Chapter 408: Undead Scourge
As fate would have it, the more you dread something, the more likely it is to happen.
Soon, Cassius's command echoed.
"Orest, convert all the green-footed drake serpents here into undead skeletons."
"..."
The lich remained silent for a moment before hesitantly muttering, "Master, but the cost of this is enormous, I—"
Even though the [Bone Staff of Myrkul] granted him the power to cast the ninth-tier spell [Undead Scourge], the transformation of undead still required the caster's energy.
Converting creatures as large as green-footed drake serpents would be an overwhelming consumption of energy.
There were over a hundred such skeletons here!
Converting all of them would create a fearsome skeletal army, but it would cost him nearly one-third of the soul energy he had accumulated over centuries.
Worse yet, normally, the feedback from the souls of the transformed undead would strengthen the necromancer who summoned them.
But in this case, the undead summoned by the lich would be under Cassius's command, while Orest would be reduced to a mere tool—a pitiful sacrifice—without any control or benefit.
"There's no 'but.'"
"Are you saying you want to defy my orders?"
Cassius looked down at the lich, his unseen draconic might descending upon him, the threat clearly visible in those pale-gold eyes.
Next to them, Hart drew his longsword and placed it against the lich's neck. "Lich! Are you trying to disobey His Majesty's command?"
"Hurry up and begin the transformation for His Majesty!"
Normally, a newly risen ghoul king wouldn't be worth the lich's attention.
But now, under the overwhelming pressure of the red dragon, Orest trembled uncontrollably. The scene of Cassius splitting the earth flashed through his mind, making him shudder with fear.
He tried to convince himself: "It's just a bit of soul energy... Maybe serving this red dragon will bring me greater power in the future."
Hart shouted again, "Hurry up! Or do you want to keep His Majesty waiting?"
Finally, Orest bowed his head and rasped, "Of—of course not, Master. I was merely thinking of how to produce the most perfect undead skeletons... to meet your high expectations."
Cassius smirked. "Good. Then get started."
"This is a necessary sacrifice."
"A bit of soul energy is nothing."
The lich muttered reassurances to himself while raising the [Bone Staff of Myrkul] with a tragic expression.
This staff, originally intended to trigger an undead plague and fulfill Myrkul's soul-harvesting mission, was now being used to create Cassius's undead army.
With a mournful face, Orest chanted, "Ancient bones long buried, I summon you to return..."
[Undead Scourge]
The bone staff glowed with spectral light, releasing an immense wave of necromantic energy.
"Crack, crack—"
A faint noise arose.
The skeletons of the green-footed drake serpents on the ground began to tremble. The scattered bones slowly assembled, as deathly mist swirled around them, linking the pieces together.
"Shhhh, shhhh—"
The sound of bone scraping against bone and stone echoed throughout the cavern.
The skeletal drake serpents, once fully formed, began slithering across the ground and walls as if alive. Their many bony legs shuffled quickly beneath them.
In the end, over a hundred green-footed drake serpent skeletons were reanimated. These towering undead creatures, each over ten meters long, slithered awkwardly across the ground, occasionally entangling with each other.
"I am your master!"
"Roar—"
When Cassius's will descended, the skeletal drake serpents bowed their heads and let out guttural roars, creating a magnificent display of submission.
Unlike the intelligent ghoul king, the skeletal drake serpents were mindless servants driven purely by basic instincts.
These creatures, once created by giants to combat dragons, had now become weapons under a red dragon's command—a fitting irony.
"Master... the transformation is complete."
Orest's voice was weak, and the ghostly fire in his eye sockets dimmed.
Clearly, the process of creating these skeletal creatures had drained him of significant soul energy.
"My soul!"
Orest silently lamented.
"You've done well."
"Tsk, it's a pity that the legendary storm giant was reduced to dust; otherwise, I would've had him working for me as well."
Cassius sighed regretfully.
Randerta had stored all his power within the [Eye of the Storm King], and once the artifact was taken, his body had crumbled to dust.
Ironically, this had saved the storm giant elder from being resurrected as a laborer.
Orest shivered at Cassius's words.
Resurrecting a legendary storm giant!
Who knew how much of his soul energy that would've cost? Thankfully, the giant had left no corpse behind!
The lich breathed a sigh of relief.
Cassius gazed at the skeletal drake serpents, clearly pleased.
These skeletal creatures were not only formidable in combat but also ideal for mining, transporting supplies, and other heavy labor—key to his conquest of the Underdark.
These undead couldn't operate in daylight, but in the Underdark, there was no such concern.
"Marquis Hart."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Cassius waved his claw, drawing a bone whip from one of the drake serpent's tail tips and tossing it to the ghoul king.
"I grant you command over these skeletal drake serpents. They will be your undead army for conquering the Underdark."
"Lately... those drow have been causing trouble."
"Thank you for Your Majesty's blessing!"
Hart immediately knelt, gratefully accepting the whip, his pale face filled with excitement and ambition.
As a ghoul king, Hart harbored a deep-seated hatred for the living and an insatiable thirst for slaughter—war was the perfect outlet.
"Go. I've already made all the arrangements."
Cassius opened a portal leading to Lackman Castle and the Twilight Garden.
The portal would take them to Dragonshadow City, a former stronghold of Mortifel that Cassius had seized. The city was still in ruins, with only a small contingent of imperial forces stationed there.
Along with Hart, several generals from the Imperial Military Department had been dispatched, including numerous players who had already drawn up detailed plans for the campaign.
The Underdark lacked centralized nations, consisting mainly of city-states, clans, and villages with complex and interwoven factions, making it ripe for imperial expansion.
The empire didn't aim to completely conquer this chaotic domain but intended to establish strongholds and secure a reliable base underground.
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
"I will show the mongrels of the Underdark the might of the empire."
With the bone whip in hand, Hart led the skeletal drake serpents into the portal, his long-stilled heart surging with excitement.
Being resurrected had been an unexpected blessing, but commanding a powerful army and waging war? That was a dream come true.
"He's planning to conquer the Underdark?"
"This is a golden opportunity! There will be countless wandering souls on the battlefield—I can replenish the soul energy I've lost!"
Orest thought to himself.
He approached Cassius, his decayed face wearing a flattering smile. "Master, I can accompany Marquis Hart to the Underdark. My necromantic abilities will surely be valuable to the empire's conquest."
"Orest, this is only the first batch of undead you're creating."
"Besides, sending you to the Underdark would be a waste of your talents—I have other plans for you."
"Yes, Master."
The lich's smile froze, and his skeletal hand holding the bone staff trembled slightly.
Things were turning out worse than he had anticipated.
And what did "first batch" mean?
Was he expected to create even more undead creatures he couldn't control?
Though liches lacked most living emotions, for the first time, the ghostly fire in Orest's hollow eyes flickered with something akin to exhaustion.