I'm Not An Undead

Skullius was stunned as his socket flames flickered within his skull. What were the odds that someone who had just come from a frying pan would jump into the fire?

Apparently, 100% for him!

Tktktktktktktktkt!

This was not laughter by any means.

The Moronic Undead couldn't help but start to shake as he saw the looming figure before him that sat upon the massive stone throne. The stone looked aged with meaningful carvings that held an ancient feel atop its grey hued mass.

The large figure resting its immense weight was nothing short of majestic and regal.

While sitting atop the throne with its arms on the armrests, it was at least 5 meters tall.

A massive black ape it was, with a grand mane around its head.

It gazed deeply at the small figure of Skullius with its golden eyes that emitted a resplendent light.

A beautiful golden white light revolved above its head with the shape of a crown, illuminating the space further.

Streaks of golden fur could be seen amidst the dark ones, forming beautiful runic symbols on its body that almost seemed to be alive.

The giant Ape opened its mouth as it gazed judgementally at the bony intruder, speaking in the next moment with a thunderous voice marred with an annoyed tone.

"An undead dares to enter not only the Tremur Forest but my territory also? Is this a declaration of war by your kind once again?" the booming voice of the Ape tremored through the ground and shook Skullius, a gust of wind making the grass and tree leaves dance.

The flames in Skullius' sockets danced widely as he looked at the giant in front of him.

He was scared, so very scared.

But, he was also... confused.

"Uhmm.... what did... what did.. you say?" he stammered as he inquired what the Great Mane Mountain Ape had said.

He couldn't understand its language!

Unlike the guidance field which used the language he was used to (Deadmanland language), he couldn't comprehend the Ape's words!

The confusion he was in would have been apparent if his face...was actually a face.

The Ape tilted its head as it realised that there was a language barrier. It pointed its giant finger at Skullius, a small golden light speeding out of it and into Skullius' head.

A notification appeared in Skullius' vision, announcing a surprising development.

[You have been gifted the skill 'Greater Communication' by the Great Mane Mountain Ape 'Azila'. You can now understand and speak all Low to Mid-level languages]

"Oh?" Skullius said as he looked at the notification, however, he couldn't dismiss the pain he was feeling from the burning presence of the giant Ape.

"I-"

[Be careful with your words. You are under supervision by advanced skills. The skill 'King's Court' can destroy you immediately if you displease the Ape].

VOW chipped in.

Skullius shook from the words he heard. He wanted to be mad that VOW had let him walk into this monstrous beast's territory without giving him a warning but he withheld himself.

As the dragonfly-like creatures flew around him, Skullius chose his next words carefully.

"Will you still show arrogance after I have granted you the means to speak?" a slightly angry tone in the voice of the Ape accompanied by the crackling of its eyes with golden lightning arcs tore Skullius from his thoughts.

His body continued to sizzle as he looked up at the Great Mane Mountain Ape anxiously.

"Uhmm... No! No one wants a war! Truly! I mean look at you, br- Great Mountain Ape. No one would want to fight you..." said Skullius with a trembling voice.

The words the Ape had said about a war made his core beat.

'Is this where Somanda was coming? Did the undead come here once?' he thought.

"Then why are you here, undead?" asked the Azila.

"Uhmm.. you see... I ran away... from the.. uhmm from... my master," said Skullius.

A golden light flashed around Skullius, going up and down his shivering body.

Azila narrowed his eyes.

"You seem to be telling the truth," he said. "Why did you run away?"

"I was...about to be...Uhm.. erased," Skullius answered as he felt a progressive weakness.

Another golden light flashed from him as Azila gazed down at him.

The Ape nodded as he looked at Skullius.

The dragonflies with butterfly wings flew onto Skullius as if attracted by the golden light that would emanate around him, checking the veracity of his words.

They were larger than what one would expect, almost the size of a large bird, which made it all the more annoying for Skullius when their wings collided with his body.

He tried swatting them away as he focused on what the Ape would do, after all, his stats might be chopped down but he could still push them away.

[All debuffs and imposed skills have been lifted]

Skullius received a notification from the guidance field.

The Ape continued to rest on its throne with a strangely charming air of laziness as its deep presence receded quite a bit. Skullius even felt some of the force that pounded on him receding, bits of his strength returning little by little.

"If you are merely a stray, then there is nothing else to discuss," Azila said.

Skullius was relieved for a second...

"However, an undead cannot be allowed in the forest to mingle with the living. You shall perish now."

... then depression took over, hitting Skullius where it hurt in the next second.

He was going to die while being assaulted by those annoying dragonflies!

He couldn't die right after he had managed to escape death. It was so unfair.

Why would his luck be so terrible after he had just managed to pull off an impossible escape from Somanda?!

'VOW!' he called.

[Nope. It seems I'll have to find another candidate for these treasures. It was nice knowing you, young undead].

"Oh, come on!"

Thinking fast, Skullius tried to buy himself a few seconds.

"Oh, Great Ape! But... I'm not an undead!" he cried.

The Great Mane Mountain Ape gazed at him with its powerful gaze. Since it had deactivated its skills, it didn't get an automatic response, but who wouldn't be able to smell and see the dark red stench of undeath that followed this small undead before it.

"Do you take me for a fool?" the Ape asked as he raised his finger, a glimmering coil of golden lightning concentrating around it!

"I'm so screwed!" Skullius thought as he saw the bright golden light that intimately promised to leave nothing of him after it washed over his body.

'Think! Think!' he thought, the dragonflies still dancing around his body with an annoying playfulness that somehow was also mixed with a childish innocence.

Skullius swatted them away angrily.

'Dammit, at least let me meet my doom in peace!' he thought as his bony hands struck some of the dragonflies which had surprisingly strong bodies.

His fingers however, as he continously swatted away the two of the dragonflies', beat against the creatures' ends where the golden light would flicker and...

PCH! PCH! SPLURT!

The dragonflies screeched and a golden liquid flew from these ends, the two annoying creatures falling to the ground gracelessly while giving the undead that had swatted them a tinge of maniacal and relieved joy!

From Azila's finger, at this same moment, lightning was about to shoot towards Skullius when he saw the dragonflies fall to the ground.

The creatures didn't last for long before they stopped screeching and...died.

At that moment...

[You have killed a LV1 StarGold Clusterfly. You have gained experience]

[You have maxed your evolution 'Lesser Moronic Undead' and have become 'Greater Moronic Undead']

[You have killed a LV1 StarGold Clusterfly. You have gained experience]

[You have maxed your evolution 'Greater Moronic Undead' and have become 'Standard Undead']

[Congratulations, you have evolved from a pitifully pathetic species to the very standard form of Undeath]

[Congratulations, you are now legible for Lifeless Evolution. Please hold on...]

A burst of energy covered Skullius, emitting a light blue hue that emanated from his sockets and core.

Under the perplexed gaze of the Great Mane Mountain Ape who was about to erase this little deathly menace, Skullius roared...

"UUUUOOOOOOOOHHHHH!"