The sun fell into night, yet the city did not sleep. It was unsure if the Demons would adhere to the promise of a week's respite if the soldiers were to remain within the city afterward. As such, the city was desperately trying to evacuate the citizens as quickly as they could. The train had been going back and forth constantly and some citizens had opted to walk to Galmore through the tunnels.

A long journey that would take them the night and next day to reach, but at least it was a straight and level road with no Monsters to interfere. Though Alaster suspected the main reason for them walking was because they did not quite trust the strange and loud wagon. Either way, it helped move people along faster.

With the train now largely reserved for the weak or injured, the city began loading on the most valuable or important things. Items such as blankets, tents, and food.

Once a suitable amount had been transferred, the Onigarians would begin loading the less important things such as records, coin, and art. The few individuals with Rings of Holding were tasked with hastening the transport and given enough of the first set of items to completely fill their Rings.

A few of the Nobles complained, but this was one of the very few times their Rank was unimportant. And the only time the Soldiers were instructed to disregard their Rank in order to hasten the evacuation. One Noble's son had to be threatened with being left behind in order to make him leave his collection of Marble Statues.

Though surprisingly, for the most part, the Nobility aided the evacuation instead of hindering it.

The train left Onigas loaded with elderly and provisions. It arrived in Galmore two hours later, was quickly unloaded, and sent back to Onigas loaded with soldiers.

It was chaos at first, but soon, the Onigarian Soldiers settled into a rhythm and were smoothly loading, unloading, and directing the constant stream of people and goods.

That changed when after nearly a dozen trips back and forth, the train returned filled with Soldiers wearing Galmorian Colors instead of Onigarian. Until now, the soldiers that had been arriving had merely been returning, when Onigas had sent soldiers to Galmore to be trained by the Experts of the city.

Despite the brief tension, the officers of both sides were quick to order their soldiers back to work. The Galmorian troops were smart enough to realize that they would only get in the way if they remained underground, so they left the tunnel and got themselves settled in a few of the empty buildings of Onigas.

It felt strange to the Onigarians, to see their homes and businesses taken over by soldiers from another power, yet knowing they were there as allies.

Alaster's Undead ensured that the preparations above ground remained ongoing even if the majority of activity was underground and headed there.

Activity that ground to a halt when the train once more returned, but had a cloaked figure among the Galmorian troops. Troops that tried to keep as much distance between themselves and the figure.

Despite the heavy cloak covering its body, its nature was felt by every living thing around it.

Alaster could have simply told them where to go, but he figured that it would be better if he made an appearance, to calm the people anyway.

Alaster stepped out of the shadows, materializing in the room. His appearance caused even more of a disturbance as everyone rushed to step out of his way. Peopled murmured amongst each other, circulating the stories and rumors they had heard about him.

Alaster heard the story about how he miraculously tore open a mountain to defeat a dragon. He heard another where he plunged all of Zolis into darkness, consuming every living thing within. And while that last story had some merit to it, especially to the bard's, it remained fictitious.

Alaster stopped a few feet before the figure, causing the stories to stop as everyone waited with bated breath. What was going to happen? Who was this figure? Why did his mere presence strike fear into their hearts?

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"This one greets Master." The figure stated, kneeling down before Alaster.

"Get up Lezrum." Alaster rolled his eyes, knowing the Lich has knelt purely because there was a crowd. Alaster never cared for ceremony, but the Lict was old fashioned, being older than the very city of Onigas. He believed that those of higher station should have ceremony around them constantly.

The two had gotten into many mild disputes about this matter, with neither budging, and eventually having to put a pause on it due to time constraints or something interrupting them.

The Lich bowed his head deeper, and stood up.

'Keep your hood up. I do not wish to frighten everyone with knowledge of you being a Lich.' Alaster communicated to Lezrum through a Shadow Assassin clinging to his skeletal body beneath the robes. The Shadow acted as a receiver, repeating everything Alaster wished it to say in a whisper directly into Lezrum's ear, if the Lich had one.

Regardless of the semantics of the matter, it worked well enough that the Lich obeyed, silently following after his master without displaying his skeletal frame.

The workers and soldiers watched them go in silence and confusion, still unsure what had happened or who the figure was. They returned to work quickly once they disappeared around a corner. Despite their curiosity, the ever present thought of the Demon army camped out beyond the city walls urged them to work faster.

Alaster led the Lich into a small conference room, originally meant for the foremen of the Train Station to meet and coordinate, but now was being used storage alongside practically every other subterranean room.

After stationing a few Shadows around the room to ensure none attempted to spy, Alaster sat down on one of the crates, leaning against the taller stack of crates behind him.

"Things are accelerating quite quickly. Unfortunately, your Undead or too stupid to be of much help at the moment, but when the battle begins proper, I was thinking of using them as fodder. Do you have any issues with that?"

"Of course not. That is their purpose. I would only have issue if they were used inefficiently. However, there is a matter that is quite pressing, despite the siege."

Alaster cocked his eyebrow, "And what could be so important?"

"Do you remember when I swore myself to you?"

Alaster nodded, "Of course. You became my first Vassal. The first Undead to became one of mine through their own free choice. Hard to forget."

"Vassal is a good way to put it as I am quite comparable to a Noble is to a King. You are just such. A King. A King to the dead. But my liege, your kingdom is pathetic. You have but one Lich under your banner. Hardly a kingdom."

"I assume you bring this up for a reason?"

Lezrum nodded slowly, "My liege, do you perhaps know how the Free Undead communicate?"

Alaster shrugged, "I always assumed it was similar to beasts, instinct, territories, that sort of thing."

"Similar yes, but very different. You see, we Free Undead, or Natural Undead as you humans calls us, all have an inherent ability to understand one another on a very basic level. We cannot communicate words, but we communicate in a more primitive way. This works regardless of distance. It is believed that we all originate from a single gap in the veil of Life and Death, thus creating this ethereal bond. Despite its usefulness, I admit it is primarily used to establish territories and the such.

What else can we use it for when most of us are incapable of any emotion except hate and bloodlust and many incapable of any real thoughts?

However, recently, there has been a general feeling of unease amongst the Natural Undead. We, not even the more mindless of us, are not blind to the threat of these Demons. We understand that if the Demond take over, they will once again eradicate all of us just as they did when they dominated the world so long ago.

The Humans were too weak to truly conquer the world, allowing us practically free rein. But the Demons are not. So, in a matter of survival, many of the Natural Undead have decided they wish to swear themselves to you."

Alaster waved his hands, "Woah, hold on. Explain. I get everything you said just not in that order. What do you mean the Natural Undead wish to join me? How did they even find out about me?"

Lezrum sighed, or at least the skeletal equivalent, "Di you really think we Natural Undead would not keep tabs on all Necromancers? Especially one who the spoke with the God of the Dead while he was only a fresh Adept? Especially when that Necromancer binds one of us to him and then causes the complete destruction of a Human Kingdom? Intentionally or not?

The Natural Undead see you as their King…or at least, the best chance for them to survive."

"So they want to pledge themselves to me? Do they know what that means?"

"Vaguely. Like I said, our connection is very limited. If you are willing, I could invite them to my location, where you could explain it to them in depth and choose to accept what you want."

Alaster hesitated, dumbfounded.

Natural Undead were powerful creatures that could frighten and send an entire city into high alert, with just a rumor of a single one in the area. And now, multiple were willing to swear themselves to him.

What sort of horrors had they committed? How many thousands of innocents had they butchered? And at this point, did he care?

"First explain the world of the Undead to me better. What types are there, what sort of powers are there, everything." Alaster needed more information.

The Living knew very little about the Dead.

Lezrum sat down across from Alaster, "That is nearly as detailed as your world. If I went into detail about everything, we would still be sitting here in year. However, I suppose I can summarize."

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