Despite the fact that it couldn't have been longer than a week since those terrifying wenches cast him into that fiery portal into what he presumed to be Hell, the bald headed necromancer felt as if he had been stuck in this dungeon for months, if not years.
There was no sun light creeping through the cracks of the walls to inform him of the passing of the days.
His demonic looking guards failed to follow any noticeable pattern when they came to collect his slop bucket and deliver him what could barely pass as food.
And finally, his jailers denied him any chance to converse with his fellow prisoners, which prevented him from gaining any potentially useful knowledge.
While he had been fortunate enough to quickly learn the lesson that he wasn't to speak unless he was directly spoken too, his former neighbor had been not so lucky. He couldn't exactly blame the woman's less than stellar reaction towards their barely lit accommodations, but it had been incredibly foolish of her to voice her displeasure with the one responsible for their predicament.
The punitive measures of the mutated creatures had been bad enough, for every time she decided to open her mouth, they would proceed to drag her to the center of the chamber, and proceed to whip her until she blacked out.
Of course they always healed the worse of her injuries, as both a reminder to her and her fellow prisoners that death would not be so easy coming for them, and as a sign that they could easily begin the process again.
But the truly horrifying tortures of this place always stemmed from offering up an insult to the one the guards called Morbus.
If it wasn't for his situation, Khajiit would have been shocked at how quickly the guards demeanor changed. Gone would be the cruel mocking laughter, and would be replaced by a series of sounds that belonged to an angry beast rather than any sentient being.
But as terrifying as those beasts where, the necromancer knew first hand that they paled in comparison to the might and power of these Supreme Generals and their immediate servants.
The first ones to visit the copper smelling chamber had been what at first glance appeared to be a bloated corpse wearing a shadow black robe, and one of the demonesses whose fault it was that his experiment had failed. For despite wearing the guise of an incredibly beautiful and buxom young woman, Khajiit operated under no illusion that she was human.
When he had faced her in the crypt, the one they called Thuringwethil had maintained an amused expression on her lovely pale face as she and her compatriots effortlessly slaughtered not only his minions, but the skeletal dragons he had summoned to give a much needed helping hand to his blood thirsty ally.
That had been bad enough, but upon hearing that idiot woman's clearly audible insult to this Lord Morbus, that expression had swiftly turned to righteous fury.
He had no idea how a mere human could have survived being shot with multiple bolts of lightning before being roasted alive by what appeared to be black colored flames, but the woman's pain filled shrieks were enough to impart on him the lesson that it would be a good idea to keep one's mouth shut.
Shortly after that terrifying display, the raven haired woman had returned to drag his former ally away from what the guards jokingly called The Pit. He had no clue as to why they would do this, and frankly he didn't care as he had more pressing concerns.
For as Clementine was uselessly kicking and screaming as the raven haired woman dragged her to god only knows where, the bald headed necromancer had been experiencing the hospitality of his own personal torturer.
While his appearance was far less repulsive than that of the yellow eyed corpse, the black armored knight still managed to terrify him to a great degree.
It wasn't due to the labored, almost metallic breathing that seemed to be a constant feature of this being's life. Nor was it due to the fact that it's mask reflected his own feelings of nervousness while concealing the emotions of its owner.
No, what truly terrified the imprisoned necromancer was the fact that this creature made him realize just how insignificant he was.
During his first session with the being called Vader, Khajiit had foolishly tried to use his magic in an attempt to place the armored creature under his control. He had barely finished casting the spell when he felt his throat caught in a vice like grip that easily threatened to break his neck.
He had been kept in that strangle hold for about a minute before he had been dropped gasping to the floor. And that had only been the start of his nightmarish experience.
Any time he displeased Vader, which was often though thankfully not all the time, the elderly magic caster would not only be brought to the brink of death by the efforts of strangulation, but also by having his body slammed into the hardened walls of his cell, usually by magic, and the rather unpleasant sensation of having his head feel like it was going to explode.
While the two previous techniques were quite unpleasant, and usually resulted in him blacking out from either pain or oxygen deprivation, it was the latter power of the armored demon that truly frightened him.
He had always prided himself on the strength of his mind, for it was thanks to his intelligence and ability to formulate complicated schemes that had result in his advancement towards his goal of obtaining the power to resurrect his beloved mother. But despite his best efforts at trying to withstand the onslaught of the heavily breathing monolith, Kajiit never managed to keep his mind free for more than half a minute.
Every little bit of knowledge he had managed to gain throughout the course of his life. Every little secret scheme to gain power. All of it was exposed to Vader's invasive technique.
However, rather than rip everything from his head at once, the armored knight chose to only go after relevant information.
It was rather efficient in his opinion.
Vader would give voice to a single topic, and the necromancer's mind would immediately be filled with thoughts pertaining to the spoken subject. And once that had happened, Vader would lift his hand, levitating the necromancer into the air, and would proceed to attack his mind with all the power and subtly of a battering ram.
Such a technique would probably in the long run result in his inability to function as an intelligent being, but despite his torment, he still retained a bit of hope.
For his mind was filled with decades of arcane knowledge, and it would take time for his captors to learn everything he knew. Meaning that his life would at least be spared for the forseeable future.
A rather dismal prospect to be sure. But at least he remained out of the claws of those demonic women who sent him to this dimly let hell hole.
For torturer he may be, but Vader never came across as enjoying his work. Something that couldn't be said of the yellow eyed corpse and the raven haired woman.
…..
Though he knew it was better to maintain the image of an indifferent overlord when dealing with the more…enthusiastic members of his dungeon, Morbus struggled to keep his cool as the yellow eyed undead proceeded to inform him of the tremendous progress he had made with his appointed task.
"Despite our previous lack of knowledge to the composition of these mountains, not to mention the loss of dozens of goblin workers thanks to the occasional cave in and unexpected ravines, I predict that in 2 weeks time, over half of the tunnels will be completed".
Nodding his head to show that he was pleased with the progress of his secret infrastructure project, the shape changing ruler of Utumno moved to enquire that Sidious had followed all of his instructions before a certain raven haired vampire could beat him to it.
"I trust that you haven't forgotten to implement the security measures I had suggested to keep these tunnels hidden from anyone not associated with my forces? Cause it would be quite unfortunate if our future enemies used these tunnels to invade our lands, rather than the other way around".
Receiving a smirk from the grey skinned Supreme General, which unsurprisingly was shared by every other NPC in the room who had been informed of the deal he had made with his fellow guild leader, Morbus had to fight the urge to sigh as Sidious enthusiastically answered the question.
"I have indeed my lord. If anyone other than a member of Utumno was to come across the entrance to your underground network, all they would find would be the featureless back wall of a cave. And since the northern slopes of the mountains are covered in dense forest land, it will be impossible for them to find the caverns from the air".
Humming in approval at how thorough the Supreme General had been at filling out his orders, Morbus voiced his satisfaction with Sidious before turning his attention towards another eagerly waiting servant.
"You have done well Sidious. I am most impressed with current rate of progress. While it will be quite some time before my truce with Momonga comes to an end, it never hurts to be prepared. And building new secret highways into his sphere of influence is a most efficient way to ensure our eventual victory. Speaking of which, Saruman, how goes your efforts at consolidating Utumno's influence in the Slane Theocracy"?
Sending a smug look towards his yellow eyed equal before adopting a respectful posture before the ruling Shadowed Lord, the beaded Supreme General eagerly gave his report.
"It goes very well my Lord. While the forces at my command have avoided attacking any major settlement as per your orders, I have nonetheless added 3 more villages to your growing empire, and with some aid from my scaled colleagues less impressive minions, completely obliterated a rather pathetic attempt to evict your army".
Allowing a small smile to spread across his face as his throne room was filled with the amused snickering of his servants, Morbus nodded his head in approval to the bowing wizard.
"I am most pleased to hear this Saruman. Most pleased indeed. I trust that the victory you achieved over the forces of the Slane Theocracy have managed to make a positive impact with my new human subjects?
Receiving a nod of agreement from the now smirking wizard, the armored doppelganger had to admit that Saurman had performed beyond his expectations.
"It has indeed my lord. After the forces you have so graciously handed to me defeated that pathetic mob that dared called itself army, the human subjects of your great empire have become more compliant".
"Really? So does that mean they were unruly before Smaug and the Uruks demonstrated the dangers of opposing our lord and master? Cause if that's the case, I don't think a single victory will be enough to cover for you poor governing abilities".
Sighing as the completive nature of his servants once again reared its ugly, if occasionally amusing head, Morbus shot a mild disproving glare towards his vampiric servant.
"Thuringwethil, keep in mind that it was MY decision to give Saruman the responsibility of enlarging Utumno's territorial holdings. And since I wouldn't have chosen him unless I had full confidence in his abilities to carry out my commands, to mock his efforts would be similar to mocking me".
Recognizing her mistake, the dress wearing vampire bowed deeply in apology towards her chastising master.
"My humblest apologies my lord. I merely wished to ensure that Saruman was performing up to your high standards. I did not mean to question your decision".
Accepting her apology with a single nod of his head, the armored doppelganger turned his attention away from the kneeling pale skinned beauty and refocused back towards the robe wearing wizard.
"Despite Thuringwethil's rather poor view regarding your administrative capabilities, I have to concede that she does raise an interesting question. How are my new subjects coping with their new circumstances? I trust that I won't have to worry about peasant uprisings in the near future? For while I am confident that they can be put down easily enough, I would rather not express the effort unless it was truly necessary".
Having considered beforehand that his master would ask him this very question, Saruman was more than ready to give him his answer.
"You have nothing to fear on that front my lord. Since I am following the edicts you had set forth regarding tribute, not to mention providing your new settlements with the tools required to increase the volume of tribute while, the human subjects of your growing empire have wisely chosen to accept their new lots in life. There had been a minor number of dissenters who chose to practice the beliefs of their former rulers, but they have been dealt with".
Gracing the bearded wizard with an approving nod of his head, Morbus turned his attention towards the duo who he had entrusted with surveying not only the current enemies of Utumno, but also their future adversary.
"That is most excellent news Saruman. Anacalgon, Mara, I trust that you have been diligent with the tasks I had assigned you"?
Receiving matching nods from the red haired beauty and the black scaled reptile, the shape changing overlord adopted a more relaxed posture as his servants sought to assure him that they had indeed carried out their orders.
"We have indeed my Lord Morbus. The victory Saruman's forces had achieved against the human army has caused much fear to spread across the Theocracy. My lesser brethren and I have witnessed countless thousands fleeing to their walled cities, believing that these bastions of stone will be sufficient to withstand the might of your armies".
"My sources within these cities also report that their leaders are divided on how to deal with the threat we pose to their lands. The great majority view us as an 'unspeakable evil from hell', and have begun to organize an even greater army to march against us. The small minority, who at least are intelligent enough to question their ability to resist your might, attempt to temper the idiotic zeal of their compatriots with words of caution. But from what I understand few of those in power are paying much heed to these warnings".
Humming in thoughtful approval at the information the black scaled dragon and red haired assassin had provided him, the armored doppelganger felt the beginnings of an idea begin to form within him as he turned his attention towards the demonic looking NPC.
"Tell me Gothmog, if I was too direct my armies against the strongest bastion of the Slane Theocracy, would Utumno still possess enough strength to stand against our rivals to the north"?
Remaining silent as he considered his master's request, the flaming being's sinister tone was filled with deferential respect as he answered Morbus's question.
"While I am certain that your forces would emerge triumphant against any force the insects from the Theocracy dare to send against you, especially since the birthing pits have added an additional 4000 troops to the ranks, I am less confident on Utumno's ability to withstand an assault from Nazarick if the majority of your soldiers are preoccupied elsewhere. For while your forces are superior to those possessed by the cowardly skeleton, I am uncertain if we can achieve a favorable outcome if we are outnumbered by a ratio of 5 to 1".
Sensing that Gothmog's fellow generals were displeased with this rather accurate picture, especially since it painted Utumno in an unfavorable light compared to the dungeon that was led by the being that had the audacity to believe that he was equal to the last Shadowed Lord, the former librarian quickly moved to prevent any further squabbling from his servants.
"Then it is a good thing that I have no intention of using my army to conqueror a prepared Theocracy. At least, not before I give the nation a chance at atoning for their continued sins against me".
Though he could tell that his explanation had caused some confusion to be felt amongst his gathered servants, Morbus was fully largely unsurprised by Thuringwethil's predictable protest to his current scheme.
"My lord forgive me for disagreeing with you, but these maggots have already proven that they are too stupid to live. Those Saruman has conquered are at least smart enough to recognize that they have no chance of standing against you, and thus accept their rightful place at your feet. But to willingly defy your attempts to mold this world in your image? I'm afraid that I fail to see why you don't just burn them to a crisp".
Chuckling at the fact that the undead servant had both a literal and figurative thirst for blood, and guessing that her views were shared by most, if not all of his Supreme Generals, the ruler of Utumno took great delight in sharing his vision.
…
Though he knew that it had only been 3 days since he confirmed that he was not the only guild leader to have been transported to this new world, for the skeletal leader of Nazarick, it felt much longer.
Not for the first time, he regretted his decision to choose a skeleton as his avatar, for it denied him many things that he had taken for granted in his old life. The most important of which, and the one he missed the most was the ability to sleep.
As an undead skeleton, his body, among other things, required no rest, ensuring that he could spend all of his time towards whatever task he deemed important.
Only problem was, now that he lacked the ability to black out for 6-8 hour periods, he was now more prone to the mental state known as boredom, which annoyingly enough didn't get suppressed by his racial ability.
But his current inability to sleep wasn't the main issue here, though it did help to contribute to his weariness.
It was the fact that he was forced to listen to the Floor Guardians latest attempt to convince him to break his agreement with the leader of the rival dungeon.
"Though I hesitate to question your will Lord Ainz, I confess that I have some concerns with the nature of your agreement. Especially since it is with a being who believes to be your equal".
Though he lacked the ability to do so, Ainz was sure he would be rolling his eyes in exasperation at Demiurge's latest attempts to get him to declare war on Morbus. For it was an argument that he hard countless times since his return to Nazarick, even though he had managed to convince them that having competition was a good thing.
"I agree with Demiruge on this my lord. To allow this Lord Morbus to believe that he is your equal in terms of cunning and power is unwise. For while I have no doubt that he is more powerful than any of the other insects we encountered in this world, I feel that it would be more prudent to get rid of him now while his power base is yet to be established".
Casting an eyeless gaze towards the determined looking Succubus, and seeing that her words had caused the rest of the floor guardians to nod their heads in agreement, the skeletal overlord ensured that his tone carried more than a touch of authority as he once again explained his reasons for agreeing to Morbus's proposal.
"While I respect your opinions regarding the presence of another powerful dungeon, I feel that the truce I have forged with Morbus will prove to be beneficial in the long run. For don't you think that we can only grow stronger if faced with something more powerful than the foes with have faced upto this point"?
Seeing the assembled Guardians nod their heads, albeit grudgingly, Ainz moved to prevent any further objections to his plans by doing the one thing that he should have done from the beginning.
Praising their abilities.
"I realize that many, if not all of you are concerned at the presence of a potentially equal power, but I am confident with your continued support, not only will Nazarick be able to rise to the challenge, but when all is said in done, we will be the undisputed masters of this world. Provided of course that your faith in me does not waiver".
And as he expected, the former salary man's speech managed to win them over.
Although Albedo couldn't help but add a tiny complication to his victory.
"I am certain that with you leading us Lord Ainz, our victory is assured. However that being said, would it not be prudent to send some of our more talented scouts to keep track of our future adversary's movements? For while the terms of your agreement state that you can't interfere in the lands claimed by your new rival, that doesn't mean we can't set up a spy network to keep us informed of whats happening in the south".
Though he was somewhat annoyed at the fact that Albedo seemed incapable to leave the matter be despite his earlier pronouncement, something he attributed to her modified settings which he still agonized about, the skeletal master of Nazarick had to concede that she had made a very good point.
For while the terms of his agreement with Morbus covered the methods that would be used to acquire new territory, as well as the promise that neither side would interfere in procurement of new lands, nothing had been said about the use of spies to learn what the other was up to. Something that the shape changing overlord had probably left out on purpose in order to obtain an advantage while following the very rules he had set forth.
Not that Ainz could really blame him for since he had correctly guessed the reaction the floor guardians would have when they learned that their beloved Supreme Being was not the only player in existence.
But regardless whether or not this oversight was intentional, Ainz would exploit it, if only to ease the worries of his loyal servants.
"I believe you make an excellent point Albedo. Send word to Sebas and Shalltear that once they have completed their current mission, they are to journey to the northernmost settlement of the Slane Theocracy, ideally without drawing notice, and wait for further instruction. Albedo, since you were the one to make the suggestion, I want you to select the best agents we have for undercover work. But keep in mind, they have to have the ability to pass themselves off as human. Do you think you can do that"?
Receiving an overly excited nod from the now beaming succubus, something he once again attributed to the fact that he had messed with her settings to make her love him, Ainz couldn't help but wonder how his fellow player dealt with his NPCs.
Probably the same way, with perhaps one minor difference that he remained somewhat envious of.
For while the former salary man had chosen to play a character that was lacking the necessary components to take advantage of the confirmed infatuation of his female servants, Morbus's new body possessed no such limitation.
And given that he clearly possessed the willingness to play the part of an aspiring dark lord, the temporary adoption of Gandalf's form aside, he probably didn't possess the same parent to child mentality that he did with the servants of Nazarick.
Something which managed to not only disgust Ainz, but also cause him a certain degree of envy.
…
While the city below him was much smaller in scale to any of the major cities that existed on Earth, and probably possessed a population that was closer to a midsized town by modern standards, Morbus had to admit that city of Mecia was an excellent location to try out his latest method on global conquest.
"Are you sure you want to choose this…settlement for your experiment my lord? While it is closer to your domain than the Theocracy's capital, I think your demonstration will have more success if it was directed towards a larger group of insects than the amount that currently dwell beneath us".
Offering an amused chuckle towards his vampiric servant, whose wings ensured that she was the only one of his entourage who didn't require either a fell beast or a magical ring to remain air borne, the flying doppelganger allowed a hint of chiding to enter his tone as he proceeded to explain the intricacies of his plan.
"While I appreciate your zeal Thuringwethil, I'm afraid that your reasoning fails to comprehend my goal. For while performing my upcoming trick above their capital city would ensure an easier military conquest, it would in my opinion set back my attempts to convince the inhabitants of this land to willingly transfer their allegiance to Utumno".
Frowning in confusion at her master's words, the vampiress quickly scowled in annoyance as her master's chief creation revealed his ability to successfully guess the true nature of their leader's genius.
"A most ingenious plan my lord. If we struck at the heart of their nation, they would splinter and fight amongst themselves, which while guaranteeing a more rapid military conquest, would result in them using up the resources that could have been utilized for your great conquest. But by striking at this insignificant city, we give the insects of this land a chance to not only mobilize their resources so they are easier to obtain once we begin digesting your conquest, but also ensure that they only have 2 options for declaring their loyalty".
Though he nodded his head in agreement with Angmar's analysis, the armored doppelganger nevertheless allowed a hint of disappoint to enter his tone as he proceeded to try and curtail the blood thirsty nature of his servants with a less wasteful solution.
"While you are correct in your reasoning Angmar, I'm afraid that like Thuringwethil you fail to see my true intentions this day. For you see, if I was to reduce this city to ashes, I would be giving them a symbol to rally behind. And since the population of this nation has a black and white concept of good and evil, performing a public act of evil would be enough to foster increased resistance to my efforts, which will weaken my position once my agreement with Momonga has runs its course. Besides, what I have in mind is something I always wanted to try, but never really had the opportunity until now".
Though pleased at the fact that her master had granted her the privilege of witnessing his revelry, not to mention the fact that she got to witness the chastisement of her fellow Supreme General, the dress wearing vampire nevertheless still wanted to know what the shape changing overlord had planned for their little excursion.
But luckily for her, Morbus appeared to sense both her and Angmar's continued inability to guess what he had in store. And being the generous overlord that he was, he proceeded to clue them in to his plan.
"Something to consider my servants. When your opponent is a nation that violently punishes anyone who does not adhere to a supposedly holy set of principles, the best, not to mention the most amusing way to topple said nation is not through the sole use of military might, but by providing the people with enough evidence to make them question their faith".
Chuckling at the still confused expressions of his servants, but deciding that he had wasted enough time explaining the reasons for his current mission, the armored doppelganger transformed his body into a new form and began the slower, but more amusing process of toppling a nation of religious zealots.
…
(Excerpt from Bishop Gelia's work: The New Salvation of the world)
Though it has been some years since Lord Morbus decided to bring the lands of Slane Theocracy under his divine supremacy, I will never forget that day when he appeared above the city of Mecia in all his glory.
Before that, the country had been teeming with terrible rumors about the emergence of a powerful demon, whose servants stalked the land in order to corrupt the innocent and devout followers of the 6 Great Gods.
But it was only after the unexpected defeat of the Crusade for National Reclamation that the people of the Slane Theocracy began to panic, which resulted in a mass exodus from the countryside into the walled cities of a still deliberating nation.
As a young aide to Archbishop Julius, who had been one of the many to advocate a more violent approach when dealing with the power that had risen in the north, I had the great fortune to join the Archbiship's journey to Mecia, where his sermons would be used to help combat the rising panic amongst the city's increased population.
However, just as he had begun to deliver his speech which had been designed to instill in the citizenry a greater will to resist the temptations of this supposed evil, the city was suddenly bathed in a pillar of white light. And from out of that light materialized the most beautiful being I have ever seen.
Possessing 8 majestic wings of unblemished white, and wearing an armor of pure silver, the blond haired angel addressed the stunned city with a voice that was as hypnotic as it was divine.
"Hear me and rejoice people of Mecia. For you are about to be offered a chance for true salvation courtesy of the boundless mercy of Lord Morbus. You have heard your leaders tell you how your immortal souls are in danger if you fail to blindly follow the doctrine that they have used to keep you from challenging their so called authority. But the fact is, these so called holy men are only concerned for how much they can fill their coffers with your hard earned labor, and will gladly trade your lives away if it means they can continue living in decadence. That is the reason for their attempts to paint me as a diabolical villain, for they need a public enemy in order to distract you from the reality of your situation. But know this, those who have accepted my guidance have had their lives enriched far beyond what they would have been allowed under the governance of their old leaders. And since I wish to do the same towards those who are still oppressed by the human leaders of this country, consider this to be a display of what I have to offer to those who willingly choose to accept me as their new ruler".
In that moment, the angelic being extended his wings, and then the entire city was bathed in a light of pure blue.
But rather than the expected destruction that many, myself included, expected to experience, the inhabitants of Mecia only felt a sense of rapture as Lord Morbus gave a prime example of just how powerful he could be with his mercy.
Though healing spells were a common ability learned by those who had been gifted in the arts of magic, only the most gifted could heal more than 1 person at a time. And even then the use of such spell would leave the caster in a state of exhaustion.
But such was not the case for Lord Morbus.
For not only did his healing magic encompass the entire city, restoring thousands of people, be they rich or poor to the state of perfect health, he quickly proceeded to reveal the full scope of his powers by transforming into a creature whose mere sight sent even the most battle hardened solider fleeing in terror.
But while many of my colleagues would only accept the futility in opposing Lord Morbus after he single handedly destroyed the remaining members of all 6 scriptures, I, like countless others had chosen that day to transfer my loyalty towards the leader of the great Empire of Utumno.
For unlike the Sorcerer Kingdom to the North, whose poisonous influence will someday be cleansed by the forces of the Empire, Lord Morbus has shown countless times that while he will not hesitate in striking down those who oppose him, he is quite willing to bestow blessings on even the lowliest of his subjects.
Something which in the fullness of time will become apparent to all denizens of the world. For the forces of Utumno continue their holy mission of bringing new lands and people into the ever growing Empire, and will continue to do so until there is not an inch left in this world that does not belong to Lord Morbus.
….
And I think this is a good place to stop XD.
Apologies for the wait, but my other stories, other responsibilities, and a severe case of writers block has caused progress for this chapter to be rather slow.
Anyways, here it is in all its glory lol.
Don't know when I'll update next, but hopefully its not as long as some of my other stories.
As always, reviews, NOT flames, are appreciated. Since they provide me with the incentive/inspiration to continue XD