Glancing at the pitch-black world outside the window, Ails lowered his head, flipping through the book before him, an artifact that described this broken world. Long, long ago, this had been a world of happiness, where every person had enough resources to survive, where all things grew, and where seasons flourished and faded.
Ails and his companions had changed all of this. Mortals would not understand; they could not see that the so-called reincarnation was nothing but souls being cast into the river known as Mana, ground down and then falsely reshaped.
No one could truly live forever, nor could anyone truly escape death. The living could not comprehend that life could not rule everything, only death could.
Closing the book before him, he let it remain on the decaying shelf. Perhaps one day someone would come to read it again, perhaps the world would collapse after they had left, or perhaps... this library could only witness forever, achieving eternity like those ruins of the past.
·Ah, the tedious forever, the dull eternity.
Ails, floating above the ground, came to a halt at the end of the corridor, where a mirror hung. In this world, it was a great treasure, and it was the item he had specifically requested to be preserved when he invaded the fortress.
·Take a look at yourself, Ails, this is eternity.
In the mirror, the Lich’s eye sockets roiled with Crimson Soul Fire. He still remembered the days of his youth, when he was herding sheep for the lord, naively believing that to be forever.
It was only later, when his sister died mysteriously on her wedding night due to the lord’s claim of the right to the first night, that he realized how vast the distance was between people and that Fate had never warned a child so starkly before, with life and blood as the price.
·May the lord have mercy.
Ails lowered his head. The deity or Fate he believed in had given him a way out—having his wizard talent recognized, he came to the Skyfloating City.
From that day on, Ails saw another side of the world. The lord who had loomed so large was nothing more than a Shepherd in the eyes of a high-ranking wizard.
Shepherds herd sheep, lords shepherd people; nothing under the sun is ever new.
·Lord Ails, Lord Talm is waiting for you downstairs.
A Skeleton Puppet Messenger arrived at Ails’s side. Ails turned his head, looking at the Soul Fire in its eye sockets. Although he could no longer laugh, he instinctively smiled—or rather, he bared his white teeth—remember, a legendary Lich should take good care of every one of its teeth, whether they were his own or not.
·I understand, tell Lord Talm I’ll be right there.
After informing the messenger, it floated out the window.
This was the direct descendant of the lord. After Ails became a high-ranking lord himself, he returned to his hometown and slaughtered the former lord’s entire family.
Just as they had dragged his father to death with horses, beheaded his mother with a shoddy lie, thrown his pitiable five-year-old sister and brother to the hunting dogs, and then hired an Assassin to kill him.
They managed to do all of that but unfortunately failed to complete the most crucial part.
So when Ails returned to his hometown and led the old lord to the gallows, he turned his entire family into Skeleton Puppets following his creed of repaying kindness tenfold and avenging a grudge a hundredfold. His most beloved grandson was now Ails’s favorite messenger.
·May the lord have mercy.
...Poor lord, they never would have imagined, when the Wizard killed them, that Fate treats everyone equally.
Ails turned and took one last look at his Lich reflection before entering the portal he had opened.
·I thought you had put on makeup.
Watching Ails emerge at his side, another Lich hesitated with his staff in hand.
·Indeed, I polished my skull. Didn’t you notice it’s even whiter than before?
After Ails finished speaking, he noticed the giant demon outside the city gates—·Talm, why are we moving with that guy this time? Do you not realize he can’t even remember his own name?
Ails profoundly disliked the giant demon because this one called Dam... ah, perhaps only ghosts knew its real name. The first time Ails worked with it, it was named Dam.
Halfway through the mission, it claimed its name was Kith.
Towards the end of the mission, it asked Ails to call it Rhodes.
And the second time they met, it actually said it was called Morgansdam.
·By the way, what is it calling itself this time?
As the conversation between friends concluded, Ails rolled his eyes—·How do we even sign a soul contract with this?
When the lords of the Undead realm formed groups for hunts, to give each other peace of mind, they often signed soul contracts—once bound by a soul contract, there was at least no worry of betrayal. Though playing tricks and using underhanded tactics were quite normal among unfamiliar lords, the contract ensured a minimum level of guarantee.
If the action failed because of this, the one who was overzealous would have to pay a hefty price.
·My friend, why do we need to sign a soul contract with it?
Talm, Ails’s good friend, posed the question in return.
After some thought, Ails nodded—·You’ve convinced me, my friend, but we still need to sign the contract. Anyway, that fool will change his name again. If something goes wrong, it’s his bad luck, isn’t it?