Chapter 81

Kaizen

The Horned One sat on his throne, and I kneeled before him.

"I come to your summons, and humbly ask to be wielded." I said with my head low. He sat next to the Moon Goddess, who looked concerned, but she shouldn't be.

This was the arrangement I wished for This was the arrangement I got. I think it was more that she didn't wish to see us be men, nor women. Unfortunately, no child will stay one.

"The wicked may remain, but the disobedient, bring to me." He said sternly. "The first sanctuary was made, yet, I am not satisfied with my children." He said this referring to likely his followers.

"Is it a cult?" I asked standing.

"Actually, for once no. Tyson handles that part of it. This particular mortal is a necromancer. He figured out how to gain immortality, and neither I, nor Arviel deem him worthy." He sneered.

With the snap of his fingers, a black vellum scroll was placed in my hand One to 5 stars were by each name. There were Many. The occupation and location had a Hutch of West Vally on the top He had all 5 stars by his name. It meant that this necromancer was important, and worse still disobedient.

His unnatural rot, unlike ghouls or other undead, was more of a problem His powers took from the land to the point to where the already weakened Lia grew sick from his presence. Before, grandfather wouldn't care now he does.

Those who do not know him, tend to forget that despite his passive, even friendly nature at times, he is still the King of Punishment, Pain, and Torment.

"I have all I need. I will finish this list." I said about to leave, but he raised his left hand. Grandmother's hand on his right made him kiss her on the top of the head.

"My butterfly is right. Your wife is nearly 6 months with child. It would not be wise to bury yourself in such a large workload." He said resting his knuckles on his cheek. "Those bounties should be done greatest to least. There is no time limit. Once your children are born, you may have light training and paid paternity leave, until your little ones can defend themselves. I think 7 should be fine enough of an age. Eternya is there."

I bowed my head. I forgot I was being paid too. 5 thousand gold every new moon.

"Then for now, I shall at least stop the rotting wound. It will fester." I said rising up.

He grinned. "Show no mercy. Show this world, and that *Fool* I mean to keep my end of this bargain, as I always have been, as I always will. To the letter."

"Mercy is for the penitent." I said leaving as a bolt of lightning.

I essentially used hell to jump to nearly the other side of the world. This man was in the catacombs of Paris Deep underground, so deep that I don't even think the humans knew there were more levels to their man made tunnels.

Almost a mile below the surface. The carved stone when Down into the depths of the earth, poisoning the land, undenounced to the mortals.

Stone slowly turned to books many Spells, scrolls, failed experiments of curious tourists, or locals who lost their way So much death

So much

This was why everyone wanted peace

The twisted melted bone was contorted into a symphony of silent screams. Terror racked across their skeletal faces, with jaws so unhinged it made me wonder did he do this, or were they in that much agony as they died.

This was the true horror of what Arviel provoked I could hear the moans of spirits so decrepit that out of mercy, I will catch this place ablaze, so that the attention may attract the Reaper.

There were so many skeletons that I could not tell what was fresh, and what was old... The dampness of this dim place melted the old into the new. I could hear the permanent silent screams of the dead now, and the stray souls of the innocent unable to leave until they received reaping, or revenge

They scratched the walls, trying to escape, to run from me, as I was my true height. They feared my horns They skittered like rats on seeing the candle's flame between them.

"You cannot do this for yourself little souls. I will do it for you." I said looking directly at one of them. They disappeared into the bookshelf.

Electricity sparked off my chest with every step, and the undead mage could feel my presence. I could tell he was feeing.

"Come out mage! You will atone for your crimes." I sneered. I stepped on a leg bone so degraded that it was slime under my boots

That smell won't come out

Nohrohkahn, the Death Breather, formally the mortal man named Hutch of West Vally stood in front of an alter made of bone and flesh, though that wasn't his true body Many hands were woven together, still with fresh preserved flesh on them to hold a book made of likely man's skin. The bones were more of accents, having skeletal hand candle holders.

In it held the secret of immortal life for mortals. I already knew what he'd done, but the world won't. That was my true mission

I heard ominous demonic chanting as I went deeper down one more flight of stairs.

The books in his grand library here were preserved with magic, but the old dusty tomes were to be burned. The possessed mortal wrote all this knowledge by hand in a language he likely didn't know. But as I searched the still halls, I could see the spirits of past meals more clearly.

It seemed he ate these mortals in parts... Some missed faces some hands or legs... He preserved himself by taking the parts he needed from the innocent, blue mortal souls. The rot here was an afront to nature, unlike other forms of undeath, because this world was meant to have itBut not this

There were so many.

"The master's blood enters." Said a disembodied voice.

"Come out and die so I can go home." I growled.

"I do no wrong." Said the possessed human. His skin was black, as it was rotted and he was contorted into an impossibly uncomfortable position. His legs were crossed, though so much so that his hip looked dislocated.

"Your actions break Sanctuary's Code. You break the agreement necromancer." I growled. "Give me a reason why I shouldn't rip your spine out and shove it down your throat?"

"I do the master's work He just does not see it!" He rasped. "Death is the end for most, yet, I was meant to make more aberrations like myself. The Cult promised that if I opened the way, they would bring the war. Balance to this world. It was always meant to be in a constant state of strife."

"Yet now it is Sanctuary. This world is the Light's wife. The Horned One ordered all activity end. Even if you Do manage to summon demons, they are already ordered to remain passive by the master himself. It's over. Drop the book."

"This mortal body's brain is damaged I can't understand this Why would the master agree to peace?!" He screamed.

It was then that he turned hostile, and I had to fight another abominable creature It suffered being an embodiment of Undeath. It cannot die, only spread its influence across the world. It's why he was buried so deep, and no one checked on him until now because he was quiet.

He cannot live without a host, and I took his stupid heart and crushed it. It wouldn't have killed him if not for the electricity that exploded that body to bits all over me.

I was covered in melted flesh now stinking of demon and rot

He screamed.

"Stay dead." I snarled.

His disembodied voice was followed to the jar that held his essence That clay jar was probably able to hold 100 gallons. It was his prison. Without a human to possess, he could not interact with this world. In Hell, he'll be punished for his disobedience, but honestly. I just wanted fucking peace. I caught the place ablaze with my lightning.

"NO! MY WORK!" Screamed the voice.

"Silence Necromancer." I hissed.

I closed the book, and took the jar an idea formed.

I made my way to the castle of the Horned One, and he was beyond furious. There was no way I could allow him to remain on Urth.

"Give me that." Grandfather barked.

The Horned One stepped off his throne, and his anger could be tasted.

He smashed the pot, and strangled the necromancer. He was a slimy undead, green skeleton. His tattered robes were covered in goop; it's what gave him such a sickly color.

"You little Shit!!" The Horned One threw him to the ground, and broke his back when the necromancer tried to run away.

"The Humans-" The Death Breather was cut off.

"Don't. Blame. Anyone. You know what you were doing. They will not be your excuse. Take him to my personal punishment chamber." He commanded to no one in particular, and demons put him in a cage to cart away. "Great I broke his jar too." He snapped his fingers, and it was whole.

"I'll take my leave." I bowed.

"Go be with your family." He waved his hand, and I was home.

I didn't say anything to anyone when I appeared in the living room. I just went upstairs and took a long, hot shower. I don't feel heat much, but it was nice. My nights were filled with battle now But I didn't keep it from Willow. If she wanted to know, I left letters to sum up each task given to me by grandfather. That was fair.