The march home was quieter than the one that began it.
Iden's forces moved in formation, every step measured. The rescued villagers from Ironrest followed at a distance, some still in disbelief at how easily their false rulers had fallen.
But Iden didn't smile.
He was already planning.
By the time the force returned, the village was abuzz with activity. Thorn and the elite scouts had resumed outer patrols, Builders were reinforcing everything from the north rampart to the central watchtower, and Milo had finally constructed a central logistics board.
"Resource flow is stabilizing," he reported to Iden. "We're low on refined metals, but the Crypt Alloy and beast components from Ironrest will give us flexibility. The new blueprints… are interesting."
He handed Iden three scrolls, tied in the enemy Candidate color-sigil.
• Blueprint: Etheric Relay Hub – Boosts communication and command radius• Blueprint: Tiered Summoning Arena – Enables summon-focused training trials• Blueprint: Field Enhancement Sigil (Zone-Wide) – Grants a buff zone when defended properly
Iden nodded. "We'll build the Relay Hub first. Prioritize structure expansion after that."
That evening, beneath the central shrine, Iden approached Kael alone.
Three heavily wrapped corpses had been secured within containment glyphs—far from where civilians could see.
"You said your skill can raise the dead," Iden said calmly. "But these are different."
Kael looked at the wrapped bundles, his eyes twitching with caution.
"They were Candidates. That means their cores are... more than raw mana. It's a risk."
Iden stepped beside him. "And a reward."
Kael knelt and laid his hand upon the first corpse.
[Skill Used: Unholy Resurgence]Attempting to raise Undead Unit…Target: Tier-Candidate Class Entity…
Success.
The body shifted. The bones restructured. Memories flickered like shadows behind empty sockets.
Kael's breath caught—and then steadied.
EXP Gained: +22,400Kael has leveled up! [Level 5 → 6 → 7 → 8]
New Skill Unlocked: Soulbind Convergence→ Raised targets can temporarily use the abilities they held in life.→ Passive boost to undead units when near Necromancer (Aura-style).
Two more Candidates followed. Each was bound, silenced, stripped of will—but not of function.
The three undead now stood silently near Kael's workshop—enshrouded in silence glyphs, their glowing eyes blank.
"They retain their utility," Kael murmured. "Not their rebellion."
Iden placed a hand on Kael's shoulder. "Then use them. Learn from them. We'll never waste a weapon."
Kael nodded, quieter than usual. But something in him had changed.
He had walked deeper into necromancy—and had not returned untouched.
That night, as stars wheeled over the expanding village, a new kind of order began.
Governance boards were assigned.
Civilian leaders began emerging.
Structures turned from defense to infrastructure.
And Iden, at the heart of it, watched the glowing lights of his growing domain—and the walking corpses of his enemies—knowing full well:
This was only the beginning.