Elinor walked behind Boss, trying her best to keep a straight posture. Her undead creatures followed in the foliage to shroud the soft glow of their burning bones, keeping their distance; they used their natural connection to her to stay hidden while in pursuit.

She examined the deathly silent surroundings with mild interest. The streets were mostly empty, which surprised her; every road they walked down housed a few cars and evidence of violence. Blood was splattered across sections of the streets, and belongings were tossed out onto the pavement; there were signs of panic all around her.

Boss and the other toads kept a watchful eye on their surroundings while ushering her on, guiding their small group further into the town. Elinor began to hear sounds in the distance; at first, it was high-pitched shrieks of women and children, car horns, gunfire, and breaking glass, but the further they walked, the more she heard. After a time, she began to hear men shouting and the dull hum of toads communicating.

Rounding a corner, she had her first glimpse of the crystal she’d heard Raul mention. There was an olive-green glow surrounding the amber-colored object. It was oval-shaped, and at least five meters tall and two and a half meters wide. The smooth stone hovered a few inches off the roughly paved road and gave the appearance of being transparent; she could see into it as if she were gazing into a window. Inside was a small clearing, large clumps of grass, lush trees, and water; she knew it was nighttime, even if her vision could pierce the night, and it appeared to be an untamed jungle wetland.

At first, her curiosity got the better of her; she watched groups of various patterned and colored toads escort the giant alligator-toads to and from the crystal, loaded up with different local items inside massive baskets strapped to their backs.

On closer inspection, even the creatures had their own colors and patterns that seemed to distinguish between the parties; the blood markings on their heads and bodies, the basket material on pet’s backs, and the types of items they carried all seemed to signify something.

They walked right into the crystal as if it wouldn’t impede them in the least, and it didn’t; the moment they came into contact with the stone, they walked into it as if it were a doorway. There was no change in light, no sound, not a single apparent shift in the structure; they stepped into it and were gone. After a moment, a new group of toads with a different creature would appear. There seemed to be a pattern to the exported materials and the types of toads that returned to get more.

Boss moved them toward the crystal without delay, but they slowed as a group of people came into the street from around the corner. There was a long line of humans, tied together with vines that were attached to the back of a massive creature, and on its back was a basket full of dead bodies.

Elinor felt the hair on her neck rise for a moment before her racial slowly suppressed her fear and sadness, leaving her surprise, disgust, and cold anger to fester; it was the green toads with the spiral pattern. The toads with flutes were playing a soft melody that seemed to put the humans into a stupor-like state; they trudged along with dull expressions as the creature moved toward the crystal, tugging on the prisoner’s bindings.

One of the green toads broke off from the escort group, another blowgun toad by his side; they marched right for them, cheeks bulging as it communicated with Boss. It was clear that these two were not friends as Boss’ cheeks puffed up with his posture, and Elinor took the opportunity to examine her situation.

They’re killing people and taking back prisoners; there’s also food, belongings, and … is that a street sign? An alien attack? Aliens that turned me into a Lich? Okay … maybe something else? This is just insane … the attack of the toad people; what a movie title that would be. The crystal is their warp gate, and this cracked dome is a prison field to keep everyone in … probably.

What do alien toads want with people and … street signs; they’re taking the dogs and cats, too? They even have an anteater and jaguar tied up; did they already explore the surrounding jungle that much? Wouldn’t they get more resources out of harvesting a moon or something? This is so confusing.

At least I can’t see mom and dad in that group, but that means they might have already gone through the crystal…

Her thoughts were temporarily interrupted as Boss tugged on her bindings, forcing her a little closer as the conversation seemed to get more heated. The green toad pointed at her, then the group of prisoners that were being fed through the crystal. Boss shook his head, gesturing at her and making a dismissive wave to the toad with his ax. It was apparent that negotiations or demands had failed because they both stared each other down as silence fell.

I guess the green toad wants me to join the other group and Boss doesn’t want to give me up. They could be from different tribes or something; there seems to be a lot that’s different about each group, but there are multiple blue and green parties.

I shouldn’t be worried about them right now, though. I can have my rats grab my earrings and rush me to safety if I need it, but that might also give up my true body. It’ll probably be best to do that when everyone’s disoriented on the other side. Can I control my rat if I send it to the other side?

Elinor sent the command, and one of her minions shot out of its hiding place. It shrouded itself below an alligator-toad’s belly as it moved toward the crystal. When the creature entered, she had it run straight at the object, passing into the world beyond. She grimaced as her visual and mental connection was lost; the rat was still linked to her, but it was unresponsive.

The distance thing, eh … yup, out of range. If I go beyond the…

Her neutral gaze shifted from the crystal to another group of dark gray toads with spears and hammers; they were leading a group of five humans, her mother among them.

Crap … what do I do? Do I have any attack spells or abilities to blast the toads with? No? What the hell? Why … Empress. My Kind? What does being an Empress have to do with me not having attack spells? What does Empress do … grants me the Eternal Ruler Title, allowing me to distribute ranks among my minions, and locks me out of all offensive and defensive Lich abilities. It also gives me the Spectral Monarch Passive. I’m just a summoner, then? That’s bullshit! How am I supposed to build an army when I can’t kill anything?

Elinor’s jaw locked as her attention returned to her mother; she was being prompted toward the portal. Her hair was matted with sweat, mud, and blood; it was cut unevenly in a few places and stuck to the blood that ran down her face. Black bumps and cuts marred her once stunning complexion; her nose was broken, the crimson liquid mixing with a cut on her lip. All she could see was the pain and loss in her posture. She was cradling her left arm and walking with a limp.

Her mother’s clothes were torn and cut in several places, showing more bruising and wet blood. Elinor could feel a ravenous beast crawling inside her chest as Emotional Loss suppressed her fearful impulses, leaving her hatred of the Toads to fester; she watched her mother vanish with the group beyond the crystal.

Whatever this is, it’s real, and they have my mom. I don’t know where my dad is, but I have to save my mom. If there are dead bodies on the other side, then I can raise them, but I need to be patient and bide my time. If these aliens want to kill, harm, and take from us, then I’ll use them just the same.

She glanced toward the postulating toads; Boss seemed to win as the green toad backed off, shooting a sharp glare in her direction as he moved toward another group of green toads that emerged from the crystal. Boss jerked on her rope with a satisfied grunt.

I need to follow after her.

Elinor held her head high, posture straightening; she increased her pace, causing the toads to shift a little as she took the lead, walking around Boss. He lifted his ax threateningly, but she simply turned her cold ghostly green eyes to him and said, “Hurry up.”

Growing more accustomed to the strange way their faces creased, she recognized their uncertainty as the others looked toward Boss. She reached the edge of her rope and turned to stare at them expectantly; he grunted something before reluctantly following.

If she weren’t bound it might look like she was leading the toads; Kirby and Shirly kept their spears ready to strike, but her cool demeanor and regal posture caused every other toad to stop and watch them approach the crystal.

She released all her rats, excluding the one beyond the crystal, knowing she needed something stronger for combat. The links faded as a part of their energy returned to her.

Interesting, if I release them on my own, then a portion of that energy is returned.

Boss croaked something in a commanding tone and a group of toads with a creature laden with dead bodies stopped. They glanced between each other with confusion, prompting the beast to back away. Elinor turned her head to give Boss a cold smirk before returning her focus to the crystal.

No, these toads are far more intelligent than I gave them credit for. That’s fine, though. There are dead things everywhere; what beasts lie below the surface of this new place?

She didn’t hesitate, walking through the crystal; it didn’t give her any strange sensation other than her left boot pressing into the soft dirt on the other side as she felt her body’s momentum being kept at a constant, forced to emerge at the same pace as she was moving. The unnatural feeling of being forced through almost caused her to trip, but she managed to catch her balance as she slowly walked forward.

Elinor observed her new environment, boots making squelching sounds with every step; her undead rat burst back into life as she exited. It was nighttime, and the sky was ablaze with stars and two visible blue moons. The scene was vastly different than what she’d observed in the crystal; the area was sectioned off between four toad camps.

To her left was where the green toads were based; she could see the flutes, blowpipes, daggers, and even spears that resembled their colors. They seemed to be the most distinct of the four groups with some kind of banner that held a purple serpent on it.

The green toads were well organized with many boats that housed prisoners and goods already claimed. They strode around with an almost proud demeanor as they herded humans to specific locations. Every person she saw held some kind of injury, obviously given to force subservience, and most had downcast eyes. It was apparent that they were confused, but most didn’t resist.

There were a few humans that showed defiance despite their injuries; these prisoners seemed to be dumped at the base directly facing her. These toads were blue with black spots and appeared to be the smallest tribe. They had the least supplies, and she saw most of the more lively humans tied up and gagged with the remaining being women.

The toads to her right were a mix of dull shades of green and gray; they showed a variety of spot shapes, and there were a few that resembled the green tribe to her left. Despite the resemblance in skin color, these appeared to be much more savage.

They had more of the alligator-toads than the other tribes, at least a dozen more in their camp compared to the green tribe. They seemed to focus on the pure size of the humans; most of the male population was in their faction, and many corpses that their pets were already feasting on. She assumed that Boss was a part of this faction since several held similar battle-axes.

Behind her, she could see an orange toad encampment. They seemed to be less interested in the bodies, humans, and objects, focusing on the food and plants brought back. The thinnest of the tribes, she couldn’t see many weapons on them besides knives and wooden spears.

She watched as all the goods she’d seen go through piled together; each tribe appeared to have representatives with colored vests sifting through the contents. They chose different items to be returned to their respective camps, and similarly dressed individuals were directing where people and food were to go.

Elinor told her rat to hide in the undergrowth; it righted itself and shot into a short brush to her left. In scanning the area, she found her mom; she was being tugged toward the human selection area, eyes wild as she heard the cries, screams, and moaning of the people around the clearing.

Boss appeared behind her with Kirby, Shirly, and Creeper in-tow. She hummed while bunching her lips to the side, eyes continuing to study her environment.

This might be tough. My skeletons aren’t that strong; Boss took one out with a single throw. How do my skeletons get stronger … by leveling up. Well, that’s a genius answer; how do they level up … by gaining experience. So, it’s like a game? Don’t want to be compared to a game, eh? Alright, so, if it is like a game, then killing crap. Sounds like the perfect job for an Empress of the Dead, but how to get started when I’m a freaking prisoner?

Boss moved past her, taking the lead as he looked around and tugged on her bindings. She followed with her tense guards taking up the rear. Turning slightly, Boss grunted a few things, which caused Shirly to run off at a shocking speed. Shirly respectfully moved to one of the blue tribe’s representatives, directing its attention toward them.

The toad representatives returned to their discussion, but it seemed like a rushed decision; they were debating between the group her mother was in, and it was quickly decided that her mother would be taken to the blue-tribe. Her binding was grabbed and yanked toward the human groups that were forming in each camp.

Each toad paused as they returned their attention to Shirly; croaking a few times, they shifted to face Boss, and it was immediately apparent that Boss held some weight with the other tribes. They made loud grunts, lifting both hands into the air in his direction before pounding their chest twice.

Her mother glanced up at them, pausing to try and get a better view of her. “El-Elinor?” She asked in a stunned tone; her question followed the slight pause between the toad’s calls, making them turn to face Tiffany, but she didn’t seem to notice. “Elinor, is—is that you? Please, God, please…”

I don’t know if these toads understand our language, but they might be able to pick up on our emotions. Boss might use her if he’s taken a liking to me.

“Act like we don’t know each other,” Elinor said in a cold tone, “I’ll find a way to get back to you; just try to survive.” She turned away from her mother dismissively, staring around the site with an arid expression.

Tiffany swallowed nervously, looking around at the toads glancing between them. Her vision dropped to the dark jungle mud. There were no lights in the camps, so normal humans would be almost blind; the moons and stars brightened the clearing, but the jungle would have been pitch black.

“Y-your father—I don’t know...”

Elinor ignored her weak response, trying to show Boss and the others that there was no connection and that this was just some plea for help.

Boss lifted his ax toward her mother and waved towards the camp; he seemed annoyed at the interruption. One of the blue-toads complied, slapping her mother across the face, causing her to whimper. It made a threatening sound in its throat as it grabbed each of their vines and tugged, directing her mother’s group to follow. The other humans saw the treatment and stayed silent, only broken by a few whimpers of teens and adults alike around the clearing.

Elinor’s cold hatred boiled as she watched her mother be taken and tied to a thick root that bulged out of the ground. The toad shoved her down beside a few weeping girls, tongue shooting out to slap her on the back of the head before walking off. Her mother quaked, head bowed to press her bound wrists against the strike.

The girls that were ungagged seemed to be whispering to each other with terrified expressions, but Elinor was too far away to hear what was being said.

I want to kill them, but … bide my time. I need to find a solution. Think … stay calm.

Her focus returned to the camp.

Four tribes … they’re probably in some kind of alliance, but it seems like the green faction is the least liked. The blue toads and Boss’ tribe seem to be on pretty good terms, though. If they’re taking people back alive, then mom should be fine for at least a bit if she does what they say. As long as they’re alive...

Elinor caught many of the toads listening to Boss’ conversation with the representatives. They glanced her way every once in a while; trepidation seemed to be sweeping each faction as the discussion continued; the orange-toads appeared particularly perturbed by what was said, but the blue-tribe’s representative seemed fascinated.

She assumed the leader of the blue faction was the representative; he had several strings with different colored stones around his neck, and a blue cap of red feathers on his head. There were four tattoos spaced across his body that resembled different kinds of creatures, and his only clothing was a belt with several small pouches on it. Elinor decided to call him Chief because of the feathers.

Chief turned to Shirly and grunted a few things, pointing at an alligator-toad with bodies inside the basket. He extended a hand toward Boss and croaked once. Boss responded with a nod, face grave as he glared at her.

Three of the blue toads raced toward it and started taking down a body each, hauling the broken and chewed up corpses back toward the group; three of the ax-wielding grayish-green toads from Boss’ camp moved up to the group. By their readied shields and axes, it was clear they were expecting a fight.

So, they want a demonstration? This could work out to my advantage, but why would they willingly give me weapons? In any case, I need practice with my units.

She activated Lesser Corpse Detection; there were two skeletons below her, buried in the soil three feet below and five feet apart. There was one more, but she sensed the bones weren’t complete enough to reanimate.

What would happen if I try to reanimate it? If I have the opportunity, then I might as well try, but I might have bigger problems.

She examined the dead men being carried on the backs of the toads with pursed lips.

Alright, I have hidden units I can create, but can I bring things back to life underground? I have to rely on my butterflies and hope they can do it.

They dropped the bodies in front of her and quickly retreated. Chief was staring at her expectantly, two guards with spears running up from the camp to guard him. Everyone seemed to stop what they were doing to stare at the spectacle, and it struck her.

What if I cause a distraction for mom to sneak away? With so many humans being brought back, they might not notice if she’s gone. However, others might plead for her to free them and draw their attention back, and that could get her killed. No, it’s better if she keeps her head down and waits for me to get strong enough to take her back by force. I should keep my rat close to her, so I know where she’s at.

Ordering her undead rodent to keep an eye on her mom, she directed a lofty smirk in Chief’s direction as her hands lit with unearthly emerald flames. Every toad took a step back as they watched her hands spontaneously burst with fire, grunting with tones of surprise; their shock increased when the fire didn’t spread or burn her clothes.

Elinor spoke with an elevated tone to draw attention away from her mother’s choked cry of terror. “Are you still scared of me? I suppose confronting a being that can return from the dead is quite terrifying.”

Boss nodded with a grave expression at the warrior-toads, causing them to shift stances and tighten their grips on their shields and axes. They spread out, surrounding her as the other toads backed off.

Her haunting eyes shifted between each of the toads in a cavalier manner as her posture straightened, a light smirk rising. “Three of your finest, I assume.”

Elinor instructed her undead rodent to start writing a message in the mud by her mother’s feet, telling her that she’d be okay; she could come back to life, and that as long as the rat was alive, then she was alright.

Eight emerald and shamrock-colored butterflies materialized from the fire, flaming bodies rising slowly into the air; they circled her with leisurely flaps of their immaterial wings, and slowly descended to the ground—she had them light upon the three corpses of the large men they’d brought her.

The bodies burst into flames as three of the butterflies landed on their flesh; the spectral sparks ignited each corpse, bright light causing eerie shadows to darken the area. The noise of the toads increased with panic as the bodies started to move, and the purple tribe that had just entered the world through the crystal froze.

Amidst the chaos, her rodent had gained her mother’s attention as it slowly began writing out the message, and her remaining butterflies slipped into the earth as if it were open-air, moving to their specified targets. She recalled the two remaining butterflies from the ground to circle her if more minions became available.

The flesh, blood, muscle, and fat were consumed, and the bodies twitched, rising to their bony feet; the toads took another step back as the hollows of their polished skulls lit with emerald light, and an unearthly sound resembling a sharp breath pierced the air with their open jaws.

With the rise of the skeletal forms, the reanimation of the long-forgotten bones beneath the soil began; the unsuitable reanimation target also caught fire, and she felt a new spectral unit rising. Her smile grew while watching the building dread of the surrounding toads, and with it came a new skill as they retreated to the edge of the clearing, Monarch of Death.

Her mind opened as something surrounded her head and belied voices rose around the area in a mass of incoherency; the item fit perfectly, was nearly weightless, and felt natural to wear. She lifted her hand to grip the smooth metallic surface of the object, lifting it off to examine. The moment it left her, the enlightened feeling faded, the loud voices dissipated, replaced by human cries.

It was a black crown, dark as night to her own eyes; three pieces were fused, the bottom arches spaced by thirteen barbed spikes, each barb mirroring the opposite nail surrounding the framework. The visage of the crown was a reverse heart, resembling a ribcage, and the three linking bodies of the piece met in the front, augmenting into a miniature six-spiked symbol of the crown as a whole.

It released an unhallowed aura as black mist moved along the back, dropping into a ghostly veil that flowed like silk down to her shoulder-blades.

Monarch of Death … a physical construct that represents my dominion over the dead. It’s a Cluster Set … a skill that branches into several links. A pretty complicated one. What are the attached skills … Lesser Aura of Supremacy, Lesser Minion Mastery, Imperial Presence, Prose of the Potentate, and Call of the Empress.

The only toads still left surrounding her was Creeper, hiding behind Boss, Kirby, Shirly, Chief, his two shaking guards, and the three warriors Boss had called out.

Elinor fluidly replaced the crown, mind-expanding; it formed perfectly to her skull, barely disturbing her hair, yet she knew that it would not fall without her direct influence. Without warning, she understood the language of the toads surrounding her, and her supply of Life Force began draining rapidly.