I'm Not An Undead

Skullius was stunned. The intensity of his socket flames dampened within the cradle of his skull. What were the odds that someone who had just come from a frying pan would jump into the fire?

Apparently, 100%!

At least for him.

Tktktktktktktktkt!

This was not laughter by any means.

The Moronic Undead couldn't help but shake as he gazed upon the looming figure ahead, seated upon the massive stone throne. The stone looked ancient, with meaningful grooves that held a sacred feel.

The large figure resting its immense weight on it was nothing short of majestic. Even while stacked atop the throne, it was at least five meters tall - treacherously huge in the skeleton's sight.

It was a massive black ape with a grand mane around its head. Its great golden eyes emitted a resplendent light as it gazed down at the intruder. There was no sign of friendliness etched onto its face.

A beautiful golden white light revolved above its head with the shape of a crown, illuminating the space further. Streaks of golden fur could be seen amidst the dark ones, forming beautiful runic symbols on its body that almost seemed to be alive. The giant Ape opened its mouth and judgment spilled from its mouth; its voice might have been thunder.

"An Undead toy dares to enter not only the Tremur Forest but my Territory as well? Is this a declaration of war, the guarantee of another invasion?" 

Skullius shook along with the gust of wind that blew across the world right then, making the grass and tree leaves dance.

He would have gulped if he could. He was scared - so very scared.

But, he was also... confused.

"Uhmm.... what did... what did.. you say?" he stammered.

He couldn't understand what the ape had said!

Unlike with the guidance field which used the language he was used to hearing in Deadmanland, Skullius couldn't comprehend the Ape's words!

The Ape tilted its head, recognizing the language barrier. It pointed its great finger at Skullius, a small golden light speeding out of it and into his head.

A notification appeared in the skeleton's vision, announcing a surprising development.

[You have been gifted the skill 'Greater Communication' by the Great Mane Mountain Ape, 'Azila'. You can now understand and speak all Low to Mid-level languages]

"Oh?" Skullius said. He heard the previous words of the Ape pulse through him again as though he had repeated them. But this time, he understood them. Shuddering, he opened his mouth to respond, but...

[Be careful with your words. You are under supervision by advanced skills. The skill 'King's Court' can destroy you immediately if you displease the Ape].

VOW had chipped in.

Skullius shivered. He wanted to be mad that VOW had let him walk into this monstrous beast's territory without giving him a warning but he restrained his frustrations.

As the dragonfly-like creatures flew around him, Skullius considered what to say carefully.

"Will you still show arrogance after I have granted you the means to speak?" the slightly angry tone in the voice of the Ape accompanied by the crackling of its eyes with golden lightning arcs tore Skullius from his thoughts.

His body continued to sizzle like frying steak.

"Uhmm... No! No one wants a war! Truly! I mean look at you, br- Great Mountain Ape. No one would want to fight you..." said Skullius with a trembling voice.

The words the Ape had said about war made his mana core develop a brisk beat of its own.

'Is this where Somanda was coming? Did the Undead come here once?' he thought.

"Then why are you here, Undead?" asked the Azila.

"Uhmm.. you see... I ran away... from the.. uhmm from... my master."

A golden light flashed around Skullius, going up and down his shivering body.

Azila narrowed his eyes.

"You seem to be telling the truth," he said with a scoff but retained some level of suspicion. "Why did you run away?"

"I was...about to be...Uhm.. erased," Skullius answered as he felt a progressive weakness.

Another golden light flashed from him as Azila gazed down at him.

The Ape then nodded.

The dragonflies with butterfly wings flew onto Skullius as if attracted by the golden light that would emanate around him, checking the veracity of his words.

They were larger than what one would expect, almost the size of a large bird, which made it all the more annoying for Skullius when their wings collided with his body.

He tried swatting them away as he focused on what the Ape would do, after all, his stats might be chopped down but he could still push them away.

[All debuffs and imposed skills have been lifted]

The notification gave the skeleton just a tiny bit of relief.

The Ape continued to rest on its throne with a strangely charming air of laziness. Skullius even felt some of the force that pounded on him receding, bits of his strength returning little by little.

"If you are merely a stray, then there is nothing else to discuss," Azila said.

Skullius was overwhelmed with joy...

"However, an Undead minion cannot be allowed in the forest to mingle with the living. You shall perish now."

... and then depression took over, striking him where it hurt in the next second.

Perishing in itself was one thing, but perishing while being assaulted by those annoying dragonflies was even worse in Skullius' opinion.

He couldn't meet his end right after he had just managed to escape the same thing from Somanda. How was this far?

Why would his luck be so terrible after he had just managed to pull off an impossible escape from Somanda?!

'VOW!' he called.

[Nope. It seems I'll have to find another candidate for these treasures. It was nice knowing you, young Undead].

'Oh, come on!' he cried inwardly. 'I'm not even young!"

Thinking fast, Skullius tried to buy himself a few seconds.

"Oh, Great Ape! Please wait! I'm actually... I'm not an undead!" he shouted.

The Great Mane Mountain Ape scoffed and considered him with its powerful gaze. Since it had deactivated its abilities, it didn't get an automatic response about whether or not Skullius was telling the truth. However, who wouldn't be able to smell and see the dark red stench of undeath that followed this small Undead?

"Do you take me for a fool?" the Ape said and he raised his finger, a glimmering coil of golden lightning concentrating around it.

'I'm so fleshed!' Skullius thought, drawing back. The bright golden light that intimately promised to leave nothing of him after it washed over his body stole his will.

'Think! Think!' he thought. The dragonflies still dancing around his body with annoying playfulness frustrated him all the more.

He swatted them away angrily.

'Dammit, at least let me meet my doom in peace!' he thought. His bony hands struck some of the dragonflies; they had surprisingly strong bodies.

His fingers however, as he continuously swatted away two of the dragonflies, beat against their ends - where the golden light would flicker on and off.

Then...

PCH! PCH! SPLURT!

The dragonflies screeched and a golden liquid poured from their glowing ends. It must have been a bad thing because the two annoying creatures fell to the ground gracelessly and turned still.

At the same time, the lightning on Azila's finger coiled to its tip, ready to fire.

Skullius would not survive being struck by it, to be sure.

However...

[You have killed a LV1 StarGold Clusterfly. You have gained experience]

[You have maxed your evolution 'Lesser Moronic Undead' and have become 'Greater Moronic Undead']

[You have killed a LV1 StarGold Clusterfly. You have gained experience]

[You have maxed your evolution 'Greater Moronic Undead' and have become 'Standard Undead']

[Congratulations, you have evolved from a pitifully pathetic species to the very standard form of Undeath]

[Congratulations, you are now eligible for Lifeless Evolution. Please hold on...]

A burst of energy covered Skullius, emitting a light blue radiance that sprang forth from his sockets and mana core!

Under the perplexed gaze of the Great Mane Mountain Ape, who was about to erase this little Undeathly menace, Skullius roared...

"UUUUOOOOOOOOHHHHH!"