Bro, I'm not an Undead!



The name Edagon caused a visible reaction from the Faction leaders and their entourages.

The land of the Giants.

The Emissary was saying that there was an enemy that they were supposed to pursue before they arrived there. Such a strange mission, rather, assignment, couldn't be accepted without a lot of questions asked, and each of the Faction leaders wanted answers.

"Who is this enemy?"

The one who spoke this time, was Replicus. He leaned in forward, his sockets fiercely glowing through his helmet.

More than why this enemy was going to Edagon, he, much like all the others wanted to know if this enemy in question, was someone he was familiar with. There was little doubt in his mind that it had to do with the conclusion of the Premium Age Royale, and the dark, stone-like beasts that were running amok in Pelian.

The faceless entity, along with all the other Faction leaders turned to Replicus. Some of these powerful figures spared only condescending looks at the Penetrator, while others – the Mad Bishop – grinned gleefully at him.

"That is indeed the best part to start with, isn't it?" the Emissary said. "This enemy is a dangerous necromancer. I believe he heads the organisation known as the Green Neolists. I'm sure you've all heard of a masked man at one time. His notable feats – which have spread out as rumours around Pelian – include the mass murder of civilians in the Isise, and the disappearance of one of the five most powerful Paladin Champions."

Before the faceless entity finished speaking, most of the Faction leaders had already recognised who he was talking about. Because of the many eyes they had on Feinheath, most of these Faction leaders heard most rumours of substance.

The story about the Isise had spread far and wide when it had occurred. It truly was a tragedy.

Then again, most of Faction leaders didn't care too much for this masked man, but Replicus...

'Of course. I should have known...' he thought.

The last memory he had of the masked man was that from the time when he went on a mission with Tulnas and his bevy to combat the Evenfall cultists. He recalled Somanda burning that masked man alive, but he had always gotten the feeling that the man was still kicking. But maybe it wasn't that same man this time.

Replicus wouldn't be able to tell unless he got close to this person again.

"HA! The Isise! A couple of my contracted fools failed to raid the place! It was getting all kinds of good stuff from the Purity, and I wanted to sink... my... teeth into it!" the Mad Bishop cried.

Replicus sighed.

The faceless entity seemed amused.

"If you recall this man, then I'm sure you also recall a event that was held in Pelian for the past two or so months. The Premium Age Royale. This masked man was involved in it, and he seemed to have had the assistance of one of the Six Houses of Pelian, House EverSword. The Premium Age Royale concluded hours ago, with the death of roughly fifteen million people, common folk and combatants."

...!

A reaction more than simple surprise burst from the faceless entity's audience.

Fifteen million?!

The number paled in comparison to the total population of Pelian as a whole – which was more than double this value – but...

The woman with the velvet cloth of silk sat upright, a light frown on her face.

Replicus couldn't wear a grave face, but his sockets flashed to show his sentiments instead.

'I see. So I was right. It ended badly...' he thought.

Even as a Null Lifeform with no flesh, he felt that this was wrong.

But what was all this for?

"What was the purpose for this?" the Head Faction leader asked.

"It's hard to give a coherent explanation. And I don't think you need to know," the faceless entity replied.

"Is that so? How do you know about all this anyway?" the Head Faction leader asked.

"I saw it happen."

...

The woman in velvet gave a laugh.

"You saw it happen and you did nothing to stop it?" she said with agitation. "For someone who claims to be an Emissary of the Immortals, you seem to lack the quality that demonstrates your adherence to the very fundamental value of the Severed Union."

"The Head Faction has overseen the Union for millennia, and while I believe it to be a myth, the purpose of the Severed Union – to keep Feinheath and Opungale alert, and to be an external force that deals with calamities like Fulgardt before they fully grow – was founded around the idea of the Immortals. How are we supposed to perceive you if you see such a catastrophic event and let it happen?"

The Faction leaders seemed to agree with the woman in the velvet cloth.

"DARN RIGHT! You are too suspicious!" the Mad Bishop screamed with a finger pointed towards the Emissary.

Even Replicus agreed.

Millions of people died here. Unlike the other sorts of problems that the Capital Service and Purity could deal with, this particular one warranted the Severed Union's intervention.

The faceless entity scratched its cheek, and then spoke.

"I don't need children like you reminding me of that," it said in a calm tone peppered with hints of frustration. "You all have power, but there are deeper concepts you don't know of. Let me enlighten you so you don't embarrass yourselves further with this ignorance."

While still paying attention, the Faction leaders were slowly garnering a negative, hostile view of this entity.

Had he just called them children?

The Mad Bishop threw another loaf.

"Like the Purity, I'm sure you're all unaware of the true nature of the Deities. Quintess, Listafelle, Suzamete and Boron. You only know them as the earth, the seas, the skies and the Under. You believe that Boron is the traitor who was sealed under Aigas because he did not agree with the view of the other three, don't you? That the Deities, while probably not as benevolent as some common folk think, are truly exalted brings? Well.... All of that is skewed."

Everyone tensed.

It was illogical to simply believe the word of a stranger, but somehow, the way this Emissary spoke inspired them to re-evaluate what they thought. At the very least, they were made to compare what they knew to what the Emissary said.

"The four Deities were mortal like you and me once. They were all friends who grew together, fed each other and lived together on some poor rock ways away from Aigas. Even as they ascended into Divinity and beyond, they remained friends. Even as Boron truly did refuse to acknowledge Quintess, Suzamete and Listafelle, they still regarded him a lifelong friend. Therefore, even though they subdued him, and used him as a dark plate that supports Aigas from below..."

Many faces had begun to frown at this tale, not sure if it was truly worth even considering.

But Replicus was intent on hearing the rest.

"...Quintess, Suzamete and Listafelle left him a key. A simple key to turn in order to free himself should he play his cards right. This was a deliberate act of mercy, as such the location and nature of the key was never told even to the worshippers of the Deities – the Purity – so that the time when Boron rises again should come. Before that time came, and because of a certain grudge, Quintess and Listafelle left, leaving Suzamete, along with a select few to handle the inevitable aftermath."