[The Aftermath of Slaughter]
The once-golden knights of the Holy Dominion lay scattered across the battlefield. Their shining armor was now tarnished with blood and necrotic decay, their bodies either lifeless or worse—twisted into undead servants under Damien's control.
The cold night wind carried the scent of burned flesh and death, yet to Damien Valerian, it was the sweet aroma of victory.
His violet eyes swept over the conquered field, taking in the sight of kneeling soldiers—once proud warriors, now trembling before their new master.
Beside him, Cedric, the former Inquisitor, now stood silently. His golden radiance had faded, replaced by a hollow, deathly aura. His once-fiery blue eyes had turned into an ashen void, devoid of the faith that once burned within them.
Damien smirked. Another pawn for my empire.
A system notification flickered before his eyes.
Ding!
[Siege Defense Complete!]
Victory Achieved!
Holy Dominion forces repelled.
Elite Knight Cedric Converted into Undead General.
Rewards Unlocked:
[Necrotic Blacksmith: Allows the forging of cursed weapons and armor for the undead.]
[Undead Army Expansion: You can now summon +100 additional undead troops per day.]
[Soul Tribute: Fallen enemies in conquered territory can be absorbed for experience and resources.]
Damien's fingers twitched with excitement. With these upgrades, my empire begins its true rise.
He turned to his newly undead general, his smirk widening.
"Cedric," he said, voice commanding. "You once swore an oath to the Holy Dominion. Tell me, do you still hear the gods whispering to you?"
The fallen Inquisitor blinked, as if grasping for a memory that no longer existed. His lips parted, but no prayer came forth.
Instead, he bowed his head.
"No, my lord," Cedric murmured, his voice stripped of all emotion. "Their light has abandoned me. I serve only you now."
Damien chuckled darkly. "Good. Then we have much work to do."
He turned his gaze toward the surviving knights, those who had surrendered instead of perishing.
"You stand at the gates of death," Damien declared, his voice echoing through the ruined city. "Your gods have forsaken you. Your leader kneels before me. Your only choices are to rise again under my banner… or be cast into the abyss."
The knights, still bound by fear, exchanged hesitant glances.
One of them, a younger soldier with shaking hands, finally whispered, "What… what will you do with us?"
Damien smiled, a cruel glint in his eyes.
"What indeed?"
---
[A Dark Ritual Begins]
Inside the newly restored Necropolis Hall, Damien stood within a massive summoning circle, arcane symbols glowing with sinister light.
Before him, the captured knights knelt in chains, their expressions filled with dread.
His undead warriors surrounded them, silent and unmoving.
Cedric, now a vessel of unholy power, stood beside Damien, his face void of any emotion.
Damien raised a hand, and the air trembled.
Ding!
[New Dark Ritual Unlocked: Baptism of the Forsaken]
Converts defeated enemies into Undead Knights or Death Priests.
Sacrificing stronger souls grants higher-tier undead.
The ritual requires an altar of darkness and the will of the Deathlord.
A grin spread across Damien's lips.
"Perfect."
"Let us begin," he intoned.
The captured knights screamed as black flames engulfed their bodies, their very souls being twisted and reforged into something unholy.
Some resisted for mere seconds, their wills shattered as they succumbed to undeath. Their bodies grew pale, their eyes dimmed, and their armor darkened into a shadowy reflection of what it once was.
Others burned away entirely, their souls consumed to fuel Damien's growing power.
And when the ritual was complete…
A new force of undead warriors stood before him.
[20 Death Knights Created!]
[10 Shadow Priests Created!]
[Dark Faith Unlocked: Undead units can now pray to their Deathlord, empowering Damien further.]
Damien exhaled in satisfaction.
"With this, my army has grown even stronger."
But his victory was not yet complete.
The Holy Dominion would not let this defeat go unanswered.
---
[The Holy Dominion's Response]
Far from Noxhaven, deep within the grand cathedral of the Holy Dominion, a council of bishops and war generals gathered within the sacred halls of the Sanctum of Radiance.
At the head of the table sat Archbishop Lucian, a man of divine authority, his golden robes shimmering with holy power.
A knight rushed in, breathless.
"Archbishop! News from the frontlines!"
Lucian's eyes narrowed. "Speak."
The knight swallowed. "The Purging Force sent to Noxhaven has been… annihilated."
A hush fell over the council.
Lucian's grip on his scepter tightened. "By whom?"
The knight hesitated before responding.
"A necromancer… No, a Deathlord."
A dangerous silence followed.
Then Lucian rose to his feet, his golden aura pulsing with divine wrath.
"A new Deathlord has risen…" His voice was like a storm about to break.
"We cannot allow another scourge upon this world."
He turned to his war council.
"Summon the Silver Templars. Send word to the Inquisition's Grand Marshal."
His eyes burned with holy vengeance.
"We will burn this monster out before he spreads his plague any further."
---
[The Rise of an Empire]
Back in Noxhaven, Damien sat upon his obsidian throne, his undead army swelling with new warriors.
His empire of death had begun.
And soon, the world would tremble before his name.
But as he gazed upon the distant horizon, he could already sense the storm approaching.
The Holy Dominion would strike back soon.
A true war was coming.
And Damien would ensure that the world's so-called light would be swallowed by darkness.
Forever.
[End of Chapter 5]