Chapter 7: Hollow Bones

A burly man behind the counting is talking to a elderly man wearing extravagant robes, gold linings robe elaborately. “Mr Marcus,  has the adventurers hub posted the request we talked about?” The elderly man says in a cold tone. Closing his eyes shaking his head, “We can’t ask adventurers to fight your battles for you that's not what we're here for!” Marcus exclaims says passionately. The elderly mage unhappy by what he was hearing scrunches his face towards marcus as he raises his hand toward him, Marcus hair standing on its end as he feels the killing intent in the room as the hand drops heavily, sending force a deadly blade of wing past Marcus cutting Deep into the bookshelves behind him. “You think you have the choice?, you will be posting the request for adventurers to join the war against the belmont empire, The emperor himself has decided that your adventurers will fight, we don’t care about a few goblins and bandits! Now next time I visit you better have sent your little adventurers, don’t expect another warning” The elderly man says partially raising his tone struggling to keep the appearance of a dignified noble as he spoke to the brute behind the counter.

“Yes… Yes sir, we’ll hand out your request to all adventurers that come through” clenching his fists in frustration as the elderly man slowly leaves the building.  As the elderly leaves a small female receptionist slowly walks out from the backroom. “Marcus.. Are you alright?” The she said gently. “Yeah.. I’m alright his visit just went a little badly is all..” Nodding sadly as he spoke. “Are we really going to do what they want, are we going to send adventurers to die and fight in their war?” She says emotionally tears welling up. “Iily know you don’t like it.. I’m the same, but if we ever want the hub to return to what it was having adventurers help those in need ever again we have to bend the knee and do as the crown says…” Marcus says, hands shaking, breathing erratic as he struggles to withstand the oppression of the emperors foot a top him. Seeing him in such a state of turmoil lily hugs the muscle filled Marcus tightly, tears welling up as she gripped him tightly.

Magical flames burn beautifully atop the city streets as the elderly man walks through the streets, the nights sky high above him. Finely decorated Knights and spear wielding guards following behind the old man. One of the knights holding a spear bends the knee to the elderly man showing their respect. “Lord Arthus, did you meeting go as planned” A female voice said from inside the armor. “Obviously, such a cesspit doesn’t have any other options but to follow the crowns rule” He says arrogantly as he speaks to the female knight. “With this matter sorted I have an errand for Lady Grace, you and your men will head to nearby villagers and recruit the able bodied to fight in the war” The female knight finding her self taken aback as she heard the old man's word. “But Sir Arthus, wouldn’t I be more useful on the battlefield?, my men and I…” Before she could even continue selling her idea to the elderlyman, she found herself stuttering as he quietly raised his hand towards the knight, “Miss Grace, I know you believe yourself to be a powerful knight but this duty was already decided for you by those of higher importance and should be viewed as a decree by the emperor himself, do you believe yourself above the word of your emperor?” The elderly mage man said arrogantly, smiling as the female knight struggled dispute his words. “No Sir… I would never doubt the emperors words. My men and I will leave for the villagers as soon as possible!” She said clenching her fist in frustration as she spoke. “That’s good to hear, I have work to attend to, you’d better get yourself and your man ready” He said before walking off into the distance leaving Grace kneeling with her men in the street.

“Miss Grace, what should we do?” One of her soldiers asks slowly as their leader stays kneeled frustrated in the street. Clenching her fist she breathes heavily before standing up looking towards her soldiers. “Nothing else we can, get ready to head out to the nearby villagers”

Dipp and Oliver heading towards cave said to be filled with the undead, as the pair near the cave they find several skeletons meandering around the entrance aimlessly, as they enter the cave mouth they quickly spot more skeletons, again the skeletons walk aimlessly filled with uncertainty in their steps. Taking advantage of the mindless skeletons they easily walk past the skeletons deeper into the cave without an issue, torches made out of skulls litter the walls of the cave, the surprising lone cave twists deeper under group as they follow the trail of skeletons and morbid torches.

As they walk through the cave  the murmurs of a man filled the cave, as they followed the voice a man with jet black hair and matching long black robes stands at an altar of bones chanting in a foreign language to both Dipp and Oliver. “So they finally sent someone huh?” The man said as he grabbed a large curved blade from beside the altar, turning towards the pair.

“I figured the undead wouldn’t let me do as I pleased but to think a Lich like you would come after me” He says as he Readies the blade blade holding his palm atop the blade ready to strike.

“We weren't sent by the undead but we also can’t let you do as you please with all these undead” Dipp added as stepped back wielding his short sword and handbow aimed towards the man. “Master Dipp stand behind me, I won’t let him get near you!” Oliver yelled as he readied his blade. “Well if you won’t make the first strike then don’t mind if I do!” The unknown man said as he dashed forward slashing his curved blade horizontally toward Oliver. The frightening speed of the blade surprises Oliver as he barely stops the blade from cutting into him.

Dipp doing his best to aid his companion launches an arrow towards the man, with ease he avoids the arrow reading his blade for any counter attack Oliver may throw at him. “For a Lich your pathetic, you aren't worthy at all. For someone with so much power at his disposal you truly are a blind fall!” The man said as he continuously pushed Oliver back slicing into the undead companion. Dipps mind raced wildly as he watched Oliver being pushed on the defensive barely able to hold his own, unsure if it would work Dipp grabbed his blade cutting along his palm. Blood quickly began to flow from his wound he closed his eyes focusing closing on the flow of the blood. As he focused his mind on the blood it slowly began to separate and float around creating several blood arrows.

With his eyes opened his aimed his handbow towards the man, with the trigger pulled and arrow lossed a barrage of bloody arrows followed behind it, taking the man by surprise,.frantically he raised his blade to stop the arrows peppering him but found found himself grunting in pain as several arrows found their way into him.

As the man stood there arrows deep inside his arm and leg, blood pouring out of his wounds and his speed fading as he fought hard against the pain his mind began to loose focus on the fight as he knew he wasn’t going to survive the fight at this rate, he had to run quickly. Narrowing his view he dashed forward, blocking Oliver as he tried to halt him. Oliver shocked as the man managed to rush by him with his current injuries. “So it was impossible…” The man said as his horde of skeletons had gathered at the tunnel. “The mindless skeletons knew your strength… they’ve completely abandoned me..’ He said in a slow voice dropping his blade at his feet. With the sight of Dipps powers turning everything he had upside down he looked towards the small creature, “Please… listen to my request then do with me as you want” He asks Dip desperately.

“What's the request?” He asks curiously, “The emperor, he’s a tyrant that will kill anything that isn’t as he likes, doesn’t matter if their children, women if he sees them as wrong… he’ll cut them down” Dipp quickly shocked as he heard the mans words, each word overflowing with sadness and sorrow as he spoke. Unsure of what to say Dipp looked sadly towards the man unable to let out any words. “So that’s how it is then… if you won’t do it, I can’t afford to die here” The man says as he threw several small daggers hidden under his robes towards Dipp and Oliver., charging through the skeletons with all his might, only to feel a searing pain in his back, in an instant several arrows found themselves inside his back. With the man lying on the floor, the duo quickly rushing over to him, Oliver checking his heartbeat. “Is he?” Dipp asked quietly, Oliver shaking his head slowly explaining the situation to Dip without speaking a word. “Could I bring him back.. He wasn’t fully evil or anything ...” Dip asked slowly. “I’d advise against it, undead are unpredictable the villagers and myself we all have free will, this man would. Bringing a man hellbent on revenge into the world of undead could lead to the villagers and our deaths... “ Oliver explained carefully as Dipp nodded in agreement. “Your right…” we can’t risk the villagers for one man”

“What could have happened for him to go so far against the emperor”, “This isn’t the first case of the nobles and emperor abusing their power but for someone to learn dark magic like this for revenge.. He must have endured something horrible...” Olvier said quietly as he began to think about what the man would have gone through. Although their mission was technically still done  as Dipp looked at the skeletons unsure of what they had achieved today, they’d cut down a man with nothing left in the world and left the monsters living. “Master, may I suggest we take the skeletons back to the village, with them under your control they may be useful for protecting the village”Oliver says he looks to the Idle skeletons littering the cave. “Yeah, that sounds like a good plan, that way something good actually comes out of today at least…” As Dipp and Oliver walk skeletons part way for their new leader, following behind the pair, still armed the skeletons rattled along as they walked. As the neared the village Dipp noticed Oliver had stopped in his tracks. “Master Dipp maybe it would be best if you wait for her for a moment with your new force, It would be terrible if they startled the villagers and started a needless conflict”, “Oh, yeah that’s a good point, Okay. I'll wait here you go and warn them so  they aren't scared when they appear”. Oliver Nodding in agreement began to walk into the village, the undead villagers still hard at work building their wall. “Steve, could you find me the mayor for a moment?” Oliver asked one of the villagers building the wall. “No worries Olly” He said as he quickly rushed off, while he waited for the mayor Oliver looked over the wall, impressed as the wall slowly began to grow.

“Ahh, Mister Oliver. What can I do for you today?” The mayor said as he slowly found his way to Oliver.”Master Dipp and I just finished a job near here to defeat a necromancer who had gathered a large amount of skeletons under his control, due to Master Dipp’s power the skeletons decided to follow Master Dipp as, to keep your villagers safe we believe the skeletons would prove useful as guards and laborers for your village” The mayor quickly understood and found his elf deep in thought as he tried to imagine the ideas of skeletons roaming around his village. “Are you sure they won’t attack the living people around town” He asked unsure. “The skeletons have found themselves completely under Master Dipps control, Unless they’re attacked I don’t be;lieve they would hurt anyone” He explains the elderly mayor. “Your little Master Dipp has done great things for this villager so I’d be a fool to refuse him now. He can definitely bring his forces to the village, I’ll spread the word too the villagers while you let

 Mister Dipp know the good news” The mayor smiling as he spoke. “Thank you for your understanding, I’ll quickly tell Master Dipp the good news”. The mayor watching as the eloquent Oliver walked off towards his master. 

As Oliver returned to his short master he found him lying in the grass watching the white clouds high in the sky slowly cross over his head completely ignoring his surroundings. “Master Dipp?” Oliver said several times without an answer from his distracted master. Out of options he found himself bring his master back to reality with a shake of the shoulder. “Oh, Oliver your back already”, Oliver shaking his head as he hears the clueless words of his day dreaming master. “How did it go with the village?” He asked softly. “The skeletons are welcome to join the village,shall we head over to them?” Oliver asked. “Yeah, definitely let's head over quickly!” He said excitedly as he ran through the grassy field towards the village.”Hello!” Dipp yelled loudly as he found himself at the partially created wall, the familiar undead villagers greeting Dipp as he approached. “Guys, these skeletons will be living here with you, make good use of them okay?” Dipp telling the villagers hard at work on the wall, one of the villagers curious grabs a hammer and walks up to one of the skeletons. “Take this and hammer the wood in over there” The skeleton looking to the hammer and back to his master. “Listen to them skelly” Dipp ordered his underlings, smiling as it grabbed the hammer and shambled towards where he was told to work. “Wow he’s actually doing it, this wall should be done in no time at all then!” the village exclaimed excitedly. “Yes, Little Mister Dipp here is amazing” The mayor said as he walked over to the commotion with many other villagers. “Oh, Mister Dipp. Can we have a quick word while the villager sand the skeletons get acquainted?” The mayor asked politely. “Ahh sure..” unsure of what they needed to talk about he followed behind the mayor away from the crowd. “So Dipp, The villagers and I have spoken and would like to ask you to replace me as Mayor, I know  you were not keen on the idea but considering how you saved the villagers and the new addition to the village we truly believe you are better suited as the leader”. The mayor said passionately as he tempted to persuade Dipp.

“I really don’t get much of a choice do I. I  guess I can be your leader guy when I'm around but we’ll only stay until the walls are finished and your guys are safe, after that we’ll come and go” A shaky smile appearing on Dipps face as he thought about failing as their leader. “Don’t worry Master, you’ll do great” Oliver says as he finds the two mid discussion. “Master although it may seem overwhelming to lead these people if it’s you i'm sure you’ll do great”. As Dipp hears Oliver’s reassuring words he Finds himself a little more atease about the idea of being a leader. “Mister Oliver is correct, you’ve done amazing things so far i’m sure this will just be another achievement for you” The elderly mayor says gentle to the small uncertain creature. “Okay, okay i’ll do it, i’ll try to be your new mayor”. As the pair heard the small Dipp call himself a mayor they boh simultaneously shook their heads. “Mayor doesn’t fit at all, how about hmm…” The old mayor Elm says as thinks of a fitting title for the ne short leader. “Your right, the title mayor is far below Master Dipp, the title of Lord resonates much better with him” Oliver says happily as he suggests the extravagant title change. “Lord Dipp…  I guess it does sound really good” Dipp says begrudgingly as he accepts the new title of Lord. “Well Lord Dipp, those of Tyke village are at your command” The previous Mayor says as he slowly kneels down to the small Lord. “Well then let's tell the rest of the village and finish this wall!” Her says excitedly.

As Dipp rushed off towards the villages Oliver stayed helping up the elderly Elm, “I wonder how he will do” Oliver says curiously. “He might stumble along the way but that  little feller is destined for big stuff I’m sure”