Eternal
If there were any other way, you’d do it, but there isn’t. You set out on this task with the mindset of achieving it at all costs. And if this task involves the death of ALL your troops, then so be it. They will have died in honor of the Empire and their Emperor.
The irony isn’t lost on you that you’ll be essentially doing something similar to what Casimir was planning on doing with you.
“Damon, your service to me will always be remembered.” You say and then tighten your grip on him as he continues to prop you up. Before he can reply, you begin the process. It happens so quick that he doesn’t even have time to struggle or cry out. His body falls to the ground a drained husk.
You feel a little better, but far from full strength. Your remaining Eternals stand nearby in utter shock. You know several of them were always a little uncomfortable with the fact that you could raise the dead, all of them accept the idea that they are to die in battle for you…but this a little different. They aren’t sure what to think.
“Eternals! My children! An Eternal’s life is dedicated utterly to the Empire and by proxy it’s Emperor! Do not hesitate before your Emperor! Your FATHER. In order for me to defeat my enemies, I need you! I need you all as I always have! I cannot do this alone and I willingly admit it for there is no shame in a father needing the help of his children! It is true your bodies will die today, but all of you will LIVE on through me. Are YOU not willing to fulfill your oaths to make the ultimate sacrifice for me? Are you not deserving of the name ETERNAL?” you shout.
There is a slight silence after your speech and for a moment you believe you’re going to have to take what you need by force, but just as you foolishly did when Casimir asked it of you, all your remaining Eternals willing step forward and bow to you on one knee accepting their fate.
“If it is your will my Emperor that we die to today so that you may achieve victory, then we accept our fates with dignity.”
Blind loyalty, it’s a beautiful thing…
Without another word you proceed to drain the life force of your Eternals. To their credit, most of them make a minimum of sound as they die. One by one they fall to the ground as husks.
You on the other hand begin to feel a lot better in fact you believe you’ve actually turned back the clock a bit! You don’t have a mirror to look at your face, but your hands aren’t as wrinkled anymore and when you go to touch your face, you feel less wrinkles there as well. You don’t even feel all normal aches and pains you’ve gained through old age. (They’re still there though)
While you’re marveling at this magic feat, you hear that voice in your head again…
“You didn’t heed anything I tried to tell you, did you Eternal? If Casimir were still here, I’m sure he’d be proud that he molded a near perfect copy of himself. Enter then…let us get this over with so that you may learn how futile all your plans have been. It will be the black trap door to the far left once your enter the fortress. I think the fire from your little inferno rain has died down around it by now. Down the ladder and straight ahead to the large room. Can’t miss it.” Nicodemus says.
The tone in Nicodemus’ voice is almost one of boredom. He either doesn’t believe you’ll be any serious threat against him or either that he’s just as eager to put an end to this conflict once and for all.
You’re not going down there completely alone though. With a little effort, you raise a few of your recently drained Eternals back from the dead. As usual, they no longer retain any “personality” they just exist to follow your commands. Sort of how they were trained to do in life actually.
While you’re doing all this, you can’t help but feel like you’re still being watched or there is another presence here and you don’t mean Nicodemus.
You enter the ruined fortress, which still has a few minor fires burning, but nothing dangerous. You see the trapdoor where Nicodemus mentioned it and go a few more steps before stopping.
“Semra…I know you’re here thanks to our little mind link.” You say looking up and around for her.
Semra materializes between you and the trapdoor and your dead Eternals stand ready.
“So let me guess, you’re here to distract me or waste my time while Nicodemus sneaks away to take the book elsewhere?” you ask.
“Actually I’m here to stop you from taking it period since I’m the only one who seems to actually care about this world anymore.”
“You care about the world? Since when?”
“My dear Eternal, I care about the world when it’s about to be destroyed by a short sighted mistake that has delusions of grandeur and a serious case of megalomania.”
“When you say mistake, do you mean me specifically or your actions that allowed me to live in the first place?”
“Both I suppose. I know I should just try to kill you, but somehow the maternal instinct in me just makes it difficult sometimes…” Semra steps forward, but when she sees that you (and your Eternals) are not about to let her get any closer she backs away again.
“Oh right, that’s why you’ve been sending svelk warbands to continually try to kill me.” You say.
“Pfft. You know as well as I do, you were never in any real danger…well no danger you couldn’t handle anyway. If I really wanted to kill you, I would’ve made a better effort don’t you think?”
“Not really. I know you Semra, and you like playing games. Perhaps you didn’t so call try hard enough because it would be more amusing to you to watch me struggle. So you did just enough to make things difficult, and figured I’d either give up or if your people got lucky, then great. If not, well there was always the entire island of Mortos doing a good enough job of trying to kill me.”
Semra smiles a bit at your theory.
“Well, I suppose you do know me a little better now that our minds are so closely linked. To be fair though, I never thought you’d give up. I knew you’d die first if it came down to it.”
“Whatever, I’m tired of talking…” you say raising your hands to cast a spell.
“Wait!” Semra says backing up towards the trapdoor and getting into a defensive position.
“WHAT!?”
“Just... Just hear me out okay?”
“Hear you…Are you drunk or something?” you say in exasperation.
“Look you can see into my mind that I have no trickery planned. This is just me here. I don’t even have any reinforcements.”
Semra at this point relaxes her stance by opening her arms wide. She has completely let her guard down, physically and mentally.
She’s telling the truth. There is no trickery and this isn’t a delaying tactic, Nicodemus is still waiting for you. You also sense a little concern within her. You have to admit that’s somewhat surprising.
“You’ve got a few seconds. Better make them good.” You say.
“Okay. Look, don’t do this. That book nearly destroyed the world before, it may or may not hold the secrets to immortality, but it also opens up a gate to the realm of the dead! You think Mortos is bad? Think about when that gate is opened up!”
“Yes, yes, I’ve heard this horror story before. Nicodemus told me about it right after he killed Casimir. If I’d had any sense, I would’ve tried to take the book then and saved me all this trouble in the first place.” you answer.
Semra shakes her head.
“If you had any sense, you’d turn back right now.”
“Hm. I’ll be sure to have that written on your tombstone, unless you’re planning on running off and letting Nicodemus shoulder the responsibility of trying to kill me.”
“Nicodemus doesn’t even give a shit anymore what you do. I’m sure he’s contacted you. Haven’t you detected a tone of apathy in his voice?”
You chuckle.
“Are you serious? You’re saying Nicodemus has no intention of stopping me?”
“No, he doesn’t. At least not anymore. He claims he’s tired of life, so he’s effectively given up.”
“I don’t believe it.”
“Believe that or don’t, but one thing you better believe is that book is bad for you, me, and everyone on this fucking world. It already turned Mortos into a permanent graveyard and it eventually resulted in the destruction of my own Empire because we svelk had to make a pact with the infernal realm just to combat the utter annihilation that would’ve consumed everyone. We even made a deal with the necromancers that should this problem ever get this bad again, we would assist to prevent it if possible. Never thought we’d have to actually honor it though just because we didn’t think anyone get close enough and be foolish enough to try again.” Semra says.
“Yeah…the destruction of your Empire doesn’t sound like a bad thing. And it wasn’t the book that caused that; it was your own government’s idiocy with dealing with demons in the first place. So once again, you lot were your own worst enemy.” You say.
Semra rubs her head in an attempt to continue to try to “get through” to you.
“Look, you won. I mean think about it, you’ve unlocked some of the secrets of necromancy and even mastered some of its spells. I just saw you drain the lives of these now dead Eternals standing near you. You drained their lives and made yourself even a little younger. Think about that for a moment. You’ve already ACHIEVED immortality. I mean yes, it isn’t perfect and you’re going to need an ongoing supply of people to sustain you, but you’re the ruler of the Empire. How hard is it going to be to just shuffle in a bunch of worthless peasants, criminals, sveld, or whoever every so often to be feasted on like cattle?”
“I’m not a wendigo or ghoul you know.” You say establishing the fact that you are a lot of things, but cannibal isn’t one of them.
“I don’t mean literally of course, but the premise is the same.”
You continue to listen while also continuing to read Semra’s mind. You still sense no lying and nothing but sincerity. Unless she’s found a way to lie so convincingly that she herself believes everything…which you wouldn’t put past her. She does have somewhat of a point about draining the life force of people being able to sustain you theoretically indefinitely.
“We of course are never going to have a relationship in the way I’d desire us to. We aren’t even going to be friends. And one day you and I are going to finally meet on the battlefield and one of us is going to die, but I tell you…no I BEG you…DO NOT do this thing. This path will lead to all of our ruin and nobody will win save for death itself.”
Semra looks on at you expecting your response.
The irony isn’t lost on you that you’ll be essentially doing something similar to what Casimir was planning on doing with you.
“Damon, your service to me will always be remembered.” You say and then tighten your grip on him as he continues to prop you up. Before he can reply, you begin the process. It happens so quick that he doesn’t even have time to struggle or cry out. His body falls to the ground a drained husk.
You feel a little better, but far from full strength. Your remaining Eternals stand nearby in utter shock. You know several of them were always a little uncomfortable with the fact that you could raise the dead, all of them accept the idea that they are to die in battle for you…but this a little different. They aren’t sure what to think.
“Eternals! My children! An Eternal’s life is dedicated utterly to the Empire and by proxy it’s Emperor! Do not hesitate before your Emperor! Your FATHER. In order for me to defeat my enemies, I need you! I need you all as I always have! I cannot do this alone and I willingly admit it for there is no shame in a father needing the help of his children! It is true your bodies will die today, but all of you will LIVE on through me. Are YOU not willing to fulfill your oaths to make the ultimate sacrifice for me? Are you not deserving of the name ETERNAL?” you shout.
There is a slight silence after your speech and for a moment you believe you’re going to have to take what you need by force, but just as you foolishly did when Casimir asked it of you, all your remaining Eternals willing step forward and bow to you on one knee accepting their fate.
“If it is your will my Emperor that we die to today so that you may achieve victory, then we accept our fates with dignity.”
Blind loyalty, it’s a beautiful thing…
Without another word you proceed to drain the life force of your Eternals. To their credit, most of them make a minimum of sound as they die. One by one they fall to the ground as husks.
You on the other hand begin to feel a lot better in fact you believe you’ve actually turned back the clock a bit! You don’t have a mirror to look at your face, but your hands aren’t as wrinkled anymore and when you go to touch your face, you feel less wrinkles there as well. You don’t even feel all normal aches and pains you’ve gained through old age. (They’re still there though)
While you’re marveling at this magic feat, you hear that voice in your head again…
“You didn’t heed anything I tried to tell you, did you Eternal? If Casimir were still here, I’m sure he’d be proud that he molded a near perfect copy of himself. Enter then…let us get this over with so that you may learn how futile all your plans have been. It will be the black trap door to the far left once your enter the fortress. I think the fire from your little inferno rain has died down around it by now. Down the ladder and straight ahead to the large room. Can’t miss it.” Nicodemus says.
The tone in Nicodemus’ voice is almost one of boredom. He either doesn’t believe you’ll be any serious threat against him or either that he’s just as eager to put an end to this conflict once and for all.
You’re not going down there completely alone though. With a little effort, you raise a few of your recently drained Eternals back from the dead. As usual, they no longer retain any “personality” they just exist to follow your commands. Sort of how they were trained to do in life actually.
While you’re doing all this, you can’t help but feel like you’re still being watched or there is another presence here and you don’t mean Nicodemus.
You enter the ruined fortress, which still has a few minor fires burning, but nothing dangerous. You see the trapdoor where Nicodemus mentioned it and go a few more steps before stopping.
“Semra…I know you’re here thanks to our little mind link.” You say looking up and around for her.
Semra materializes between you and the trapdoor and your dead Eternals stand ready.
“So let me guess, you’re here to distract me or waste my time while Nicodemus sneaks away to take the book elsewhere?” you ask.
“Actually I’m here to stop you from taking it period since I’m the only one who seems to actually care about this world anymore.”
“You care about the world? Since when?”
“My dear Eternal, I care about the world when it’s about to be destroyed by a short sighted mistake that has delusions of grandeur and a serious case of megalomania.”
“When you say mistake, do you mean me specifically or your actions that allowed me to live in the first place?”
“Both I suppose. I know I should just try to kill you, but somehow the maternal instinct in me just makes it difficult sometimes…” Semra steps forward, but when she sees that you (and your Eternals) are not about to let her get any closer she backs away again.
“Oh right, that’s why you’ve been sending svelk warbands to continually try to kill me.” You say.
“Pfft. You know as well as I do, you were never in any real danger…well no danger you couldn’t handle anyway. If I really wanted to kill you, I would’ve made a better effort don’t you think?”
“Not really. I know you Semra, and you like playing games. Perhaps you didn’t so call try hard enough because it would be more amusing to you to watch me struggle. So you did just enough to make things difficult, and figured I’d either give up or if your people got lucky, then great. If not, well there was always the entire island of Mortos doing a good enough job of trying to kill me.”
Semra smiles a bit at your theory.
“Well, I suppose you do know me a little better now that our minds are so closely linked. To be fair though, I never thought you’d give up. I knew you’d die first if it came down to it.”
“Whatever, I’m tired of talking…” you say raising your hands to cast a spell.
“Wait!” Semra says backing up towards the trapdoor and getting into a defensive position.
“WHAT!?”
“Just... Just hear me out okay?”
“Hear you…Are you drunk or something?” you say in exasperation.
“Look you can see into my mind that I have no trickery planned. This is just me here. I don’t even have any reinforcements.”
Semra at this point relaxes her stance by opening her arms wide. She has completely let her guard down, physically and mentally.
She’s telling the truth. There is no trickery and this isn’t a delaying tactic, Nicodemus is still waiting for you. You also sense a little concern within her. You have to admit that’s somewhat surprising.
“You’ve got a few seconds. Better make them good.” You say.
“Okay. Look, don’t do this. That book nearly destroyed the world before, it may or may not hold the secrets to immortality, but it also opens up a gate to the realm of the dead! You think Mortos is bad? Think about when that gate is opened up!”
“Yes, yes, I’ve heard this horror story before. Nicodemus told me about it right after he killed Casimir. If I’d had any sense, I would’ve tried to take the book then and saved me all this trouble in the first place.” you answer.
Semra shakes her head.
“If you had any sense, you’d turn back right now.”
“Hm. I’ll be sure to have that written on your tombstone, unless you’re planning on running off and letting Nicodemus shoulder the responsibility of trying to kill me.”
“Nicodemus doesn’t even give a shit anymore what you do. I’m sure he’s contacted you. Haven’t you detected a tone of apathy in his voice?”
You chuckle.
“Are you serious? You’re saying Nicodemus has no intention of stopping me?”
“No, he doesn’t. At least not anymore. He claims he’s tired of life, so he’s effectively given up.”
“I don’t believe it.”
“Believe that or don’t, but one thing you better believe is that book is bad for you, me, and everyone on this fucking world. It already turned Mortos into a permanent graveyard and it eventually resulted in the destruction of my own Empire because we svelk had to make a pact with the infernal realm just to combat the utter annihilation that would’ve consumed everyone. We even made a deal with the necromancers that should this problem ever get this bad again, we would assist to prevent it if possible. Never thought we’d have to actually honor it though just because we didn’t think anyone get close enough and be foolish enough to try again.” Semra says.
“Yeah…the destruction of your Empire doesn’t sound like a bad thing. And it wasn’t the book that caused that; it was your own government’s idiocy with dealing with demons in the first place. So once again, you lot were your own worst enemy.” You say.
Semra rubs her head in an attempt to continue to try to “get through” to you.
“Look, you won. I mean think about it, you’ve unlocked some of the secrets of necromancy and even mastered some of its spells. I just saw you drain the lives of these now dead Eternals standing near you. You drained their lives and made yourself even a little younger. Think about that for a moment. You’ve already ACHIEVED immortality. I mean yes, it isn’t perfect and you’re going to need an ongoing supply of people to sustain you, but you’re the ruler of the Empire. How hard is it going to be to just shuffle in a bunch of worthless peasants, criminals, sveld, or whoever every so often to be feasted on like cattle?”
“I’m not a wendigo or ghoul you know.” You say establishing the fact that you are a lot of things, but cannibal isn’t one of them.
“I don’t mean literally of course, but the premise is the same.”
You continue to listen while also continuing to read Semra’s mind. You still sense no lying and nothing but sincerity. Unless she’s found a way to lie so convincingly that she herself believes everything…which you wouldn’t put past her. She does have somewhat of a point about draining the life force of people being able to sustain you theoretically indefinitely.
“We of course are never going to have a relationship in the way I’d desire us to. We aren’t even going to be friends. And one day you and I are going to finally meet on the battlefield and one of us is going to die, but I tell you…no I BEG you…DO NOT do this thing. This path will lead to all of our ruin and nobody will win save for death itself.”
Semra looks on at you expecting your response.