Rebirth of the Undead King: Book 2

by Ink Bamboo

  Magnus had been much like other mages in this respect. His parents had been a pair of nobles back when his kingdom had yet to be turned into a theocracy. He grew up with everything handed on a silver platter. Everything but his parents’ presence.

  Both of them kept their distance from him, never willing to give him a hug nor share a meal in his presence. Magnus eventually learnt the reason as he grew older — he was the result of his mother’s affair. Of course, Magnus’s father would never admit to it. It would have been a tragedy to his reputation as a noble.

  A fight between adults had thrown the young Magnus into the complicated stream of politics. Alas, no young mind would be able to persevere for long under those conditions. Assaulted by a lack of affection and his father’s indirect hatred, he could only find solace in isolation.

  Fortunately for him, the kingdom of Ionia had originally grown using scholars as their foundation. Thus, he was able to use their library as his own personal haven. Day in and day out, Magnus found peace in the sea of books without anyone baring his way. Such was his privilege as a noble.

  His discipline and love for the academics eventually caught the interest of the king’s aides, prompting them to make an offer to the young boy.

  “Will you give up everything for magic?”

  Back then, Magnus didn’t hesitate. He threw everything aside and focused on this new craft. It didn’t take long for him to become one of the kingdom’s best mages, and eventually, the leader of the mage division.

  Alas, only with time did he realize he had made the wrong choice back then. He had been willing to give everything up because he had never had what he wanted to begin with. His parents’ love.

  Resentful of his own choices, he had made a compromise with himself and adopted a young girl as his daughter. She eventually grew up, letting him experience that feeling for the first time.

  However, fate seemed to hate seeing a smile on his face. His love for his daughter had blinded him to the political currents around him. As such, he was taken by surprise when the church carried out their coup.

  He could still feel his daughter’s dead body on his hands as his son-in-law fought the church’s envoys to his last breath. Those related to the old government had become the church’s first victims. Even his family was implicated.

  When he arrived at the scene he raged, raising seas of fire and killing everyone in sight. The man taking his son-in-law’s life had the worst part of it as Magnus didn’t hesitate to use forbidden magic to flay his soul. The pain he felt had to be returned a hundredfold.

  That is, if not for the cry of a baby. Erin had been safe. The church’s plan had likely involved her kidnapping as a way to trap him later on.

  Fortunately, his son-in-law had been able to endure enough time, giving him a chance to arrive before they took her away. The tenacity of a dying father had once again made Magnus experience the love he missed as a child.

  Like this, Magnus had fostered a fear deep within him — the loss of his last living family member. He was willing to give it his all to guarantee that this fear never came to be. Protecting Erin meant protecting himself.

  It was selfish, childish, and even reprimandable, but it was the only way he could keep his sanity. Magnus knew this much. However, the prospect of achieving both his and Erin’s freedom gave the old man a light to look towards.

  Breaking free from his memories, Magnus caressed Erin’s hair. The peaceful expression on her sleeping face was a deep contrast to the usually stern visage she displayed in public. It was only at times like this that her childish innocence could still be glimpsed.

  The rest of the paladin candidates turned a blind eye to Magnus’s affection. Despite the subject being prohibited, most of them knew of the relationship between Magnus and their Chosen. It was an open secret to those who had worked under the cardinal during the past decade. Of course, they had no doubts of what would happen to them should they mention anything about it to the young girl.

  They were now on their way to Nyx’s northern lands as it was there that the rebels had settled themselves. After reaching the mountain range responsible for marking the end of their kingdom, they would set camp.

  “Rest well, child.”

  The journey was long and tiresome, but people with their strength were able to hold until they reached that checkpoint. Of course, the young Chosen was different. She could afford to sleep given how everyone offered her a sense of protection.

  The theocracy held a small fortress next to the mountain range where they would be able to find rest. It had been a point of interest controlled by their kingdom long before it had turned into a theocracy. Back then, it had served the purpose of dissuading their neighbors from invading through the northern part of their territory.

  Fortunately, given the internal strife afflicting the kingdom of Nyx, that territory had been lost to the rebels. It had weakened their foundations to the point they were unable to even consider invading.

  Thus, the fortress was now a shadow of its former self. Not only was it abandoned, it had also been the victim of scorched earth tactics. Only a husk of its walls remained. Fortunately for Magnus and his group, those were sufficient to guard from the night’s embrace.

  At some point, Magnus had offered to teleport their group as a way to save some time. Not surprisingly, his proposal was quickly refused. The members of the church openly rejected the use of magic, and even his own granddaughter had refused stating that the hardships of the journey were a way to temper her faith.

  The logic the minds of these fanatics employed wasn’t something Magnus was willing to try to figure out. What’s more, he wouldn’t win anything by insisting. Despite seeming old and even frail, his strength placed him at a better point for traveling than the rest of his entourage. It was their loss.

  By the time the sun was ready to set, the ten initiate paladins along with Magnus and Erin arrived at the fortress. The old mage’s face showed a smug smile as the ten initiates showed slight signs of exhaustion. Under that same reason, none of them dared to voice any complaints. After all, every hardship they faced could be offered as a tribute to their goddess.

  What a waste.

  Magnus could only shake his head at their reactions. Even the faintest of emotions allowed a human to taste the different flavors of life. Giving up their joy, sadness, and anger was akin to giving up on the beauty of their life.

  How young, how foolish, he thought. It was still early enough to save Erin, but people like the paladin candidates were already a lost cause.

  He got down from his horse, extending his hand to help Erin dismount as well. It was about time for them to set up camp and rest. They needed to recover their energy in order to continue their travels.

  Much to his chagrin, however, Erin rejected his gesture. She dismounted the horse with ease, causing her robe to move against the wind. The light of the setting sun reflected off her hair, giving her an elegant disposition which was only complemented by the golden book of scriptures she took from her pocket.

  “I’ll be reading, call me if anything arises,” she said.

  Magnus sighed after seeing her reaction. Used to it, he decided to focus his attention on making preparations, taking out his frustration by ordering the paladin candidates to take on different roles.

  Pointing at a pair of paladin candidates, he quickly commanded, “You three, go and get something for us to eat.”

  Of course, the duo weren’t his only victims, “And you, go search for some herbs suitable for a stew. If you don’t manage to find mushrooms suitable for consumption, you will have to take the first night shift.”

  Magnus wasn’t willing to eat the dry rations they had brought. Not only was he a bit of a picky eater, he also firmly believed such food would mess with Erin’s development. Thus, he wanted to prepare a suitable meal.

  Realizing there were still several initiate paladins available, he gave a cheeky smile. Sensing something inside from the fortress, he decided t
o have the paladins deal with it. Setting his eyes on another pair of men who were still removing their armor, he quickly commanded, “The two of you, go inside and clean up the building. Find rooms suitable for everyone.”

  One of the benefits of being in charge of this operation was that he was given full command over his companions. The church’s complex hierarchical system would make sure that they obeyed him during this mission as long as his orders didn’t violate their core beliefs. It was a feeling he had long forgotten — the power of authority.

  It didn’t take long for the first team to return. Their heavy gilded armor had been long since been placed upon their horses for safekeeping, now replaced by a luxurious set of embroidered leather pieces. In their hands they carried a few silver furred rabbits, probably caught nearby.

  “We found these, sir,” they said, placing the unconscious animals in front of the mage. Even they knew the taste of fresh meat couldn’t compare to that of their rations.

  Looking at the expectant faces on the paladins caused Magnus to smirk. Those zealots also had a vulnerable side to them. Thus, in order to further mess with them, he slowly took out cooking instruments from a magical space rift, placing them in front of him.

  “You didn’t expect me to carry everything when there was no need, did you?” he taunted. It was an open mockery of their beliefs. One the initiates wouldn’t be able to do anything about given their orders.

  “Come, Erin,” said Magnus, calling for the girl sitting against a tree. This was a rare excuse for him to share some time with her.

  The Chosen of Light closed her book on scriptures, glancing at both the old man and the small cauldron in front of him. “What?” she asked. She could already vaguely guess Magnus’s intentions.

  Magnus, on the other hand, pretended not to see her disinterested look. Shamelessness was an old man’s privilege.

  “Learning to cook is part of survival,” he said. “It might even come in use when you participate in the church’s festivals. Come, observe while I prepare the best hotpot you’ve tasted in your life.”

  Erin stood up, tying her book back to her robe. One thing she valued deeply was learning, and she had experienced first hand how valuable Magnus’s knowledge usually was.

  I guess I can give cooking a try, she thought.

  Much at the same time, another group of paladin candidates came back with a few satchels full of ingredients. They carefully handed them over to Magnus before he used magic to ignite the fire and freshly conjured water to fill the cauldron.

  They had known since the beginning that the mage didn’t care for the church’s rules but they thought he would at least pretend to do so in their presence. Unfortunately for them, their power was far too small for Magnus to even care about their thoughts. In this world, power was everything.

  “Come close, Erin. Do you see this mushroom? Its properties are known to help the body, replenishing energy and curing wounds. However, their taste is terrible, and given how none of us is hurt at the moment, they are something we don’t need at the moment. Don’t want them ruining our food.” Magnus’s words were accompanied by a glare in the direction of the paladin responsible for foraging the mushrooms.

  Thus, a brief lesson into the art of cooking was given, calling even the initiates’ attention. As someone who had delved into magic, Magnus was well versed in the art of alchemy. Something like preparing a meal was not far too removed from it.

  It wasn’t until the smell of food reached their noses that the paladin candidates came to a realization. Aren’t we missing a few of our team? They had been far too charmed by Magnus’s cooking to notice so earlier.

  Magnus saw their expressions and decided to put their mind at ease.

  “They met with some trouble inside the building,” he said. The surrounding area was already under his magic’s observance. However, given how he wouldn’t benefit from putting everyone under alert, he had decided to keep quiet.

  Now, seeing their worried expressions, Magnus didn’t hesitate to add, “It won’t be long until they’re back.”

  The paladin candidates took a look at each other before sitting down. They knew of their partners’ toughness for they all had received the same standard of training. The most redeemable quality of a paladin was their unrelenting tenacity in the face of danger. More often than not, they would be okay.

  That being the case, everyone present started digging into their meal. Their faces warped into expressions of both surprise and glee as they tasted Magnus’s simple yet exquisite cooking. Even Erin seemed to agree as a rare smile lifted the corners of her mouth.

  “This is acceptable,” she said.

  Unlike what her words conveyed, Magnus felt an incredible amount of joy in his heart. Seeing the hidden smile on his granddaughter’s face, he enjoyed his food with much more gusto. Following Magnus’s example, the rest of the party dug in as well, time flying by as they enjoyed their meal.

  Following Magnus’s prediction, it didn’t take long for the remaining two initiates to return. Behind them, a row of outlaws could be seen tied-up. There were a series of bruises on their bodies, but none of them carried any life-threatening injuries. Without a threat to their lives or an order to kill them, the initiates wouldn’t dispose of the outlaws.

  “Very well,” said Magnus, glancing at the seven criminals tied by his two temporary subordinates. “I’ll take care of them while you eat.”

  The two paladin candidates hesitated for a moment before one of them decided to voice their thoughts. “Sir, may I ask what you will do with them? The church’s protocol says that they should be sent to work in the mines.”

  Magnus frowned before speaking, “You know the nature of our mission, there is no room for error. This is your cardinal’s order, not mine.”

  “Forgive us, sir,” said both of them. They took a knee whilst awaiting their punishment. The church’s discipline was extremely severe when it came to questioning a superior’s commands.

  Magnus smiled, giving them a rare display of magnanimity. “Don’t worry,” he said. “Go and eat, I’ll deal with the prisoners myself.”

  The two men didn’t dare to dally and soon joined their comrades. Through their eyes they were able to reach a consensus to keep themselves out of whatever the mage was planning to do. Even if his authority was temporary, he could very well order them to their deaths.

  Having finished her meal, Erin took out her book once again, sparing none of her attention towards Magnus or the paladins. She once again rested against a tree before she fully delved into the book held in her hands.

  Everyone’s attitude was clear — Magnus was free to do whatever he wanted to with them.

  Taking the rope that bound the outlaws, Magnus quickly guided them into the forest. The weight of his presence made sure that none of the prisoners revolted.

  It was only once he reached the cover provided by the thickets that he turned around, letting go of the rope binding the outlaws. After looking at them a few times he seemed to confirm his suspicions.

  Is this fate’s way of punishing me for divining the future?

  Magnus’s expression turned grim, causing him to speak his mind, “Now, why are you here?” His tone was different from moments ago. It had turned colder, carrying hints of murderous intent.

  “We already told everything we knew to the paladins, sir,” said one of the outlaws. His face was the most bruised amongst the group. It told the story of a successful interrogation.

  Magnus, however, didn’t pay attention to his words. He waved his right hand causing a wave of mana to cover their surroundings. The forest quieted significantly, scaring the animals away from the area. A thin membrane of mana formed a dome around where they stood, preventing the escape of even the smallest of sounds.

  “Sir, please, we will gladly go to the mines. Please don’t kill us,” pleaded the outlaw. The rest of the criminals behind him didn’t move as well, all of them shaking in fear.

  “You can drop
the pretense now,” said Magnus. “Tell me, why are death’s apostles at the door to my kingdom?”

  Chapter 05

  Concessions.

  Magnus’s words were like a hammer shattering a veil of lies. Expressions of surprise, anger, and mockery surfaced on the faces of the outlaws. The man Magnus had been facing, however, simply closed his eyes. It was almost like he was enjoying the moment.

  As he opened them back, Magnus could see traces of broken capillaries leaving behind blotches of red around his pupils. The air around him had changed. A completely new presence had replaced the former outlaw’s aura. It was oppressive yet familiar..

  All was confirmed as the outlaw opened his mouth, speaking in an eerily different voice, “Your kingdom? Say, Magnus, does that mean you really became a servant for those mindless fools?”

  Magnus looked at the outlaw without a hint of surprise. The change in expression, tone, and personality had failed to get a reaction out of him. Only a cold demeanor reflected on the surface of his visage before he waved his hand, sending the other outlaws to sleep with a spell. This was a conversation for only him and the puppet master behind them to listen to.

  “Not at all, Argent. Your hatred for them is only second to mine.”

  Magnus’s voice was calm, but his hands were carrying a series of motions in preparation.

  “Will you answer my question then? What is an apostle of death doing here? Or should I correct myself and inquire what does the leader of the Church of Death desire from this land?”

  The outlaw laughed, his wicked mannerisms betraying the tears flowing from his eyes. The dissonance between mind and body were in full display. “Magnus, oh Magnus,” he said. “That disposition of yours is truly wonderful. If only you had chosen to become my disciple back then, you would have achieved so many great things by now.”