The Ruined Death Knight

Hearing what their leader just said, out of the three members, only one showed a hint of excitement. And that one was no one but the dark elf named Vanessa.

It was as if her eyes sparkled while the other two showed no reaction.

Seeing no one speaking in, the necromancer continues while gazing at the small girl and elder duo.

"As for those two, they will continue to accompany us and help us with our work, so treat them well."

Just as Danzel thought that he was going to introduce the others, the necromancer grabbed his shoulder.

"You will have more time to know each other later, we still haven't finished our talk." The necromancer said while raising his staff.

With a faint glow escaping from the crystal, out of thin air, walls made out of stone came out of the ground.

Similar to the stone thrones, the materiel itself came not from the ground that was only sand.

In less than a few seconds, multiple small simple houses were created.

Walking towards one of the houses, Danzel followed the necromancer into the house that had only a table and two thrones.

"Take a seat." The necromancer said with a cold voice.

Following the necromancer's instructions.

Still standing, the necromancer tapped his staff to the ground, making a magic circle to expand under their feet around the whole house before disappearing.

Nodding his head with satisfaction, the necromancer was seated on his throne.

"Don´t worry, these are only measurements in case someone unwanted guest tries to peek at us. " He said, noticing Danzel's distress behind his helmet. As a magic caster, he knew how one felt when someone who he barely knew started casting a spell in front of him.

"So with that out of the way, let´s go direct to business."

As soon as those words came out, a sudden ominous pressure came out of the necromancer's body with leaks of dead mana in the mix.

"I am the leader of the Deathfull Skulls, named Velkir Veleron Verres. And as you might have realized, I am one of the undead." Velkir said with his eyes glowing in gray color.

"A Lich."

As soon as his words faded away, Danzel had to bring out his whole willpower to continue staring at the Lich's face. He felt like his body got several tons heavier out of nowhere. If it weren´t for the fact that he was seating on the throne, he would even fall to his knees.

`This feeling! Is just like back then!´

What Danzel was feeling was similar to the [Undead Domination] that he once felt against the draugr.

Just thousands of times stronger.

But even with that much stronger urge to obey his command, Danzel still managed to keep his will for his own.

"I am Rue Danzel, a Runesmith for the better or the worse. Also one of the undead that is known as Wight..." Danzel said while gazing directly into Velkir´s eyes.

There was a short pause between the two.

When the Lich Velkir raised his hand, his aura was reduced to a lesser degree, but never once vanished completely.

"Now with our introduction finished, I will have to ask you a question before we start with our deal." The Lich Velkir said with a cold voice that came from being of the undead.

But if one was perceiving enough, they could notice a hint of relief in his voice.

`A deal?´ Danzel didn´t miss those words before nodding in the Lich to continue.

"As long as it´s in my power to answer the question."

"Don´t worry, I ain´t going to ask something difficult. I more or else know the answer. I just want to hear it from you directly to put one of my unending worries at ease."

"My question is...are you part of the council. And if not, have you ever associated yourself with them.

`Council?´

Upon hearing the question, Danzel felt confused and if he had any skin he would even frown.

He remembers how the shadow merchant Hanson asked him a similar question and now a Lich of all things was asking him the same question.

Back then he consider the council to be some random group, but now that the Lich Velkir also mention it, Danzel's curiosity was piqued.

"I am no member of the so-called "council" that you mentioned. I once had a... forced partnership with a merchant of the merchant Union. But other than that, I didn´t associate myself with anyone that is from that "council". As far as am I aware of at least."

"Mhm, a forced partnership. Hehe" Velkir chuckled for reasons unknown to Danzel.

"Your answer is satisfactory."

"Putting my unending worries aside. Rue Danzel, what would like to gain by joining our group?" Velkir said with a serious tone.

"Gain..."

Hearing those words, Danzel fell into silence.

Heck, because of the intimating aura he forgot that the group of Velkir was that of a mercenary one.

Hired killers in short.

Though it was beneficial for him to kill those of the living, it didn´t mean that he would go out of his way to do the dirty job of someone else without getting some other kind of benefit except the ones of his status.

Doing something that could mean the end of him without getting something in return was a big no.

`What do I actually want to gain...´

Once such a thought formed in his mind, he suddenly felt empty from the inside.

His current set goals were ones that were directly associated with him gaining strength and finishing the mission given by the status.

But looking over those points, he couldn´t see anything else.

`I can attain strength wherever I want as long as I train myself and finishing the mission could be done in a much easier and safer way. There is no rush, I have enough time. I am undead after all.´

Unbeknownst to himself, Danzel touched his helmet with one of his hands while gazing at Velkir unfocused.

`For what reason did I leave the cursed lake again?´

The Lich Velkir who till now had an expression face frowned his eyes upon staring at Danzel's state.

`This guy, don´t tell me...´

"Cough, what I want from you by joining us isn´t only your combat capabilities but also your talent as a runesmith. Making your request more valuable than the other 5 in comparison." Velkir said slightly embarrassed for coughing as one of the undead couldn´t cough.

But by doing that he managed to catch Danzel's attention.

"The others here reached out to me for a different reason. Be it knowledge, equipment, strengthing one's body or even shelter."

"Taking for example Agares deal with me. I promised to provide for them and teach his granddaughter magic, in return, I asked him to wield his sword for me..."

As if clicking something in Danzel's mind, the fog inside his mind faded away.

"Then, in exchange for my runed items and combat capabilities, I would also like to also be taught magic. Be it necromancy or another kind of magic school. And since you said that my request is more valuable, I would also like to have some enchantment items. Since equipment doesn´t last long in bloodshed." Danzel said while showing his shield which still had some blood on it.

Hearing his request, Velkir smiled behind the bandages.

`Quite a greedy one, aren´t you?´ The Lich thought to himself.

"Fine, but since you requested quite a lot of me. I will be able to request 5 runed items even after you leave the Deathfull Skulls. Of course, if it´s reasonable and convinced for both of us."

`Well, if it´s just 5 runes.´ Danzel thought about the last condition and found nothing wrong with it, he nodded his head in confirmation.

Standing up, both of them gave each other a handshake.

What Danzel didn´t know at that time was that this deal was more in favor of Velkir than for Danzel himself.

But the Lich also didn´t know that the moment the two touched hands, a part of his information got leaked to Danzel.

[Status]

Name: Velkir Veleron Verres

Level: ??

Race: Lich

Class: [????]

Sub-Class: [Grand Savant of Death Lv.99]

Health: 40 350/????

Mana: ?????/?????

Attribute points: 0

Attributes: Strength: 411 Agility: ??? Intelligence: ??? Endurance: ???

Talents:[Exaled Undead] [Death King] [...] [...]...

Skills: [Flesh bodyCreation] [...] ...

[Remark: A natural-born undead who turned himself into an all-powerful Lich many decades ago. Many referrer such undead as kings of the death and this one is not excused. This one, in particular, is close to breaking through the next tier]

`Ugh, the information shown is similar to that of the devil.´ Danzel thought internally.

"Alright then, we will start our lesson by tomorrow as still I have the stuff to do. In the meantime, you can introduce yourself to the other members."

Nodding his head, Danzel turned around to leave but stopped himself as he just remember something he has forgotten all this time.

'Right! Skull Claw!'

Though Danzel considered his mindless undead as mere puppets for his use.

He had to say to himself that he was quite fond of the big amount of his.

Not only was it his strongest undead, but lately he found that it wasn't as mindless as he originally thought it was.

The reason for it, Danzel didn't know.

But he sure was interested if his hypothesis was correct or not.

Considering that Velkir would be his teacher, he could get the answer he wanted for the Skull Claws case and the many other questions that he had about magic.

Turning around and explaining to Velkir the situation, the Lich didn't seem to the mind teleporting back to get the big amount of his.

"Thanks again, Velkir." Danzel said in gratitude.

Guiding him out of the house, Velkir gazes directly at Danzel's ethereal eyes even though it was behind his helmet.

"Starting tomorrow, you will be calling me master."

"..."

Seeing the Lich going back to the house, Danzel patted the nose of Skull Claw who in question lowered his whole body pitifully as if it was an abandoned puppy who found its owner.

'Drama queen'

As Danzel was checking on her equipment, he heard a voice coming behind him.

"Hey, new guy. I want to talk with you."

Turning his head around, Danzel saw no one other than the dark gray elve with the pair of two crimson eyes and gray hair.