Crushstuff poured all his strength into his next swing, and brought his axe down on the gnome. This time the monk was too slow to dodge, and the weapon smashed the tiny gnome through the bookshelf, and into the stone. His friend did not rise. He’d never rise again, unless White animated him.
“I just want to hit stuff, man.” He shook his head at the remains of his friend. “You used to be the same way. I hope your next character is more fun.”
The gnome’s words haunted him, though. Would White really betray him? Nah, couldn’t happen. Crushstuff trusted the necromancer. White had always done right by him.
Hadn’t he?
29
Cautious Advance
White stepped atop his flying carpet, and surveyed the legions of undead at his command. Row after row of barrow wights stood waiting, each cradling an ancestral weapon, and wearing their rusted chainmail. They were tough, lethal, and anyone they killed would rise as a wight themselves.
“Come!” White bellowed.
His minions began stepping onto the carpet, which automatically expanded to fit. Because of the way the carpet had been worded in the rules it had no maximum size, and within a half hour he’d loaded all nine legions of undead soldiers.
White ordered the carpet into the air, and they soared over his new kingdom. It was the first time he’d had such a magnificent aerial view since he’d taken over, and was able to survey the changes he’d wrought.
The land around the keep had withered and died, and that blight spread outward daily. It provided a number of bonuses not only to himself, but also to his minions while fighting on his territory. Eventually it would all be his territory.
The blight had made it into the forest closest to the Moist Mountains, but as White soared over them with his amazing legions he noted that it had largely halted there. He didn’t like being reminded that his power had limits, but there it was.
Perhaps the sky rock would change that. He sensed its immensity of purpose, but had no idea where it had come from, or what powers it might truly possess.
Crossing the vast expanse of the world would have taken many days on foot, or even on horseback. But White had moved past such petty locomotion. Even flight took too long, and he only bore the indignity because he brought so many troops with him. Otherwise he’d have found a way to teleport.
As the day wore on White thought of several jokes, but as he looked around at the wights realized there was no one around to appreciate them. Crushstuff would probably have laughed. Nutpuncher definitely would have. Kit would have scowled.
But none of them were here. White had all the power, but he was also alone. What did that say? Undoubtedly all his other friends envied him. They always had. Unsurprisingly, given that he was the best gamer, with the strongest characters.
It was quite natural for them to be jealous.
Finally, an eternity later, the carpet broke the billowing clouds and he glimpsed the smoking volcano where Bert had made a new lair. Mount Dhuuum was legendary among experienced gamers, because the forge there could be used to create artifacts.
White had already intended to take it at some point, but Bert using it had hastened his plan. They gradually descended as they approached the mountain, and White ordered the carpet to set down near the base of the dark slopes, well away from the entrance.
Bert had proven his most canny opponent, and as White was coming onto the dark lord’s turf he needed to exercise caution. Bert might have a surprise that could destroy the bulk of White’s army.
White remained confident that he himself would be safe, but losing weeks worth of minions would be highly irritating at the very least.
Once the carpet had finally landed White addressed the full army. “Surround the mountain. Ensure that there are no secret ways in or out.”
Now that they’d arrived, patience would be more valuable than brute force. White had brought enough minions to cover every entrance, and to cautiously explore the mountain without needing to enter himself.
Once his army had completed their maneuver and surrounded the mountain, White waved at the troops closest to the cavern leading inside. “Gather your troops. March into the labyrinth. Kill. EVERYTHING!”
White smugly folded his arms as undead began clanking their way into the dungeon. The dark lord would resist, but he would find himself outmatched by a superior opponent.
30
Unionized
Kit stood behind a boulder as White’s army descended from the sky. She watched his troops debark and methodically encircle the entire mountain. He’d brought far more undead than they could ever hope to beat.
Even if Bert’s monsters proved surprisingly effective there was simply no way to best all of White’s army, much less the necromancer himself.
It didn’t surprise Kit in the least when White hung back and let his minions do all the work. He wouldn’t enter the volcano until absolutely certain nothing could threaten him.
She ducked back inside and hurried into the labyrinth. It took her longer than she’d have liked to sprint to the large room where Bert had gathered his monsters, and she blinked as she realized they were all holding signs.
Stronger together, read one. We want representation, read another. Bert stood at the front of the room waving his arms and trying to get the attention of the monsters, but chaos ruled.
“Please, no more unions. Monsters pay attention!” Bert’s voice boomed, and magic twisted the room, forcing them to all look in his direction. “There. Much better. Bert understand. Monsters upset.”
“We just got new lairs,” Shelia yelled from the back. “We’re not abandoning this place just because of a few wights.”
Bert counted on his fingers, then repeated it. “Bert think there 9,000 wights. That’s a lot of wights. Bert not want monsters to get hurt. We should hide below, and let White take rock.”
“No way!”
