You are so glad the string is around because this building is a labyrinth. So many rooms and hallways, it’s any wonder people don’t get lost here. If you didn’t know any better, you’d think this place was a dungeon. The only reason you haven’t is that you have yet to see any cells. Good thing actually, since you’d think the guards would come if the inmates started screaming bloody murder.

The brains of the guilty. Delicious.

Man, for a guy without a stomach, you are really hungry as of late. Which brings up another question. Are you a guy? Or a girl? Another one of those vague memories you can’t seem to remember. You can’t tell since you’re something less than skin and bones. Can’t open your status sheet to confirm either.

Please reach Level 10 to receive full System Access.

The damn thing is so unhelpful.

Answer the call, Oh Loyal Servant.

Not that it’s the most important thing on your mind. At least you haven’t run into anyone, so it should be smooth sailing as you appear to be heading down the more unpopulated area of this brick building. Maybe then you’ll have more time to think in a safer place.

It has been relatively easy to have avoided most of the other inhabitants with Detect Sentience being always active. You even have a good general grasp of the number of people in the complex with the range of detection being relatively large. If you were patient enough, you could potentially map out your location by just tracking people.

Answer the call, Oh Loyal Servant.

Something for later though, as you are more focused on sneaking past these people. Relatively easy since you just take a branching path away from them. Something that frustrated you quite a bit. On the one hand, you hated feeling disobedient whenever you took the safer option. On the other, it got significantly hard as there were fewer and fewer detours to take.

Which led to the current predicament, as there was only one path left to take and someone else was heading your way. Just beyond them, there was only one person left as far as you could tell. Odds where that was your master. Or the person heading your way. Couldn’t be sure until you saw them.

Sweet. Succulent. Savory.

And with how hungry you were, the safer option would be to try to hide and see if the string led to or past the stranger. Maybe eat them. Probably safer not to. Be a shame if you killed your Master right as you met them.

Maybe there nice and won’t try to attack you?

It would appear you aren’t as lucky as you’d like since you find yourself running into an angry hellspawn. Who, instead of running away in fear, pulls out her dagger and calls a magical glyph onto her hand.

Damn. Your hiding skills aren’t up to snuff. Oh well.

Eliminate whatever obstacles lays before you.

You obey.

Zaiyola, while a collected individual most of the time, had to admit she was prone to emotional outbursts. Currently, this was without a doubt the most emotionally stressed she had been in years. Granted, any mother would be if their child had been missing for the past week.

The entirety of the cult had failed to find her at any point, which only fanned the flames of her poor mood. It didn’t help she couldn’t give her full attention to the matter, what with the numerous other responsibilities she had. Attacks from underground. Preparations for the monthly sacrifice. Invasions by foolish adventurers. Quelling dissatisfaction when it came to her choice of lover. And a million other minor things that demanded her attention.

Morale was at an all-time low and so was Zaiyola's patience. A terrible combination. One that needed to be resolved soon, either by finding her daughter, violence, or a magical breakthrough. Or sex. That was always an option. She could force some alone time with Farlen, who had been shirking his husbandly duties. Might help to have a backup plan if Isha turned out to be irrecoverable.

Before she contemplates the pros and cons of going through birth a second time, she hears footsteps from ahead of her. A sound that immediately dissatisfies Zaiyola, considering no one is given a post at the storage area at this time of day. It's exactly the reason she took some free time to be away from anyone else.

Rounding the corner, her angry words die in her throat as she sees something she had not been expecting. Against one of the walls, a skeleton laid flat against the wall, in a poor attempt to hide from her. Something she would have likely missed if it weren’t for its glowing eyes.

The Skeleton, besides being an Undead, was also rather bizarre in appearance. Its bones were a tinge of red and perfectly clean of muscle or skin. A violet light shining from its emptied sockets. And the weirdest part of all was the tentacle tattoos carved into its bones. Which were glowing a faint blue, enough to be visible in the shadow of the hallways.

Zaiyola did what every living thing did when it came across an Undead and wasn’t a coward. She attacked. Or she tried to at least. The undead was faster than her, as it would seem.

With a single step, Zaiyola is within its reach and takes two of its swings. The first one makes it past her guard, hitting hard enough to draw blood and leave her open for the second. The claws carve past her armor, blunted in one area while slashing in the other.

Six seconds and the creature already drew blood. Zaiyola is immediately put on the defensive and worried. Nothing should be this strong, not this close to the dungeon at least. It's exactly the reason why this picked the location in the first place.

Need to get away, find the rest of hellspawn. It was far too much for her to handle at the moment. Which was something she was in her 60’s in Level. Casting one spell, she disengaged from the Undead, not giving it a chance to leave herself open for an attack.

“Divine Shield!”

A black shadowy aura shrouded her body, making her harder to hit. She ran as far as she could, eyes never leaving the Skeleton. It didn’t give her such freedom as it chased her down and managed to pierce through her defensives and her armor.

Adrenaline and years of practice helped her maintain her hold on the spell, even as the pain almost broke her. Trying to escape once more she summoned her God's weapon of choice in an attempt to slow the Undead.

"Holy Weapon!"

A black mace, wicked and demonic in appearance, appears out of a cloud of shadow.

It injured the creature, magickly swinging and cracking a number of its bones. The Undead pushes past, still chasing Zaiyola. Zaiyola herself runs forward, bleeding profusely and desperate for salvation.

And she sees it. Ahead of her is an intersection. Rite where one of her subordinates would be. With their help, they would be enough to slay this necrotic monster. Hells, she might even give whoever saved her a promotion, if not one of their fresh wines. She would even-

This lapse in attention, the embers of hope, were enough to leave her vulnerable.

She is knocked to the ground with a blow to the head. She crumbles like a puppet who lost their strings. Her mind is flooded with white noise. And pain. So much pain.

She hears footsteps. Fear takes hold. She futilely crawls froward, barely any strength in her limbs. A pair of skinless feet appear in front of her. She can’t help but look up at the monster.

All she sees is an emotionless and uncaring skull looking back at her. Arm raised for the finishing blow.

Zaiyola, ever loyal and ferocious in her faith, finds herself lacking in her final moments. All the years of service, prayer, and sacrifice meant nothing in the end. She did not meet her death with open arms, ready to meet her god. Instead, all she had were words, whimpering as they left her lips.

“...Xehyer... save me...”

She did not even have the will to keep her eyes open as the claw came down.

Well. That went well. Seems I’m strong enough to fend off a mage. When I have the advantage at least.

You look down at your rib cage, amazed at what you see. Your cracks leak blood, seemingly by magic. At the same time, the fractures slowly close, healing the damage as the seconds go by. Once fully healed, the blood dissipates, as if it were never there. Not even a crack is left.

Convenient. Although it's safe to assume the healing factor is not all-powerful. Otherwise, the world would have been overrun with undead such as you. Something this hellspawn would beg to differ. Then again, you might be in one of their few safe houses. Questions for the masters probably.

The prey is there for the taking.

Yeah, you could probably eat her. She isn’t dead yet, surprisingly. You remember this being much easier before. One solid whack on an unconscious body usually killed someone instantly. Especially if they were ruffed up beforehand.

Hmm.

Answer the call, Oh Loyal Servant.

Maybe you’ll bring her to the master. Let her decide. Can’t leave a body in the middle of the hallway. Might set off the alarm. And Gods help you because you don’t see yourself being strong enough to handle an entire dozen of people. Especially if the rest were just as magically inclined as this one was.

And Hells, if she dies on the way, more fuel for the fire. The Master made you, so maybe she could turn this one into an Undead as well. Not sure if you want to get there before or after she’s expired. Something tells you you’d enjoy it more if your victims were alive.

...You are more disturbed by the fact such a thought doesn’t turn your nonexistent stomach than the act itself.

Answer the call, Oh Loyal Servant.

Eh, you’ll worry about it later. Alley Oop, you think while picking up the unconscious hellspawn. She is lighter than you’d thought she’d be. Or maybe your stronger than you thought you were. You did a real number on her leather armor. Don’t remember things being that easy when alive.

Man, this whole amnesia thing is a real pain.

With your mind a rush of thoughts, you carry your captive/food in the direction of the string. With only one mind left in that direction, along with the one you are carrying, you have little doubt you’ll be seeing your one and only creator.

Time to finally meet the Master. And maybe get some answers. Or some food.

You press onward.