pointing for his forces to go fetch the remaining living, hiding beneath, but naught could be done, all had vanished in the next instant.

Viridis was now the continent of the undead, without anyone, or anything to oppose it, it was the end of something, but also the beginning.

Without forces to challenge them, they could grow stronger, and lay siege upon all else in peace.

It would soon be time for death’s champion to unleash war, conquest, famine and pestilence.