Crimson Eternal: An Immortal Death Mage LitRPG Apocalypse

Aria

Even with the addition of tree murder to my hunt – which gets me way too much wood – I don’t manage to level up to level thirteen before I’m called back to meet the council again. Which leads me to being in a relatively poor mood as I walk through the door into the council chambers.

Especially since I’m just barely not there yet. Just a few hundred beings granted death away from level thirteen.

I better get a damned skill from this level-up. The last time I got a skill was at level six after all.

And from what I can tell, I have a class that barely gives skills at all.

Although at least it makes up for it with the relative power of the skills I do get.

Since my skills are very powerful and versatile. A lot more so than the average skill.

“Lady Death, welcome back,” Sean Byrne says with a grin on his face from the head of the table. “Heard ya had a good time at tha Grand Tree.”

I nod my head without saying a word in response.

Because I’m really not in the mood for small talk right now.

He seems to quickly read my mood before focusing at the topic at hand, saying, “Now that tha harbinger is back, let’s go over our current situation.”

A map appears floating above the table of parts of both the Byrne and Sullivan Clan. Not particularly large parts of the clans’ territories, but the parts that are near each other.

The Sullivan Clan is directly north of the Byrne Clan, and while they do have a stretch of land connecting the two, the majority of the space between the two Clans is ocean. Meanwhile directly East of both Clans is the Sorrel Clan, which I’ve been told has ties to the Grand Silvanian Empire. An empire that’s actually a rather nice place to live.

Well, probably not for me though. Considering their emperor’s rather significant hatred of the Horsemen.

Come to think of it, the reason these council members were so wary of me makes a lot more sense after I learned about the Gallagher Clan. The Clan with ties and a Gate to War’s main world.

So the Clans on Luk’tar have a rather bad experience with the Horsemen.

“Tha enemy forces are split up into four armies, each headin to a different location,” one of the council members states as four points on the map are marked by crossed swords. Then an arrow appears going from one of those swords to the boat marked on the map in the ocean. “Tha first hearth has been seen by our scouts ta be heading through tha ocean towards us an’ will be clashin with our carrier in tha water.” Another arrow appears from the coastal fortress within the Sullivan Clan’s territory into the water and to the coastal fortress in the Byrne Clan’s territory. “Tha second hearth was sighted crossin inta tha waters ta attack our own coastal fortress.”

I frown at the map.

Those two… I’m not sure how much help I’ll be.

It would be difficult to make it to the ships from underwater without them just blasting me away. And even if I could do that, there’s the other issue of I’d likely only be able to attack a single ship before the others start focusing on me.

All of their ships are bound to be able to detect things underwater, and they’ll have underwater defenses as well. Meanwhile I’d be stuck trying to swim upwards toward them while being fired at.

I wouldn’t be able to die, but that doesn’t mean I’ll actually be able to reach the ships.

A third arrow appears from the fortress closest to the border leading towards the border fortress for the Byrne Clan. The one I believe is supposed to be the one controlling the barrier. And right after that a fourth one goes from the fortress East of their third forces right beyond the border towards the mountain fortress to the East of the barrier controlling fortress.

Another council member states, “Tha third hearth is already attackin’ tha barrier fortress while that fourth is targetin the mountain fortress, currently climbin through tha mountains.”

Those two forces I should be able to take on pretty easily.

Either one would work.

“All four of tha hearths have twenty-five thou forces, an’ we have twelve and a half thou in each of our fortresses and the carrier,” the first council member states with a dark look on their face. Which is perfectly understandable seeing as they have twice our forces.

The Clan Leader speaks up this time, making me glance across the table at him, away from the map, “We believe our advantage in weaponry an’ your work at their Grand Tree should help balance out the war front, but we’re hopin to have you join in the defense of tha mountain fortress.”

Thought so. Or at least, I knew it would be either the barrier or the mountain fortress.

I’m honestly a little surprised it’s the mountain fortress instead of the barrier fortress.

From what I understand, the barrier is a lot weaker over the mountains due to the height, but the barrier is still there. And the barrier works on a spread out basis, where the barrier can be broken in certain locations while still being up in other locations.

Although the barrier should regenerate after broken. With it regenerating faster the closer it is to the barrier’s source, at the barrier fortress.

Unless… is there a reason they’re wanting to deal with the army attacking that fortress first?

A reason that fortress would matter more…

My eyes widen as a possible plan comes to mind. And right as I realize it, the Clan Leader speaks it out loud, “Our current plan is ta defeat tha fourth hearth in tha mountains before goin around an’ flankin their third hearth with our forces from tha mountain fortress, leaving a skeleton force at tha fortress during tha assault.”

Thought so.

“This’ll be a risk, but we have no other choice,” Sean continues with a frown. “We simply don’t have tha forces ta defend each fortress from the Sullivan Clan.”

Understandable. They have no choice but to take a risk to win.

“An’ with tha Atlanteans pullin’ out, they have no other allies or forces ta pull from,” the man continues, making the other council members nod in agreement, clear relief on their faces. “Unless they’re willin ta sell their own independence to another Clan.”

They all tense up a little bit at that part, but from what I can tell, there’s not much they can do about it.

The Byrne Clan really isn’t in much of a position to not take risks in this war. And if I’m being honest, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Sullivan Clan does sell their own independence in the end just to win. If they’re close to losing.

At least then they’ll be able to say they won even if they’re fully absorbed by whatever clan they sell their independence to. Giving them a choice in the end at how things turn out.

“I’ll be leadin’ the defense of tha mountain fortress,” one of the council members says with a nod, making me look at the man. “This time ye’ll be workin alongside me during tha campaign.”

Just like all the other lukians, he’s shorter than me with brown eyes. Meanwhile he has a long beard and long hair and is wearing a full set of plate metal armor.

“Understood,” I tell him with a nod.

My first time on this planet working under someone else’s orders. Actually, it’ll be my first time in years working under someone else’s direct orders. Being told to go take out an outpost or destroy a weapons production facility not counting as direct orders since they didn’t tell me how to do it.

Just told me to do it.

“Ye will move out with Council Member Conor Byrne, the Magma Titan, in the morn’,” the Clan Leader says with a stern look on his face. Then he turns to address the other council members as he continues, “Tha rest of ya will be movin’ out tonight to your assigned positions.”

“Yes, Clan Leader!” everyone in the room shouts while doing their salute. Meanwhile I just nod my head in agreement with his orders.

All of the council members quickly begin moving as I turn around to leave the council chamber, briefly glancing at Shirogane, only to find him shaking his head.

Guess he’s not coming with me this time around.

Then again, if he did then he’d probably be considered a combatant. And the Eternal Dynasty is neutral.

I should go ahead and get resupplied tonight. And maybe buy some stuff from Shirogane before I leave.

A couple of the council members quickly make their way past me, proving to be quite a bit faster than me despite their shorter height. Simply because of their levels all being at the very least four to five hundred. And each one nods their head as they pass.

This war is going to be a lot different from the war at Vortel… I’m going to have to avoid getting into any direct physical combat.

I stop at the edge of the platform looking out over the city.

Well, at least I should be able to reach level 13 soon.