Revenge of the Sorcerer King 26

Hey Everyone!

Chapter 26

Oberon 

In a forest several dozen kilometers from the town, we followed a trail of necromantic mana. All of us present were able to detect it moments after entering the forest. In fact, I was surprised whatever this was hadn’t been taken care of already. We left the adventurers back with the wagon. 

Dead trees and brush soon appeared along the trail. When I checked it, I found it was fairly recently decayed. Drawing my Promise, I took to the front as we walked deeper into the forest. With the stupid level system, I knew Helena was probably able to take a heavier hit than I could, but my pride wouldn’t let me have a woman led the way into danger, especially one that looked like a child. 

“Are you really going to do this?” Helena asked behind me. She had her massive shield and was carrying it like it weighed nothing. 

“Leave me alone,” I growled back at her. I mentally scowled when I heard Alessa snicker. 

The undead corruption was dense enough in this area to turn the ground black. Corpses of small animals littered the ground, killed by the miasma in the air. I personally was enjoying the feeling of energy flowing into me. I peaked at my status and saw that I was actually gaining EXP for being in this place. We had been tracking it for almost and hour and my EXP had gone up by one. This information gave me ideas for the future. 

We eventually came to a small chain of hills. Not quite mountains yet but making their way up there. Just from the foothills, I could see several caves dotting the surface. I was sure there were plenty more hidden away. We were about to start heading up the hills when some movement caught my two companions’ attention. Traveling with two vampires meant barely anything could sneak up on us. 

“Well. Let’s see what we’re dealing with,” I said moving Promise through a few motions. 

“Probably some low level undead monsters. Five seconds tops,” Helena said while checking her nails. 

“And that’s how people end up in the dirt,” I said taking a ready stance. 

“You do have experience in that regard,” she said with a smirk. 

Just as I was about to turn and attempt to slice her head off, a pack of zombies stumbled out of the brush. There was seven of them and it looked like they had seen better days. They were all missing a limb, and one even struggled to get through the underbrush. 

“See what did I tell you,” Helena said leaning against her shield. 

“I don’t think they are even worth trying to take control of. Alessa. Why don’t you take care of them,” I said taking a more relaxed stance. 

“Alright,” Alessa said with a shrug.

I was glad I didn’t hear any of the timid that used to taint her voice. She checked her knuckles. While we visited the last town, she had gone weapon shopping and picked up some gauntlets. Apparently, she preferred to beat down an enemy with her fists. Her use of magic made her even more deadly. 

Magic light swirled around her hands as she approached the pack of zombies. They turned to her just now sensing her as she came close. When she was about three meters away, she launched herself at the first one, landing her fist directly against its head. If she had used anymore force, I thought it would have vaporized. The head exploded into a shower of chunks and brain matter. 

The other zombies… did not react quickly. They reacted but it was almost in slow motion. The nearest zombie to Alessa lunged at her, but she easily swatted it away. The poor thing’s arms broke from the gesture. Alessa brought her other fist around and blew that one’s head off as well. 

One of the zombies in the middle suddenly ballooned out. Without more than a moment’s notice, it opened its mouth and spewed vomit towards Alessa. She wasn’t caught off guard however, as her gauntlets lit up in flames. I heard the sounds of a magic word, and she releases a stream of flames in return. The flames met the vomit midair and lit up like dry timber in the middle of a desert. 

The vomit ignited, instantly traveling back to the zombie. The undead creature exploded in a spray of flaming gore. Alessa kept her flames going to burn off the spray that was headed towards her. She emerged clean without a speck on her. I clapped at her resourcefulness. 

The rest of the fight continued without another hitch. Alessa finished the rest of the subpar undead off in a matter of seconds. I wasn’t sure who their levels compared, but I bet she gained at least a level from that. Once the last zombie had it’s head turned to a paste, she shook off her fists and made her way back. 

“I know that its for my own good to level up, but can we find better smelling ones next time. Compared to the undead near the temple, these just smelt… wrong,” Alessa said walking back. She was checking her gauntlets for any damage. I had made sure to drive into her the importance of maintenance on gear. 

“Sure. The next mission involves minotaur. As long as you don’t mind farm animals, it shouldn’t be too bad,” I said patting her on the shoulder. I was truly impressed with how far she had come since I had met her. Given the drawbacks of my curse, she might surpass me before long. 

“Yay!” she said with an eyeroll. I laughed at her obvious display of annoyance. 

“Onward. Let’s find the would-be necromancer before the sun rises,” I said heading in the direction that the zombies came from. 

“Why do you think it’s the work of a necromancer?” Alessa asked skipping next to me. 

“Natural spawned undead from sources of corruption are much more powerful. Those things could barely be called more than puppets. I sensed no soul from them,” Helena interjected before I could say anything. 

“I think I understand why masters sit alone atop mountains now,” I muttered. 

“Why?” Helena and Alessa asked at the same time. 

“Damn vampires and their super hearing. Because if two masters got together, they would be trying to explain over the other.”

“Ah, don’t be such a spoil sport. You know I’m growing on you,” Helena said poking my arm. 

“Not in the least,” I said. 

“You two act like an old married couple,” Alessa said with a laugh. I was not alone when I turned a glare towards her. Helena almost looked more pissed off than me. Alessa quickly held up her hands waving them in the ‘don’t kill me’ motion. 

Alessa 

Wow, you cannot joke with these two, I thought with a mental groan. Mother always did say my mouth would get me in trouble. I couldn’t wait to see and tell her all about the last few weeks of my life. I really hoped she wouldn’t be ashamed of what I’d become. 

After the dual glare from the ‘parents’ we made our way deeper into the hills. There were a few more packs of undead, but none were any more dangerous than the Spitter from the first group. Some had skin made from stone, others glowing body parts that produced acid, and even one that was inside out. That would be burned in my mind for a while. 

I took care of them all and was reaping the benefits of doing so. My level had already jumped twice, the last group giving me enough EXP to level. The undead must be only a few levels higher or lower than I was. Either way was fine with me, I was able to crush anything my magic clad fists. Helena was the one that helped me come to that decision. I explained my fights in the desert to her.

~a few nights ago~

“As a pureblood your body is many times stronger than that of a human. I don’t mean in the twos or threes. I mean in the tens and twenties. You also have the advantage of not having the Lumos curse. Even I, a noble, can only go into the sun for an hour or so, before the curse starts to overtake me.”

“That in fortunate, err, unfortunate for you,” I said catching myself. 

“It’s something I have lived with for many years now. However, what I’m getting at is that you have to use an extraordinary durable weapon, or they will just shatter. Given time you will have to pay more attention to your hand to make sure you don’t crumple the hilt of the sword that you might suffer a blow,” Helena explained calmly. 

“Lovely,” I said rubbing the back of my head. 

“It has been expensive over the years. That’s why before you pick up something like the sword, I would suggest going the brawler route. While you are still low-level you can use gauntlets, and when you get higher your skin will be stronger than most steel.”

“Alright! Help me pick out a good pair when we get to the next town. No offense Vaunn. I can’t rely on you forever,” I said to the suit of armor sitting next to me. She shrugged as if she didn’t care. 

“Still… why are all intelligent undead so grouchy?” Helena asked. 

“I don’t know. Maybe being dead for a while does that?” I offered.