A Rattling Monster - Chapter 96：Robbed?

During the travel to the capital of the human kingdom, I never slept well. I mean, besides the fact that it is useless to me, I never was safe, always fearing a new attack. That provoked the stagnation of the number of undead servants under my command. The permanent use of my [Veil of Darkness] and the creation of multiple doppelgangers thanks to [Nightfall] was too costly. I never lost any mana, but I only was able to create a new spirit after 5 days. Since I had to dodge anything that could see my army and report it to the Church, only after the creation of the third spirit, we reached Atria.

Strong Atria, beautiful Atria, full of life Atria. The last part is a major concern for me since I have this wonderful ability granted by the Blood God himself. But I have deviated a lot from my former road, and I am now near the northern part of the slums, instead of reaching the city by the East. Not that it will really change anything, but I have still my tomb in the East, you know, the tomb filled with leather armors capable of preventing my skeletons to be detected as undead.

The only problem is the size of my army, before, the leather armors were enough, but now, it is definitely lacking. But well, I will see when I will arrive at my armory. We stay, of course, far away from any habitations of the humans, to not be seen. It would be a shame that the slow travel I had to endure can be useless just because of me, being careless. But apparently, Oslo doesn’t find any criminals or outlaws leaving the town, so that’s fine.

I finally arrive at my tomb but notice something weird, or unexpected. The ground is perfectly fine and there is grass everywhere. But I truly remember the tree nearby and the location, so the tomb is here. Just, the precise location? Damn that perfect weather. Seriously, I am certain that this perfect atmosphere created by Aria has caused the ground to accelerate the growth of the grass. How am I supposed to find my tomb now? Well, if I remember, it was under those leaves, or at least the shadows of those leaves. Maybe a little further? I ask my skeleton magicians to begin to dig everywhere near this place. More than twenty skeletons working will probably discover the tomb.

After a short moment, number twenty manages to uncover the bones of the buried criminal. Great, that means my stock of weapons is close to it. I only let the five closest undead keep working since numbers will slow down more than help. After uncovering the complete body of the outlaw, the undead servants inform me that they have finished the job. They are really efficient. I approach my former armory, prepared to sort the leather armors that have suffered the passage of time. But my smile quickly disappears.

I HAVE BEEN ROBBED?!! WHO DID THAT? I clearly remember that my many bags were located inside the rib cage of the non-living skeleton, or at least close to that part of the body. But no matter where I look, I find nothing. I have been robbed. What kind of sick maniac would dig a tomb? And he was looking for what? I mean, I can see the complete … wait, where is the skull? So he was looking for a human skull, and unfortunately for me, find my armory, hidden inside this very tomb. Damn, that’s one of those bloody heretics you were talking about Oslo.

(I think you misunderstood me on that point. And I think you have a different version of what is a heretic. What I call heretic is everyone that is thinking and believing in another god that the one in charge of the world. For example, the ratmen, the djinns and the followers of Krieg were all heretics. You, even if it is a little weird, are even a heretic, from another side. Since you are believing in me, Oslo, a foreign god, and not in Aria.)

Oh, I am believing in her, believing that she is a trash goddess and deserve to die. I was the one that she killed but she turned me into a rat. I got better afterward, but still, a rat. That’s why I am believing in her, believing that she will stay alive long enough to see all of her believers dead. And that time, there would be no Hero to save her. Because she made the mistake of creating me and throwing me into a lich lair, condemning to die. And if not the Seven Gods of Destruction, I wouldn’t be present here, talking about some stupid and childish goddess that deserve nothing but to be overthrown. Is it the type of believing you expect?

(Well, I was talking about another type of believing but whatever. So, it is just a description of a person, not their nature. For example, you can have a proud and zealot believer of Aria, that is at the same time a child killer and eat them at breakfast. He will do some horrible actions and deeds and will be judged for them, but he is still a believer in Aria. At the same time, you can have a good man, participating in the city, helping elderly and young children. But he is believing in god number two, and therefore is a heretic.)

Ok, I get it. Yes, for me, heretics was both a believer in another god and a bloodthirsty monster. But your version of the heretic is just the belief in one god or another. So I withdraw my words, and say, what can of maniac is searching for a human skull?

(Most likely a heretic.)

…

Are you messing with me? You just say before that it doesn’t have to be a heretic human, that they can be good people, helping people. And at the same time, you still agree that it is most likely a heretic that has done that. You realize there is a problem with your sentences. Do you see the contradiction in it?

(No, you were generalizing the situation and labeling all heretics as monsters. I just remind you that it is not the case, that they are still humans, elves or whatever their races. But, it is most likely that a new-born god will need a lot of things to survive under the oppression of Aria. And I know quite a number of things that need the skeleton of a deceased. I mean, my Agorians back in the day had done the same thing, so I can relate. That’s why I still agree that it is a heretic that has stolen all your stuff. He was quite a lucky lad.)

Yeah, yeah, lucky. Not so lucky when you will find him and I will personally steal his blood inside his veins. Him, and everyone in his cult. Since I can’t defy the natural order yet, I will get rid of all the opposition to your reign. So, Oslo, God of Nothing, can you do that?

(Nope, can’t do. And don’t ask me to search the entire city again, I have told you, without a direct… no, actually I can find some heretics thanks to your spirits. Ok, I will try, but don’t expect anything. Searching the city with only two spirits will be a long task. And I won’t even be able to tell what cult had stolen the skull of the criminal.)

You already told me that a long time ago. That’s why I will increase the number of spirits to five after I have replenished my mana. But as you already know, I need you to look out for the ratman assassin or anything stalking me.

So, in the end, I have still all my skeleton magicians naked and extremely visible. The good news, the number of holes in the ground. I quickly dispatch all of them inside the numerous hiding places newly create, like I did when I only had number one. After seeing all the exposed skeletons buried, I approach the city. The same warm and feeble breeze can be felt. It is truly a strange weather; I really want to know if there is a winter or not? Because winter is definitely not coming.

My sudden approach is quickly noticed by everyone still residing in the slums. But apparently, my reign of terror is still present in the minds of everyone. Not even before I reach a single street, I hear screams and shouts far away, warning everyone that the shadow of death has returned from his kingdom. Ahh, such sweet sounds are ringing in my ears. Cry of the children, screams of the adults, sound of broken things, destroyed in front of the running crowd. I really missed those. Well, time to start a new road of slaugther in the slums.