27.2 Wight History

She stared into the crimson orbs that were like a fiery inferno of lust and passion for what felt like an eternity but could have only been a few moments. If Natalie had the mental faculties to produce coherent thoughts in that moment, then it would have been a long line of...

'I have no idea what's going on right now... but I really like it.'

"Now before we get to the magical stuff," began Ezraphel in a rather husky tone of voice.

"Y-yes?"

A million thoughts ran through Wight's head in that moment.

"Let's start with something fun."

"Yes" she breathed out, her internal heat getting high enough that she was panting.

"I think it would greatly benefit you."

"Yeees!"

"To know the history of the Wight Race," the Lilim finished abruptly dropping the flirtatious undertones as she backed away.

*SKRRT*

*CRASH*

"Huh?"

Like recovering from a literal car crash, it took a moment for Natalie's brain to compute what was just said. The fact that she had to sift through the haze of lust did not do her any favors but once she finally computed her eyes widened.

"No," her voice whispered.

Then Ezraphel conjured a whiteboard.

"No!"

A floating marker wrote Lessons in Mamono Culture along with bullet points.

"Noooo…"

*Slam*

Natalie's head hit the desk with an audible groan.

'Oh god, it is just like high school,' her mind screamed.

"I can't believe you've done this."

Ezraphel rolled her eyes "oh don't be so dramatic."

"I graduated college with the express purpose of never setting foot in another school environment again, Ezraphel!" she exclaimed.

The Lilim had the audacity to shrug, "well, too bad. Regardless of how you feel this is important information that you need to know."

Natalie looked to the whiteboard at the bullet-point topics and couldn't help but frown.

"Do I really need to know all this?"

"Natalie…"

"I'm just saying, some of these stuff won't really matter-"

"Natalie!"

Ezraphel's tone caused the woman in question to straighten up as she looked to Lilim, who regarded her with a seriousness she'd never seen before.

"Y-yes?"

"You are the first human born on earth to be converted into a Mamono. It is important for you to understand and grasp the history and culture of the race you are now the sole embodiment of."

Natalie chewed on that sentence for a moment before she hesitantly said, "you say I'm the first, but what about that other girl?"

"Amelia's transformation is still underway," she paused, "and beyond the two of you, it remains to be seen whether there will be any more."

"So you're saying there's going to be more mamono running around in the future?"

"I think we both know that is an inevitability" she said while placing a hand over a specific part of her stomach.

Natalie's eyes widened "are you..."

"Unfortunately, I am not with a child"

"Yet?"

Ezraphel let out a small chuckle "naturally."

"And would having kids be the only way for more mamono to be running around?"

Ezraphel pursed her lips. "I have no deliberate intentions of converting any more humans. Stanley is strongly against it, and I have come to accept and support him on this."

"That implies that you didn't before," Natalie noted.

"I've always supported him," she clarified, "at least I thought I did. The incident with Amelia has opened my eyes to the fact that my actions have contrasted with my words." Her shoulders slumped "I am a hypocrite in that regard."

"I thought that was supposed to be an accident."

"I wonder..." she trailed off then shook her head "regardless, such an incident will never happen again, and in all honesty, I am less worried about my self-control at this stage."

Natalie stiffened and raised her hands in surrender "hey now, I don't plan on making anymore mamono."

"I wasn't referring to you, though, depending on the situation, you might not have a choice."

"Ugh, I turned down being a lich because I didn't want to fuck around with magic and find out." Natalie grouched with an annoyed expression before letting up and switching topics. "And who was it that you were referring to if not me?"

"At this stage, barring any time-lapse shenanigans, I am sure that my mother must be very aware of my absence and will be making attempts to locate me."

"Oh..." began Natalie. "And your mother is..."

"One of the most powerful entities in my world capable of matching the strongest gods, commands the respect and allegiance of gods and similarly powerful mamono alike, as well as vast legions of armies numbering in the hundreds of thousands, possibly millions, and is an overprotective worrywart of a mother who should be deathly concerned about my whereabouts. It is not a matter of if she will find me, Natalie, but when. If I manage to find earth, then she will be able to duplicate my feat a thousand times over with a fraction of the difficulty."

"Okay and what happens if she finds you?"

"She will be relieved at my safety, joyful at my marriage, and very curious about this world. I don't think it needs to be said that she will not leave the earth alone. I highly doubt she would be reckless enough to send an invading force into this world but the same cannot be said for certain other parties."

Natalie did not like the sound of that but before she could comment Ezraphel shook her head lightly and continued.

"It should be fine so long as I talk to her about it first. The last thing any of us wants is a war."

"Yeah, I'd rather not have to pick sides on that," Natalie admitted.

"And you won't," Ezraphel assured, "but enough about that; let us focus on the lecture now."

"Ugh," Natalie sank into her chair with a despondent groan, "fine, anything to not make me the catalyst for Dawn of the Dead."

"Eh," Ezraphel made a so-so gesture, "in your circumstances, it could either be that or Ghostbusters."

"…explain."

"I will get to that, but first, ahem," she said, clearing her throat, then using the ruler to point to the first bullet point on the board. "Allow me to tell you a tale."

…

It began in the era when a powerful Lich ascended to the throne of the Monster Overlord. One of his first actions was to find a capable general who could lead his forces. Being a former human mage, he recognized the capabilities of heroes and so 'acquired' the corpse of a relatively well-known one to be used in an experimental necromancy ritual.

So potent was the spell that the reanimated corpse not only held awareness that most other undead monsters at the time lacked but also maintained the intelligence, skills, and instincts it had while alive. Of course, the Lich Overlord also suppressed selective parts of its memories and personality to ensure total obedience. And thus Lucius Wight became the general of the Lich Overlord's undead army and his most effective weapon against humanity.

Boasting incredible strength, combat skills, magical abilities, high-speed regeneration, and control over the lesser undead, second only to the Lich Overlord himself, the undead hero proved himself to be the lynchpin of the Lich Overlord's near success at world dominance.

Despite his strength, Lucius was unable to save the Lich Overlord from being slain by the Chosen Hero and upon his death the control he held over Lucius vanished allowing his original memories and personality to resurface. After regaining his identity, Lucius used his limited control over the dregs of the undead army to distract the Chosen Hero's party and flee in the ensuing chaos.

For a time, Lucius traveled the wastes of monster territories in a fugue state as he came to grips with the atrocities he committed under the Lich Overlord. This was by no means an easy thing, as unlike past and future Overlords, the Lich had no interest in uniting the monsters against the other races. He simply sought to bring death upon the world itself, by whatever means.

To that end, he had Lucius scour the monster territories, slaughtering any and all who crossed his path as he sought more bodies to his army of undead. Much like in the human territories, Lucius' deeds spread amongst the established monsters, branding him an infamous figure on both sides. Needless to say, Lucius would not be accepted by any monsters and was likely to be attacked by them just as he would by humans.

After a few close calls, he was forced ever deeper into the Makai continent, far removed from most established monster territories into places unknown at the time. His undead physiology allowed him to travel without the need for sustenance or rest, so he continued to roam for a very long time.

At some point, he came upon a small village of peaceful monsters that were lucky enough to avoid being conscripted into the Lich Overlord's army and were, for the most part, far removed from the war itself. Without knowing his identity, the village of monsters accepted him, and from there, he lived as one of their own.

Eventually enough time passed that he was able to heal mentally from the trauma of the memories of his time as the undead general of the Lich Overlord. Lucius, who started as a stranger, eventually became the village leader who used his knowledge and skills for the betterment of the villagers.

As time flew by the wounds from the Lich Overlord's reign gradually healed and the monsters repopulated. The small village located on the fringes expanded as other monsters would journey to either seek refuge or attempt to take it over only to be defeated, driven off, or subjugated. The small village became a city and Lucius as its leader and protector became a prolific figure in monster society at the time.

Lucius was so respected that when the time came for a new overlord to be chosen, many considered him to be the clear choice. Not only was he charismatic and very powerful, he oversaw a kingdom that stretched over a vast amount of territory, with thousands of monsters living under his leadership and commanding a sizeable army he personally trained.

It was a feat that not many monsters at the time could accomplish without much bloodshed, and while his rule wasn't 'clean' he still commanded the respect of other powerful monsters. By that metric, he was as close to an overlord as one could get without it being official. So it came as no surprise that when the time came for a new Overlord to rise up, he was the first person to be approached as a candidate.

However, being the chivalrous hero he was and still somewhat reeling from his time under the yolk of the last overlord, he turned down the position and refused to participate in the war. Instead, he opted to act as a neutral party and his kingdom would become neutral grounds and a refuge for those who did not want to participate in what he saw as meaningless bloodshed.

Many of the monsters, while angry and confused by his decision and citing him as cowardly, could do nothing but accept his decision, for he was simply too powerful, commanded too much respect, and had too many pivotal resources for any monster to force him into compliance.

And so, for the rise of yet another overlord, he remained a neutral party in the war. At least it was such until the new Chosen Hero and his party began their journey to defeat the Overlord. Following their journey were the human armies who started to breach into the monster territories. It wasn't long before conflict came to Lucius' kingdom, and despite his vehemently denying any direct involvement in the monster's war efforts, diplomacy was never an option.

Lucius and his army of loyal monsters were forced to defend their home against the human invaders resulting in a protracted siege that lasted days. Despite holding a home advantage the monsters quickly lost ground after the Chosen Hero and his party appeared with reinforcements. Unable to hold or drive off the human army and having no allies in the Overlord's army due to his refusal to submit to his rule, Lucius was forced into a last stand against the Chosen hero.

Unfortunately, even with all his power, skill, and experience, the undead hero could not compete with the Chosen Hero's holy weapons and armor which were both blessed by the Chief Goddess herself. Though he fought bravely, in the end he fell to the Chosen Hero's holy sword.

Or at least that's what should have happened; however, unbeknownst to Lucius, his actions held the interest of the god of death at the time, Hades. The death god had kept his gaze on the undead hero from his resurrection throughout the ages and found merit in his actions. The reason being that the calamity that was the Lich Overlord's reign had far-reaching consequences for the undead and the death god, who would be seen in a massively negative light.

The undead were hunted, spirits were exorcised and worshippers of Hades were ostracized or worse by humans and monsters alike. Liches specifically would be hunted and put to true death by either with extreme prejudice. And as the god presiding over death, his standing among mortals plummeted as his temples were razed and the number of his followers dropped. This in turn resulted in a loss of power and prestige within the pantheon that, in time, would threaten his very existence if not addressed.

Unknowingly, Lucius played a pivotal role in restoring the reputation of undead monsters and, by extension, Hades. His very existence gained the god's notice and with his actions he gained the god's favor, a fact that did not come into play until he was once again on the cusp of death.

Before the Chosen Hero could strike Lucius down, Hades intervened and gifted the undead former Hero a divine blessing worthy of his contributions. This blessing not only granted him increased strength and vitality; it also gave him resistance to holy weapons and the ability to manipulate souls through mana. But perhaps the most significant aspect of the blessing was allowing Lucius to have a permanent connection to the realm of death itself, becoming a champion of death.

With these boons, Lucius was able to turn the tables, using his newfound strength, vitality, and resistance to holy power, to defeat the Chosen Hero in martial combat. After subduing his foe, Lucius used his power and authority as the death god's chosen to cast widespread necromancy spells across the battlefield that resurrected friends and foes alike to create a new undead army.

In short order, he was able to defeat the invading army and subdue the invading army. After the battle was won and with the fate of the Chosen Hero in his hands, rather than finishing him and the human army off, Lucius chose to spare them much of their combined shock. He would do this, but not before receiving the Chosen Hero's word that neither he nor the humans would try to attack him in any way, shape, or form, so long as he lived.

As a former one himself, Lucius knew that a Hero's word is something taken seriously, especially if it is given before witnesses of importance. In that moment, not only were both of their armies bearing witness to the proceedings, but also the gods themselves. In that moment, both Lucius and the Chosen Hero were representing the death god and the Chief Goddess, respectively. Should either break their word, it would be akin to besmirching the honor of their patron deities.

And so on that day, an accord was struck.

In exchange for sparing his life and remaining neutral in the conflict, neither the Chosen Hero nor the Holy Order would attack Lucius or his kingdom, so long as the former drew breath. The accord was made, and the Chosen Hero, his party, and what was left of the human army accompanying them left to continue their crusade against the then-current Monster Overlord.

…

"He just let them go?" Natalie interrupted, looking slightly nonplussed, "Just like that?"

"He showed mercy as befitting a former Hero."

"That's…"

She wanted to say stupid and/or nonsensical, but in the end, she went for a less insulting angle.

"Unbelievable," she finished.

"Well, I imagine that he still held some loyalty to humanity, not to mention his guilt for what he did while under the Lich Overlord."

"Okay, I get that, but didn't these guys basically invade his home, ignore his attempts at diplomacy and killed his people?"

'I don't care how loyal or guilty you are; people don't just forgive things like that.'

Ezraphel clearly figured the same thing, for she gave a prompt answer.

"You have to take into consideration that at the time there was another Overlord active. Without the Chosen Hero, the other races would be hard-pressed to defeat him. Not to mention he would also make an enemy out of the Chief Goddess, which he did not want."

"Isn't he an enemy by virtue of being a monster?"

"He did not want her focused attention."

"Well, he got it either way, I would think. Unless she took her 'Chosen Hero's' losing to him on the chin."

"She did not," Ezraphel intoned.

"Did she end up breaking the agreement?"

"She did not have to since the Chosen Hero lost his life slaying the Overlord not too long after agreement was made."

"And the agreement is only valid so long as he's alive." With a nod from Ezraphel, she hummed with a raised eyebrow. "That's pretty convenient. You don't think she got him killed do you?"

"I cannot say for sure. He wouldn't have been the first Chosen Hero to die defeating an Overlord. Not that it mattered, as whatever plans she or anyone had would fall short, for while Lucius trusted the hero, he did not trust anyone else, and together with Hades, the two took precautions against any further intrusions into the kingdom."

"What did they do?"

"They established a Necropolis."

"Necropolis?"

"A kingdom of the undead."

"Ah."

"To this very day, it serves as one of the oldest and most prominent Demon Realms in the world and a connecting point between the realms of the living and dead. Currently, it is the seat of Lady Hel's power."

"Hel?"

"The current Goddess of Death…and Life," the Lilim added.