I became a legion lich

122 Third layer

The truth was that he had given up using the inner walls and the fortress itself, deciding that it would be better to fight in the open than to press soldiers inside the fortress. If the fog of darkness were used in such a situation, he would suffer catastrophic losses and it would be the end.

Skeletons invaded the first floor where most of the traders were and started a massacre. The soldiers protecting the fortress were unable to stand up to Emilia, while Caio focused on turning the newly dead into new skeletons. The desperate traders evacuated to the upper floors and the skeletons chased them.

The chase was still in progress, but Emilia was informed that the battle was already over and the soldiers were trying to flee, so she ordered the skeletons to come out and block the way of the fleeing soldiers. There was nowhere for the traders to run anyway.

The skeletons managed to buy enough time for the others to catch up and the bloodbath ensued. An Athos in a battle frenzy and fully bathed in blood led the slaughter, laughing like a maniac as he killed soldiers nonstop.

A few soldiers managed to successfully escape, which Astrus placed to guard the opposite gate. He wasn’t stupid enough to leave the gate unguarded and the soldiers fled as soon as the general died.

It was doubtful if they would be able to survive for long within the demihuman empire, but it was still better than being an eternal slave.

“More...I need some more...” Athos muttered after knocking the last soldier to the ground. Its core was pulsing as the corpses turned into skeletons and all that life force was absorbed.

‘Treevor, I’m about to form a new layer. I need you here.’ Athos mentally ordered.

‘Do you need me to hold your hand?’ Treevor asked sarcastically, but obeyed anyway.

.....

‘Do not fill. You have special senses beyond the sight of death, don’t you? Last time I formed a layer at my core, I created a gray skin that heals me whenever I’m injured. I want you to look at me and tell me what you see.’ Athos replied seriously, but Treevor’s taunt continued.

“So you’re an exhibitionist? I never thought you liked being seen.” Treevor arrived at Athos’ side and continued playing. Athos did not respond and focused on the core itself.

He did the same process as before, making large amounts of mana circulate through his body and then sending it back. The mana continually pressed and condensed the energy of its second layer, the life force solidifying around it and forming the third layer.

The process was incredibly simple, taking less than 10 minutes and making Treevor sigh in awe. Forming the third layer should be even more difficult, as the mage would have to apply even more pressure, making the process even more painful. Athos didn’t care about pain and focused only on efficiency.

“How it was?” Athos asked after finishing and checking his own core.

“Nothing much. Maybe the skin isn’t related-” The words choked in Treevor’s throat. He saw that Athos’ core was currently rejecting incoming life force and causing it to blend with the darkness coursing through his body.

A mass of darkness exploded from his body, between his skin and his bones forming muscle tissue. His muscles were exactly the same as Athos had when he was alive, but they were gray like skin. The organs and hair were still missing, but it was another step towards a complete body.

Even their facial features were the same. If it weren’t for the empty eye sockets and the darkness that lurked whenever he opened his mouth, he’d just look like a bald man with a weird skin tone.

Athos looked dazedly at his arms and removed his armor, touching his chest and abdominal muscles. A glimmer of hope appeared in his mind and he looked down his pants, black tears of happiness streaming from his empty sockets.

“He’s back... my old friend is back!” Athos raised both fists in the air in victory, feeling genuinely happy. He had already resigned himself to never seeing him again, but he would be lying if he said he had no hope of ever getting him back.

“Congratulations.” Treevor spoke with envy for more than one reason. He too held the same hope as Athos, but the size of the bulge in Athos’ pants filled him with envy. As an elf, Treevor had a small build and consequently a moderately sized friend at best.

“No need to sulk so much, if I understand what just happened, we can replicate the same for you.” Athos misunderstood the reason for envy and tried to reassure him.

“I think I already understand what happened. You know that darkness replaces everything we’ve lost as the undead, right? It’s the reason we can still see and hear despite having no eyes or ears.” Treevor began to explain.

“I already know that.”

“What you failed to realize is that after you form a new layer, the extra life force you receive is not absorbed by the core and merges with the darkness of your body, transforming first into your skin and now your muscles. This process is likely to continue until you completely rebuild your body.” Treevor said, shocking Athos.

“So the energy is being wasted? Hey, stop lifting the dead bodies!” Athos started yelling at the skeleton wizards, but Treevor reassured him.

“Calm down, it’s not as wasteful as you’re thinking. I still have to investigate a little more, but it looks like your skin and your muscles are there to regenerate you in case your bones, the really important part of your body get injured, right?” Treevor asked, trying to discern the limit of this ability.

“Yes. That’s really helpful since I don’t have to weaken my own bones to heal.” Athos agreed with him.

“Although it serves to heal you, your skin is still a form of energy mixed with life force, so it’s likely that you have more abilities that we don’t know yet. Try circulating mana, using abilities with skin and muscles, circulating energy world that you naturally absorb, or things like that.” Treevor began to suggest ideas for Athos to test.

“Let’s go somewhere else before then. We might destroy some dead bodies by accident if we test here.” Athos suggested and Treevor agreed, reducing to human size. He and Treevor entered the fortress and headed for the top. The battle here was still going on, with several traders and their minions trying to barricade the floors to stop the undead, but Athos passed them by without a care.

“Master, what happened to you?” Emilia asked, conjuring three orbs of darkness and throwing them at the makeshift barricades, destroying the resistance on that floor and letting the skeletons finish the job.

“I want to run some tests on my body. Want to come?” Athos asked and Emilia happily nodded.

“Of course! Caio, replace me.” Emilia ordered Caio and followed Athos. Caio had a thing or two to say about that, but Emilia’s gaze silenced him and he obediently obeyed.

They reached the courtyard, only to find it was already occupied. A group of soldiers and a dozen more men in ragged clothes were there. They were supposed to be servants or slaves of traders.

Emilia took a step forward to kill them, but Athos had an idea and interrupted her. “Let’s leave them alive.”

“Which?” Emilia and Treevor asked in shock.

“I want to try some experiments on living people and I just found the perfect candidates.” Athos explained and Emilia breathed a sigh of relief.

What the fuck are you guys saying? Experiments on living people?” One of the soldiers asked pointing his sword at Athos, the strangest of the trio.

“Nothing you have a voice for.” Athos responded and Treevor’s vines stretched, strangling them all. The soldiers tried to break free, but the vines held him until they all fainted from asphyxiation.

Athos started testing everything Treevor suggested, but just absorbing world energy worked. Circulating mana did nothing, using skill on skin or muscle made no difference. The most promising was to absorb world energy. As if it were a sponge, its skin and muscles absorbed world energy and stored it.

His dull gray skin began to glow as it absorbed energy, as if it were charging. After some time, his body stopped accepting energy and Athos felt a feeling of satisfaction, like eating his fill after starving for days.

“Looks like you’ve discovered a new skill.” Treevor said after Athos stopped absorbing energy and started looking at himself. He conjured a mirror of water so Athos could see the differences.

“Okay, I’m glowing. But is that all?” Athos asked. He tried using a simple fist boost skill, immediately noticing a change. He had to spend a minimal amount of mana to activate the ability and his body kept it active at no additional cost, without him needing to focus on keeping it active.