I am at the Executioners office. Inside here is pretty nice. I can comfortably do my work.

Maps, notes, knowledge about our enemy, and many more, I gained all of these after my glorious victory.

But I cannot just sit back and wait while our enemy or General Leonard, to be more specific, prepares his forces for the next strike.

I must do an advancement, especially after I acquired my undead forces from our dead enemy.

They don't need to do much other than protect a fortress, but even that will change many things.

First, I can use this theoretically gained territory for trading, and supply food, medicine, and tools for my people.

Then I can also recruit people who might help me with their skills and knowledge.

A magician or someone with chemistry knowledge would be great to add to my subjects.

And maybe someone, like a traveling bard who knows many things about politics and history. 

I already have a Dwarven history master on my service, but humans are more important in the current conflict.

"What you are thinking about, dear Lich King." A woman's voice, both soft and cold at the same time.

"Who are you." I hastily directed my sword to sound.

A woman. At least fifty years old

 is waiting on a corner. She is wearing a pretty expensive-looking dress decorated with various gems and gold accessories.

She is staring at me with a cigarette in her hand.

"Someone with an offer." She smiled. "And someone with a gift you cannot reject."

There is a sinister aura around her. I don't know what, but I feel like I am talking with the devil herself right now.

"May I ask who you are first."

She suddenly frowned and threw the cigarette in her hand to the ground, but without doing anything, she was back to her old self in an instant.

And another cigarette dropped onto her hand from thin air then lit itself.

"You are an interesting character, Lich King Erwin. How sad that I wasn't able to see that at first. But I've been watching you since the day you killed my dear Alexandros."

The Lady. Without a doubt, that's the person who goes far as assassinating a hero for power.

And the same person who once held great power in this world, not in the region, in the whole world.

At least, that is what legends say about her.

"Knowing who you are, I feel like every second I am talking to you put more and more strings to trap me. Be fast and tell me what you offer."

Lady smiled. "Now you are talking in a way I want you to talk. I offer you knowledge in exchange for future  cooperation."

Well, it is a gift with no consequence, for now. I want to know it.

"So, what is that knowledge."

"Arthur, your friend is got hold in a fortress not too far away from here. What is it called? Oh yeah, Eidenburg. Has the same name as the town nearby."

So, that's where Arthur is, but I cannot deny the chances of it all being a trap.

I won't go there with my army, but rather myself. How idiotic and heroic, still I can escape with Fionnlaghs help, but my army cannot.

In a sudden night raid, I can take some of their night guards and create chaos with my undead, grab Arthur and move out by flying.

"Then I will use this information." I tried to bow for a sign of thanks.

But she stopped me by grabbing me from the shoulder. "You don't need to, dear. I will have my payment in a way or another, anyway. Just do your thing."

With a sudden black mist appeared and swollen the Lady as a whole.

"Silvertower, prepare me some equipment. I go out for a mission!" I shout as I exit the room.

---------------- A week later.

And the moon rises as the sun goes to his bed.

Night and dark cover the mother earth once more, with the holy moon sparing some of her light with us.

"I will come back fast as I can, don't worry." Silvertower and Mel are waiting right next to me.

"We know you will, but be careful. I don't know what, but I smell something sinister." Silvertower grabbed me from the shoulder. "We cannot afford to lose you."

That is true, and I am sad that I am taking a risk that I probably shouldn't take. But I must find Arthur.

"I know that, but I need to do this. Be careful while I am away." I pat Fionnlagh's head, and Wyvern began flying.

It feels great to feel the wind on my face, and the fresh air is a miracle for my lungs. 

"Buddy, let's change the directions for a second. I remembered something."

I grew stronger since I escaped the forest. But I won't return there for the second round. I go there to pick a weapon.

An ax large enough to kill giants, a weapon I wasn't lucky enough to experience its might.

"It should be here, the weapon used by the Draugr Warcheiftein. I am not sure, but the surrounding feels similar."

Maybe that's about the gift or curse given to me by the gods, but I know this location.

"Go, land right down."

Wyvern obeyed my order and landed right down.

"It is right there with all of its might."

The giant ax stuck on the ground. It is screaming for its next battle under the moonlight.

But, will I be able to worthy of it? I can only try and see the answer.

So, I began moving towards it. With each of my steps, snow on the ground crunched, and with every step, I felt courage.

Courage coming from my victory.

Courage gave me the strength to try.

"Here it goes."

With both my hands, I grabbed the weapon almost large as myself and began pulling it out.

And a blue light began covering my body, giving me even more strength.

I shout. "I claim this weapon! Bring me glory in my wars. The Butcher." 

As I pul the weapon out from the ground and raise it to the air where the moon shines on it even brighter, something inside me lighten up.

"Beautiful." 

I slammed the weapon to the ground, and all of the snow and dirt stuck on its body dropped.

"And strong. Let's go, Fionnlagh. We still have a mission we must finish."

Once again, my winged friend began flying. Now towards the town near the fortress where they hold Arthur.

Thankfully the surrounding area is covered with trees, and a wild Wyvern might cause some alert at best.

So, it will be good for me to land somewhere near and walk to the town.

"Like there, go land." I pointed to a small hill not too far away from the town that just appeared in our sight.

Fionnlagh changed his direction and landed to where I point after a short flight.

"Good boy, now wait for me here. I will try to finish everything on the same day, but if not, then we will do it tomorrow."

I only need some information then I raid the fortress right afterward. It is just too close to the town.

Now I only need to move towards the town and hope nothing tries to ambush me meanwhile.

I don't know what creature might kill me or not. I wait for everything from this world.

"Somethings wrong." I slow down my footsteps because of voices coming from nearby.

 It could be a scouting party or a group of young people searching for fun outside the town.

But it could be something dangerous. I must see it.

"And idiot me should play the hero at the worst times."

I duck down near a bush and begin looking at a group of people.

Each of them is carrying weapons and lanterns with a crystal for the source of light on the hand. 

They don't look like rangers or town guards, but they look similar to the bandits I killed a while ago. 

"Come on, why are you so scared about some bandits? Weren't you repeating that minutes ago?"

A young man with a scar on his face approached a naked man with lots of bruises.

 

The young bandit is holding a pretty sword in his hand, and he is slowly dragging its edges around the tied man's face.

"How sad these little bandits manage to defeat you." Suddenly a young bandit stabs the man from his leg. 

And with a psychopathic voice. "That's what happens when these little bandits don't get paid enough. Come on, everybody! Today is my treat. Everything you loot is yours, and every girl you put your hands first as well."

Bandits raised a cheer, and many more of them showed their faces.

There are at least a hundred of them.

It could be best to stay away, but I have a question. It appears that the central authority of this realm is so weakened that bandits can raid a town near a fortress.

That creates an idea. "Gain the trust of people. That's how I will conquer the North."

And I will do something idiotic.

So, I picked the giant weapon, and blue lights covered my body.

"Today is not your lucky day, my friend. Now go while you have the chance."

I took their attention as I wanted.

Young bandit with a surprised voice. "Who might that be."

"An idiot." I laugh. "Just an idiot."

"Look at our hero. Are you here to beat us and save these innocent people?"

"They never end."

"I see that armor first. It is mine."

Without even fighting, they are already planning on their victory loot. How cute.

"Shut up, you idiots." The young bandit shut his underling's mouths. "What do you want from us? Are you with Aezikal?"

"Azikal? Who the hell is that? I am here to stop you guys from raiding that town."

A bandit amongst them steps forward. "Then how great." He is carrying a double-sided dagger. A very useless-looking weapon. "That means I can kill you right now!"

Bandit began running towards me with great speed.

But not enough for me.

I slashed my weapon forward with an unexpectedly high speed as the bandit came into my range.

The giant ax's edge cut the man's armor and body like butter in one swing.

"One down, many more to go."

--------------

Bandit after bandit run to me for their death. And I kill each one of them.

But after the fifth man, they start running away. I was expecting that they are not trained warriors but rather bandits.

But even amongst this dishonorable group, one still stands his ground. 

The young bandit.

"I knew that I shouldn't have hired them in the first place, but well, after killing you and raiding this place, I can hire better guys."

Young bandit pulled his sword out from the tied man's leg. "Try to match my speed if you could!" A yellow light started coming from his body.

"So, you say that." I throw The Butcher away and draw my sword. "Let's get a little more serious then."