*mutters curses*
Retaking the mine was just as costly as I expected it would be and my longdead forces are melting practically before my eyes! At least I managed to ship some soulless from the hamlet to guard it, so the places are again garrisoned, though I would like the garrisons to be beefier.
At least midwinter has seen another new apprentice come to my door begging for instruction and this time I have enough resources to hire him and not be left staring at a lone copper coin at the bottom of the treasure chest.
Cernetu has added another coastal fishing village to my realm a couple of months ago. You wouldn't think it, but over time the catch from fishing generates quite a bit of revenue.
*late winter evening at camp*
"Master look at the sky! I have never seen the foxfires in the sky that strong this far south!"
I looked up from the tome I was studying to see that there was indeed a peculiar light in the sky. Only this was not the normal light that comes from the night sky in winter. I was still running the exercises of a minor summoning ritual through my head when suddenly I felt...
*HUNGER! SOULS! FEED!*
There was something right there next to me, waiting to pounce if given the slightest opportunity! I scrambled back and had the undead form a circle around me as I tried in vain to see the threat.
The summoning ritual slipped from my mind and I felt the threat recede slowly and reluctantly, disappointed. Shaken, I glanced once more at the sky and saw at the same time how the face of the scout had turned ashen.
The lights undulating in the sky had forms moving through them, a faint suggestion of long limbs and razor sharp claws as if glimpsed through a thick mist. The glow and wink of what might have been stars, but might as easily have been the gleam of malevolent eyes...
"M-master..."
"I see them, yes..."
"What are they?"
"I don't know. They feel like the things we saw at the ruins. Magic draws them, so we had best be careful about what we do. No summons for me for a good long while. We must do with what we have for now."
