"So, were you doing good back in that place."

It's been a long time since I last saw Arthur, but I am happy that he is still standing even after what possibly happened to him inside that dungeon.

"You mean the dwarven fortress? Oh yeah, that place is doing great, but wait, you won't believe in your eyes when you see it."

Arthur chuckled. "To be honest, at the moment my uncle started torturing me to betray you, I knew something was wrong, but I am glad that you became stronger when times needed.

"I did my best, and I will still do, but are you ready to stand with me, friend? Because things are changing, and I will be glad to see you next to me."

"So, what is your plan this time. Are you going to conquer the north or something?" He sounds sad.

"Did anything happen? Somethings wrong with your voice."

No response, so something happened, but what?

"It is about Maria." Arthur is almost crying. "I promised the man saved my life that I will protect them, I promised, but failed, once again, like when I failed to save her, like when I failed to save him."

I don't know how to answer. Should I even say anything? God damn, what are you going through.

"Hey, I can see the lights. We almost arrived."

I can see the lights but wait. We don't have any lights at the fortress!

"Arthur strengthens your grip, Fionnlagh go faster, faster than you ever did!"

Wyvern flapped his wings and dashed towards the air.

And my smart lizard started to dive towards the lights to maximize his speed.

"Please, be good news, please." And shortly after, we roughly landed near the lights.

"Arthur, use this." I throw my sword towards him. "Fionnlagh, protect Arthur. I will take care of all that mess."

All of these lights are coming from a campsite.

I don't know who is staying there, but I do not welcome intruders.

"What the hell is happening in here."

Suddenly, people from tents started gathering around me. All of them are wearing similar clothing like they are from a cult.

Thankfully, a friend from inside came for my help.

Silvertower moved through the people and reached me.

"Oh, finally, you are here. These weirdos camped right outside, and for some reason, they are not moving." Or you are just too lazy to do something.

"Who is their leader, and what do they want."

"Well, ask them!"

Geez, like you ever do something useful.

"Then person responsible for all this havoc, come outside, we will talk."

The crowd around me began whispering something until a girl moved out.

This girl is young. I say she is probably even younger than the heroes I saw, but what about the ceremonial-looking dress she is wearing.

It is most certainly too big for her.

"I give my sincere apologies, Lord Of The Dead, but sadly we needed keeping our identities secret."

That's no good news. "And the reason why? May I learn it."

"We are the followers of a forbidden goddess. Goddess of mercy, and with her orders, we are here to be under your protection, my lord."

And with her words, the whole crowd kneeled before me.

For fucks sake, was that the time? I was expecting her to contact me again but this way!

But I cannot let children and women outside the middle of a civil war.

Still, there are at least three thousand people camped outside.

"Goddes of Mercy didn't inform me about your arrival, and I am sad to say that I am not in a good spot to feed three thousand more stomachs."

"But my lord, please." She kneeled even more. "She said that you might help us."

For the sake of, but I cannot leave civilians open to danger.

"It will be a pain in the ass, but fuck. I accept all of you inside. Still, there is a rule in here. To live in a fortress, you must either work or fight. We are in no state to allow any slugs to live among us."

"We are healers and craftsmen's, clothing, carvings, medicine, and many more. We can provide it, but children, they don't have that ability, please."

"Shut up and go inside, and call some of those healers. I have a wounded friend. Now go!"

With my command, our new refugees begin collecting their commodities. I might order some men from inside to help them to speed the whole process.

"So, are you done with the whole thing?"

It is Arthur. I don't know how, but he somehow gathered enough energy to make it all the way here in his current state.

"Yes, and while you are here. Silvertower, here is Arthur, a friend of mine."

I presented the once shining silver knight comrade to the Ancient Dwarven King.

"Friend of The Lich King is a friend of mine, for the sake of the first forge. I never thought that I would say something like that."

Arthur staggered by what he saw.

"The Legendary Silvertower, one of the first ten Dwarven Kings, standing in front of me, alive."

Silvertower answered with a little embarrassed tone. "Well, I cannot say I am alive, but as you can see, I am magnificent as The Legends told, but my boy. You have a body of a soldier, a soldier that saw many things. Who are you?"

I interrupted their talk before Arthur answered him.

"Good, you two keep praising yourselves while I try to keep everything stable inside. Remember, I just accepted followers of forbidden religion as refugees!"

God, or goddess, or the what the fuck is up there, lend me some patience.

------------------------------------------- Some hours later at the lower part.

And the whole population once again gathered in front of me.

They are waiting for an explanation for the current situation.

Here goes nothing.

I climbed to a ladder and entered the high ground built for my speech.

"Dear brothers of the fortress, I am sad to inform you that the situation of civilians is even worse now. Even some mere bandits can dare to raid a town that is supposed to be protected by a fortress."

And here comes the silence, but that's normal. They are anxious about their loved ones still out there.

"I know you are all currently thinking about friends and family outside, but don't worry. After we finish our preparations, we will be out for our first conquest. They are weakened and need a leader. With your support and flag of peace behind us. We will change the world."

Here come the usual screams from the crowd.

I am someone these people can believe. They are ready to follow me, not because they have no choice, but because they want to.

"Brothers, stop your cheerings for now because I have an important thing to say." I waited until the crowd stopped.

"It has been a long time since a war between old allies happened, you all may know that as the war of gods, which changed the very shape of this world. I know you all are already struggling to accept a Lich as your leader, but I made a promise to myself that I will change the world."

And the girl, who I later learned is the chosen oracle of Goddes of Mercy, moved next to me. Then like I ordered, she kneeled before me.

"A time ago, an unknown devil cursed me to become the next Lich King. A monster who will bring slaughter to this realm and far beyond, but I was saved."

No one is reacting. That's great.

"If, as a Lich, I can seek peace, that's thanks to a forbidden Goddes who saved me. I am not her follower, but I promised to protect her subjects for what she did for me. And the girl you see in front of me is Goddes of Mercy's oracle. You can see that they are not here to restart an ancient war, but only to escape from the cruelty of the outside as we do. So, please trust me and accept them. They are not warriors, but only civilians."

Here comes the final question.

"Then, is there anyone who opposes that? Please speak."

Of course, no Dwarf talked, they also believe in forbidden gods anyways, but I am surprised by my subjects.

"No!" A person shouted from the crowd.

"There is no opposition." And then another one.

"We will follow you, my liege."

"If dwarfs they taught us like demons of underground are good people, why not ones that believe other goddesses shouldn't!"

"We have been fed through enough lies. It is time for truth, for the Lich King!"

"For the Lich King, and the freedom."

"For what they took away from us!"

I will cry if they keep supporting me like that. And I don't joke about it.

"Then as your King, I promise! I promise for safety, I promise for freedom, and I promise for a future of cooperation, a future where lies that divided us are no more!"

A power struggle between gods divided this world and started a war between creatures who called each other sworn allies.

Humans, led by the ten gods, first stabbed the dwarves from their back when they needed help the most.

Then humanity enslaved another humanoid race called Demi-humans.

They treated these beings poorly and either used them as slaves or made them third-grade citizens.

Lastly, ten gods declared all the other gods as devil's and ordered their subjects to kill anyone who worships those devils.

All of these things happened two hundred years ago.

Now ordinary people don't care about the whole war of gods thingy. They already have enough problems of their own.

And those ordinary people are the ones I am looking. I search for people who are tired of everything and want to change things around them.

Oracle stood up. "And I, as the one who speaks for the goddess, I promise that her followers are ready to do anything for him, the Chosen Champion of Goddess, Lord of The Dead, Lich King Erwin!"

Screams of happiness raised from the crowd like they never did before.