Rebirth of the Undead King: Book 2

by Ink Bamboo

  Magnus frowned in displeasure. The Trial of Light was a challenge every prospect chosen by the Church of Light had to go through. Once the oath was made to embark upon it, a divine seal would appear in the Chosen’s heart. Only after the mission was cleared would the mark dissipate.

  Should the prospect fail to achieve his or her mission, the mark would then incinerate both their body and soul, leaving no traces of them behind. This was the method the Church of Light used to ensure their upper echelon were perfectly loyal before receiving their goddess’ teachings. If they failed, it only served as evidence of their faith not being strong enough.

  Magnus’s heart clenched. A Chosen bore several of these marks through their lifetime, it was the price to pay for their power. Once engraved into their bodies and souls, they would have no choice but to fulfill their oaths to their gods, lest they forfeit every trace of their existence.

  The cardinal smiled, seeing his plan come to fruition. Every oath Erin swore to the goddess of light brought her one step closer to becoming the ideal vessel. “Go, you will find my lady’s instructions written in detail within this scroll. A squad of paladins awaits for you next to the armory.”

  Magnus bowed his head in frustration after taking the scroll. A myriad of emotions crossed his mind as he forced himself to mutter four words, “I understand, your holiness.”

  The only thing he wished for was his granddaughter’s wellbeing. At a moment like this, he had no time to care for his own pride.

  “Well then,” said the cardinal. “Under my authority as the cardinal, appointed to this branch by the pope’s will, I hereby order you to follow our lady’s instructions to perfection. May her light guide your steps.”

  “May her light guide our steps,” Erin echoed.

  Magnus placed a hand on Erin’s shoulder, quickly guiding her outside the room. Only one thought remained on his mind.

  The day will arrive when I’ll have my revenge on you, cardinal.

  Chapter 03

  Sunrise.

  Magnus left the room fuming in anger. The deviousness displayed by the cardinal had left him dismayed. It wasn’t strong characters you had to fear, but those with shrewd minds. Unfortunately, the cardinal was both.

  He had managed to suppress the killing intent boiling within him, but the cardinal had surely seen through it. Still, he had no choice but to follow this order. It was likely that the church would have him under strict surveillance during this mission.

  Erin followed after Magnus quietly. Her shoulder-length blonde hair swayed from side to side while her emotionless eyes fixed ahead of her. The cardinal had ordered her to follow Magnus, so she complied. It wasn’t in her nature to go against orders. Especially the cardinal’s.

  It took a few minutes for the silence to be broken. It was Magnus who spoke first.

  “Erin, can you tell me why you chose this time to request a Trial of Light?” If only she hadn’t done so for a few more days, he might’ve been able to find more hints through his new discovery in divination.

  “Why wouldn’t I?” she asked. “I’ve been at a bottleneck in my training for a while. Given that we finished cleansing the artifact, I thought a Trial of Light was a good way to receive a blessing from the goddess. With that, I might achieve a breakthrough.”

  As her guardian, Magnus was considered one of her teachers. She had no reason to withhold her reasoning from him — trials of faith were a common way for a Chosen to receive their god’s blessing after all.

  Truly a cursed role, thought Magnus. However, deep down he knew that wasn’t the only reason. It was likely that the cardinal had something to do with her choice as well.

  “Couldn’t some training accomplish the same?” he asked, intent on unmasking the cardinal’s involvement.

  Erin didn’t think much of it as she answered, “Yes, but training alone wouldn’t accomplish any merits for my lady. Lord Cardinal said the people of Nyx are not believers of our faith and that they deserve a chance to be enlightened.”

  I knew it! thought Magnus. Once again, it was the cardinal’s machinations behind the horrible twists in his granddaughter’s life. His hatred for the publicly loved figure could only increase when situations like this arose.

  It was in this manner that both Magnus and Erin eventually arrived at the armory. There, a squad composed of ten of the church’s best paladin initiates awaited them, already in formation. They all wore the same bulk of full plate armor with a golden trim depicting the religious symbol of their faith — a golden sun. Only once they were officially declared paladins would they be able to wear the cape that normally adorned such an armor. This mission was likely a task required for their promotion as full-fledged paladins.

  “Is it only the ten of you?” asked Magnus, rather surprised. Whilst their target, the kingdom of Nyx, wasn’t very competent military-wise, they still had a good number of troops at their disposal. Ten beginner paladins were nowhere near enough for a military expedition. Not even using guerilla warfare.

  After listening to his question, one of the initiates stepped forward bowing his head slightly. “Sir Magnus,” he said, “the reason should have been explained by his holiness, the cardinal.”

  Despite Magnus’s usual status as a reject within the church’s walls, he was considered their commander for this mission. As such, they adopted the best attitude they could muster while inside the church’s premises.

  The scroll, thought Magnus. Only now did he remember the cardinal gave him his orders written inside one. His anger had occupied his mind when talking to the man, leaving him unwilling to pay full attention to the cardinal’s instructions.

  “You’re right, forgive me,” he said. Magnus might have been a prideful old man, but he knew when to accept his own mistakes. Very quickly he unfurled the piece of paper to peer into its contents.

  Written within, the cardinal’s delicate calligraphy composed a simple yet understandable set of instructions. From them, Magnus could once again see the cardinal’s deviousness when it came to tactics and political machinations.

  It took him almost a minute to go through it, carefully confirming the contents before burning away the scroll.

  I see, thought Magnus. He doesn’t change.

  Coming to terms with his mission, Magnus extended his hand to the awaiting paladin.

  Knowing the meaning behind the gesture, the paladin brought out a beautiful rosewood box. A series of runes adorned its sides, giving it a feeling of elegance and antiquity.

  Magnus took a hold of it, taking a deep breath before opening the box. He found a dark marble contained within. Examining it, he was able to immediately notice the cracks on its surface and the way its sheen had grown dull. It hadn’t been this way the first time he had laid his eyes on it.

  So they got you too, huh? Not even a divine artifact can save itself from the church’s greed.

  Focused on confirming the artifact’s condition, Magnus injected his mana within the small pearl-like object. The ego that had warded him off in previous tests was now asleep.

  It seemed the ritual had been effective in burning through the marble’s power. Magnus could now peer into the magical formations contained within, quickly learning many of its uses. Only a few remained, arcane and ancient enough that he wasn’t able to decipher their intended uses.

  Interesting.

  The so-called artifact acted like a container of sorts. However, different from objects that used spatial magic, the structure of the magical formations within seemed to serve the purpose of sealing souls. It surprised him the cardinal was willing to let this fall in his hands. Perhaps he could find a use for it later on.

  Fortunately, although there were still parts of the soul-sealing formations he couldn’t understand, he was convinced that given enough time he would be able to comprehend them.

  It didn’t stop there, however. Other magical arrays inside the artifact caught his attention as well. They seemed familiar, too familiar in fact. Looking at them, M
agnus recalled part of his youth. Back then he had been foolish enough to research matters forbidden by most magicians. Black magic and necromancy had not been beyond his objects of study.

  The Church of Death, he thought. So they are the original owners of this object. I wonder how it got away from them.

  After all, artifacts with an ego had a considerable value. No church would be willing to let them out of their grasp, much less fall into a hostile church’s control. It made him realize the cardinal was even more shrewd than he had originally estimated.

  Taking everything into account, Magnus realized the cardinal’s intentions in giving him the pearl. It complemented the contents of the mission perfectly.

  How devious, thought Magnus. If only the public knew this side of the church.

  If only he hadn’t been forced to make an oath not to attack the church directly or otherwise, he would immediately use this information to start a rebellion.

  Unfortunately, there was no way to change the past. Magnus soon placed the marble back into the rosewood container in his right hand before sealing its lid. After he had done so, he used his other hand to open a rift in space.

  *Swoosh*

  The paladin candidates hesitated briefly after seeing his actions. However, it was only a moment before they returned to their stoic state. Even the church elite’s couldn’t hide their disdain for the forbidden arts.

  No wonder we stood no chance, thought Magnus, evaluating their expressions. Even their initiates’ mental fortitude is remarkable.

  He was no stranger to the church’s hatred for magic. His previous gesture had been a way to taunt the young paladins before him into raising their hands against him. Had they acted on it, he would have had a valid reason to dismiss then, effectively allowing him to embark on this mission alone with his granddaughter.

  For a moment, Magnus stood in front of the paladin who had handed him the rosewood box. His stare no longer contained any trace of gentleness, but was instead filled with a mixture of disdain and firmness.

  The paladin, however, wasn’t a stranger to such a look. His faith in the cardinal’s orders was second only to his faith in his goddess’ commands. He had a reason to hold his ground with discipline. Therefore he stood in silence as Magnus examined him up and down.

  “Rank two at such a young age, truly admirable,” said Magnus. Blind faith was an excellent fuel for a soldier’s training regime. “What’s your name?”

  “Saul, sir.”

  “Well, Saul, I don’t know which orders were given to you by the cardinal, but let me make one thing clear. Your top priority in this mission is her safety,” said Magnus, pointing towards Erin. “If anything happens to her, then the church’s wrath will be the least of your worries.”

  “Yes, sir! Worry not, she is our lady’s Chosen after all. We’ll put down our lives for her if necessary.”

  “I’m glad you think that way, Saul,” said Magnus, turning to look at the rest of the paladins. “What do the rest of you say then? Will you lay your lives to protect her?”

  “Yes, sir!” they echoed.

  Magnus was pleased with their answer. Much of his wrath was quenched after seeing the candidates’ willingness to protect his granddaughter. He turned around, expecting to get a reaction from her. Alas, he found her engrossed in a small book filled with the cardinal’s notes on several passages of the church’s scriptures.

  Magnus’s heart felt like pillar cracking under the weight of the sky. Even at a time like this you’re focused on the church?

  Taking a moment to break out of his momentary depression, Magnus walked up to Erin, calling her name. “Erin, I hope you heard that. Don’t place yourself at unnecessary risk.”

  The young girl rose her head, looking at the old wizard as if looking at a fool. “I’m just as strong as them. Anything able to take their lives with ease will also take mine.”

  Her words were logical yet devastating. Magnus had no way to counter them. He could remind her of his protection, but that would defeat the meaning behind what he had just stated.

  It wasn’t surprising for Erin to accurately measure the strength of the paladins. Despite her young age and lack of experience, her power was also considered at the limits of a rank two. What’s more, divine enlightenment had strengthened her soul to the point she naturally manifested aura.

  Magnus knew that with time Erin would only grow stronger. That was a Chosen’s destiny. Once she was able to travel to the mainland, her strength would grow exponentially, leaving even him behind.

  But that was a story for the future, one he hoped never came to pass. The strength of a Chosen wasn’t without a price. Their individuality, their ego, everything that made up their true selves would eventually be eroded into oblivion. Eventually, only an empty husk desiring nothing more than to execute their god’s commands would be left behind.

  Now wasn’t the time to think about it, however. Magnus swore to himself he would never let that future come to fruition.

  “Don’t worry,” he said. “I’ll protect you from whatever may come your way.”

  Erin turned once again to the small book in her hands. In her mind, Magnus’s promise was nothing special, just like the paladins’. As far as she was concerned, it was natural for them to give their lives up for her. She would one day become a vessel for her lady’s will. The cardinal had made sure to instill that much into her head.

  Magnus, on the other hand, couldn’t help but look at Erin with complicated feelings. It was such a tragedy to see how a child could be influenced so easily. Fortunately, that was also his hope. He was sure he could help Erin restore her psyche if he managed to get her away from the church’s control.

  Looking at the paladin candidates in front of him, Magnus issued his command, “Get everything ready, we’ll be departing at midnight.”

  ✽✽✽

  An old man sat facing the window of his study. His white hair was carefully combed backwards and his green eyes had a sharp glint to them. Combined with his clean robes, he displayed an appearance enviable for his age.

  The light of the sun shone on his face, and a warm expression took over. Very few would be able to imagine the amount of blood that had coated his hands for they knew of him only as a member of the clergy.

  During his younger years he had hated his appointment to such a position. Nyx and Ionia, two kingdoms at the very south of the continent — he had always wondered why the church would need anything with them.

  Yes, back then he was weak, especially when compared to those from the mainland. However, he was loyal to his faith. He had thought that amounted to something, not that the Church of Light’s pope had agreed. Never in his imagination did he imagine his goddess would have a purpose for him there.

  I was a fool.

  The cardinal raised his head towards the sky, taking in the warmth of the sun over his face. Memories filled his mind as his smile grew stronger. Back then, he had received several revelations from his goddess. Something those he previously envied could only dream of.

  First, he was ordered to expand the influence of her church in the territory of Ionia. Together with hefty donations coming from the headquarters, they were able to secure a strong influence inside the kingdom. Eventually, their influence made them a threat even to the royal family.

  Their guardians, the scholars, and even the mages protecting the kingdom posed no match to a church set on conquering their land. Loyalties were never set on stone. With some effort, the Church was able to secure alliances with the most influential noble houses and the strongest merchant families.

  Eventually, they were even able to secure the support of the populace. With it, they were able to launch a strike against the kingdom’s rule with little sacrifices. Only the royals and their most loyal subordinates were killed.

  It all was a fast-track to success after that. The kingdom continued growing despite the lack of resources in that part of the continent. Thanks to their alliance with the churches servi
ng the Goddess of Light in the mainland, continued resources kept coming his way.

  It was all thanks to one thing — a Chosen. The former Kingdom had been fortunate enough to give birth to one within their lands. Her only fault was being born to the adopted child of a noble loyal to the royal family.

  “Not that it stopped us.”

  A warm laugh not fitting with the darkness of his thoughts came out of the cardinal. That hadn’t been an impediment to bringing her under their control. There was simply no stop to the amount of merits under his name.

  Even know, he had successfully managed to find and cleanse a divine artifact from the Church of Death. All thanks to the constant divinations he received from his goddess. It made him feel special as not even the pope had the luck of talking to his goddess that often.

  “And now, this…”

  The cardinal glanced at a piece of paper in his hands. It was by far the most complex divination he had ever received from his goddess. The ancient glyphs seemed to depict the image a rising star. It was such a striking illustration he didn’t request his goddess to explain it, focusing only on her instructions to embark towards his neighboring kingdom.

  With that, he had set on a mission. The growth of his authority within the church had made it easy for him to dispatch a significant amount of forces. If needed, he was willing to sacrifice everything and everyone under him to achieve the order he had been given.

  Of course, that didn’t mean he was going to be dumb about it. Sending Magnus and Erin ahead of him was only a way to pave the way for his forces. The instructions of his goddess for this mission had been clear after all.

  Everyone was disposable.

  Chapter 04

  Acquaintance.

  A wizard always had an incredible array of tools at their disposal. They were known for being both patient and resourceful, cunning and creative. Magnus considered himself no exception.

  Magic was a complicated craft. Not only did it require innate talent, it also required the right conditions. Resources, wealth, and a series of fortunate circumstances were just part of what it took to embark on the path of the arcane arts. If any of those three things were missing, it would be a miracle for someone to walk down the road of magic.