The soldiers turned as one, their faces pale with fear. From the shadows of the forest emerged an imposing figure wreathed in an aura of death so thick it seemed to swallow the light around him except its purple glow, the tell sign of necrotic mana. The Lich King stepped forward, his skeletal form towering over them, his blackened crown glinting faintly in the dim light. The Violet flames within his empty eye sockets flickered cold and unyielding.
The leader of the soldiers lowered his hand slowly, his voice shaking as he addressed the figure. "Lich King… we mean no disrespect. This woman is a traitor to the Empire. The child she carries belongs to us. This matter does not concern you."
The Lich King tilted his head slightly, his skeletal fingers twitching as if considering the man's words. His voice, when it came, was a low, chilling growl. "Surely you don't mean this babe. He is no more than a week old. What crimes could he have committed to deserve death. Why is his life not precious." The king stroked his chin in thought and muttered to himself "Surely things haven't changed so much so that this is the norm".
Alice gathered her courage and with what little energy she had left spoke up "Sir if i may The fools in the Empire believe he is to bring destruction to our world and have decided to kill him. But i beg you he has done nothing wrong its the old coots on the council who fear the unknown—-"
"Silence traitor stop with your blasphemous lies!" One of the soldiers shouted
The Lich King Narrowed his gaze and with a wave of his hand ripped the man's head off. "You forget whose presence you find yourself in and also since when did the empire decide it wished for war with me." With each word the fog began to thicken more and more.
Without further warning, the King raised a single hand. The soldiers froze, their bodies trembling violently as the dark fog around them came alive, binding them in place. Their mana orbs extinguished one by one, the clearing plunging into near-total darkness.
"Your lives are forfeit," the Lich King declared. With a final motion of his hand, the soldiers crumpled to the ground, lifeless. Soon after set ablaze turned to ash.
Alice, trembling from both exhaustion and the overwhelming presence before her, stared as the skeletal figure approached. She fought the instinct to flinch as he loomed over her, his burning gaze fixed on the child in her arms.
"You called, mortal," the Lich King said, his voice devoid of emotion. "Speak."
Alice swallowed hard, her voice trembling. "I… I offer my soul. Take it, and in return, protect my son. Keep him safe. Please."
The Lich King studied her for a moment, then glanced at the infant. "You risk everything for this child," he murmured. "Why?"
"He's my son," she whispered, her voice breaking. "He deserves a chance to live, to grow. Please… if there's any mercy in you, grant him that chance."
The Lich King's flames flickered as he considered her words. Finally, he spoke, his tone carrying a strange mix of finality and curiosity. "Very well. Your soul isn't enough but to protect him until he reaches the age of 18. You're nearly dead already.. Until then the boy will be under my protection. But know this: his path will be wrought with death. If you accept this, your sacrifice shall not be in vain."
Alice nodded weakly, "So long as Morte gets the chance to live his life and prove them wrong."her body giving out as her vision dimmed. She whispered one final word to her son before the darkness claimed her.
The Lich King gently lifted the child with a wave of his hand, cradling the infant in an unseen force. Turning to his butler, a ghostly figure that materialized at his side, he gave a curt nod.
"To name a child death then ask me the bringer of death to look after him, ironic isn't it Kyris." The butler appeared from the king's shadow and bowed low. "It is indeed my King."
The Lich King glanced down at the baby cradled in his skeletal arms, his hollow eyes glowing faintly as they studied the infant's serene face. With a deliberate motion, he raised one bony finger, brushing it lightly against the child's soft cheek. The infant stirred but did not cry, as if even in his unconscious state, he could sense the presence of death incarnate.
"Morte Alison," the Lich King intoned, his deep, resonant voice imbued with an unexpected gentleness. "You are the child of death. Let us see what fate has in store for you."
With a faint ripple of necrotic energy, he raised his free hand, drawing a complex series of arcane symbols in the air. The symbols pulsed with a cold, violet light before merging into a single, radiant sigil. The sigil expanded, surrounding the Lich King, the infant, and the lifeless mother in a circle of glowing runes.
The air grew thick with power, and the temperature plummeted further as the sigil flared, its light illuminating the clearing one final time before collapsing inward. In an instant, the trio vanished, leaving behind only the faint scent of ozone and the lingering chill of death's passage.
Far away, in the heart of Necrovia, the Lich King reappeared within the grand throne room of his citadel. The ancient stone walls, lined with glowing glyphs of protection and power, reverberated with the energy of his arrival.
He lowered the child gently onto a raised dais draped with enchanted fabric, his bony fingers brushing the infant's forehead in a motion that almost resembled a blessing. Beside him, the lifeless form of Alice descended slowly, coming to rest on an ornate slab of black marble.
Turning to Kyris, his ghostly butler who materialized at his side, the Lich King spoke with quiet authority. "See that she is laid to rest in the garden. Among the roses. Let her final place be one of beauty."
Kyris bowed low, his translucent form shimmering faintly. "As you command, my King."
The Lich King's gaze lingered on the infant once more. "Morte Alison," he murmured, his tone softer now, "your path begins here. You are the child of death, and in my domain, you will learn to wield it."
With that, he turned, his tattered robes trailing behind him as he ascended the steps to his throne, leaving the child and his silent mother in the care of the ever-present shadow of Necrovia.