Pestilence: Rise Of The Pure Undead

Chapter 252 The Beginning : Friendly Visit

All thought that the downfall of life was impossible until it happened, then it became simply inevitable.

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Loimos spent most of his time moving around, leading troops to build forts, doing some landscaping, removing forest, adding forest, deleting mountains, replacing them, draining water, corrupting waters, digging lakes of blood, planting trees for bloodfruits, erecting miasma generators.

He had been given authority to direct troops as per his discretion, in the lands without protection by life, now known as the badlands, he was the highest ranking officer of his majesty, King Nitok.

Acting as messenger, he conversed with the minor lords, undeads of greater stature and of keen minds, the minor lords commanded over the lesser lords, to the living, all forts and bastions were different in shape and structure, all appearing to be made for rulers of equal standing, but that was wrong, only seven minor lords had been dispatched to the badlands, not one of them was put in charge of a fortress close to Tamaris, they watched over their castle and that of subordinates, focusing on building roads in between them all, digging underground too.

Vwoldtnir's followers were hard at work deep below the earth, after making certain to rile up some of the big players on the enemy side, and informing the minor lords about what was to come, Loimos headed for another place entirely, he had not lied when he had said that King Nitok bore little interest in Tamaris at the moment, unlike the posers, he was a true ruler, holding special influence over conquered lands, the priority was expanding the domain of undeath.

As such, Loimos currently was approaching a city well away from the center of the undead empire, he had bypassed many others in his way here, flying through the air and then landing up on top of the rampart, a rather big city of Glittegoyaume, a simple kingdom with a monarchy, it was apparently was somewhat big deal, but considering how little it was mentioned, this was all past glory and nothing else.

Like most nations of Viridis, it had seen a steep decline in the past generations, the gift of comprehension brought peace, peace carried stillness, and stillness allowed stagnation, stagnation giving way for devolution and decay.

With very little to compete for, no conflicts of any kind that could surmount the mark of simple pettiness, the best most could do was simply keep its prestige, really, only Tamaris had been constantly seeking to improve, solely because their king's eyes were not dulled with what he already owned.

It was the exception that confirmed the rule.

Loimos, winged with abject extra limbs, landed right in the middle of pale guards, they had not noticed his arrival but fear was already etched into their minds and bodies, expecting a dark tide of death to appear in the horizon, wholly unprepared to deal with mental anguish that had just set foot amidst their ranks.

Reaching into empty air, his war scythe manifested out of rot in all its glory, unleashing the sense-numbing stench he had kept inside, the guards coughed, nostrils burning and eyes watering, but they still pointed their spears at the undead, about a dozen of them.

Where they could either accept to become a vassal state, refuse or die.

The last one being a requirement regardless of answer, the only difference is that in one case your territory would be uprooted and buried.

Allang Allantir did not respond, trying to say something but stopping himself as he sheepishly went back to sit on his throne like a proper ruler, signalling for his knights to arrange themselves like this was a most regular audience, they just needed to ignore the hole in the roof and the undead oozing a terrible stench as well as giving them images of death every time he spoke a word.

The living king cleared his throat, putting on a mask of composure.

Looking right at Loimos.

"My sincerest apologies, the letter must have gotten lost! It would be my pleasure to meet with his majesty, King Nitok! In fact, I'll get going right now!"

"I will accompany you" Loimos said, the king forced a smile.

"G-Great! Shall I-"

"No need for anyone else to accompany you"

"Aherm... What room for negotiations is there, if I may inquire?"

"None"

"Understood..."