Chapter 44: Chapter 43

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Also sorry for not uploading as much lately. I am short-staffed at work, so I'm pulling 7-14days a time, so I write and edit as I get time. Enjoy :)

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I trudged along a long hallway. Torches lined the walkway, along with a red carpet that stretched the entire length, casting a baleful glow across the claustrophobic space. My heart ached with every beat like somebody was driving daggers through it. Each step I took felt like I was being tugged along by a string. Never before have I felt this hurt. It was far more profound than anything that I have ever felt before. Like my life was falling apart, and I had no power to stop it.

I still walked on that same path. Warm liquid seeped down my face in an endless trail as I pushed forward. In the corner of my eye, dozens of notifications were rolling past. Most of them were blurred as they quickly replaced one another, yet one word was as clear as day. That single word twisted my heart and fanned the flames of burning anger that threatened to consume me with each step I took.

Slain. That word wrenched my heart, and my tears became a torrent. The rage blossomed into a bright sun, and my thoughts became focused on something. Something I couldn't quite make out. All the words seemed jumbled together and hidden through a filter. But the emotion was still there, eating away at me. Rage, sorrow, despair, hatred. They all circled around my mind, driving nails into my chest.

I stumbled forward towards a double door that was clad in gold. Laurels of silver hung from various crevices, along with a plethora of various jewels. Jewels that no longer held any sort of meaning to me. Just worthless pieces of rocks. Just as I pressed my hand against the door and a bell wrung out. The final toll for a fallen hero. The same toll was strong enough to tear my heart in two and send cold chills across my flesh. I clenched my teeth and forced the door open on silent hinges, revealing a sun wreathed in the color of freshly spilled blood.

A few bolts of scarlet danced across the sky, matching the thunder that was keening in the distance. Rain drizzled down, trying to drown out the pungent smell of blood and fire, mixed with the all too familiar scent of death. Large plumes of black smoke rose towards the sky, and the faint sounds of swords clashing rang in the distance. A few paces in front of me were two hulking creatures clad in armor that were once golden but now charred and blackened. They both had their hands extended out, and a shimmering golden shield enveloped us that was shrugging off a flurry of white and golden magic. Yet each spell was blurred and shifted, hiding its identity from me, and the sound was muffled and faded.

But that didn't matter to me. What mattered was the corpse that was lying behind the hulking armor-clad creatures. I stumbled forward, and all the rage I felt dissipated and was replaced with absolute despair. I fell to my knees and placed my hands on the face of the now-dead figure. Its face was blurred beyond all recognition, yet I knew who exactly it was that lay before me.

My heart ached and I cried out in anguish as I reached forward and touched the ashen face. My mouth moved, yet no words came out. I knew not what I said, yet the emotion told me everything I needed to know. A final departure for the person closest to my heart. A sorrowful lamentation of regret. My hands reached out and clasped the sword that lay next to the corpse. As I grasped the blade, the ball of hatred in my heart reignited into an icy rage.

I stood up and reached for the single button that held my cloak together and threw it to the side before I placed my hand on my mask and threw it to the side as well. It landed on the stone with a soft clatter, and the two creatures glanced behind them. Each bore a set of picks of golden light that fixated on me through a scorched golden helm. With a single glance of intent, both understood what was about to happen and drew a sword that glowed with a sickly green aura. I walked past them with the sword clasped firmly in my hand.

The handle felt cold and heavy, a grim reminder of what had come and what had yet to be. With a single thought, power coursed through me, and a ball of violet power grew in my right hand. With each passing second, it only grew stronger and brighter. I stepped forward and gazed out across my city and cried out, with a primal roar that tore from my throat with unprecedented power, matched with the anguish that threatened to break me.

Before me stood a legion of white and gold, with banners held high, hidden through a static barrier that constantly flickered in and out. I glanced at the two creatures that stood behind me and gave them a soft smile and one last command. The words were faded and quiet as if they had yet to exist, and I could only make out three. "No one else." My attention shifted back towards the front, and I raised my hand and expelled the energy in my hand in a display of light that rivaled that of the sun, and only grew brighter until it too blinded me and my surroundings, drowning everything in a violet light.

With a start, I jumped from my bed. My heart was pounding, and a cold sweat clung to my flesh. What was that? I could still feel the twinges of despair dancing around my chest, along with the budding headache from being violently torn from my sleep. My hands shook violently as I tried to reel in my emotions and tried to understand what just happened. I've been here for quite some time, and I've yet to dream outside of this. I brought my hands up to my face to wipe away whatever sweat and tears had built up.

Alessia must have seen me wake up as a mess, walked over to me, and sat down on the bed. I felt an icy hand on my shoulder and then the presence of clothing. Though if I wasn't directly looking at her, I wouldn't have known she was there. Damn her and her desire to make sure I'm alright. I took a deep breath and calmed my nerves, and a notebook appeared by me.

What's wrong my lady?

"I had a dream where everyone was dying, and Asteria was on fire, and there was little that I could do to stop it all." The dream still hung heavy on my mind. It all felt so real like it was something beyond a dream. I couldn't bear the thought of everything that I was working so hard to build, getting burnt down like it was nothing.

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Fear, not empress, for as long as I can fight, I can ensure that nothing of the sort will ever occur. I swear that on my unlife that no matter what happens, I will defend you and this realm.

Her words helped bring peace to my mind. It was just a dream, after all. It wasn't anything to get too worked up about. I mean, I can't see the future or anything. Alessia stood up and walked over towards my desk, grabbed the notebook I worked on last night, and brought it over.

I wiped away the exhaustion in my eyes and attempted to shove down the memory of the dream, hoping, as, with all dreams, this too would vanish with time. I flipped open my notebook, looked over what I was working on, nodded my head, glanced at the clock, and saw that it was only six am. I brought my screen up and shot a quick message to kharon, telling him to gather everyone, and the ceremony would start soon. I've purposefully neglected to check out the stronghold.

Partially with the thought that the issue wouldn't exist if I ignored it and because I didn't feel comfortable looking at their funeral arrangements just yet; I mean, it was partially my fault that they all perished, and that thought alone made me feel incredibly guilty.

I jumped out of bed and rummaged around my office, looking for my cloak and mask. I didn't feel like creating vast, elaborate outfits since that was never really my style, to begin with. Besides, the cloak and the mask seemed solemn enough for my use. I threw my clothes on and rifled through my notebook for a bit. It would give time for my companion to get everything ready and for me to work my part. For now, it was the waiting game. With a single motion, I teleported myself and Alessia into the new part of the domain.

I stood in a barren plain and a host of undead behind me. After the combat briefing, I never got with the captain since I was still feeling ashamed of myself, so everything I did was on the fly. But I would explain to him after the ceremony what I changed, so he can better implement it into the legion, so it wasn't a total bust. I spun and glanced at the small horde behind me.

I created five centurions, which were zombie pack leaders. They didn't cost nearly as much as I thought they would, which was good. Plus, I've been having a small influx of essence from all the rewards I've been getting, so it hasn't been too big of an issue for me. Next to the small horde was a group of four warrant officers. One was a Spirit that held a dark flame from the tips of his finger. The next was a giant skeleton that held a bow with a quiver of arrows strapped to its back. The third was a smaller zombie with a spear in its hand. I didn't quite have a spear-based class, and I wanted one.

The fourth warrant officer was a bit weird. It was a mass of shadows in a vaguely humanoid shape that barely absorbed the light and the only undead in the area that I couldn't get the uniform on. Oh well, I couldn't always have it my way I suppose.

Positioned behind the centurions were the basic t1 mobs, at twelve apiece. I wanted to keep the power levels somewhat even, so I didn't want to go too far overboard with that. They were all dressed in the uniforms that I made for them, and I went a few steps ahead and worked on making them look ragged and dirty. I prefer them to look clean and sharp, but that wouldn't quite fit this zone.

To the group's left was the honor guard reinforcement without classes that Alessia talked me into creating. She wanted to use a few of the t2s and create some variety, which I don't blame. Whatever she makes, I profit off of it, regardless. The most interesting one so far was the Skeletal horror. They looked like skeletons mostly, but the way they shifted their bones around was unnerving. The dark magic mages were a bit fun, as well. It let me have a bit more variety for the military, but I still wanted more.

Once everything was settled, I positioned the undead in multiple box-shaped formations, with a centurion leading each and a warrant officer attached to each on the far left. I checked out all the uniforms and ensured that they were all wearing them correctly and had the proper ranks attached to them.

I went ahead and gave them a wide variety of weapons, with some wielding swords and shields, while others held just spears, with a few bows mixed in. I stared at the formations for a moment before switching things up a bit and organizing everything based on what weapons were being used. I wanted everything to be uniform and clean, and ready for the ceremony.

As I waited for them to organize, I glanced over at Alessia and saw that the honor guard was ready to go at a moment's notice. Lined up in a much tighter and better-looking box formation than my own. I felt a smile cross my face from under my mask as I watched Alessia work. I expected nothing less from her.

I turned my attention back to the other dead and saw that they were still shuffling around somewhat; I glanced at the clock and saw that it was going on nine in the morning. I wasn't particularly in a rush to get to the ceremony, so I wasn't all that perturbed at how long they took to get organized. Besides, they were all new, and once they got to the stronghold, I was sure that the captain would whip them into shape.

A short time later, they finally finished organizing, and I cast a glance at Alessia and motioned for her to join me on my right. "Honor guard, fall in step behind me. 12th legion fall in step behind them. Keep pace and keep formation." I called out to the undead and glanced at Alessia. We shared a gaze with each other, and she placed her poleaxe on her right shoulder and gave me a bow.

I spun around and stared at this area's exit, struggling with the anxiety that was coiling around my heart. I really didn't want to do this. But there was no choice; they needed their empress. I took a deep breath to steady my nerves and started walking. Alessia was just two steps behind me, and I heard the synchronized stepping of the other undead as they fell in line behind me as we marched to the stronghold.

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