17 Mistakes

The flood of energy started to slow, he could see the transformation nearly complete with his knights, they were sitting on the bed, spread out, covered in sweat with gritted teeth their skin now a bluish blackwhile their hair had turned a silvery steel color just a few shades darker than Salem's own hair.

The exceptions were the twins along with Annah and Jennah, theirs was just shy of being identical to his own. The twins' eyes were once a dark blue, beautiful and calming, now they burned like bright sapphire blue suns in the dark, they now had a cruel cold beauty to them.

Annah and Jennah were just like the twins, bright silvery hair that reached the small of their backs elongated ears and skin had been normal as to changing their looks which now had more elegance but it was their eyes that experienced a change just like the twins as well. Annah now had scarlet red eyes that seemed like they could burn a hole through any man that tried to match her gaze as if the world would burn just from a simple glance.

While Jennah who had grey eyes before now had Silver eyes that glowed with a rulers grace as if she saw through what made a man or woman sin and would pass judgment upon them ending any and all should they question her verdict.

Salem smiled as he thought of how his knights were the most beautiful women to walk this earth, his knights were no longer fragile humans whose lives could be snuffed out, their senses were amplified manyfold the training they had endured before would make them bringers of death on any field of battle. They wouldn't need to fear mortal death so long as he lived to guard their souls against time, he could far outlive them but he would never net these women who had sworn loyalty first parish, he would find a way to bind his people to the land making their lives hundreds if not thousands of times longer.

Walking forward he kissed each of his knights with tender affection until he reached his place, laying down he could feel every one of his knights moving closer, he could feel their life energy no longer seemed dull, they each burned brightly without even a flicker of dullness left and with those thoughts he closed his eyes and slept.

Waking up he smiled as he remembered the events of last night, he tried to move when he realized he was trapped the twins had somehow wrapped themselves around his legs while using his stomach as a pillow, that wouldn't have been so bad since he could just pick them up normally, but Annah and Jennah it seemed like they had conspired with the twins as they had taken one arm each holding him down, it would be very difficult to escape this heaven.

"Might as well just enjoy it, he thought to himself, System please show me my stats and did you try and tell me something last night?" A cool voice answered him promptly, "Yes master Salem, I did congratulate you on augmenting your bloodline with that once half-elf, she had an almost direct line of descent to a progenitor and we were able to break it down and add it to your ownstrengthening your own bloodline, body, and increasing some of your affinities while granting you a new ability in the process.

Name:Salem Belegast

Location:Country->??? City->Koftas

CP: 1.370.000

Race: (High) Void Elf

Physique:Tier- 2 Stage- 0

Agility:Tier- 2 Stage- 0

Intelligence:Tier- 2 Stage-1

Wisdom:Tier- 2 Stage-3

<Abilities/Powers>

Devour- Absorb(T-2)

Mind- Alure(T-2), Mind Control(T-0)

Space- Short range teleport(T-0), Pocket Dimension(T-2)

Death- Raise Undead(T-2), Command Undead(T-2), Death Bolt(T-0)

Wraith-Armor-1

Wraith-weapon-1

Wraith-Soul Brand-2

Wraith-SolarFlame-1

<Forces>

Wraith knights: 21

Skeletons: 350

Looking over his stats he was excited that he had finally broken past tier one in all of his attributes, with help of his bloodline getting to tier three was only a matter of time after he broke through, he knew his progress would slow down unless he could draw from a massive amount of energy, his body would soon be getting used to the herbs and he would need to find stronger variations to nourish his growing body.

He would need to collect more troops as well, inspect the tunnel and gates progress, plant the other obelisks. Once the tunnel was completed he would need to go to the other city on a diplomatic trade mission to notify them of a safer route and possibly request aide for the city lord it if was necessary. There were also more children scheduled to arrive at the end of the month, there were more than double than the first group that came and he knew it would continue to grow as they were found and brought to him.

He needed to start making his way into the trade within the city before his funds started to become scarce, he could make weapons, trinkets, and enchant thread for clothing with many uses. All of these would be highly sought after but it would be unlikely anyone could match his current skill level other than masters who had honed their skills with decades of practice. With what his creator had given him he had a huge advantage over most craftsmen, and with the twins being adept in smithing he could teach them how to craft like an elf with his techniques and knowledge they would match those masters in no time at all.

As he was thinking of his plans, the girls clinging to him each woke up and started playing with him to get his attention, feeling the ticklish sensation on his stomach he escaped his thoughts, Jennah and Annah were just being playful, unlike the twins who might be trying to start something else as their kisses were getting lower, "Come here each of you, I have another gift for you that will assist you, in your work and with your apprentices.

Each of you will receive a ring of power, it will amplify your abilities slightly but the ring will allow you to slowly make an apprentice into a knight by binding their soul closely with your own so they can get accustomed to the powers we share. It will also let you bring weaker undead like the skeletons into our forces though it will drain you slightly for every use, it also is a storage device using your will on the ring you will be able to sense more than see a space within."

Taking a ring from his pocket dimension to show them, it was black with a silver band going around and meeting the Belegast crest. Taking Jennahs hand he placed the ring on her right hand and kissed her cheek, he did the same for everyone except for the twins who needed more than a peck on the cheek to be satisfied.

He asked Jennah and Annah to collect more forces from the horde outside now that it was day time, giving them the clothes for what they collected, telling the others that they were free to explore the house and play with the children but to stay within the grounds of the clan and to get used to their new appearances. He had noticed a few of them being distracted with their reflections and each other who hadn't had a chance to see how they had changed, seeing everything in a new light with heightened senses would take a little getting used to.

After his meditation and bath he went and had breakfast with the children who were hardly affected by their sudden change, he explained what they were now and that they would get to try new things and learn and become strong so they can protect their new family. Which was met with smiles and laughter, they had finally started to find out that they had a home where they were wanted and loved.

Smiling as he took the twins to the forges, it was time for their first lesson, which turned out rather well with their foundation being firm they picked up the new techniques and skills quickly. It turns out they had been learning from their parents before they had died in robbery luckily the girls had been out playing in a different part of the smithy or they would've been killed or worse.

Leaving the twins to experiment with the new skills, he ordered a different set of herbs for the baths along with the original so the children and knights would be able to use it, he even sold a portion to the city lord to help him and his men recover quickly. Once his own forces were strong enough he would start selling it as a family specialty to open avenues in trade, at that thought he would go to the tunnel and see how close he was to breaching to the other side.

Dressed in silver and black robes, he had four knights and twenty skeletons with him as a retinue, they walked to the gate and moved to the tunnel, the inspection showed he was ahead of schedule in a few short weeks he would break through, that was if he didn't add more workers to the effort, than they could start expansion to widen the tunnel.

Satisfied with the work he left the tunnel, as he exited the darkened cave he heard screaming from the workers in charge of moving the excess stone to key portions of the city and businesses who needed it for materials. Rushing over he saw a group of men killing his workers, with a mental pull he ordered half of his skeletons in the mine to come to his aid, "Kill these scum!" he ordered his knights who were running alongside him. They summoned armor and weapons and donned their masks as the ran toward and engaged the intruders.

Raging at the thought of someone wishing his people harm and attempting to take their lives for no reason washed over him, approaching a man dressed as a bandit, he whipped his tail from the side smashing into the man's head who was unaware of the incoming elf, with a crunch and splatter as the man was killed blood fell onto his silver robes as he watched the mans headless body slowly go limp.

Feeling disgusted at taking a life he did his best to hold his stomach contents, gritting his teeth, he marched into the skirmish, as a man running towards him with a short sword swung his blade, using his gauntlet to deflect the blade he grabbed the man by the neck and held him there squeezing the life out of him, with a twist he broke the mans sword arm, a muffled cry of pain came from the man. Salem drew on a new ability and sent a death bolt flying into the back of another bandit who was about to kill another worker, taking another life.

Returning to the man in his hands, he looked him in the eyes and crushed his throat letting him die in the dirt, whipping his tail out he took another life with a sickening crunch. Flinching at the sound he continued to defend his workers knowing it was necessary got him through until he saw a bandit edging away from this lost cause.

Dodging an incoming blow, Salem shattered his attacker's knee with a kick and chased the runner, catching him was of no issue with his inhuman speed, grabbing the man by the collar he dragged him back to the where the last of his comrades was just executed by one of his knights.

"Go ahead of us and prepare an area for the wounded, tie this man up I will interrogate him back at the mansion,"he ordered a knight, nodding her head she ran toward their home, he commanded the skeletons to lift the wounded and take them back under the watch of skeletons he moved his remaining skeletons with them who carried the dead bandits and workers alike.

He spat out some bile that had made it to his mouth, walking back to his home in this state he felt numb only wanting to sit down and be surrounded by his knights. He was far from being strong enough, he brooded, walking past the others he made his way into the mansion he saw from the corner of his eye the servants rushing to help the wounded.

He had made a mistake, he didn't post scouts near the tunnel yet, he may not have done this himself but partial blame was on him for not taking the precaution to guard against it. He entered his room and sat at his desk, looking into the mirror he saw the demonic visage he wore, "They attacked because they thought I was weak, but I am not, I will make them fear me so they will not try to harm my people again."

Taking a deep breath, he got up and asked a knight where the prisoner was, apparently, there were a few holding cells beneath the mansion in case they needed to hold criminals within their territory, nodding his head he followed the knight and entered the small dungeon.

He found the man chained to a wall, " Who sent you here?" he asked as the man stayed silent without paying him any attention. Feeling a headache from this nonsense, he thought it would be useful to just read his mind. Wait he didn't need to read it he had an untested ability that could be used in this situation activating his mind control felt different than most of his abilities.

He could feel his mind reaching and searching for the target like it was its own self yet it was still him moving in this strange form, the mental form touched the man's head trying to break into his thoughts and take over, it was a struggle, there was a natural defense around most beings with self-awareness though not impenetrable it was still able to guard against a first attempt.

Salem's eyes twitched, the mental struggle had been annoying and drained him of his mental focus all he wanted was to break this man apart for scheming against him, in his anger he summoned his tail which was now three instead of his original one, whipping one forward he broke the man's knees as the man was in pain the mental energy broke the defense and took the mans mind and held it hostage.

Success! he thought, " Who sent you to attack my people?" he said holding back his anger, the man looked up with a vacant expression, "It was Lord Madden who ordered us to slow your pace on the tunnel, I don't know the full reason other than it was to take part in the southern area into his houses territory" the man answered so Salem released the control looking at the mans frightened expression allowed him to know the man remembered the short conversation.

Turning away from the frightened man he walked to the stairs, his knight following him, "what should we do with him, master?" she asked in a low voice. He kept walking, "Bring him and the dead bodies to the edge of the southern district I will meet you there in a while." He went to the forges for an hour and left to meet up with the knights at the edge of his district.

He came to his knight and had them line up the bodies he then took a long spear from his pocket dimension, he impaled one of the bodies and lifted it above his head, he heaved the spear up and pierced it in the ground, he repeated this action till only his prisoner was left.

Taking out a spear with a banner of his family crest attached he approached the prisoner who was being held by two knights, he stared into the man's eyes and thrust the spear into his chest, but though the wound wouldn't kill him immediately he would suffer just long enough to let others know his whereabouts, he once again lifted the spear and hung the man up high for all to see, the man screamed from the pain. The spear had a single enchantment, to produce pain, and it did its job very well.

Walking away from the screaming man he passed his knights which followed behind him, "Master why did we do this? This is something I haven't seen or heard being done before even for a warning it is a bit extreme don't you think?" a knight asked quietly.

"A warning? I am not warning them, my dear, the warning was implied when I killed all of their men," Then what is this for master?" a little confused she asked, he turned he kissed her on the forehead he answered her in a stern voice.

"For them to feel fear."