Chapter 217: Unit One
The High Lich glided through the long, desolate corridors deep within the
palace.
This particular hallway was devoid of any ornamentation; the surrounding walls
pulsated with a faint, sickly grey light, as if the stones themselves were
exhaling the last of their warmth. He eventually halted before an unremarkable
door and rapped his skeletal knuckles against the wood.
"Enter."
A young girl's voice drifted from within.
The Lich pushed the door open. The room was cramped, barely a dozen square
meters. A bed, a desk, and a single chair—the sum total of the furnishings.
A girl, looking to be about sixteen or seventeen, sat in the chair, a thick,
weathered tome balanced on her lap. She possessed cascading silver-white hair
and eyes of a rare, piercing violet. She wore a simple black dress, and on her
feet were leather boots worn thin from years of use.
"Unit One. The Sovereign summons you."
The girl closed her book and stood up. She did not ask why, nor did she display
a single ripple of emotion. With a curt nod, she followed the Lich into the
hall.
They traversed the winding corridors in silence. The Lich stopped before the
great doors of the Throne Hall, gesturing for her to proceed alone. The girl
pushed the doors open without hesitation.
Thanatos remained seated upon his throne, his violet-gold Soulfire burning with
a steady, haunting rhythm. The girl walked to the foot of the dais and dropped
to one knee.
"Father."
Thanatos looked down at the girl, the flames in his sockets flickering slightly.
"Rise."
The girl stood, her head bowed in a posture of perfect obedience, awaiting her
directives. Thanatos did not waste time with pleasantries.
"I require you to infiltrate a new Plane."
"You are to gather basic intelligence: the average power levels of the
inhabitants, the distribution of major factions, and the composition of their
energy systems." He paused for a beat before adding, "And most importantly...
locate the approximate coordinates of their Plane Core."
The girl was silent for a few seconds. "I understand."
"Whether you find the information or not," Thanatos continued, "you are to
return within ten years. This Plane is an anomaly, and thus, potentially
dangerous. Under no circumstances are you to reveal the coordinates of the
Necrotic Realm—even if the price is your life."
The girl nodded again, her resolve as cold as the floor beneath her. "As you
command, Father."
Thanatos waved a hand of black bone, signaling her dismissal. The girl bowed and
exited the Throne Hall. The High Lich was still waiting for her in the corridor.
As she approached, she spoke first.
"The specifics of this Plane... can you tell me more?"
The Lich considered this. "Follow me."
They left the Throne Hall and headed toward the highest point of the palace: the
Planar Observatory. It was a soaring spire composed entirely of translucent
crystal, its interior inscribed with dizzying arrays of complex magical circles.
Thousands of shimmering specks of light floated along the walls—each a
coordinate of a world marked by the Necrotic Realm.
The Lich stepped into the center of the tower and traced a line in the air. A
massive projection manifested in the void—a rotating sphere wreathed in flowing,
pale blue energy.
"This is the Tier 7 Plane we have recently discovered," the Lich explained.
"Energy analysis indicates it is... unique. Its Plane Core is undergoing
continuous growth."
"If left to its own devices, it might breach the barrier and become a Tier 8
Plane within a few thousand years."
The girl stared at the projection, her brow furrowing slightly. "A Core that
grows? That should be impossible."
"I am inclined to agree," the Lich nodded. "But the data from the Observatory
does not lie."
The girl watched the blue orb spin. "Does this Plane have a designation?"
"It has no name in our records yet," the Lich replied. "We will not be ready for
a full-scale Planar War for at least another two centuries. Your current mission
is strictly reconnaissance. However, when the war finally begins, you will
likely return there. Consider this mission the groundwork—leave our mark upon
that world."
The girl nodded thoughtfully. "Is there any other information?"
The Lich shook his head. "None. We were only able to observe it through a brief,
accidental fluctuation of energy they broadcasted. That window has since closed.
We cannot obtain more intel from this distance."
"That is why you must go in person."
The girl fell silent for a moment. "When do I depart?"
"Now."
The Lich pulled a grey crystal from his robes and handed it to her. "This is a
Teleportation Crystal. It has been bound to your Od. Channel your mana into it,
and it will tear open a temporary gate to that world. Remember, the gate will
only remain stable for sixty seconds. You must pass through within that minute."
"Furthermore, this crystal is a one-time tool. If you lose it, you will have to
find your own way to tear open a path back to us."
The girl gripped the crystal firmly. "I understand."
"One last thing," the Lich added, his voice dropping an octave. "Our realm has
only just concluded a massive war. We need time to rest and recuperate.
Therefore, do not expose your identity, and do not recklessly engage the
powerhouses of that world."
The girl gave a final nod. "I will be cautious."
The Lich looked at her, looking as if he wanted to say more. Finally, he spoke.
"Unit One..."
The girl looked up.
"Do you... truly wish to go?"
Alya—for that was her true name—blinked in confusion. It was a question she had
never considered. Wish? Unwillingness? She didn't know the meaning of the words
in relation to herself.
Since her earliest memories, she had lived within these bone-chilled walls.
Thanatos was her father, her King, and her God. His command was the singular
purpose of her existence. Whether she "wished" for it or not was a logical
irrelevance.
"It is Father's command," Alya said, her voice flat and steady. "I will complete
it."
The Lich let out a breath that sounded like a sigh. "Very well. Go and prepare.
Take what you deem necessary."
Alya turned and left the Observatory. She returned to her small room and began
to pack. There wasn't much to gather. Her entire life's possessions consisted of
a few changes of clothes, a notebook, and a sharp short sword.
She tucked them into a small spatial pouch and sat on the edge of her bed for a
moment, staring at nothing. She thought of the Lich's question. Do you wish to
go?
Alya looked down at the grey crystal. A flicker of something—not quite
curiosity, but perhaps a shadow of it—stirred in her mind.
What will that place be like?
Will there be the 'sunlight' and 'flowers' described in the old books? Or will
it be another wasteland, just like the worlds we have already devoured?
Alya shook her head, dismissing the idle thoughts. It was just a Plane. Just
another world, another collection of lives waiting to be subjugated.
There was nothing to look forward to.
Alya stood up, slung the pouch over her shoulder, and walked out of the room.
She did not look back.
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