Dave moved steadily ahead and away from the forge. He wanted to challenge the Abyssal Knight rank and be among the mightiest of the legion by today's end. The Undead King's a.s.sault on the Ash King was nigh, and he wanted to play an active part in the conquest.

The world will soon come to know of the Undead Legion's full might. But the Ash King was a hurdle they needed to fight soon. The ruler of demons is going to start recruiting players, making the whole task extremely difficult for Dave.

Not only are the Demons powerful on their own, add the Players and you'll have a force that cannot be stopped. Even the Undead Legion will suffer from that collaboration if it happens.

Dave opened his undead management panel. In the Undead Ascension option, he clicked on the Abyssal Knight challenges. He paid 1,000,000 Cp to take the challenge.

He immediately received a notification afterward.

***

You have chosen to take the Abyssal Knight Challenge.

You only have one chance at succeeding it! Do not fail!

The Undead King has requested your presence to fill you up on the details of your challenge.

Make haste!

***

Dave moved toward the palace, un.o.bstructed by any of the palace guardians and Death Knights. All gave way for Dave as they bowed and moved away. He didn't doubt that the armor set he wore was the reason for it.

Once Dave climbed up to the Throne Room, the Undead King, on one rare occasion was standing in the middle of the hall, and not his throne.

Dave nodded and spoke, "Your majesty, I come to take my quest."

"Yes, Childe, it is today, that you shall be one of Our mightiest children. We have a task for you, that you must not fail in, but even if such misfortune happens, We shall not think less of you, as you have proven that you are truly of the Legion, again, and again." The Undead King Solemnly spoke.

"Thank you for your trust, but I'll make sure to fulfill my mission," Dave said.

"Good, then, Samael, come," The undead king spoke.

The Shadow Ghoul Abyssal Knight showed up in the middle of the room, bloodied and battered, and missing a limb.

"What the h.e.l.l happened to you?" Dave asked.

"h.e.l.l itself," Samael snorted.

Dave waited for the ghoul to give him a full recounting of what happened, the Abyssal Knight Samael was rarely in such a condition, and the last time Dave and the only time he ever saw him bloodied to this extent was when he fought against the Undead King himself. To be battered to this extent meant that he fought something extremely strong.

"I failed my quest in retrieving the G.o.d Slaying Bolt, I was caught the moment I tried to enter the vault and the Ash King's minions caught up to me, I fought to save my hide, but if it weren't for Dagla, I'd be a goner," Samael said.

"It sucks, but I don't see the problem, I mean even if you die, you'll return thanks to the Death Heart," Dave said.

"Not if you were struck by the G.o.d Slaying Bolt, which happened to me, it temporarily removes the Death Heart's immortality, for a few days I am truly and utterly mortal, my Death would have been permanent if I fell at the Ash-king's keep, that's why Dagla sacrificed a good portion of his magic to bring me back, he is recuperating, and I need to wait for a few days before the full effect of the G.o.d Slaying Bolt dissipate and I could regenerate my health,"

"d.a.m.n that sounds like a nasty tool, so let me guess, I'll have to go and retrieve this?" Dave asked the Undead King.

"Yes, it is up to you whether you take the Quest or not, but We have but you to trust with such impossible task," The undead king said.

Dave laughed, "Wouldn't that be belittling Samael's hard work, I'm not as strong as him."

"It was never Strength that reigned among us the Undead, it is the wit and well usage of one's mind. Samael was expected to come, the G.o.d Slaying Bolt was placed somewhere designed to trap and kill the best a.s.sa.s.sins, it was designed to counter Samael, but not to counter Kis'Shtiengbrah, go, retrieve the object, Samael shall tell you all you need to know about it." The undead king said.

***

Abyssal Knight Ascension Quest.

You have been tasked to retrieve the "G.o.d Slaying Bolt" the very tool that almost killed the Undead G.o.d and had his memory wiped from the minds of the Undead.

Samael has failed in retaking the Bolt, and it is right now, in its most vulnerable state as the Ash King will not expect another attempt at the Bolt due to the Legion's most fearsome a.s.sa.s.sin being repelled.

Ask Samael and for more information on the tool's whereabouts and how to reach it.

***

Dave turned to the Ghoul and asked him,

The latter coughed and said "follow after me,"

Once Samael moved out of the palace room, the undead king placed his hand on Dave's shoulder and said, "Good luck, son."

Just for a moment, Dave felt a warmth he never felt before, a father figure immediately replaced his own biological father. The Undead King, even for a moment, felt like a real father to Dave, and in his concern and worry for Dave, Dave wanted to do all within his power to fulfill the quest and make the Undead King proud of him.

"You don't need to worry or have a doubt in your heart, I will succeed."

"It is for this, that We Love you so, Childe," the undead king smiled and removed his hand, a signal for the later to move on.

Dave nodded and followed after Samael, even wounded and battered, the ghoul was still fast on his feet and had arrived at the lowest part of the palace much faster than Dave.

Once the two of them were on the lowest floor, a disheveled Dagla met them, Dave noticed long black veins spreading across the Arch-lich's body, his hands and were more emaciated than before.

The Great Arch-Lich looked in agony, but he denied it the moment Dave asked him if he was feeling alright.

"Stop lying, you're in an even worse case than I am and I'm missing an arm and currently mortal," Samael said.

"Really?" Dave turned toward the Arch-Lich.

"Don't believe this old fossil, it's just a bit of Mana exhaustion, nothing a good rest wouldn't help fix. Now, yes, His Majesty has said that you need to retrieve the bolt, sadly Samael can't accompany you, nor could any of the Abyssal Knights, as the security in the Ash King's Keep is designed to specifically target and limit our access to it, however, you are not yet an abyssal Knight."

"Yes, that's what this whole thing is about anyway, now, can you tell me the details, location and the hurdles I'll have to face while trying to get that thing back?" Dave asked.

"Well, the location is obviously the Ash King's Keep, the fort of his power and where he is mightiest. The enemies, the entire d.a.m.ned Demonic Race, and for the details, the Bolt is in the hand of one of his Chosen Ones." Dagla said.

"Hol��up! You mean I'll have to literally go behind enemy lines, fight against a Chosen One, beat his a.s.s while there are G.o.d knows how many millions of Demons lurking in wait, all under the watchful gaze of the Ash King and try to steal back a G.o.d Killing tool without dying in the process?"

Both Dagla and Samael looked at each other and replied, "You summarized it nicely, so yes."

Dave looked at the two for a moment and said, "Great, when can I start?"