Chapter 75: Chapter 64 – A Warm Welcome

"While Diarmuid and I were accustomed to how life was in Ptolodecca from our few years here, for everyone else who came with us, it was an entirely fresh experience. Many an old prejudice were shattered, and many surprises found by the civilians who had joined us.

 

Just the sight of children happily swinging around on a Death Knight's outstretched arms was enough to boggle the minds of the most conservative of our people, much less how many of the villagers and townspeople treated the ever present skeleton soldiers that ensure their safety as if they were friends and family.

 

In many cases, with the practice of the death toll, they often literally were friends and family. People telling stories of their recent life to the skeletons of departed loved ones or taking their offspring to see them were a common sight, and with such common practices, it was not strange, that most of this country revered the Deity of Death, Tohrmut as their patron deity.

 

Maebh was especially struck by the differences between life here and Vitalica, and I could see that it had given her much food for thought. For the most part, we had allowed her to think about it on her own. She is an adult now, and thus entitled to make her own choices." - Diary of Aideen Fiachna, the First Unliving, circa 61 VA.

Tohrmutgent, Ptolodecca, fourth day of the second week of the eleventh month, year 61 VA.

 

Three and a half weeks after they ran away from La Fiachna, Aideen and Diarmuid finally led the group of civilians and soldiers who willingly joined them to Tohrmutgent. Still escorted by Ansel and her Wings of Night, fourth division, they were granted entry into the city without the slightest fuss, and some of the older guards even welcomed them back, having remembered them from their prior stay there.

 

The caravan and its nearly ten thousand people were led to the massive courtyard before the Palace of Bones, where they were bid to wait. In the meantime, men and women dressed in black and purple robes that signified their position as acolytes in service to the Deity of Death distributed hot food and cold beverages for them to sup on.

 

Ansel bid Aideen, Diarmuid, Akeshia, Kestera, Maebh, and Éirynn to follow her, and she led their way into the Palace of Bones, headed straight towards the throne room where the Bone Lord awaited their presence.

 

Within the throne room, Aideen saw grandpa Aarin on his throne, with Drietven by his side as usual. Mimia was also present, as were two other younger men, one of half orcish descent, while the other a goblin, who wore robes identical to Mimia, signifying their status as personal disciples to the Bone Lord. Likely newer disciples grandpa Aarin had taken in during the twenty one years they had been away.

 

"Welcome back, my children," said the Bone Lord as he descended from his throne and met Aideen and Diarmuid halfway. He offered them a hug, and neither of them declined, and hugged their grandpa Aarin. "It is good to see you safe and sound. And please accept my condolences for your father's passing. He was a good man."

 

"Thank you grandpa," said Aideen in reply. "And sorry for burdening you again in our time of need."

 

"It is of no matter, child," waved the Bone Lord nonchalantly. "Those two are Clovis and Seriz, they will help your people get situated and placed here. Would one of you be so kind to help introduce them?"

 

Akeshia volunteered for the task, and soon left the throne room with Ansel and the two young disciples of the Bone Lord, headed back out to the courtyard where the rest of their people still waited.

 

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"Mimia will show you to your accommodations," added the Bone Lord shortly afterwards. "Maybe some of you could check if it's to your liking while the rest of us talk business?"

 

Kestera and Éirynn excused themselves as they followed Mimia down one of the side halls of the grand cathedral, which left Aideen, Diarmuid, and Maebh with the Bone Lord. Éirynn, unlike Maebh, did not have as much standing among the vitalocans, since she too was of the death affinity.

 

"To more serious matters then," said the Bone Lord more seriously. "I heard you had brought three wagons of corpses of your fallen here. What do you intend to do with them?"

 

Aideen, Diarmuid, and Maebh exchanged looks with one another. That exact topic had been the subject of many a discussion between them and the remaining Templars and Death Guards, especially after they saw how life was in Ptolodecca. They had come to a decision before they arrived here, which was met with slight distaste by some, yet reluctantly accepted in the end.

 

"The templars would like to bury their fallen, should it be possible, Bone Lord," Maebh answered on the behalf of the templars. She wasn't quite as close to grandpa Aarin as Aideen and Diarmuid was since they rarely met one another, and addressed him by his more formal title.

 

"We do have a cemetery, with plenty of room, so that is not an issue, child," replied grandpa Aarin in a reassuring tone. "And the rest?"

 

"The Death Guards chose to have their fallen reanimated, so that they may hold to their oath to serve as long as they were able, beyond death if need be," answered Diarmuid. That decision had sparked some controversy with the Templars, yet when family members of the fallen Death Guards voiced their support for it, they gave in.

 

"A bold choice, yet fitting as well," praised grandpa Aarin as he gave a nod. "We shall arrange for a burial and a raising ceremony on the same day then, probably on the seventhday?"

 

"That would be fine, grandpa, and many thanks," Aideen said.

 

"That is one issue solved," said the Bone Lord with a graver tone of voice. "But now, my children, I fear we must discuss something less palatable."

 

"Namely, that the rebellion happening in your homeland, and even the elven raid over a decade ago, might have been the results of someone pulling strings from behind the scenes."

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