“How will this barrier work?” Mei asked while panting after he finished setting everything up.
“You don’t look that well, I mean that the floor was dry a moment ago.” Cain gave her a questioning look.
“You said it was stronger but didn’t mention it was ten times. The best improvement I’ve seen in my life was half, and with how amazing your mana was, I expected the improvement to be even less.” She tried to stand up.
“Next time, listen to my warnings.”
“Fine, could you tell me about the barrier now? You told me about the script but I couldn’t wrap my head fully around it, and I wasn’t concentrating that well.”
“Fine, I’ll explain again.” He lifted his hand up and created a miniature version of [Prismatic dome]
“This is the spell, a ninth-tier spell called a prismatic dome. It creates a barrier of condensed magic around a massive area to protect it against attacks. It’s really powerful since the barrier itself is extremely sturdy, has resistance to all damage, and regenerates from the caster’s mana.”
“I understand that, but what’s the difference between it and what you made now?”
“The one I made now has its script tripled and spread across the city, this means taking the barrier down without breaking it is almost impossible. I linked it to the maze and then to Hell (Through the Hell Gate he obtained before) so it has an almost infinite source of Mana for infinite regeneration.” Cain took a deep breath.
“And on top of that, I gave it the [Zone of Truth] effect so, at the guards and inspection posts, any caught criminal or an individual faking who he is, and suspicious people will get ejected immediately.”
“It also has an alarm that will trigger the moment the barrier is attacked. It will notify everyone in the city and also me, wherever I was.”
“Wait, all of that in one go?” Mei gasped.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt“It’s just multiple spells stacked together like a sandwich. The fancy stuff is the guardian.” Cain gave her an evil smile.
“What guardian?”
“I need someone to be controlling the barrier, watching everything that happens around it, and get rid of the monsters and bandits who are going to cause damage.”
“Isn’t that the adventurers’ job?”
“Well, if a monster is just roaming around, the guild can send its adventurers. But, if the monster was about to kill someone, destroy a farm. If the bandits have kidnapped someone outside the city, about to do something bad. The adventurers are going to be late, so it will be the guardian’s job to save them. They need to be able to be everywhere at all times without getting exhausted, needing food or sleep, and have enough strength to beat A-rank monsters.”
“And who is this miraculous guardian of yours?” Mei looked skeptical, even Cain himself can’t do what he just said.
“Well, I happened to have just the right person.” Cain used [Message] to call someone.
Knock! Knock! “Master, can I enter?” A familiar voice called from behind the door.
When the door opened, a maid walked in. Amaya Bennett bowed slightly. “You called me, right?”
“Yes I did, can you spread the army of the undead around the city, and just let them stay hidden underground?” Cain asked with a happy face.
“I don’t know how to do that.” She tilted her head to the side, she might have become a zombie and might have had an undead army behind her for a while, but she never used them.
“For a start, just summon a zombie and try focusing on him.”
Amaya did as Cain told her, from a hit of darkness under her skirt, a dark blob came out and transformed into a zombie. When she closed her eyes to focus on him, she was able to see and hear what he see and hear.
“See, you can even control them if you want. And since you’re undead, your base nature is mana-moving corpses. You and all the undead are a single being, a monster from my mana.” Cain explained.
“I don’t want to be a monster.” She looked sad.
“Hold up, that means you’re the brain. The part that has control over all of the others. You aren’t a monster.” Cain scrambled to calm her down.
“What about Bela, can’t she do it,” Amaya asked.
“No, if you’re the brain, she is the spine. Your orders go through her, and then she relays them to all the undead. And when something sudden happens, she can react individually sending a small order on her own. But those are her limits, I don’t want her to hold a whole army in her hand as she might try and turn at us.”
“Fine, I understand. Should I call her?”
“Of course, and test your command over her just in case.” Cain smiled.
“Bela, come here…” When Amaya spoke, Bela appeared in the same way the zombie did but she had an annoyed face on until she spotted Cain.
“Master Cain, we’re in your room, right? Do you need any service…” As Bela was about to leap at Cain, “Sit.” Amaya whispered.
Thud! Bela’s body moved on its own, her knee bent and she fell on her back end immediately.
“Keep it up,” Cain said with a smile.
“Apologize to master and come stand beside me,” Amaya said.
Bela banged her head on the ground, “Sorry for my rudeness, Master Cain.” She then stood and walked to stand beside Amaya.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm“See, it works perfectly. Now you can let her go.” Cain said with a smile.
“You’re free. To do what you want.” Amaya said and Bela fell to the ground.
“What was that?” she stared at Cain.
“I had Amaya test how much control she had over the higher undead in the army. She would be fine if she can control you this easily.” He replied.
“That wasn’t funny.” Bela stood up, “Won’t I have something back?”
Cain thought for a moment, “How about I give you a clear goal to work with for?”
“What could you give me? I’m already undead, instead if you’re talking about…” She glared at the bed.
Cain had this evil smile on his face, “Listen, I hate your entire family since you ruined mine. That will never change.” He sat on the bed.
“But I’m willing to look past that, you standing here and not getting tortured in hell is a good example.” No matter how they looked at it, Bela’s unlife as a lich is far more pleasant and luxurious than getting tortured over and over in hell after death. This was a prime reason many mages strive to become lichs because they did a lot of hideous things and didn’t want to end up in hell.
“I know that and I’m grateful, I won’t deny that,” Bela said with a serious face.
“Both your husband and daughter are in hell suffering, he might be in the seventh or eighth circles. But your daughter should only be in the first. People who were raised wrongfully by their parents aren’t treated that harshly.” Cain evils smile grew wider.
“What do…” Bela stared at him with her lip shaking.
“Be obedient, never say no, and always keep your head down. Obey all of Amaya’s orders and strive to gain her favor.” Cain stood from the bed.
“And I will bring your daughter from hell as a lich, this is a deal with me. An eldritch monster.”
It was then that Bela felt a shred of Cain’s true self, the monster he became. A primordial being that powers were unknown, something even more sinister than devils.