"Miss Alistel, it would seem that something is occurring on the other side, the restless have been on the move and behaving strangely, refusing to engage in any form of combat as they move in the same direction" bowing slightly, a blonde with an uncannily symmetrical visage spoke in perfectly neutral tone, her pale blues wide not blinking once as she spoke.
"All? Without exception?" the person being addressed, Alistel, asked a question, a gruff-looking woman with long and messy brown hair and a scar across her left eye, which remained partly closed and cloudy, as though blind.
"Mmh… I see" Alistel looked off into the distance, currently, they were at the top of the central building constructed in the midst of the only city of this realm, overlooking the entirety of the city, including its desolate and empty portions, testament to wounds that had yet to heal.
"What… Shall we do about it?" not hearing anything else after that awfully nonchalant answer, the blonde woman spoke up again and raised her head up to look at Alistel, all the while, still without having blinked once.
Alistel shrugged, looking over the city for a few more seconds before turning around to face her subordinate.
"Alielil, you are much too young to know…"
"Only you surpass me in age, Miss Aliestel"
"...Indeed, but you are still a little gal to me, and you weren't there to witness the crucible that formed our nameless institution… The restless would only collectively agree on something by the order of their king"
"I do know that you fought the king of the restless, but that fight was at a standstill, wasn't it? And how long has it been since then? We have been cutting down the restless for centuries and more, should we not have every advantage if they make a move against us?" Alielil understood what it entailed when the king of the restless decided to order all restless all of a sudden, it most certainly wouldn't be to have a party.
"That is a reasonable thing to think, but fact is that he is issuing commands to all of his subjects without exception, he has not done anything noticeable or even showed himself since our first and last confrontation, if he decides to do something now, then there has to be a good reason… Could the restless have been responsible for that gateway incident and Bilistam's disappearance?"
"So they might have already made moves against us, prohibit all entries into the other side, and enforce that all must move in groups of at least three at all times, have groups led by elites scour the entire city, and send more groups into the countryside to seek any signs of invasion beyond our walls-" Alistel gave a series of order to the impassible Alielil, who only listened attentively without doing as much as nod or speak a single word.
"Very well, it shall be done right this instant" preparing the turn and leave, the blonde felt her leader suddenly grab her shoulder, the distinct sparks of one's soul object being manifested popped out, right as the wall to their right was suddenly blasted open by a stream of blue flames.
The torrent of plasma failed to reach them as Alistel merely pointed the sheathed greatsword at the inferno, causing it to vanish as though erased from existence.
"I would have been able to dodge that, Miss…"
Alistel just patted her subordinates head.
"Now, now… It is common courtesy- Who comes here?" the air seemed to grow heavy as the brown-haired woman shifted from smiling down on Alielil to sternly commanding for the attacker to reveal themselves.
"I guess it was to be expected from the woman who burned his majesty, but it leaves a sour taste in my bones to have by most powerful attack so easily suppressed" standing upon another restless that resembled a large dragonfly, its petrified wings flapping with enough speed to appear as a blur, a humanoid restless spoke up.
"That's one of the restless on our wanted list, he killed nine groups" Alielel recognised the looks and ability instantly.
A slender figure that resembled an armour made out of bone as most of the humanoid restless tended to appear, sharp claws that produced sparks of blue when snapping against one another, a somewhat triangular skull with a maw filled with dog-like teeth, and lastly, wide hole right through the palms, the source of this accursed ability.
"The one that can produce soul gas and ignite it with his claws?"
"My name is Xaltar, and it's twelve, not nine, learn to count fleshlings" he spoke big, but he remained a safe distance away atop of the dragonfly, his hollow sockets staring straight ahead, ignoring the commotion happening everywhere else due to the enormous pillar of blue flames he had just used to blast a hole through the room.
"My king- In his infinite kindness and gentleman nature, has sent me to carry a message to you, leader of the livings" the air just above the restless's hand was wavy and distorted, a clear indication that he was ready to act if necessary.
"Then do go ahead and speak" Alistel's hand was still grasping her sheathed soul weapon, that blade was grand, nearly as long as she was tall, which was especially impressive considering that she towered over most like an immovable mountain.
Though, it did not appear to be in line with the theme this realm had set with its architecture and craftsmanship…
At any second, she could decide to take it out of its scabbard and strike, the speed of which might be too great for the restless to handle, which was why he remained at a comfortable distance and ready to ignite at the slightest of doubt.
"His majesty, Irlanx Xacobus, ruler of all the restless and lord of the land, extends to you an offer to surrender now and an occasion to become a part of the undead, trade your unnaturally expanded lifespan for true eternity, a body that never tires, a mind that never wavers and a soul that never deteriorates!"
"Well then… You shall be treated to true eternity by force, how nice, to be rewarded even by being defiant… You lot are really lucky"
"I take it that he'll come here to do it, then?" Alistel looked like she had just been told about the weather instead of threatened with death and invasion.
"Naturally, we could not possibly trust you to come on your own… So what is your answer, Missus Leader?"
"Tell that sack of bones that I'll be waiting for round two"
"...Very well" not lingering on for any longer than necessary, the restless flew away with the skeletal dragonfly.
"Miss Alistel? They did not give any time for their arrival…"
"Just prepare to the best possible as quickly as you can, I'll be facing their king, so occupy everything else until I am done with him"