The Last Council

Why do I have the feeling that the dwarves are trying to get rid of me?

(Why do you think such a thing? Maybe the fact that you know very well that the Deep Mountain is now totally controlled by the ratmen? And that no one came here in those last few days? Besides that, I see nothing that can give you this idea.)

Sarcastic remarks, just what I needed, thank you very much, Oslo. But still, I will soon reach the limit of capacity inside this room. I have thousands of zombies, and they are getting too much space. My lich keep producing more and more, but I really want the dwarves to pick up all the zombies. And already brought them to the location where they should be the most useful. Not staying here, doing nothing. Not that it really bothers me, since I am an ethereal monster, so they won't crush me under their numbers. But in a few hours, the limit will definitely be breached, and they will begin to step on each other.

Since no one is coming, and I don't want to bother Thongril, I will just find an Iron Beard near here. I exit the armory and search in the tunnel. I find a dwarf not far from here, good, I approach him. He looks at me visibly perplexed but not really scared. So he knows about me and my existence, that's even better.

-Master dwarf, I have a small problem. I have created the zombies that you asked, but the number of them is too important. They will soon fill all the empty space in the armory, so can you take them out and bring them where you want?

I ask all of this because he is wearing the Iron Beard armor. So, he is not the regular soldier that knows nothing. After I say this, he begins to walk toward the armory, grab the key and unlock the door. That's why he was perplexed, he thought that with the door locked, he won't see me or my undead. But I am like a ghost, I can float through anything. Right after he unlocks the door, three zombies fall on him, because they were pushed by the rest.

The dwarf nearly takes his weapon, but he realizes afterward that the zombies don't attack him and are getting up. He looks at them with a dark stare, but soon, his eyes are getting bigger. I can see him mentally count the number of undead in the armory like I said, they are a lot inside it. He removes his helmet and begins to scratch his head. Can you be a bit faster mister the dwarf, because taking a pensive posture won't help me? After that, he looks at me, put his helmet on his head, and talk for the first time.

-You have done a great job ghost Sleek. This help will definitely be appreciated. I talked with engineer Dustag previously, and he told me about the defensive capacities of your zombies. Do you mind if I take a look, just to be sure where they should be located?

That's a reasonable demand. That way, he will talk about it to Thongril and everyone and if it is good, that would be better. So, I make one of the zombies leave the armory and make him go a little farther in the tunnel. There is see the battle between the Iron Beard and my zombie.

At first, he is just using his fist. To let him do that, I don't let my zombie strike back. It is just to see the blunt resistance, nothing else. I can see the dwarf punch very hard on the arm of the zombie, and break his arm. Damn, he is strong. Fearing about a negative opinion I stop the dwarf.

-Master dwarf, please. Before you attack again can you wait for a minute?

He nods, even when he is surprised by that demand. I ask my zombie to move his broken arm, and the movement is not looking good. I can see the hand swing weirdly. After a minute, I ask him to do the same movement, and this time, the arm is repaired and he swings normally this limb. The Iron Beard look very pleased by that, he realizes what happened. He tries to punch once more, but this time, the zombie is truly fighting.

At first, the Iron Beard has to take out his shield, to repel the assault of my zombie. But, even if they are truly slower and weaker than a ghoul, they are still very good warriors. My undead servant manages to dodge or partially dodge all the attacks of the dwarves. He is taller and bigger than him, so he uses the long reach of his arms to oblige the dwarf to defend. Of course, once he begins to use his axe, the fight ends prematurely. Baiting my zombie to attack, he quickly cuts his two arms and therefore wins the fight. At least he didn't kill my zombie. After that, laughing he approaches me.

-That's a good fellow that you created here. I understand why you are capable of repelling the assault of the ratmen. Immune to all the poisons and diseases, capable of regenerating after some minutes, but still slow. That's why an encirclement will seal his fate. I know where they will be useful. Do you have 800 of them, I think you do, but I have to ask?

-Yes, ready to do anything.

-Great, order them to follow me, I will make some space in this armory. I will get back after that, to pick up the next batch. Good job, ghost Sleek.

-Thank you master dwarf.

After that, I can see him leaving with 800 of my zombies behind him. Maybe after that, they will finally make me leave this hole. Anyway, let's keep creating some more lich. After that, I keep doing the same thing, each time the Iron Beard knock on my door, he brings a huge number of zombies. I can hear my undead describe their locations, sometimes, they are in some tunnels, sometimes, positioned on the ramparts. But not a single one of them saw a human, I guess the dwarves are making sure that we never meet each other.

I know that right now, the general of the human army, some archbishop, and a female magician are arguing in the audience room. Thanks to my spirit, I can hear that they don't support the actions of the King of the Mountain. While they are doing this, the archbishops are even threatening to desert and hunt the ghost shaped like a ratman. That provokes the anger from the dwarves and the magician. She is the only one willing to not hunt me right now and deal with the ratmen first. I am sure that it's because she didn't lose anything with the destruction of Atria, besides family and friends. Well, that's still a lot.

On the other hand, the general is clearly too tired to even shout. The knight that was present was exhausted and his armor bloodied, but he was still relatively fine. As for the general, my spirit is describing him as a totally broken armor and red. Not red because of the paint, but red with blood. He didn't even wash before meeting the king of the dwarves? The spirit says yes; he didn't wash. Maybe I should just directly go there and see by myself. Because a report and the truth may differ.

But if the Iron Beard arrives and I am not here, it will be suspicious. And he should be near the armory, it's about time. Wait for a second, the humans are here. They are not defending the fortress anymore. I ask my spirits in that part of the mountain, and yes, no humans are visible. And the dwarves are losing badly, like really badly. One day, maximum and the fortress will fall.

I look in the East, and that is still good. My undead are defending the fortress close to the Heart of the Mountain, the one where Bori was located and the eastern is already captured by the ratmen. The sheer number of zombies and ghouls allowed all the dwarves to retreat. They will arrive in less than an hour here. That's good, one front lost nearly no one. But now, it will be time for the final battle. And if I am knowing this, that means Thongril knows this too.

-Ghost Sleek, you are demanded in the audience room. It is very important that you arrive quickly, so, if you can travel through the stone, you can do it. But, all your wraiths and yourself have to appear in the room when you arrived. Now go, we are all very busy. Just before you leave, can make all the remaining zombies follow me?

I order my zombies to follow the Iron Beard that is becoming familiar with the pattern. And then, I rush toward the audience, but I still hear that the humans are present. Such a happy reunion in sight.