As the former Heroes interrogated the non-combatants inside the fort that Pierre had made less than a month and a half prior, they learned of some rather unwelcome news. The Church, having found out about the Heroes’ utter failure in their attempt to take Necrograd and their inability to keep their own ‘Leader’ from harm, had formally excommunicated them and placed a bounty on their heads. Apparently, they were more of a liability than the Church thought Kevin was, perhaps not seeing that despite being the most destructive of them Kevin was by far the worst morally and mentally.

Something very, very rotten was at the heart of the Church for them to view Kevin of all people as the greatest and best among them. Up until a short while ago, while it had certainly bothered them, they were not too concerned with the favoritism. Now, however? The difference of treatment went beyond playing favorites and bordered on deification. Yes, Kevin had been punished, forced to wear a slave collar and the ‘Stepford Rune’ for all of 3 hours before having them removed and all being made well again. A small bruise to his ego, perhaps, but not a true punishment.

Was Kevin really that much more important in the grand scheme of things? The other, now former Heroes didn’t think so. Power was nothing without control and Kevin’s rampant and base cruelty had cost everyone dearly. So many had been harmed or killed by the ass-hat, yet barely anything was being done about him. What the hell was up with that?

Having learned that they no longer had a safe place to return to, let alone a place to get food, drinks and other daily necessities without risking assassination, the former Heroes were at a loss as to what to do. They could not go to Ititlis and they certainly could not go and try their luck in the various Darksol-occupied territories. Where would they go to live life now that they no longer had a purpose?

The Church had told them that their homeworld, Earth, and its universe were no longer in existence. They had been told that they had been whisked away right before their entire timeline ceased to be, and now there was nothing left for them either back where their reality used to be or here on Mortis. Any hope they may have held onto was now but a fleeting memory.

They were in the depths of despair when one of them noticed a small metal container flying towards them. Thinking it was an enemy attack, the former Heroes scattered as the object skidded across the ground. Once it had stopped moving, the Heroes waited for the inevitable explosion or gas attack, but after a few stressful minutes of observing the object, Vladimir decided that he, being the most durable one, should get close and investigate more thoroughly.

He carefully approached the object and gave it a light tap. The sound from the object made him certain it was hollow, but what could it be containing? He picked up the object and noticed a latch that held the nose of the aerodynamic object on. Undoing said latch, he opened the hollow device and pulled out a letter.

“Air mail via drone craft?” Vladimir asked himself in a mumbling voice.

“Careful!” Alice yelled, almost causing Vladimir to drop the letter. “It may have poison in it! My father was nearly killed by a poisoned letter!”

“How do you poison a letter?” Jesus asked.

“Arsenic and other compounds turned into a fine dust that immediately get into the air once you open a perfectly sealed letter. That’s why my dad had all his mail opened by a machine or sent directly to the incinerator.”

“Well, we have a few potions left in case of that.” Vladimir said, now wondering if he even should try and open the letter. It may have been a clever trap, just like Alice had said, or it may be something else.

“Fortune favors the bold! If I die, know that I went down with honor!”

Nagato the justice otaku from Imperial Japan donned his armor and rushed past Vladimir, taking the letter from his hands and making some distance.

“Here it goes! May my ancestors, the Kami and the Emperor himself push the odds of survival in my favor!”

With that shout, he tore open the letter and grasped the paper that fell out. Pulling the paper close, Nagato took a deep breath in an attempt to suck in any potential poison dust. He held the paper close and waited for the effects of the poison to take... well... effect.

A few seconds passed.

Then a minute.

Then two minutes.

Then five.

“Am I dead yet…?” Nagato asked as he opened his eyes, expecting to see the land of the dead.

“No, you doofus. Not yet, at least.”

Alice’s words cut hard. Nagato had expected that he would die saving the fellow Heroes that he had grown to respect. Now he just looked like a fool.

Vladimir walked up and snatched the paper from Nagato’s embarrassed clutch and patted him on the back as if to say, “Well, it’s the thought that counts.” As Nagato moped, Alice was given the paper to read. This was because while they each knew the language of the Europan continent, both written and spoken, due to being summoned here, the writing on the paper was not in Europan Common.

It was in English!

Thus, the only English speaker/reader among them would have to translate for the rest.

“To the now former Heroes but not including that absolute tool named Kevin. I, Kain Anathemas Nekronus von Darksol, wish to offer you my condolences for your current fate. It is a shame that you were given the treatment that you were and that your potential was never realized while under the tutelage of my enemy. I have been talking with someone you may be familiar with, a Mr. Wakanda T’challa Jones, and he has convinced me to extend an olive branch.

I am not known amongst the Confederacy or their Church for my mercy, but those who have been wronged by those fools may very well find a place in my nation. I will say that, in recent years since my reawakening, I have grown far more agreeable. If compared to myself from more than 1500 years ago, I would have to say that I have most certainly mellowed with age. I am only a beast when in bed, if those I care for are threatened or when my anger reaches its peak, or at least that is how I endeavor to be.

I was also made aware that the Church told you that your reality no longer exists in any form. This is a lie, much like the cake. Currently, the only way back to Earth is by dying a peaceful death or dying and having your remains left alone until they return to dirt. Something tells me that you are not the kind of people to take the easy/cowardly way out, and who could blame you? I understand any concerns you may have regarding the validity and truthfulness of my words, so let me let you in on a secret that only I, Wakanda and now you yourselves know.

I was from Earth too. However, I was not summoned and merely transmigrated into the current body that I am in. It has been an... interesting challenge trying to keep this body from reverting to the old, Chaotic Evil version of itself, and sometimes I simply am unable to keep the dog in its cage. If you don’t believe my words, then that is fine. If you do not wish to abandon the Confederacy and the Church and think that you can get back in their good graces, then more power to you.

However, if you want to live in a modern nation, one with hamburgers, soda, readily available fresh water, easy access to food, television, indoor plumbing and air conditioning, then I highly recommend that you accept my offer and go turncoat. You have nowhere else to go, and no one else is going to make you an offer this good. I will only give you this one chance, so don’t miss it.

See you around.

Kain Anathemas Nekronus von Darksol”

The former Heroes stood in silence for a minute and considered their options. They could not try their luck in the ‘Light Lands’ and trying to destroy Darksol was suicide. They had no way of surviving unless they either took the Abominable King’s offer or became bandits, and of the two the offer was a better chance at living.

“He may be lying; He may be trying to bait us into coming there to die…” Nagato said before pausing for dramatic effect. “But if he is from our world, then I may be able to convince him to stop being evil!”

The other former Heroes looked at the Justice Otaku and shrugged.

It’s not like they had any better plans.

“To Necrograd we go, then.”