The steady rise and fall of the man's back was all that indicated he was still alive, as he had literally been stuck in prostration before me for good amount of time. One of my skeleton summons nudged the man's body with a foot, but there was no response other than an involuntary twitch of the man's shoulder. I drummed my fingers on my armrests, wondering if I had overdone it a bit.

[Speak Truth] and [Learn Language] were mid tier spells that did exactly what their names described. They had made the man spill his deepest, darkest secrets, while teaching me how much modern Sulvansa had changed from Neduzar's time. I was now able to speak the language relatively well, though I could have saved some time by instead using more intrusive spells to rip the information out of the man's mind. However, I had held off since I knew how much damage such spells could cause.

Anything that had to do with the mind in this world was not just biological in nature. The soul played a parallel role and was something a lot more concrete than on Earth. So, any mind affecting spells had an adverse affect on the soul, and the weaker the soul, the higher likelihood there was of permanent trauma and damage to the soul. Case in point, I had only used two relatively 'soft' spells on the sand thief lying in front of my throne, but he had been left gibbering about some 'Great Fallen One' or some nonsense by the end.

However, what I had learned in a brief amount of time was enough for me to know the basics about my nearest, civilized neighbors. It was a mostly human, desert civilization with all the positives and negatives that went along with it. A family centered culture with a focus on treasuring limited resources was counterbalanced by a strict social hierarchy with slavery being common and constant warfare dominating most interactions. Religion existed, though muted in its existence, but there was a deep fear and reverence for the 'spirits' of the desert, especially anything related to the 'Forbidden Wastes.' All that still left me with a lot to learn about the Sulvanc city states, the local clans, and the world beyond, but it would have to wait for later.

Looking at the sand thief prostrated on the floor, I felt a mix of emotions at my encounter with my first human in this world. A part of me felt disgust at how easily I had terrorized him, but it was a small part compared to a cold shadow inside me that felt little to no remorse. He was a horrible example of humanity based on what he had desperately confessed regarding his looting, slaving, murders, rapes, and a dozen other sins, but deep inside, I was coming to realize that I was also changing. Whether it was due to the memories I had inherited or due to my rampage through the fortress, I was no longer averse to doing what needed to be done as long as it coincided with my purpose and beliefs.

Asunam's POV

Asunam felt the cold from the surroundings seep into his body, as he kept his face plastered to the stone floor with his eyes closed tightly. He wanted to believe he was in a nightmare, but the pain in his body told him everything was real. The nightmarish hall was real, the walking dead beside him were real, and more than that, the being that sat on the throne before him was real.

Remembering the pitiless eyes and hoarse voice that had scoured the depths of his soul, Asunam felt his chest tighten as his breathing became rough again, and he shook in fear as his fists remained clenched tightly. No matter how hard he had tried, he had not been able to hide anything from the great being. He had confessed his past, unwillingly at first but almost with a desperate desire to make everything stop by the end, leaving him blubbering like a child.

It was then that he had remembered the stories that his grandmother had used to scare him with during his childhood. Asunam had once scoffed at the stories about the desert 'spirits,' but now, he knew they were true. The Great Fallen One, the greatest of the desert spirits, was real, and no story did justice to the terror he invoked.

“Asunam...” A deep, hoarse voice echoed around him, and Asunam's thoughts froze in their tracks, as he tried to keep from shivering while hoping the voice would not continue. “Asunam, lift your head.” The command in the voice was unquestionable, and Asunam raised his head, leaving snot and tears covering the floor below. Trembling, he looked at the existence sitting before him.

The being gazed at him almost like he was vermin, and Asunam knew deep down that it was true. Then, the unforgiving voice continued, “I have heard your sins and seen the evil that lives within you. What you have done to others deserves no forgiveness.” The silence that followed made Asunam's heart skip a beat, and only the sound of his teeth chattering could be heard before the voice continued. “But, I will give you a choice...” Raising one skeletal hand, the being clenched it in a fist. “Death...” The other hand rose, pointing a finger at him. “Or eternal servitude.” The voice reverberated in the hall. “One will free you from your worldly fears, but the other will leave your fate as mine to do with as I please.” As Asunam was still trying to understand what had been said, the voice boomed in finality. “Choose!”

Asunam immediately threw himself back onto the floor, screaming out loud, “Not death! Not death! Oh, Great One! I choose.. I choose servitude... I will be loyal.. I will be loyal!”

“That you will...” The hoarse voice almost whispered the words. Asunam didn't know what that meant, and he remained on the floor, not willing to look up as silence returned to the hall. However, as time passed, and nothing else was said, he dared to glance at the throne before him. It was at the same time that two words, unknown but ancient, echoed in the hall. Darkness shot forth from the skeletal hands of the being on the throne, and Asunam had a second to flinch backwards before he was struck.

“Agggghhhhhh!” Asunam felt a burning pain dig into him, scalding his mind and weaving through his thoughts. He rolled on the cold floor, clutching at his head as voices whispered to him and his consciousness was submerged in something overbearing and relentless. His screams went on and on, until he gave finally gave in, letting go of any resistance.

When he could finally think again, all he felt was a dull throb inside his head and a cold sensation deep in his mind. Any time his thoughts focused on it, he only felt pain sear through his head. However, he now knew what the great being... no, his master had meant. Turning himself over, he kneeled before the Great Fallen One and shakily spoke. “What is your command, master?”