The mind demon worked its way north through the forest. Between itself and the imp, there were more than a few small monster and animal bodies left in their wake. The mind demon crushing their minds, then it would feast on the soft innards. The imp was left to catch its own prey. Which it took great pleasure in torturing it before feasting on the still live body.

They had come to the foot of the mountains north of the forest. Something within tugged at the mind demon’s senses. The feel of death and decay. Traces of dark magical auras suffused the area to the north, further along and up from the foot of the mountain. It came across a well-trodden path leading farther up toward a fissure in the side of the mountain. This led further into the mountain. The stench of dark magic and death much stronger now. “What fun things could be going on in here.” it wondered aloud.

“Will we be safe from the senses of the creatures inside?” the imp asked floating just behind the mind demon.

“If my guess is correct, from what I sense going on, there a being creating a host of undead. The undead themselves should not be alerted or even care about a demon moving about, even if we were not hidden. Whatever is creating them may be another issue.”

Both demons worked their way inside the tunnels, flitting through the undead guarding the entrance further in. They were orcs. Not just any old orc either. Someone was creating a small army of undead war orcs by the looks of things. While zombies did not vary in power much. Using something as powerful as a war-orc as a base for an undead would allow for a stronger zombie, and a sturdier skeleton.

The further in the two traveled through the tunnels, the more they realized this had once been an orc colony. This mountain hole was riddled with the things. The further down they traveled, the larger rooms they came across with dozens of the things standing around rotting slowly. There were occasional skeletons, thick boned and looking like they could give as good a pounding as they could take.

The two finally came to a large cavern, and there upon a throne was a massive orc, that was no longer a true orc. Nor was it a zombie. The orc took notice of the two demons and began to make a move toward them.

The mind demon enacted its protections making itself and the imp disappear from sight and detection.

The towering mass of muscled orc stopped, looking around and sniffing the air. Trying to locate the intruders.

“It’s a high ghoul.” The mind demon stated with a grin. “Someone has turned this massive beast into something most wonderful.”

The demon was speaking aloud, sure in its own magics to protect against detection by even the most powerful of thinking beings. Even the lowest if undead would now ignore them fully. They were ghosts among the ghosts.

Speaking of ghosts… one flew by, looking like it was patrolling. It stopped in front of the high ghoul. Watching the creature, then it looked around itself. Warry. Seems the high ghoul did not budge from its throne for no reason. The mind demon snorted. And moved on, always deeper with the imp in tow.

They came at last to a rough shod barricade much deeper in. There were still living war orcs below. The mind demon could feel their thoughts. Feel their hatred for the undead.

While the two moved into the living orc’s quarters they moved about with impunity. Getting the lay of the land. Whatever was hunting the living orcs and turning them, was not active at the moment. While there was wariness among the living, they were not looking concerned just now.

The mind demon thought about causing a little havoc of its own. Then decided against it. Whatever was hunting the orc, might not be happy with interference. Not that the mind demon was worried, but it was smart enough to be warry. There were being of power in this world, that even a demon needed to be wary of.

So upon deciding, it motioned the imp to follow. They exited the barricaded portion of the caves and wandered in search of the being with the master plan. The mind demon wanting to know its desires. Maybe they could throw in together and have some real fun. Whatever this thing was, the mind demon was sure he could use it for its own twisted plans. The imp whole heartedly agreeing.

The imp would be happy just to follow along and watch the chaos this army could create. Maybe joining in a bit here and there. But undead where notorious hunters of the living. While they did not go out of their way to torture and drive sentients mad, they just had a natural way of making it happen. Glorious fun in the imp’s mind. Heck, it might have even found a much more entertaining master to follow around. This being had grand plans after all. Not just fliting about like the mind demon was doing lately.