The morning that followed the assault on Bromidium Keep smelt of death and burning flesh. The king's knights had spent the night tirelessly piling the dead outside the walls in the dirt that, up until recently, covered the bodies of the deceased but now it would soak up the ashes of them instead.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZOAy9EV552
It was a task that some knights would have rather not been a part of as it was not customary to burn the flesh of the dead. Cremation was seen as disrespectful to the soul that had once resided within but after last night's events, those knights were eager to get the job underway.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6HnJb2WNIY
King Bradevere had sent out urgent notices to the other kings to meet with him in his halls. He needed them to see the madness that Varamont had wrought. They needed to see first-hand what Varamont was capable of and they needed to be ready for when the wizard inevitably came to end them for good.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsRxLcSj92Q
The Queen of Bromidium Keep, Queen Lydia, was brushing her long red hair at her dressing table on the opposite wall of the bed. King Bradevere was dressing himself in his brown leather pants and a thick cotton shirt. He threw a thick surcoat over it and donned his winter cape around his shoulders. 74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4J7vFNiroA
"I am going to go see how things are coming along this morning, dear. If all goes well, we shall see the kings tonight." The king kissed his wife on her head, "I love you. We will stop this madness before it gets worse. I will not let our kingdom fall to ruin."74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUmg3zRJZ7Z
Lydia set her brush down on the table and stood to face her King, "I know you will do everything you can to keep us safe. I love you too." Her voice was soft and gentle as a spring breeze. They shared a loving kiss before parting.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ7UMx1si02
King Bradevere strode out of his bedchamber and stepped off down the hall to meet with his Knights Commander, Alexander. His footsteps echoed in the empty halls of Bromidium Keep as he drew closer to the doors that led out to the carnage that awaited him.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbyksU69PLz
Cold wind blew in rapidly passed his cape as he pushed the massive doors open and he stepped out into the winter sun. As he gazed around, he took in the state of his castle that he worked so hard to maintain.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR5EqhAUXtN
A few minutes of watching his knights and his people going about the cleanup revealed to him one crucial point. They were all terrified. He had to do something to help the hearts of his people.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZn2O24ZMyV
He had seen Alexander out on the battlements with a few other knights as they heaved the corpses off the wall and onto the ground outside. The battlements had been littered with the bodies of the abyssals and their dark blood stained the castle walls. "That is never going to come out." He muttered to himself.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE0DqYVjlZL
King Bradevere strolled past his knights at work on his way to the battlement stairs and as he climbed, Alexander approached him with a bow. "My liege, I hope your night was restful."74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhqN5pkPr6O
The king responded kindly with a gentle hand resting on the pommel of his sword, "I have had better nights but it was enough. Tell me, Commander, how is the cleanup coming along? Have you found anything of interest catch your eye?"74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr6DR3z504b
"Thankfully, my king, I can say there is noth-" Alexander was cut off when a knight on the ground called out to him.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGJinhPydWl
"Commander!" He stood from his crouching position and backed away slowly, "You should come see this!"74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQdAxaipj3I
King Bradevere and Alexander descended the steps briskly and ran over to where the knight stood with his eyes fixed on something within a crater. Without questioning the knight, they followed his gaze to the ground and inside the crater was a pitch black blob of darkness.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhgJ5aIbF1I
"Is that what I think it is," Alexander said in shock.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq0pVK1yWiX
"By all the good that remains in this plane, I sure hope it is not." King Bradevere was hoping against all hope that it was not the abyss. "But I fear it may be."74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXyB9rOtMf0
The blob looked to be very slug-like in appearance and it writhed around as if searching for something. As if searching for a host. It was featureless and void of all light but it seemed to vaguely have sight to some extent. 74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTzPVRzDTF5
"Nobody go near it. If it gets on you I'm not sure we can save you or what it will do." The king said quietly as if not wanting to anger it, "We know not yet what it is wanting or why it was left here." 74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdoXHvl5tsX
"What should we do with it?" Alexander questioned with a good sense of what the king would say next.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8fSmWb2Orw
"We need to capture it. We cannot let it infect anyone. I know not how to kill it nor do I think it can be killed. This is a golden opportunity to study the abyss up close without risk of death. We shall not squander this chance."74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1mIL5OO93J
The knight, Sir Roderick, spoke then, "I shall fetch something to keep it in, my liege." He jogged briskly towards the cellar at the south end of the keep. He hoped he could find a glass jar among the wooden casks. 74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCO6pmdg2Sf
"Why is it still here, I wonder," the king said to no one in particular.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc7xekQkOEx
"If I could make a guess, my king," Alexander suggested.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDYXHOLvbx9
"Of course."74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKqbI02UiHH
"I would say it was left here intentionally for us to collect and study. The reason I say that is because I don't think Varamont wants to kill us outright or he would have done so already."74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLfBsCTibDr
The king looked to his Knight Commander now, "Do you think he is testing us?"74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJKGeHf9zcC
"I believe he is toying with us. He wants to have fun in his sick and twisted way. He has convinced himself that he will win and enslave us in the end so he feels no pressure to take us seriously."74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3L1ORJqojq
"You make sound judgments, Alexander," the king nodded his agreement. 74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡznlsJWZBi4
Sir Roderick returned shortly after he had left with a sizable mason jar, big enough to fit the abyssal slug inside. He handed it to King Bradevere and stepped back to watch the slug, ready for it if it decided to jump on one of the men.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡedP7rlBtkw
"Now the real question is, how do we get it inside?" the king jested.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXRFKzOc8Zs
"Very carefully," Alexander responded with a jest of his own.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2DwmanR27x
After gently lowering the mason jar into the crater using a cloth ribbon tied to it, Alexander gently tapped the slug with his sword to coax it into the jar without startling it. 74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmXlgB5ooxO
The slug jumped at the touch of the sword at first but with enough patience, Alexander was able to get the abyssal slug completely inside. The king jumped into the crater with the lid and swiftly capped the jar before the slug had time to react.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsjwVSEIo2k
King Bradevere lifted the jar up to his eye line and inspected it closely, "How vile," he said with disgust. Now that it was much closer to his eyes he could see it in more detail. Its body rippled under the surface of its skin, if one could describe the surface of the slug as skin.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf2M8kHx0pq
The blackness of it was much darker than at first glance and within its void was a swirling dark purple. The slug must have realized it was trapped because it suddenly started jumping at the glass in the direction of the king.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLXEslw93AW
He shot back in surprise as the slug tried desperately to get out of its glass prison. "Let's cover this little guy up, why don't we," he said as he wrapped the cloth that was still tied to the jar the rest of the way around. Darkness enveloped the slug and it calmed down some. "That's better."74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNi8P7XG3SK
The king climbed out of the crater with the jar in hand, "If you find any more of these, Alexander, do exactly what we did here and bring them to me, please. I am going to take this one and lock it away in a chest. I have the perfect one in mind."74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUeJm5PeJhI
"Without hesitation, my liege," Alexander responded. "Let us hope there are none more to find."74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrDrQhtciAc
"Agreed," King Bradevere said with a head nod. He looked around for anything else that might require his attention as the Knight's Commander and Sir Roderick continued on with their duties.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn73hjYpXJl
The king sauntered back into the keep as the large doors closed gently behind him, echoing in the grand entrance hall. He lifted the jar to take a curious look at the slug again. It's black form nestled in the bottom of the jar as if dormant and it took no notice of the cloth being pulled away some.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6g3F7ePALz
"Interesting," the king whispered to himself. He took a mental note of its behavior and continued to his study in the back of the keep.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡESAVummnYy
He gently pushed open the door to his study. The room was rectangular and it was lit by a window across the way, bathing it in natural light. To his left sat a long table along the wall and underneath it was a chest small enough to lift easily. To his right was a small hearth used to keep his study warm during the winter months. It was always tended to by one of his house subjects and was lit and burning warmly.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQSQABEZcGg
He knelt gently in front of the chest and lifted the lid. Very carefully so as to not disturb the calm demeanor of the abyssal slug, he placed the jar inside. The lid shut with a quiet thud and he slipped a lock through the latch and clicked it tight. He shoved the key into his belt pocket and strolled over to his desk.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡISe1qtpLkM
He pulled a tobacco pipe from a desk drawer and walked to the fireplace. Upon the mantle were thin sticks he used to light his pipe. He dipped one end of a stick into the fireplace and set it alight. He brought the stick up to his pipe which hung out of his mouth and lit the packed tobacco. He inhaled deeply as the tobacco burned red. 74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ19JPFF8Yu3
He casually walked over to the window and stared out over his kingdom, or at least what his kingdom had become now since the night before. He thought of the coming meeting with the three kings. He thought of what to say and what a proper response to these new events would be.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSim2can96j
King Bradevere took a long drag off of his pipe and breathed out deeply, "I hope they arrive soon. We are running out of time."
A few more hours had passed by the time King John had arrived with the winter sun doing little to warm the bitter wind below. He rode into Bromidium Keep sitting atop Caspian, his pure white battle horse adorned in medium weight armor.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7baHYZeTO2
King Bradevere stood on the battlements watching King John as he approached, pipe hanging stiffly from his mouth. He opened and closed his lips quickly as he breathed in and out, puffing smoke into the air. 74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡznnzqVFLzT
He nodded to King John then as their eyes met and made his way down the battlement stairs. His hands clasped behind his back as he strode down at a casual pace. The end of his cape gingerly touched each step as he descended.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrjyqkG6WAV
King John dismounted, patting Caspian on the neck as King Bradevere approached, "I am glad you could make it on such short notice."74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6EX3KA2REh
"Of course. I know you would not summon me if the need not be great."74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNXgFDpuOnj
"I am sure you have questions," King Bradevere said. "I would much like the others to arrive before I explain but seeing as there is no estimated time of arrival, I shall do so."74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEnzTvbXbql
King Bradevere summarized to King John the events of the night before. How not only did abyssals attack but how Varamont had demonstrated his strengths in necromancy.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Txkqz9yTz
"It seems he is jesting with us," King John said. "His arrogance blinds him. He thinks we are without defenses."74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqsPT9riA5m
"He believes we are of no threat to his dominance." King Bradevere inhaled on his pipe for the thousandth time that afternoon. "Let us grab some ale while we wait for the others."74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwXU0X4qR5z
It was not long after the two kings finished their pints when King Gullrock and King Viscount entered the Grand Hall of the keep. They had been escorted in by a knight upon their arrival.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNZOmUxNslV
King Viscount was a very large man but not in the way of obesity. He was a large muscular man that could probably lift a wagon with little effort. His sheer muscle mass generated as much heat as a furnace and because of that he wore a fraction of winter garments than the other kings.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXGrsFehGNF
The two arrival kings entered respectfully and King Viscount spoke with a bear-like voice, "Good afternoon, John, Bradevere." He regarded each one with a head nod and a hand of greeting.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcdEqD1UyzR
"It's good to see you again, Viscount," King John stated. "I was sorry to not see you at our last meeting. Have you sorted out your water situation?"74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOvyWWb20k5
"Indeed I have, but I believe that is not why we have been summoned. I take it from the carnage outside that we have matters to discuss." King Viscount was not much of a man for pleasantries as he preferred to get to the matter at hand.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV81X3B1iMb
King Bradevere nodded and offered the two kings a seat and some ale. They accepted both graciously and the meeting of the Four Kingdoms had begun.
A few hours passed as the four kings drank and went over the details of the night before. The revelation of Varamont's interference with the dead had all of the kings on edge. Varamont had planned to enslave all of life even if said slaves would be a mockery of it.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNBHWWRtkTI
King Bradevere sighed as he remembered the slug that sat locked away in his study. He wished it had not existed and what that existence might mean scared him. How was it able to hold shape without a host? How was it even able to survive without a host? He feared the answers to these questions.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUC7693baGH
"I have also neglected to mention something else," King Bradevere looked to the curious eyes of the other kings. "Excuse me one moment while I retrieve it." He stood from the table, his chair dragging across the stone floor. His cape swayed as he walked from the room. 74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3JA5mMgcSx
The kings began speaking more out of curiosity than anything else as to what King Bradevere had neglected to show them. 74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAq9bZsHWie
The king returned to the Grand Hall with the chest held in front of him, the lock facing the other kings. He walked slowly and carefully so as to not move the chest more than necessary.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiM6lmFUG6J
He gently sat the chest down on the table in front of the kings and placed his hands on either side as he leaned forward. "Now, what lies within this chest I know nothing of. I know not what it signifies nor do I know by what means it exists. I bring this forth to you all now in hopes that we can figure out what to do with it."74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwvwkP4GEpc
"Would you just open the bloody thing please, you're killing me," King Viscount jested almost seriously.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPMoiX3NIfZ
King Bradevere pulled the key out of his belt pouch and reached over the chest to unlock it. The lock dropped to the table with a solid thud as it released. He slowly lifted the chest lid open towards himself and the wrapped glass jar was revealed.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBT1epT9sDv
"What the hell is it?" King Gullrock questioned.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡayrFhEZ4MP
King Bradevere reached in and removed the glass jar from the chest, placing it in front of it. He closed the chest lid, "Anyone want to remove the cloth?" 74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfHXbS8rzJc
King Viscount spent no time in hesitation as he undid the cloth wrappings. The fire light from the Grand Hall shown into the glass jar and revealed the abyssal slug. Its pitch black fleshy figure slowly began to move as it was awoken from its slumber. "What in the blazes am I looking at right now?" 74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbsDXOryQ9q
Suddenly the abyssal slug was now no longer sitting dormant in the jar, it mashed its now-clearly visible teeth at the glass. The slug snarled and growled at the kings while they studied it in bewilderment.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTViQxqopD6
"I believe this to be a physical embodiment of the abyss," King Bradevere stated with a speculative tone. He was unsure what to call it or what it even was. "One of my knights discovered it in the remains of what you see outside." The slug continued to lash out at its prison as the king spoke. "It did not reside within anything, it appeared to have been left intentionally. I am unsure what to make of it."74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKcAizsTODr
King John was the first to speak, "We should kill it. Who knows what its purpose is and we already have enough to deal with. We don't need anything more on our hands. I say we burn it and be rid of its foulness."74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQnjljW8f3w
King Viscount and King Gullrock seemed to be in agreement but King Bradevere seemed to be hesitant about the unanimous decision. "What if this is a rare opportunity to study the abyss close up?"74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL51Zc22r8C
King John suddenly remembered Melganoth, "I know just the man for the job."74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8NwzTaWwU0
"And who would that be?" King Gullrock questioned whether anyone alive knew where to even begin with studying something so unknown.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMMf94xiE61
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ9htaYyCmb
"Try me."74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhYrNFu38jf
"His name is Melganoth and he is the last of the demon race. He was exposed to the abyss when the demons were enslaved and he now has abilities that none other possesses."74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDvVq3naB4r
King Viscount shot up from his chair, "You expect me to trust this demon who has been in contact with the abyss with something like this?"74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi4KEfKmXOp
King John raised a hand as he attempted to calm his friend, "I assure you, Viscount, this demon is an ally. In fact he has already sniffed out a few of my men that had been in league with Varamont. He is a trusted friend of Evander as well. He is a good man and he has helped us in many ways already."74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdtvGgbKs7F
King Viscount was not swayed in his mistrust but he seemed to ease some. He gave King John a look of hesitation, "I won't be so easily convinced, John."74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ9BkIo4ScW
"When have I ever lied to you?" He gave his old friend a raised eyebrow in question. When King Viscount remained silent he continued, "I trust him with my life."74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBvnVbzJPEu
King Viscount studied King John for a moment before replying, "Very well. We shall let your demon study the slug-looking creature. But I will be keeping an eye on him. I have nothing against demons but I do not trust the abyss."74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJdFxmib3AL
"Fair enough," King John said with raised hands. "Now let's get this crazy thing back in its box."
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The shadowed figure sat perched in the ceiling above the room of the Grand Hall of Bromidium Keep, watching the four kings discuss their plans that would not come to pass.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiXIRfyk7w8
A smile spread across his face in the shadow of his hood as King Bradevere shared his discovery of the planted abyss. They at first wanted to burn it and not leave anything to chance which angered the shadowed man some. That was until they decided to let the demon have a look at it. 74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHafVcPpsi1
His smile crept back over his face and his blackened eyes reflected the fire from the hearth below him. Everything was continuing as planned. The abyss would be taken to the demon.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWIhwAsjIY6
