Pestilence: Rise Of The Pure Undead

The dark caravan drove through the peaceful lands, lush trees overflowing with ripe fruits, making for an endless source of food for many birds and other animals, no monsters had made their presence known just yet, but there had to be some of them, they were beings of nature as well after all. Find your next read on empire

Wheels crushed the tall grasses, reducing pretty flowers to mush, the overflowing life the wildlands emitted could be suffocating to lower undeads, the domination of life in the current era showed in all its filthy glory, death was but a mere fuel to the life that would after here.

Just a bit of miasma could tilt the fragile balance life believed to be gospel, but it wouldn't be conductive the greater goal to go after this place already, Loimos simply went on his way, continuing his travel, his pace made to very slightly, just in case eyes were inspecting him and his carriage.

Loimos did not encounter any of the local denizens, no signs of elves and the likes, no monsters either, the only sign of them he discovered was some sort of altar, a tree larger than the rest, its leaves a soft pink, its bark and branches bright, dazzling like the sun, in fact, Loimos was incapable of telling the difference between this light let out by the tree and that of the sun, they were simply the exact same.

Nestled amidst protruding roots, a rock had been carved out, allowing empty space inside, here, offerings, incenses, flowers and herbs alike had been gathered, in front of a small portrait, appearing like a very realistic piece of art, the artist's own flair couldn't be made out, the intent being to transpose the person's looks as faithfully as possible.

Loimos had stopped his caravan, stepping down to take a longer look at this portrait, obviously, to receive such honours, the woman depicted had to be quite illustrious, and indeed, one only needed to look to know that there was something of importance about her.

A fair tone of skin, long and pointy ears, much longer than that of the elves one could meet on this continent, pink hair, the exact same tone as that of the very tree this image could be found, and her eyes, holding the exact same glow as the very sun, the artist had clearly gone above and beyond to represent this as well as was possible, this piece seemingly left untouched by the passage of time.

The elf's hair was somewhat slicked back, showing her forehead in full, the end of her hair subtly wavy, only her face and shoulders were represented on this icon, but what had been drawn had been done without mistake.

With such singular characteristics, failing to recognise this figure could only mean that one had no clue about her existence, Loimos turned his body to the side, a distance away from the bright tree, a new one had just appeared.

"Gorgeous, isn't she? Surely, even an empty and meaningless being such as yourself could recognise and appreciate her looks" The First Seed once again appeared before Loimos, erupting with a constant of life force, which potency had yet to have been topped by anything Loimos had bore witness to, not even close.

Looking at the undead for a moment, the sapient tree scoffed, laughed a bit, its wood creaking violently as it shook from side to side.

"I am giving you too much credit, nothing can move you, not even Maiele's beauty" the old tree sounded genuinely disappointed by Loimos's lack of reaction.

"Are you not going to attack? We are both well aware that you have the necessary firepower to do so" the undead paid no heed to the tree's odd fixation on the elven heroine, inquiring about it.

The First Seed was clearly an ancient being, the way he talked and spoke of The Elven Light only confirming that he should have been around for the advent of the old war, yet, none that Loimos encountered had known of such a being.

It was only natural to question it now that the plant decided to show up on its own.

"Oh, you have no idea, no idea! Just how much I would like to blast you apart, I can't believe I missed my only shot at it, the life I hold, is not to be squandered undead…"

"Here, we stand near a tree grown from blood drawn of Maiele Liameilos, shed in a vicious battle against the twin gravelords, from which no victor would be decided, the vampires forced to run away, tails in between their legs, once The Elven Light's true sun rose, no vampires could stand in her way" the tree changed subject back to the elf again, clearly more interested in telling a corpse about her history than anything else.

Loimos remained silent for a few instants, analysing The First Seed, its expression was rather hard to decipher.

"You make it sound like a threat, am I to believe that she has yet to pass?"

"Oh, who knows Loimos, who knows, I am merely here to watch over you, I am never far behind you know, but I emerged today so that you may not touch this tree, it is ridiculous, but I value it, touch it, and I shall not hesitate to waste the precious life I hold to erase you for good"

Its face protruding out from the bark contorted, truly meaning it.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

The skeleton wasn't planning on it anyways, climbing back onto his caravan, not stopping for the last words addressed to him, no matter how ominous they may be.

"Go Loimos, go and gather them all, help the dead back to their peak, we will be here, waiting for you, may we meet again" The First Seed disappeared into the ground, its overwhelming life signature vanishing utterly.

Loimos would be waiting for them as well, with the gravelords and king back together, none shall stop death, all life will eventually succumb to its call, this time, all of it shall fall at once.