Revenge of the Sorcerer King 3 - 23

Good Morning! 

Chapter 23

Oberon

I stared at the floating core. This city core was a high level and they had employed most of the imps that were part of it. Not only that, the royal family at least, could be called caring and had actually looked out for the imps while they serviced the city. Too bad, this lordship wasn’t in possession of a fortress core. This battle might have gone another way.

Placing my hand on the core, I concentrated on binding it to my will. Unlike the ones before now, this one wanted to resist me. Too bad that that just wasn’t in the cards for it. I had several pacts with the fairy race, not to mention, the cores don’t get any say in who their master was. Its master lost a war, that made it a spoil of war.

With a snap, the city core’s information washed over me. I was impressed and at the same time surprised that they had lost the battle so badly.

Epic City Core - Kalia

Level: 310

Current Territory: 1500 SQKM

Wall Strength: 1,124/1,000,000

Castle Strength: 0/100,000

Current Inhabitants: Unknown

Core-Linkage: City-core Zriq, Fortress Core Lenora, City-Core Goruq

There was a large list of enchantment spells that had been placed over the years on the territory. If we had been a mortal army, this would have been much harder. Too bad, I was undead. I dismissed the core information then ordered the core’s imp out in front of me. As long as the core was intact, any imps injured would be returned to the core as long as it wasn’t an instant death.

A female imp appeared with a hateful glare directed at me. In her imp form, she wasn’t much to look at, but I felt if she was returned to her fairy form, she’d be quite the looker. Though, I supposed most of the fairies were when you got to the heart of it. She crossed her arms and didn’t acknowledge me.

Looking at the stubborn impess, I just shook my head. I didn’t have the time nor the patience to deal with this. “Do you know who I am?”

“Oberon, the fairy king right. What is that supposed to make me happy that you killed all my friends and the people that treated me like family for the last century?”

“Oh. Looks like the imps in the capital are treated better than the ones in the country. Most are treated like the scum under the people’s feet.”

“How the peasants treat the other peasants have nothing to do with me. They shouldn’t have been the imps for such lowly cities.”

I shook my head again. “I’m not dealing with this.” I extended my hand and placed it on the core. Chanting the core started to crack while the imp screamed in pain. She fell to her knees begging for me to stop, but it was too late. With a wave of mana, the core shattered before it was absorbed by the one in my chest. I would let Zriq deal with her and her family.

“I’m surprised you didn’t just wipe her out completely,” Helena commented.

“I have my pacts with the fairy race. That was about the most I could do to make her suffer.”

“I must say, that was the first time I’ve seen a city-core break. I was taught they were basically indestructible.”

“They are, but I know the method they are created and can undo it. Plus, I cheated a little and used the city-core embedded in me to make the process easier.

“Easier?”

Nodding, I explained. “The cores can absorb each other to become a better grade. With Zriq being fairly common, now that he’s absorbed an epic core, he’ll move up to Unique, skipping Abnormal. I just made sure he was the one doing the absorbing.”

“I see. No wonder mages always say not to bring cores within a hundred meters of each other.”

“It is what it is.” I clapped my hands to clean them of the left over core dust. “Now then, what are we looking at in regards to the city?”

“Most mortals have been removed. Other than about a thousand that were captured by my vampires. The mage’s tower was abandoned, but it looks like they left in a hurry, as most if not all materials are still present.”

“Likely an ancient artifact that allows for teleportation. A handful of them exist. Given this was a capital mage tower, I’m sure they had one or two in their possession,” Helena added putting her hands on her hips.

“We had a decent attempt made by the adventurer guild to get some people to safety, but they were dealt with by Rachel’s party. I would like to have seen their faces,” Alessa said with a snicker.

“I take it your two new toys helped?” I asked.

“Yes. I plan to ask them to retell the tale later to make sure there was no funny business, but the scene was that of a slaughterhouse. They were in a significant frenzy at the time.”

“Good. While what information that could be leaked about us if limited with this sort of engagement, I would like to keep them on their toes. Isn’t that right, Ted?”

A creepy chuckle came from the man. “Yes. There is going to be a lot of confusion in the coming days.”

Loeriten Kingdom Supreme Council Meeting

In a chamber that could hold a thousand people with ease, four individuals sat with their hands tightly gripping their chair’s arms. These were the most influential people in the Kingdom that dominated half of the Igerox continent. It wasn’t often that they were described as nervous.

Opposite them was a large man with a golden bread and short cropped hair. He wore his wealth for everyone to see. If the sunlight were allowed into the room, it would appear as if the sun was playing with him. He grasped his a bejeweled scepter. It had never weighted more than it did today. That was because it was believed to have belonged to The World’s Curse. In light of recent news, it might not be a good item to boast about having.

“We’re certain then?” King Loeriten asked looking at the four lords. Lord Fiden, Lord Orzi, Lady Ethia and Lord Frinz were the only ones that could make it, representing the northern territories of the kingdom. Lord Harzi and Fairnhigh were unable to make it as they were cut off by the undead scourge that made its way to Kalia while Lady Wenid was busy dealing with the Wandering Dungeon. She couldn’t leave her territory easily.

“Whatever is driving these undead went after my lands first! We still haven’t been able to reclaim my home city!” Lord Frinz cried slamming his fist on the table.

“Frinz. There is no need for that. We’re all on the same side. As it is when the undead are involved.”

“Kalia has fallen. The lord never even had a chance to muster a defense. A spell that bloated out the sky crushed the palace and most of the military district next to it in a matter of minutes,” Lady Ethia explained with a hand over her chest. Her daughter had been married to the lord’s son. She knew there was little hope, but still she prayed that a miracle might happen.

“It looks like we shouldn’t have ignored the messenger from Aitos,” Lord Orzi commented tapping a finger on the table. “I never believed that menace could truly return.”

King Loeriten tossed his scepter onto the table. The pristine metal and jewels showing no hint that they had suffered any sort of impact. “We’re basically playing in his yard. The man was worthy of becoming a legend when he was a human. I don’t even want to know what he’s capable of now that he is a…” The king shuddered at the mere thought of such a person becoming an undead. “Either way, we must muster everything we have to cull this problem before it gets too far out of hand. The reason he is moving slow, is likely due to his level. The longer he has to gain strength, the worse off we’re going to be.”

“We all agree. There for we have a suggestion for your highness,” Lady Ethia said.

“What is it?”

“We need to call all our fleets from the southern seas. I think pirates are the least of our problems with this hanging over our heads. Pull all out fleets and head around the cape to attack from the coast. Call for Harzi and Farinhigh to muster every soldier they can and send them north into the desert. That’s where this beast originated, even if his forces are in Kalia. We’ll must our forces here in the north then go through Frinz to crush them in a three way battle while we eat the tail of the monster.”

“Is that wise?” King Loeriten asked rubbing his forehead. “These are undead, with each death, their numbers will grow.”

“That’s why we must get all the churches to lend support. If we get enough holy water, the men can drink it before the battle and be spared undeath,” Lord Orzi said.

“Very well. The fate of the world depends on this. I shall call on Aitos as well. If they add their fleets to ours, we stand to create a new alliance while dealing with this threat.”

“Excellent foresight, your majesty. Should we also call on Sharguin?” Lord Fiden asked.

“Spare me your drivel. Like that old fool would be willing to work together without any gain. All he’ll see is his forces going to die.”

“You speak the truth.”

“Make sure you have our spies watch the border. With so many of our soldiers moving to the west, our neighbors might try and take advantage.”

“Perhaps we should warn them, at the least?”

King Loeriten tapped his chin. “Tell them that the undead force is heading for their Salis. That should keep them distracted since the horde has in fact been moving east.”

“It will be done.”

A few more details were worked about among the lords when a messenger came for Lady Ethia. The other lords listening in heard that her daughter hadn’t been in the palace when it was destroyed and thus had survived. She had reached the Kingdom capital with a few trusted retainers. The lady quickly bowed, and King Loeriten allowed her to leave.

King Loeriten leaned his head back and looked at the ceiling glad for the one ray of light in the darkness that was Kalia. A painting of a demon and an angel reaching out to touching hands as if they were lovers was portrayed there. A sensational piece by an upcoming artist. The king could only wonder if the angels or demons would be involved before long. He sincerely hoped they weren’t. “Let us just pray this is the right path. Oberon Black Phoenix. You should have just stayed dead!”

Alessa

Sitting on the wall of the center district, I looked over the city. We were staying here for a few days while Oberon turns all the dead into undead. My girls were taking the time to balance their minds. They all gained a lot of levels quickly, we needed to take some time to get used to our increased strength. Myself included.

“You have to envy the mindless undead at times,” Jade said as she sat down next to me.

“Yes. I admit I never thought once in my life that I would gain levels too fast.”

“You are a member of the Cursed family, right?” she asked and I nodded. “Your mother explained that it was hard to live even a quiet life. I can’t imagine what it must be like for a child on her own.”

“My mother was upright. Ironically, that kept me from falling to murder and theft, though looking back I regret that.” I grabbed my chest that barely existed. “I needed more nutrients, if you follow.”

“You still have time to grow. You’re definitely taller than when I first met you.”

“Thanks, not that I feel like it.” Jade was nearly a head taller than I was and even with all the bloodshed she’d committed, was still like a priceless work of art that shouldn’t be handled too roughly.

“Do you know when Master Oberon would like to move on?”

“No. Him and Ted are creating undead as fast as they can, but when there were over a hundred thousand people in the city. It takes a while.”

“I see. I am down for a little rest.”

“I thought you were enjoying the bloodshed and death?”

“I don’t mind it. Unlike my time in the palace back home, I’m not some piece of artwork sitting on a wall while all the men get to make the decisions. My actions actually help someone.”

“I can say you’re a life savior for me.” If not for Jade, I might still be a giant snake eating my way through the countryside.

“I appreciate that.”

Three days passed like that. While my vampires and I adjusted to our rapid level growth, the number of undead around the city grew exponentially. Oberon planned to send half of them back to Fallen Haven since the undead wouldn’t be too useful in the Wandering Dungeon.

Now that Oberon claimed the Kalia capital, he didn’t care about the numerous villages and towns in its lands. The people living there could flee or stay and hope their lives will be spared. Either way, the untamed undead would claim everything sooner or later.

“Aren’t you worried about a hero coming from one of these places?” I asked as Oberon finished the last of his undead creation. We stood in a plaza that might as well be a mass grave. The undead had been hauling bodies in from around the city. The miasma was thick enough that it formed a fog.

“If I worried about that, I would need to kill every mortal in the world to feel safe. That might be hard for even me.”

“So, just leave it to the untamed undead?”

“Pretty much. Not that I think it will be a problem. Anyone that survived our march through the lordship will likely be moving north or south. Once there, they will put a strain on their resources resulting in them be conscripted into the army to reclaim lost lands and fight the undead scourge. The women and children will be forced to work farms or less favorable occupations.” He looked at the sky, but I felt like he was looking at the past. “In the end, the poor will ultimately suffer while the rich watch from their stone balconies.”

“With the threat having the name of World’s Curse, I feel like things might be a little different.”

“I’m sure, but just as many will be less inclined to fight me due to the fear that has been breed into them. Not to mention, with how my family was treated, there will be plenty that worry my rage will consume the world.” He glanced back to me before turning back to the pile of bodies. “Not that they would be wrong. I want to try and consume the world.”

“Its only been three months and you’ve already turned half of the west lordships into desolate wastelands. I think you are well on your way to achieving that goal.”

“You honor me. Still, it would be a pity if our family turns against us. I hope your mother doesn’t do anything stupid.”

“I… I hope so too.” I looked over the castle wall to the east. My mother was much higher level than I thought and had already made it a good distance to her presumed goal of Sharguin kingdom. That was where Oberon felt a large concentration of his bloodline.

“We’ll get the answers to why she left when we find her. Something tells me it wasn’t because her daughter became a vampire.”

I nodded but continued to look to the east. I hope so.

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