Eternal Rest

The very next day, Bones emptied a mana flask and, with Hugo leading the way, headed toward the citadel. Meeting Master Vyrus was as nerve-wracking as ever. The enigmatic giant ghoul, the only one of its kind in this world, had eccentric personalities, often shifting between them, but handling laboratory apparatus was second nature to them all. Vyrus led the way to the first level of the basement and into the lab filled with rows of research materials stacked on shelves and vats with various body parts dipped in an ominous semi-transparent yellow liquid. Bones’ attention was drawn to the middle of the lab, where a large table capable of accommodating even the largest of creatures was situated.

With a casual wave of Vyrus’ hand, the torches on the walls flared to life, illuminating the lab in a nether green light. “Lay on the bed,” he instructed. Bones glanced between the table and the ghoul, and with some reservation, approached the table.

“Don’t forget to remove your clothes,” Hugo called out, seating himself on one of the nearby chairs and watching with interest. Bones turned his way, nodded, and stored his clothes before lying on the table.

“What’s the procedure?” he inquired, questioning his decision to undergo the procedure at the last second. Before replying, Vyrus scanned his body, observing the layer of bone armor covering the body of the Revenant. Then he elaborated on the procedure. “A small incision will suffice in order to insert the worms beneath the bone armor. From there, I will guide the worms to the most optimal locations. Once attached to the bones, the worms will activate and start siphoning mana.”

"The draining effect will be weak at the beginning and will increase over time. It should take approximately three to four months until you start experiencing the change. So as not to draw too much attention, it would be best to leave the fighting to your golems. At least until you grow stronger. Have I satisfied your query?”

“Y-yes, thank you.” Bones meekly replied, taken aback by the unexpectedly clear explanation coming from the ghoul.

“Then...” Vyrus said, producing six jars next to him, each holding a finger-length worm inside.

“Hoooh,” a sound escaped from the side. Bones glanced at Hugo, who pushed himself off the chair and leaned closer, inspecting the jars.

“I thought the plan was to use three worms, master?”

“It was, initially, but given that Bones is below the second tier, the three worms I initially prepared might cause detrimental effects. So I decided to make last-minute modifications, doubling the number of worms and significantly reducing their draining ability and the amount of chaos mana released through the spores, while slightly raising the purity of chaos mana. It might take a month or two longer, but it will make the adjustment to chaos mana easier.”

“I’m going to start now. You can relax, Bones. If I wanted to harm you in any way, I would’ve done so before you signed the contract.”

Realizing that Vyrus easily read his thoughts, Bones dryly coughed and added that he had never been on this side of the table. He took a deep breath and nodded. “Alright, let’s get this over with.” Vyrus began by making an incision in a layer of bone armor along Bones’ leg using his long nails and inserting the first of the six worms inside. Then, using an unfamiliar method, he slowly guided the worm downwards toward the knee area, where the worm wriggled and attached itself between the bones at the knee joint. Vyrus did the same for the other leg, both arms, the sternum, and finally, the cervical spine at the base of the neck. The procedure was straightforward for the experienced ghoul, and the only discomfort Bones felt was the sensation of the worms wriggling inside his body.

The whole process took twenty minutes, but Vyrus had Bones remain on the table for another half hour, ensuring the worms stayed in place and there were no unforeseen complications after their activation. Before leaving the lab and then the citadel, Vyrus reminded Hugo that Bones should stay in Necropolis for another day before leaving the Nether Realm. This was a necessary precaution to ensure Bones’ body fully adapted to the worms.

The journey back to the grand library was drowned in deafening silence. Bones felt the pressure of his time here coming to an end, and his mind drew a blank. He had many questions for Hugo but decided to save them for his next visit to the Necropolis. Hugo, as observant as ever, offered Bones the opportunity to take any of his old research papers that he found interesting back to the living world. Grateful for the offer, Bones spent hours reading through various topics, comfortably setting himself on the bed.

The whole day passed, and the only unforeseen circumstance Bones encountered was a drastic increase in his mana potion consumption. Just a few hours after the operation, his mana started dropping rapidly, forcing him to drink a mana flask. He drank another one within ten hours of the first, and the third and final flask within twenty-four hours of the operation.

Pressed for time, Bones stored a dozen research papers and conveyed his willingness to depart, not wanting to see what would happen if he ran out of mana in this chaotic environment. Hugo accompanied him out of the gates of Necropolis, and all the way back to the shimmering portal in the middle of barren nowhere. The Reaper silently followed them, ensuring their journey to the portal went uninterrupted.

Bones once again expressed his gratitude to Hugo for inviting him to the Necropolis, for giving him a sense of belonging, and for providing him another purpose to fulfill within the undead army. Hugo, in return, said he was glad Bones took his words to heart and took the risk of coming here. He admitted that Bones' arrival had reignited a spark of excitement he hadn't felt in years. As Hugo's last words to Bones lingered in his mind, Bones climbed the well and left the abandoned village.

Hugo revealed that their next step in preparation for the upcoming war was to establish trade routes with the corrupted and replenish the much-needed armory. There was also mention of reassembling the warp gate, though Hugo didn't delve further into the details. He promised that when Bones returned, he would see great changes taking place in the Necropolis—a promise Bones very much looked forward to.

Not even a month had passed since Bones took his first steps in the Nether Realm, yet he felt he had grown significantly as an undead in that short amount of time. It wasn't just about gaining levels; it was about understanding where the undead faction stood in this world.

After absorbing the first rays of sunlight following his month-long absence, Bones continued his trek along the road to his destination. He encountered other adventurers along the way, following in his footsteps toward the same destination, and engaged a few bandit groups demanding his valuables. After witnessing the grandeur of the Necropolis and experiencing the relentless assault of the wraiths, the enemies blocking his way seemed lackluster by comparison.

At first, Bones decimated the bandits without a second thought, catching most off guard with his decisive actions. However, as the frequency of his clashes with the bandits increased, he began paying them to let him pass, unwilling to waste any more time on unnecessary skirmishes. The morning of the next day, Bones left the region under the Goldenforge guild's jurisdiction and entered the Kingdom of Everlasting Dusk.

The change in the air was immediate and palpable. Dark clouds cast long shadows over the land in the distance, and the absence of sunlight affected the surroundings. The sight before him reminded him somewhat of the Nether Realm, except for the wall to the side, made of wood and stretching beyond the horizon.

“This must be the wall separating the outer from the inner region. It's quite long…” Bones remarked, halting his steps and observing the trees obscuring the sight of the wall far in the distance. The road continued parallel to the wall, and after taking a moment to scrutinize the wood the wall was made of, Bones resumed his journey.

The wood looked resilient, numerous cracks and splinters adorned its dark bark, bearing the scars of time, but there was a lingering sense of unwavering sturdiness that felt overwhelming while looking at it. The first stop Bones came across was a small outpost, an adventurer’s hub, where adventurers like him gathered to form parties or search for party members. Bones learned there was a procedure he must adhere to in order to join the expedition. One such measure was forming a party with at least three members.

While everyone joining the expedition complied with the rule, it was mostly made for adventurers not belonging to any of the private guilds, small or major, and the members of the adventurer’s guild. Bones noted that most adventurers in the outpost formed random groups just to meet the quota. He himself was asked a few times to join a party, which he politely declined, replying that he already had a party. Technically, it wasn't a lie. With three golems by his side, he had a four-man party. The formed parties were required to register for the expedition at the next stop, which was the town of Falland Pass, Bones' next destination.

Bones didn’t waste time and quickly resumed his journey. Evening fell, and torches revealed the town in the distance. “Falland Pass,” he murmured, his sight fixed on smoke coming off chimneys. The town was situated in the valley, surrounded by hills and trees on both sides. There was a single entrance between the hills, and the exit opposite the entrance led through the strongly regulated gates on the wooden wall and into the inner region.

Bones entered the town ten minutes later and proceeded searching for an inn. A futile endeavor as the town was flooded with adventurers and every room in every inn was already taken. Bones took his time strolling the streets and getting himself familiar with the inner workings of Falland Pass. The town had a branch office of the Adventurer’s Guild overseeing the interactions between private guilds but had no actual influence over their members. As the impartial entity, the Adventurer's Guild also managed the administration for the expedition into the inner regions of the kingdom. However, the guild had its gates closed for the night and Bones had to wait until morning to learn further instructions on how and where to register a party.

Falland Pass housed every major guild on the continent. Each had a grand building, two to three stories high, and hundreds of members. Over the years, the expeditions have become a sort of testing ground for guilds to level their members, to sort out the weak from the strong. Other adventurers joined for various reasons. Some to earn experience and grow stronger, some to make connections with major guilds, and some came seeking to join the creatures of the night. Whatever the reason, the end goal of the expedition remained unchanged. And that was to liberate the infested regions free of vampires and their influence.

Bones spent his time until morning visiting different taverns, striking up conversations with strangers, hoping to learn more about the expedition and what awaited him in the inner region. Responses to his queries differed. Members of major guilds grouped together and distinguished themselves from others by wearing capes of the same colors, with the crest of the guild proudly embedded in the middle of the cape. This type wasn’t inclined to share any information, mostly dismissing Bones with a wave of the hand. Luckily, there were plenty of adventurers in the same situation as Bones who, after loosening their lips with a drink or two, shared what little they knew.

There were a few key points Bones needed to remember, like avoiding using his real name and only using aliases, both when registering a party and when introducing himself to others. The inner region was dangerous, lawless, and there were no guarantees of safety against fellow expedition members. The Adventurer’s Guild was there merely in name and to deal with administration for the expedition. The unspoken rule was to stick close to your party, mind your business, and avoid interfering with major guilds.