Chapter 19. Fallen Monarch (2) Part-1

The Holy Knights could feel a chill in the air. They had devoted their entire lives to strengthening the Holy Energy that God had bestowed upon them, but they had never felt anything like this. They could feel goosebumps rising across their bodies.

"What is…?!"

"How can… the Undead use Holy Energy?!"

"A-abomination of holiness! They are blaspheming our God!"

"Don't panic! This can't be real! It has to be illusory magic!"

Fear of the unknown began to take hold of them. Demonic Energy and Holy Energy were polar opposites. It was supposed to be impossible to possess both at the same time as it went against their fundamental understanding of nature. This was the 'sovereignty' of the Gods. Holy Energy wrapped around the undead as they marched forward, facing off against the Holy Knights. It could be said that they possessed a cleaner and more pure energy than the humans themselves. It was an army possessing both properties of shadow and light. That was the 'Army of Arrtark'.

The outer wall collapsed under the fist of a Bone Golem. The Undead Soldiers climbed up the Bone Golem like a ladder and began to assault the soldiers stationed atop the wall. With its walls breached, the army of the undead trampled over the streets of Lania.

"Kyaaaaa!"

"Uwaaaaaaa-!"

Sounds of pain and despair rang out, and a fire that seemed to devour all of the living burned throughout the city. Cries of the undead and the dying filled the air. The human soldiers struggled to the bitter end to survive, but their efforts were for naught. A thick stench of death lingered in the air. A woman struggled within a burning building, trying to pull out a child caught underneath the fallen debris.

"M…om… It… hurts…"

"J-just wait a moment! I'll get you out…!"

At that moment, a skeleton appeared behind her and the woman felt utter despair. There was nothing in the streets other than the undead. All the human soldiers had been killed and were now aimlessly wandering around as the living dead. The woman trembled where she stood as she muttered a small prayer.

"D-dear god… Ah, Lord Arrtark… I-I don't care about myself, so please just save the life of my child…"

The woman wept as she pulled her child close into an embrace.

As the woman trembled, the Skeleton merely tilted its head and tossed the debris away. In that moment, its body turned white as it brushed the child's head with an extended hand. The illuminating light not only enveloped the child, but the mother as well. Pale string-like light began to stitch their wounds together as their flesh began to reform underneath that light. The pair was also cleansed of any illnesses they may have had.

The woman slowly widened her eyes as her body lightened with renewed vigor. She was experiencing the 'miracle' of the Aura of Life.

"…Ah."

The woman stared at the pale skeleton in disbelief. She had never seen such a pure form of Holy Power before. It calmed her heart and gave her a feeling of comfort just by being near it. She muttered, as though in a trance.

"An…gel?"

With its white armor, and the Holy Energy seeping out of its back, it appearance was similar to a winged angel. The woman watched as the skeleton turned and walked away from her, into the streets.

The fleeing residents were left alive, but the soldiers weren't exempt. They had been killed and their bodies now decorated the city on top of spears. They were pierced through the anus, through their bodies, with the bloodied spear tops sticking out from their mouths. There was no mercy for anyone armed. Only death and massacre awaited them.

The ruler of the Undead walked through Lania, down the royal road, taking in the destruction that his army had unleashed. He stopped when he heard someone call out to him.

"… H-human? No. You're not a human! Who are you? Just what is that power…?!"

An orc slave that had been left abandoned within its steel cage by a slave merchant looked at Thoma with caution. Skeletons approached the orc and broke the lock with their blades. The undead did not attack the Orc, but simply freed him before heading toward the palace.

[Go if you have somewhere to go.]

The Orc looked into the golden light beneath Thoma's helmet.

[If you don't have anywhere to go…]

The divine being commanded him.

[Follow me.]

***

Thoma arrived at the palace gates. Arrows were fired at him from all over, but they were deflected by his armor. His tail, the head of a snake, grew in size and tore apart the soldiers on the castle walls.

Blood poured out of a soldier where the snake had bitten. He pressed down on the wound, enduring the pain. However, it only made it worse as his hair fell out and his flesh started deteriorating.

"….U….uwaaaak! Kyaaaaaaak!" He cried out in agony.

"W-why is this guy acting like this?!"

"What's wrong with him?!"

"He's changing! Turning into a Ghoul!"

His fingernails elongated and sharpened as he transformed. Without hesitation, he lunged toward his former companions. Thoma ignored the screams that could be heard from on top of the castle walls.

He extended his hand to touch the door of the palace. The wooden planks of the door began to rot and the steel began to rust. They broke away as though thousands of years of time had passed. This was truly an [Aura of Death], the destructive nature held within Demonic Energy.

[Capture the priests! Don't let a single one escape your sight! Capture them all and drag them before me!]

Upon his command, the Skeleton Assassins swiftly entered the palace. They moved dexterously as they climbed the walls and killed the guards before capturing the fleeing priests. The palace was filled with screams within an instant.

***

"Hah~! This is it! This flavor!"

"Move your bodies a bit! Huh? It's no fun just being blitzed out from drugs, right?"

"Why do you think you're here? Haha! It's because you haven't paid your donations and taxes! It's all because you didn't pay us money!"

"Be glad! You can be purified by the graces of us priests instead of some slave merchant!"

There was a massive cross adorning the wall with luxurious food spilled onto the floor. A fountain was spewing clean and pure holy water from its spout. However, this holy sanctuary, a place that should have been treated with reverence had instead become sullied with filth. Priests were laying intertwined with women. Their bodies were tangled with each other's wracked with euphoria. The incense infused with narcotic substances made the air look hazy and the women were blankly obeying every command given to them like broken dolls.

"Who do you think I am? What is the name of this great-?"

Faron burst into laughter while in a naked woman's embrace.

"I am the Archbishop! One of only seven… no! Eight archbishops on this continent!"

Faron slapped the animal sleeping beside him. It was a six meter tall, bulky, thick-skinned elephant with its long nose and fan-like ears. The elephant decorated with gold adornments only peeked over at him, annoyed, before closing its eyes again.

"This is the proof that I have become Archbishop! This is a monster called an elephant. It was rescued from a neighboring nation of heretics known as Afkhan! This guy is a holy beast that will protect me! The pope personally gifted him to me! All shall praise me! If you do, you will all enjoy these privileges as I do! Money, prestige, and authority! I shall grant you all of it! Hahaha! Fall in line behind me, I say! If you do, I shall grant you anything! Pope Gattshuranche stands behind me!"

Faron was enjoying himself, nude, with a drink in one hand and an inebriated woman in the other. He had been emaciated just a few days ago but had fattened up quite a bit since then, and he had since shaved his head. His eyes were wild with euphoria and his hands were groping the woman next to him like an object. Regardless of who he betrayed or which innocents he falsely tortured, he felt no remorse for any of his actions. He had already abandoned his dignity. Only the hedonistic pleasures before his eyes mattered now. They were the nature and purpose of his new life. This was not only true for Faron, but for all the other priests that had spent their days in the abbey within the forest. They all curried Faron's favor, and they had all betrayed their former friends that they had once laughed and enjoyed life with. In return, they were able to enjoy all the pleasures they desired.

"Ey, elephant? Do you want to try a drink? Eh? Aren't you my guard?"

Faron began to repeatedly strike the massive elephant on its head, but it refused to move and chose to continue sleeping instead. Abruptly, the sound of frantic knocking came from outside the door to the banquet hall, but no one heard it. Faron, who didn't want to be bothered, had ordered the other priests to lock the door and block all sounds with magic. He wasn't aware that Holy Knights were now screaming at the door from outside.

"Archbishop! You must hurry and escape! Undead…! Undead are swarming in!"

"Archbishop!"

The Holy Knights continued to bang on the door for some time before they finally decided to just break the door down. They swung at the door with their blades.

"Shit! There's defensive magic on the door…!"

"Do whatever it takes to get through!"

They continued to swing at the door bound with Holy Energy. When a crack began to form, they grinned.

"It's open!"

"W-wait… the Undead…!"

The Holy Knights retreated as soon as they noticed the undead assassins walking through the corridor.

"Shit! Run!"

They ran toward the other end of the hall, but flying sickles and daggers soon pierced their bodies.

"Uwaaak!"

A chain had been attached to each of the sickles. The Skeleton Assassins, from which dreary laughter could be heard, were able to pull the knights back toward them by tugging on these chains, staining the corridor with blood.

Back inside the banquet hall, Faron, who had been entertaining himself with the bodies of the girls that he found himself in the company of, heard some sounds by the door and tilted his head out of curiosity.