Necropalypse: The River of Souls

"I have a solution just let me get an erection."


Rol formed more shadow tendrils, then sharpened them, he was a little tired but could definitely deal with the zombies. He looked towards Val, eyebrows raised as if he were asking for permission.

"I thought you'd prefer to save that stake for impaling Empresses. But it seems you prefer decomposing tits over the royal kind. A shame."


"Can your shadows keep them there? Probably not so We'll still need a way to keep them impaled once we leave. But go ahead. If you can keep them impaled that should buy us time to find a more permanent solution."
"As for those scattered limbs that seem to be heading this way, a box will do. I think."

It seemed like the zombie Rol had severed into several limbs was making its way towards them along with the other zombies. Even the head was slowly rolling itself.

"Well decomposing ones would be easier."


"I can do a thing." Rol nodded. In most cases, the bounty hunter would manipulate shadows then after he was done with them the materialization would fade. But he could permanently materialize them of the cost of some energy and the inability to manipulate the materialized shadow further.

"But, I'll make a box first, yeah.." And he did proceed to make a box, with a lid, and he placed it on top of the loose limbs before heading towards the not in pieces zombies.

"Squishier too."

The guards grew anxious as the Zombies came closer. Val wasn't worried though.

"That word choice just made it so much less pleasing than it already was."


Rol approached the zombies. His shadow tendrils formed into one large spike and it pierced through the closest zombie torso. The point of the shadow spike stuck into the ground. 'Suspended' the zombie in the air, its legs not even touching the ground. The bounty hunter could be seen, concentrating, the shadow spikes dark colour faded slightly into a dark grey rather than black, clearly displaying its change in state, its permanence. 

"Phew~." Rol took a deep breath and began to repeat the process on the remaining zombies.

"That was the point."


"Well that's handy."
The guards relaxed when they saw the zombies being impaled and immobilized.
It didn't take long for all of the zombies to be impaled.

"I guess we're done here. Let's go around the other side to make sure there aren't any others and then we can head back to the castle. We have a river of souls to fix."

Once the zombies were taken care of they went around the barrier and checked the other side. No zombies were found.
So they headed back to the castle.


"I think we should take a break once we get to the castle. A nap would be nice."
They quickly reached the dead trees again and the guards spread out again to cover a larger area. (Not that they needed to but again it was mostly an excuse.)
"I guess by now the general and his men have fallen. This wasn't the way I wanted to defeat him.." She sighed sadly.

"Then it was effective."


"I am occasionally useful!" The bounty hunter exclaimed in response to Val handy comment.

Rol followed silently while they patrol the perimeter. He was pretty tired, and so the mention of naps lifted his spirit. "Yes. Naps. Please." He nodded is agreement.

"Well, technically he got himself defeated with over-ambition and lack of environmental awareness. But y'know."

"Guess so. The positive side of it is that once the river of souls is fixed I won't have to worry about war anymore. I might actually be able to start rebuilding. Well I'm sure eventually some idiot will attack my empire eventually. They always do. But I doubt they'd be as much of a problem as the General was."

They reached the castle and were greeted by Reganya and Doomy.
"How did it go?"
"It went rather easily. How about here, had any trouble?"
"No. Nothing happened here."
"Good, heard anything from Herst?"
"No."
"I see. Well it's been a long day, we should rest up and wait for him. We'll look at the River when he's back."
"You sure? The longer we wait.."
"We can't fix anything while we're exhausted. You guys have been running around for hours."
"True."

They went back inside the castle and went into the dining room. "I've got plenty of guest rooms. Brother you can go pick one out for you and your lover."
"Oh gods, not this again.."
"We'll take separate rooms, your highness."
"Oh, okay, If you want to wait with that stuff until after the wedding that's your choice."
"..wedding?.."
"STOP IT!"
"No." Val smiled and giggled.
Doomy twitched again.

"Hey, that's something." Rol said as they headed back to the castle. 

Once there, the bounty hunter yawned, stretching his arms. He remained silent until they reached the dining hall. "Wow, in a way you're more relentless towards Reathy than I am. That's pretty great." He was too tired too fangirl. Yawning once again, Rol looked at the magnitude of the room. "Well, I just realized if this is a general reflection of the size of your castle, I am going to require a map so when I wake up from my nap I won't be lost, or like a guide." 

"Oh don't worry I'll guide you, right into my bedroom."
"WHAT?! Rol you better keep your hands off my sister!"
"Hey you're not supposed to have heard that, didn't you see that it was striken through with a line? Also, You might be my brother but you don't get to say who can get their hands on me and who can't. Thirdly, it was a joke, he's obviously too tired for that anyway."
Doomy twitched.

The Empress guided everyone up to the top floor of the castle to a long hallway filled with doors on both sides. The torches lit themselves as they walked through it.
She stopped at a door. "You can have this room brother, it's big enough for you and your lover. Just in case you change your mind." She giggled.
"We won't."
"Okay, then your lover can choose the room next to yours or across the hall. Either works."
She then leaned close to Reganya and whispered."The one next to him has a door linking the two rooms. You can use it to sneak in."
"Thanks.. I'll go sleep in the one across the hall."
"Aww. Oh well I tried."

Reganya and Doomy both went into their rooms and closed the door behind them. Doomy locked his.
"You do realize your girlfriend can phase through walls, right?"
"...Dammit." Doomy cursed from the other side of the door.


"Okay, now to find a room for you.. I guess it doesn't really matter. You can pick any of them. Except mine. You still have to earn that one." She winked and handed him a key to one of the rooms. With a number on it to make sure people know which key opens which door.
She then walked off to her own room in another part of the castle. (The Empress is in another (part of the) castle!) "See you in two hours or whenever Herst returns. Whichever comes first."

Herst fades into the corridor just as everyone relaxes with blood soaked robes, knocking over a table in the process. 

The noise brings everyone out of relaxation.

"Oh man, Deathy would explode if anything like that happened." He yelled to Ren. "And not in the good way!"

The bounty hunter smiled as took the key from Val. and walked towards the room until he heard a sound.

Rol looked over at the noise, hoping a servant got really drunk or something, but of course...

"Damn it Herst, do you like to antagonize me or is it an accidental byproduct and things kinda just hate me?"

"No, this isn't my blood. And I may be slightly tipsy. Stole some cider from a camp in the north that I sabotaged for more time. They have no alcohol and other supplies may be burning right now. Not by may hand of course."


Herst says awkwardly, likely forcing his words carefully out as he brings a potion out and downs it, shuddering from taste or effect, not known.

" But I know the situation and everything for the area. Killed some Assassins the other group missed. Well, okay, all of them. 20 in all, and I walked into them just as they were about to move. I'm not good with that many skilled blades for my throat so things got messy. But I got paid for my job that brought us together, which makes my Bag of Holding feeling more love now. I can probably afford a home in every city and village in this country... "

Herst goes on a tangent, still "slightly tipsy" as his robes slowly, seemingly lighten in colour as the blood fades away off it. Which makes no sense since potions can't affect clothes, right?

"I was going to say nap time was over but it seems Herst himself could use a nap to sober up.. Nah, he looks like he'll be fine"
Doomy and Reganya came out of their rooms to check out what all the commotion was about. "Oh, he's back. Good, I couldn't sleep anyway."
"Welcome back Herst."


"Guess Rol will have to wait for his nap. He could use a potion to boost his energy though. He's running low. And no I didn't have anything to do with that. At least not directly."

Doomy twitched again at just the thought of his sister tiring Rol out.
"..I'm not even gonna comment on that. Anyway, river of souls time, yes?"
"Yes."
-----
A little while later. (assuming Rol got that potion).

The group returned to the source of the river of souls. The giant orb was pulsing even faster than before. "Well this is it. Good luck guys. I'll stay behind and defend the castle if needed. Be carefull."


"Eh, what exactly am I supposed to do though?"
"I dunno, poke it?"
"..seriously?"
"Fuse with your lover first though, just to be sure."
"Shes not my.. ugh whatever."

Doomy reaches his hand out at Reganya. She takes his hand and walks right into him. Reathy then turns around and floats up to the giant Orb.
They reach their hand inside the orb and it goes through.


"So it does work. Thats good." Val looks at herst and Rol." Eh you might wanna go after them. They might need some help."
---
Once Rol and herst have climbed the stairs.

Reathy steps into the orb and goes in it completely. Their hands stick out the orb and reach out so they can be grabbed. One for Rol and another for herst.


(You need to be in contact with Reathy to enter the orb. Otherwise you might not come out the other side unharmed, if you come out at all.)

Herst turned around, pulling out a black-orb-like-gem and a knife. Using the knife to cut across his palm till it bleed, he laid the orb on his palm and it began to glow darkness for a moment before emitting a dark yet warm light.

"This is a Soul Link. All you need to know, your highness, is that as long as you keep this close to your person, 2 meters at the most, you and I can telepathically communicate, and if consenting, can exchange use of the senses. This is a just in case measure should you be attacked while we are still tied up with the Death Flow."

Herst explained as he presented the gem to Val. 

"However, despite being a rare item from afar yonderlands, a skilled person can use this to try and bind me, as this is an external link to my soul. The moment I sense such a motive, I will set the earth ablaze no matter where or whoever is nearby. Not that I am threatening you, of course." 

Herst warned her fiercely while bowing to her. 

"I will let you know when we are completed our duty while you let me know if you are under attack. I can use your eyesight and be able to cast my magic, regardless of position. Just don't try to pry into my soul, I won't save you if your soul ends up drowning."

Herst ends his warning and steps back into the outward hand for him, his mask that has so far kept his true face hidden seemingly being destroyed by the Orb's power, briefly revealing a sharp blue stare, a blue icy stare that would freeze those that are easily intimidated and would make all others step back.

"VAL, IT"S WORKING. DEATHY'S WARMING UP TO REN ALL GENTLEMEN, DID'YA SEE THAT?"


Rol yelled while he wandered towards the death flow. 

"Well, time to get lost and die. Awesome." The bounty hunter grabbed Reathy's hand while Herst 'warned' (it was pretty much a threat) Val about thing. He then noticed Herst's stare that was revealed by the orb. "Dude, your eyes are shiny and shit."

Herst blinks in surprise at Rol's exclamation but is pulled into the orb before a word can escape his mouth.

"Yes, yes I saw. I'm so proud of my brother right now." She laughed softly in response to Rol's comment.
She also examined the weird gem orb thing Herst had given her. She shrugged.

---
Inside the orb of souls:

The darkness expanded around them slowly. The Sky was pitch black and the ground beneath them wasn't much lighter in color, it also appeared to be sand, Black sand.
A wall of darkness seperated them from the outside world.
The only lightsource seemed to be the river of souls itself as it flowed above them.
Giving off an eery green light. It kinda looked like an aurora but closer and there were many of them. All seemed to flow towards one bright point in the distance.


"I'm thinking that's where we're supposed to go.. It is. I can feel something disturbing it, no.. Someone."

The bright point in the distance seemed to flicker. The party made it's way towards the flickering light.
Meanwhile The Empress decided to check in on them just to make sure they got inside safely.

"Herst, can you hear me?"
"Did everyone make it inside without problems?"
"What's the situation in there?"
"..Also, I understand the concern for your soul, However I don't take kindly to threats. And I'd very much appreciate if you never do that again."
She said that last part calmly yet sternly.


On their way to the light in the distance the group encountered something..strange.
A giant grey humanoid creature that was very slowly walking. It was about twice as tall as a human, its head was large even for its size and was sunken into its shoulders, it had no neck. Its eyes were big and empty and so was its mouth.
Its body seemed emaciated and its limbs even more so. It's legs seemed like they would fall any moment, failling to hold up the weight of the rest of the creature.
And it's arms were so long that it's fingers scraped the sand below as it moved.
Behind it a trail of ectoplasma lingered, making it look as if the creature had a long tail.

It didn't seem to notice them.

Herst quickly threw his hood on as he went through to the other side. 

When he arrived, he already had an arrow nocked in a black wood bow of immense size compared to other bows, the pulling strength needed for it would make most archers not trained to use it struggle to pull the string, if they weren't the other group that barely could hold it steady. 

Even strung as it was, is was the same height as Herst.

No sign of a quiver was to be seen.

When he felt the thoughts of the Empress, he could also hear her actually speak. 

Fool, the thought drifted before he started to respond.

I feel your thoughts, yes. So far, the others have yet to voice any complaint so I derive that all is well. We are making our way to a landmark, ETA unknown due to the environment being excessively dark in colour. As humble as I come, you posses my entire being and care not if you do not like the threat. I will destroy anyone that dares to bind me to service. I serve only one purpose and anything that stands between I and it will be decimated, even if the gods themselves stood before me.

Herst's reply came as simple as fact as he can make it, but due to the lack of disguising the voice of ones thoughts, it's not in his normal voice but one much younger, that of a teen's.

I'd also like it if you don't enquire on my identity and tell no one about what I am not. Not that I'd do anything if I tried but those that know too much will find that Despair comes for them regardless.

"Ew, gross. What is that thing?"

Rol eyed the monstrosity that group came in contact with.

"Think we could tame it?" He asked Herst, knowing Reathy would just call him an idiot. He figured it would be a similar response from Herst, but he felt he needed to test that theory. 

Eventually he noticed the rather large bow Herst had. "Scythes, bows and shadows? If you start charging weapons with electricity and learn how to teleport you can just go and be ChaoZ, all by yourself." There was a hint of sarcasm in the bounty hunter voice, but obviously in jest.

Herst looks at Rol, or seems to as the hood moves towards him.

"But I can do those things... This arrow itself can shock a target with the full power of lighting, in fact. And havent I been teleporting just today? 

But for your first question, I would not know. I never saw this thing before. Instinct warns to not be seen however..."

Herst honestly answered the question and replied to the statements made by Rol.

Herst himself is unsure of whether to fire his arrow, or if it would even be effective. Undead feel no pain, but this seemed to be no simple Undead. 

Herst opted to swap out arrows for high puncturing shots, with the idea that pinning it to the ground would be effective. He couldn't use the majority of his magic here, this wasn't a place where his manipulation is strong. He had no control of this world. He wasn't Death.

"Well ain't that a plot inconsistency. Page 11 man." The bounty hunter's words made no sense, but then again when did they ever.

(Can we get a scope of Herst's powers? Or is ''well, whatever you can think of, other than creating matter." a sufficient list?)

"Whatever that thing is.. it's not alone."
Reathy pointed ahead. Several of the creatures seemed to be walking slowly in no particular direction. Their tails seemed to be the only part of them to move around at a normal speed.


"How do they even stay upright? Those legs look like they're gonna crack any moment. I dunno, they feel familiar somehow though.. I think I'd rather not know what that means. Also, Rol, If by any chance we don't wake them up before we fix this place I'll let you try taming one. Untill then, please leave the hideous things alone."

Reathy went for the stealth approach and tried to sneak past the Lemures. 
It didn't work.
One of the Lemures eyes suddenly lit up as Reathy moved past it. The green lights flashed through its large eyeholes. It seemed to study the party for a brief moment. But then it suddenly moved, it's thin legs scuttled across the black sand carrying the giant creature much faster than they should be able to.
One unexpected swing from it's arm and Reathy was sent flying as if they were a character in super smash brothers that went offscreen too far.

The creature then turned it's attention to Rol and Herst and scurried towards them. Somehow not falling or breaking any of its own limbs. It swung its long arm at them in the same way it did to Reathy.
The other lemures didn't seem to notice anything.



(A scope of Hersts power? Lets find out shall we? *evil grin*)

Herst evaded. Suddenly, he was above, flipping over the creature he knew not before he even got a chance to reply to Rol's statement. as he landed, he had 4 vials between his fingers in each hand.

He tilited his head back, hood falling away slightly as he downed the 8 vials. 

Enemy attack, Rol and I are standing, the others were launched and can be presumed unable for combat. Entering combat, kindly do not interfere.

Herst's alerted the Empress on their current status and begun circling around the creature as it turned to swat at him. Yet Herst's speed had increased. He evaded the blow and again flipped over the giant undead being and landed on it's head. 

Herst had no way to Shadow Steep, also known as Mock Teleportation. Herst could connect with the darkness and shadows of the world and traverse short distances with it, and doing so in quick succession gave an impression of teleportation.

Yet here, he was denied that connection, so he merely increased his bodies abilities. 

He quickly began rifling through a notebook of his, pulled out a talisman that affects the Undead and slapped it on the forehead of the creature and quickly evaded another blow. 

Herst had to hope that the being would decompose at an accelerated rate. If it did, he could his scythe that was effective against the undead, unless Rol was able to find their weakness before he.

(I know I said I'd only post once a day but feck it. Fun combat and all.)

The Empress got Hersts message and blinked. She remained silent as per request.
When suddenly Reathy comes flying out of the orb and smacks into the ceiling before landing on the stairs. They looked at Valkyria.
"Eheh, didn't see that one coming. Don't worry we got it under control." <.<'
They then launched themselves back into the fast pulsating orb.


"..."
------------

The lemure looked up at the talisman. The creature blinked somehow. It didn't decompose though. Instead one of its glowing eyes faded leaving it with only one eye. The creature grabbed the talisman and threw it back at Herst.

The lemure then slammed its hand down on Herst too fast to dodge. Herst sunk into the sand sticking out only with his shoulders and head. He possibly also had a major headache.
The Lemure then scuttered towards Rol and grabbed him with its giant hand. The creature's hand squeezed Rol.
The creature excerted a lot of force on Rol. Enough to break his bones but luckily before that could happen Reathy flew by and sliced the creatures arm in two, releasing Rol just in time.

The creature just got pissed off by this. And tried to grab Reathy in its other hand. But they phased through its hand and jumped back next to Rol. "Did We miss anything?"