Alright. So that's… real. I have a servant. A level 90 theatrical demon necromancer who apparently is ready to turn stones into bread for me. Which part of my eight thousand hours of gameplay prepared me for this?
Lumi, still leaning on her hip, raised her head. Her cheeks were no longer so pale, thanks to the nutrition potion earlier. "He's… intense," she said, summarizing Lazarus's entire existence in one word.
"Intense," repeated Nyxaria, her voice flat. An agreement. Her right hand—the same hand that a few hours ago had annihilated four players with a single flick—awkwardly patted Lumi's small shoulder. The movement was stiff. Like trying to start a machine whose manual was lost, Mara thought.
She led Lumi to the fireplace. The large carved chair with black velvet cushions felt cold when sat upon, but the warmth of the fire began to creep in. Nyxaria sat in a similar chair across from her, her body upright, hands resting on the armrests. A position that should have been full of authority, but inside her head, Mara felt like an impostor sitting in a director's chair.
This is my home? Sanctuary? Territory? Whatever it is. I have to… manage it. But how? Where's the 'Manage Territory' menu? Usually there's a UI with sliders for taxes, defense, production…
Her thoughts, accustomed to menu logic and icons, spun empty. This world had no neat administrative UI. Only stone, rooms, and an overly enthusiastic servant.
Not even ten minutes later, a knock sounded at the door—not an ordinary knock, but three dramatic rhythmic knocks, followed by a pause, then two more knocks. Before Nyxaria could answer, the door opened and Lazarus glided in. In his hands, he carried a large silver tray that looked heavy, but he held it easily. On it, not stone bread, but something far more sensible yet worrying: several pieces of still-steaming smoked meat, a type of roasted tuber emitting a sweet aroma, and two cups containing a liquid like deep purple-colored tea.
"My infinite apologies, my Queen!" exclaimed Lazarus, his voice still brimming with emotional vibration. He placed the tray on the low table between the two chairs with a flowing motion that nearly spilled the tea. "The main kitchen supplies are still in the process of reactivation. But, the long-term preservation warehouse in the northwest wing—oh, how faithful that room is!—still stores some emergency supplies from… eh, the golden age. Shadow-Stag meat preserved with the essence of darkness, Underworld Tuber still fresh thanks to time seals, and tea from Gloom-Moss steeped in stalactite tears. Soothing and nutritious!"
He bowed, awaiting approval. The green eyes behind his veil blinked hopefully.
Nyxaria observed the 'food'. Shadow-Stag? That's a level 70 monster that used to only be encountered in raid zones. Its meat… edible? In the wiki, it was just a material drop for crafting. But the aroma coming from it was truly tempting—salty, smoky, with a slight touch of unrecognized spices. Lumi was already sniffing, her golden eyes fixed on the meat.
"Try it," Nyxaria said to Lumi. Safer for the little child to be the guinea pig, though that thought made Mara feel like a crueler monster than anything Nyxaria could do.
Lumi didn't hesitate. She took a piece of meat with her small hand and bit into it. She chewed, then her eyes widened. "Delicious," she mumbled with her mouth full, then continued ravenously.
Good. Not poisonous. Or if poisonous, at least it tastes good.
Nyxaria took a piece for herself. When biting, the sensation was strange. Nyxaria's tongue—or her digestive system—immediately analyzed: high protein, infused with low-level darkness energy, digestible, provides +5 to stamina (the number appeared in the corner of her vision like a residual habit of the system). The taste… like very strong venison, but with an aftertaste like mint and ash. Not bad. Even quite good.
"Lazarus," Nyxaria called after swallowing.
"Yes, my Queen?" The necromancer immediately stood ready, his body leaning forward.
"This Sanctuary. What is its main function?"
The question, asked in the flat tone of a gamer opening a tutorial, made Lazarus fall silent for a moment. His expression changed from enthusiastic to serious, like a professor asked to explain the most basic theory. "Oh, my Light of Darkness! Obsidian Sanctuary is not merely a fortress. It is your Territory! The existential anchor point of your existence in the fabric of reality! A zone of absolute sovereignty that acknowledges your blood and authority, and rejects all other claims!"
Okay, many words, little substance. "Its function. Practically speaking."
Lazarus cleared his throat, slightly offended that his epic explanation was being reduced. "Practically… speaking, my Queen, it is an operational base, workshop, warehouse, and defensive fortress. It has systems embedded in its stone—security, monitoring, limited production. Currently, it has just awakened. Eighty-seven percent operational status means all core systems are active, but many secondary subsystems are still in hibernation or require recalibration."
Operational base. Warehouse. Fortress. Those words were more comfortable to Mara's ears. "Show me. Security system."
Lazarus's face brightened. "With pleasure! Let us leave this meal for a moment—it will stay warm, guaranteed by the tray's own magic—and allow this worthless servant to guide the Sovereign!"
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
Their journey this time was different. Lazarus no longer walked with theatrical steps, but with terrifying efficiency. He knew every inch of this place. He directed them to a room they hadn't passed before, hidden behind a plain section of wall in the corridor leading to the throne room—a control room.
The room was semicircular in shape, its walls covered with translucent crystal panels that were mostly still dark. In the center, there was a stone console with several touch crystal fields emitting a faint purple light. This was the physical interface of something that in the game would be a giant menu full of icons and progress bars.
"This is the Nexus Command," said Lazarus, his voice lower, full of respect. "From here, with your authority, you can observe and command nearly every aspect of the Sanctuary." His clawed hand hovered over one of the crystal panels. The panel lit up, projecting a detailed three-dimensional map of the entire Obsidian Sanctuary complex into the air before them. Mara could see every corridor, every room, even the main throne room far away as a transparent green block. Some areas blinked yellow, some red.
"Yellow indicates zones with limited function or requiring attention. Red indicates damage or unsealed seals. Green, like your private apartment, is fully operational."
This is it. The UI. Mara felt slightly relieved. There was something comprehensible. Nyxaria observed the map. This Sanctuary was very large. Larger than she had guessed. There were levels below that they hadn't even explored yet—labyrinths, prisons, ritual rooms, what looked like… underground gardens?
"Defense systems," Nyxaria commanded.
Barrier. That's the most important. Mara remembered Lumi, who was sleeping soundly in her lap after being full. She remembered the corpses in Elmwood Village. I need walls. Strong ones.
"Activate territorial barrier. Top priority."
Lazarus froze, then bowed very deeply. "As my Lord commands."
He placed both his thin palms on the console. Pale green energy—different from the sanctuary's purple light—flowed from his fingers into the crystal. Then he stepped back. "Now, touch the console, my Queen. Set the parameters and give the activation command. Only your blood—your will—can fully bind this system to you."
Nyxaria stepped forward. Before her, the main crystal panel glowed brighter, displaying a series of options in demonic rune language that she could suddenly understand: Radius. Strength. Access Requirements. Maintenance Cost. It was like setting up a guild hall in Aeternum, but the scale and consequences were real.
Maximum radius… one kilometer from the sanctuary center. That would cover this hill and a bit of the surrounding forest. Strength… set to maximum. Barrier level 99. Only those with my permission can enter. Maintenance cost… A number appeared: 500 units of darkness energy per day. A bar beside it showed 'Sanctuary Reserves: 45,000/100,000'. That's enough for months.
Her slender finger touched the crystal, selecting her options. No blinking confirmation button. Just a question that echoed in the room, not with sound, but directly in her consciousness.
[SANCTUARY CORE QUERY: ACTIVATE TERRITORIAL BARRIER – ABSOLUTE GRADE?]
Yes, Mara thought, through Nyxaria.
[AFFIRMED. SOVEREIGN AUTHORITY RECOGNIZED.]
Then, something happened outside the room. A low sound that couldn't be heard but could be felt—like the hum of a giant that had just awakened—vibrated through the stone beneath their feet. From the map projection, a blue layer around the sanctuary perimeter suddenly became solid and deep purple, then radiated outward like a non-destructive shockwave, surpassing the stone boundaries and enveloping the surrounding territory.
In the projection, the territory within one kilometer of the sanctuary's outer wall was now enveloped by a transparent purple energy dome.
[System Feedback: Territorial Barrier – 'Obsidian Aegis' – Activated. Grade: Absolute (Tier: Catastrophe-Class).
Unauthorized Entry: Impossible for entities below Level 99.]
Lumi, awakened by the vibration, rubbed her eyes and looked at the map. She pointed at the purple dome. "Home… now has a roof," she mumbled, then laid her head back on Nyxaria's lap.
A strange feeling crept over Mara. Not power. Not false security. But a… responsibility. She had just activated the most sophisticated defense system that might exist in this world. To protect a child. And herself. This was no longer about saving herself by hiding. This was about taking control. About having something that must be defended.
Lazarus gazed at the energy dome in the projection with tears in his glowing eyes. "Beautiful," he whispered, choked up. "It has been centuries since the last protective light shone. The world may consider it a threat, my Queen. But for us… this is a sign that home has truly been secured."
"What is its effect on those outside?" asked Nyxaria, her voice remaining analytical.
"For those unauthorized? They will see the same cliff and forest. But if they try to step beyond the barrier boundary… they will find a wall of invisible force. A power that pushes them back. If they insist or attack, the barrier will retaliate with a significant darkness lightning sting. Not lethal to high-level ones, but… very unpleasant."
Good. That buys time. That gives me options.
Mara looked at Lumi who had fallen asleep again, then at Lazarus who stood full of devotion. She had shelter. She had defenses. She had a child depending on her, and a servant who seemed willing to follow any command, even the most absurd.
This is real. I'm trapped here. No logout. No reset. Only this. That thought, which had previously triggered panic, now felt… different. Like a heavy fact that finally had to be acknowledged. Like accepting a main quest that couldn't be ignored.
"Lazarus," said Nyxaria, breaking the silence of the control room. "What is happening in the outside world? During… my absence." She almost said 'while I was inactive', but that would open too many questions.
The necromancer sighed, a sound that seemed like wind passing through a graveyard. "The world, my Queen, continues to spin in foolish and temporary ways. The Church of Light still rules, worshipping their sun that will one day go out. The Demon Sovereign Council in the Underrealm still debates protocols and traditions like children playing with their ancestors' bones. And the… Players." He spoke that last word with a tone of profound disgust.
"They are like locusts. They come, make a commotion, die—sometimes—and somehow always return. The world doesn't understand them. I don't understand them. But they are everywhere. And since your awakening, my Queen… they must have already heard."
"Heard what?"
"That a Catastrophe-Class Active Threat has awakened," said Lazarus, his green eyes shining sharply. "The system will spread the announcement. Their 'Heroes' will consider it an invitation. They will come, my Queen. They will see your risen sanctuary, your barrier shining like a beacon in the night for those who can sense such energy… and they will think this is a new dungeon that has opened. With a boss that can be killed to get loot."
His words were cold, logical, and full of terrifying certainty. It was a strategic analysis from an NPC who fully understood the logic of the world where he existed.
Nyxaria nodded slowly. That made sense. Very much sense. In the game, a boss awakening event always attracted the attention of dozens, even hundreds of players.
"We can't wait for them to knock on the door," she murmured, more to herself. "I need information. Maps. Intelligence. Where are they? How many? How strong?"