Rise of the Supreme Necromancer-Chapter 47: Following the Law

"Samuel, who’s the head priest of this temple? Were you friends before?"

"Chaplain Lodimar, master. I admit, I don’t like him. He kept interfering with my work in the past..."

Although Samuel had to admit that, if put into perspective, at least Lodimar was right that Aleric was much stronger than Samuel thought he would be.

But it didn’t matter anymore!

Aleric hummed, scratching his chin.

"That’s a pity. Oh well. I promised not to harm the locals, but if they try to attack me first, they will be punished according to the local law for attacking the city’s lord. Which is, Samuel?"

"Depending on the offense, it can be lashing, the cutting of a striking hand, removal of the offending tongue, death by hanging, or death by decapitation, master."

Aleric grinned.

"Oh, I thought hands were only cut off from thieves! Well, we will see how it goes."

He gestured to a pair of zombies, and they pushed the door. Of course, it was locked—possibly even barricaded. Aleric huffed.

"Samuel, announce their new ruler and tell them to open this door before I break it down."

Samuel saluted and shouted with all the might of his undead lungs.

"Open the door! Obey your new lord, Aleric Fenn, the Supreme Necromancer! Those who don’t resist and comply with his rule will be unharmed. But disobedience to your lord will be punished by law, even if it comes from the clergy of Light!"

Some noises were coming from the other side, but the door was too thick to carry them. Either way, the door didn’t open.

Aleric scowled.

"Fine. Axe this door down."

The soldiers with axes stepped forward and struck at the door.

However, the axes bounced away! Several sparks of Light came from the door, singing the skin of the zombies. They paused in confusion.

"Damn! What kind of magic is this?" Aleric asked, scowling.

"This must be a barrier blessing, master," Samuel said. "I knew that there was some protective magic on the temple, but I never saw it in action until now. It was probably cast way back when the temple was first built and consecrated."

Aleric squinted at the door and the magic in it, then raised his palm. Sparks of Dark energy flew through it.

He flicked his wrist, sending them forward, where they hit the door.

Dark and Light magic sizzled, destroying each other. But it was like a drop of water on the fire.

Aleric gathered Dark magic again, but this time, he began channeling it through the Spine Staff and stepped toward the door.

"Master, what are you?.."

An explosion of sparks, white and green, came from the door as Light and Dark energies clashed. Aleric sent more and more power through the Spine Staff, which opened and closed its jaw as the energies coursed through it.

Aleric grit his teeth, pouring more and more mana into the blasted door. First, enough to animate an undead slave, then enough for a dozen, then five dozen...

’Would it ever end? Just how powerful is this spell?!’

Half of Aleric’s mana reserve went into the door, and the Light magic within it was still fighting him...

So Aleric clenched his jaw and released even more magic!

At this, the spell in the door finally cracked. The entire structure of the spell became too destabilized to hold on.

"Master, watch out!" Spine Staff shouted in a warning.

Realizing what would happen, Aleric stepped back, ordering his soldiers to do the same.

In the next moment, a pale burst of Light energy came from the door and the walls, then dissipated into nothing.

Aleric let out a long breath and put the staff down. When the last sparks of magic disappeared, he saw that the door was singed all over from the clashing energies.

"Thanks, Staff. This could’ve left me a few unpleasant burns. Now, soldiers—take down this door!"

"Yes, master!"

The zombie soldiers brought their axes down on the door again. This time, nothing was protecting it, and the chips of wood began flying. With each strike, deeper and deeper gouges appeared in the door.

Soon, the first see-through holes appeared in it, and sound came through: a shaking chorus of voices.

"...blessed Light, pure and luminous, protect us from the undead scourge..."

"Prayers won’t help you if you disobey Master Fenn!" Samuel shouted. "Open the door!"

A voice rose above others as Chaplain Lodimar, who was standing near the altar on the other side, began praying even louder.

"...Smite the unholy and unclean, deliver us from the clutches of the Dark..."

Another minute later, a soldier made the last hack at the door and simply kicked it hard with his boot. His undead comrades helped.

A kick! Another!

On the third one, the door’s remains fell apart with a loud crack, opening the view of the temple.

The door led right into a large main hall, where, right now, several dozen people were gathered near the altar. Some of them were dressed like priests, some looked like they didn’t have time to dress at all after they woke up.

The only light in the temple was coming from the candles lit at the altar and held by several of the parishioners.

None of these people were praying out loud anymore—except for Chaplain Lodimar. The balding, middle-aged man was shaking like a leaf—but still wasn’t stuttering and held his book of prayers tightly.

"...let the Light that guides us blind those who are with evil eyes..."

Aleric walked inside, followed by his soldiers. Following his silent order, they spread out, surrounding the hiding people.

"Chaplain Lodimar, was it? You are guilty of opposing your new lord—me. Surrender yourself now, and you will be judged by the laws of this land. Don’t, and you will be judged also for resisting arrest." Aleric glanced at the other people. "The others... Well, I will pretend I didn’t notice how neither of them opened the door either."

"Your new lord is very kind," one of Aleric’s soldiers added.

The civilians stared at Aleric and his soldiers in terror and shock. They couldn’t comprehend the idea that the undead had overtaken their city, or that their ruler had changed so suddenly.

"But... What about Lord Arstain?" someone asked.