Rather than make any boisterous declarations to my classmates, Ev casually ended his summoning course at sundown and advised the students to pack up while leading me into his spire, adopting the Wrath Form shortly after to descend to a depth where the dark hewn stone gave way to craggy bedrock tunnels, pits, and eventually, a dank cavern of death and rot in royal form.

Encircled by a tarry moat, a towering obelisk of black opal levitated above the glyph of power, rotating and pulsing with my great grandfather's ashen-gray mana as it enriched the tar and corrupted the surrounding stone into something that could sustain the dark mimicry of life above. "I've constructed one of these in each necropolis I've raised since leaving Cole Island," Ev said with a nostalgic sigh. "They enhance your ability to project your power over your conquered lands from afar, besides empowering your undead - allowing them to be raised again without your input. I advise you to do the same."

"I more or less have to already if I'm to complete my monastic path," I sighed, triggering Ev's childish antics.

"I MoRe Or LeSs HaVe To!" he huffed, crossing his arms as if he was pouting. "I mean for places like Shujen and Rhar." He huffed.

"Right, right." I sighed, fighting hard not to roll my eyes.

"I intended to bequeath this small keep to you as your first, but it seems I underestimated your proactive nature. Regardless, you may do as you wish with this land and all it holds; perfect for a living lich's lair."

'Or the hub of Iris' domain.' I internally grinned as I bowed. "Thank you."

Waving the matter aside, Ev raised his hand while the darkness pooled around his feet, and with a simple tug, it all collapsed. The glyph, ingrained in the raised stone, followed his pull like a fishing line that could drag water. Or rather, like a gaseous drain plug, given how the crystal obelisk cascaded into the glyph's coiling energy, whipping into Ev's hand with a deathly rasp until it all imploded. The crystals ejected in every direction, caught by the shadows with enough force to cough out all they'd kept hidden. The dark stone crumbled as pitifully as the obelisk, unveiling a solid curtain that once shrouded a labyrinth of trinkets, worn gear, lost treasures, and the rotting remains of the beasts unlucky enough to find their way here and be dragged inside.

"Speaking of Rhar." Grandpa Lich turned back to me. "What is your plan?"

"Well." I tossed my head in contemplation. "Like the Drow in Zimysta, Corym was tasked with teaching me elven technology, as was Indra tasked with teaching me how to enter the Fae Woods and the high elves teaching me… something. Considering he loathes my existence, that should be quite an entertaining endeavor. Especially once my lessons are over." I snorted, though I knew the unlikelihood of such being the case. "The problem is, I can't kill him without causing problems at the Bodhi Tree. So, I'll torment him by killing his family while his army is tested against my legions. Then, after he's been driven mad, I'll curse him to be loathed by all he loves."

"How devilish! Wahahahaha!" Ev's bellows echoed through the still cavern, the mana as stale as the decrepit stone.

"Yeah." I managed a chortle. "Though, part of me can't help but question the source of Corym's zeal."

"That's because you know little about him." Ev grimly stated. "Like your mother, Corym and his sister are over a thousand years old. While Indra's longevity comes from being an Archdruid, Corym is a Sacred Ranger of the White Horse and a cleric of Caelarin. He loathes you because Caelarin loathes you. As do many others, I presume."

"Eh." I shrugged in disagreement. "The dwarven deities don't mind me. I let the dwarves in my employ continue their traditions, and the knowledge I give them grants better creations, which their gods love. There are many dwarves in the empire who continue to receive their dwarven inspirations despite their devotion to me. The same couldn't be said of the others, though. I know little about them other than their names and domains. I guess I can stop by some churches if I get curious about their opinions." I mumbled.

"Oh, those aren't the ones you'll have to worry about!" He grinned teasingly. "For now, at least. It is their minions you will face first. Their most powerful clerics, champions, and demigods. Then, their lesser gods. Deities with localized worship, as opposed to those known across the realms. Even if their gods are aligned with you, it will not stop cases of misinterpreted will, minor differences across domains they simply can't overlook; your actions they cannot ignore. And let's not forget the halfling, goblin, giant, and orc gods."

"Yeah, I know little about them either." I sighed, adding that to the ever-increasing list of things to do. "If they're like other goblins, though, they'll only get in my way if they think themselves stronger than me."

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

"Mmm." Ev affirmed. "The giant god is an anomaly in the sense that he's indifferent about almost any and everything. He doesn't even give power to his most devoted giants. Much less acknowledge them. The orc gods, I'm sure, would love you. You excel at war, and for them, especially the great horde of central Betrarth, war is essential to life. On top of that, you are a sorcerous devil with divine powers. You could let them wage war forever."

The words hung in the air for several moments, broken apart by a sudden question I knew was coming. "So, you've learned Polaris has infected the Nonusian Tree of Life with its light? I'm sure you understand the implications?"

"Yes," I sighed, looking beyond the ceiling at nothing in particular. "Nature is imbalanced and seeks to correct itself. That, I assume, is why that beam was sent to Maru after my ascension - why the Marulean Tree of Life is now dormant. Whatever happens to it is outside of my control."

"And so I ask." Grandpa Lich grinned grimly. "How will you command the death and darkness that's to spread from Maru? Wahaha! I mean, you have the power to kill the sun!"

"Tiatus will die on its own, eventually." I waved the comment off. "It's only a matter of when. Speaking of…"

"Yes?"

"I made a note to do some research and figure out how old the sun is."

"Ah." Ev nodded, disinterest clear across his face until I spoke up.

"Anyway." I pointed up to the floating rocks beyond the ceiling then motioned below ground. "Regardless of what happens to the tree, Maru and any other place I conquer will become like the Bodhi Peninsula is becoming. Kingdoms will exist from the void above the skies to the Deep Darkworld, crafted for varying levels of lawfulness and wickedness. The surface will be left as nature dictates. The lawless and the degenerate will dwell in our cities within the Darkworld, where they're free to be as wicked as they wish. The good and lawful ones will live in the worlds floating in void above, where my divinity and technology reign supreme. But that's only the beginning." I grinned. "I'm here to bring change to the Mortal Plane. To make the meek mighty, as they often say, and make these drab, weak realms a lot more… interesting; uncaring of the monsters that may rise to thrive in such conditions. At least, until they pique my interest."

"Now you sound like a true devil!" Ev began a fit of laughter, yet calmed himself eerily fast. "Although, you've been saying such things since you could stand. And now, while still in attendance at the Bodhi Tree, you've realized the first stage of your ambition. Your guild and your empire, hardly recognized by the Guild Associations, are the mightiest I've seen."

"You've grown into quite a fine man. Drow. Devil. God." My father's osseous clone snickered from behind us, making me wonder how long my old man had been listening. "Or perhaps you've been one all along."

Regardless, I waved the compliment aside. "I'm still your son and great-grandson, despite this being my second life." I looked at Ev. "And I still love you both dearly. Be careful. They will come for you, I'm sure of it."

"Let them. Remember our words before you left. My time has come. Me and Jamettus. Perhaps your father too!" He nonchalantly beamed, rocking the Bone Child with his playful taps.

"Perhaps." I nodded.

"It won't be easy for them." The bone child snickered knowingly. "And worry not for the people of Odissi and Deapou. Should I fall, in the Shadow Realm, they shall be safe, awaiting your return. As shall I, in the Under; in the Crypt."

"Very well." I bowed. "Until we meet again."

"Until we meet again." They both echoed before dispersing, one into a plume of darkness and the other into a pile of bones, leaving me in the echoing silence of a dead cavern robbed of my family's sorcery.

I ruminated over my thoughts as I wandered through the unveiled maze, the scattered bones of my father's clone in hand. My father and great-grandfather would likely die in the coming years, but that was of little concern. Death was not the end for my family. The concern was Roheisa's reaction to her father's death; and more, the potential of her growing unstable in the coming years. On one hand, the trauma would make her go berserk without aid, pushing her further down her barbaric path. On the other hand, it could break her, turn her jaded and cold; and that was something I didn't want to see. Not to mention, she had legionaries and an empire to look after now. Such changes would drag the rich culture the Vulcans have developed thus far into something far more… cruel. But perhaps that was what was needed.

Nevertheless, I was at peace, knowing I didn't have to be there physically to support her. And so, my thoughts drifted to these castle ruins, purified of its black stone, ichor, and surrounding gnarled forests. Yet another place I knew not to do with. Perhaps I'd follow through with my suggestion and turn it into a gallery for the many things I'd inevitably collect over the course of my long life, or if not, give to Iris like I first planned. Though, with many places more suited for a collection hall and Iris's domain spreading in the Redagh Rift, neither seemed viable options. Thus, for now, I let my shadows and undead run wild within, and they seemed intent on turning it into a replica of Lana's encampment in my Underworld, centered on a new glyph of power.

Fair, considering Zaraxus had his kingdom in Shujen.

It was a similar situation to a portion of our destination. What was once the Feathered Grove of Redagh had been purified by my moonlight and claimed by the First Druid of my light, Mary; mirrored by the Blighted Woods, now claimed by twilight and soon to be resown by the First Druid of Twilight, Reina. And as shit rolled downhill, that brought other things into question, like a grove for the ArcaTech like the Tech Goddess' grove in the rift, and whatever would become of my mana domain; suited for the Misty Arbor and Maru, respectively.

Regardless of when or where, I couldn't wait to find out. And so, I hardly looked at the troupe as I stepped onto the surface. Instead, I looked within, at my arcana flowing through my spatial core to flow through my fist, shot forth at the air.

As if I'd punched a mirror, the space before me cracked and depressed, triggering a wave that shattered a hole in reality, revealing a deep gorge and the primal forests of Redagh waiting for me to step through.

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