The Eclipsed Order

Chapter 54: Chapter 54: The Undead King Algazar

Several days had passed since the academy’s break began.

I was sitting on my bed, looking through one of the records I’d brought back from the library, while Draven occupied the chair beside the window.

The room was quiet until a knock came from the door.

I looked up.

Before I could say anything, a man’s voice came from the other side.

"Young Master Ares D’Averon?"

I exchanged a glance with Draven.

That wasn’t a voice I recognized.

"Who is it?"

"I am a royal messenger. I have been instructed to deliver a letter and a package addressed to you."

A royal messenger?

I closed the book and stood.

"Wait there."

I opened the door.

A knight in the formal uniform of the kingdom stood outside. He immediately bowed after confirming my identity.

"Young Master D’Averon. I have a royal invitation for your family, along with a package sent from Count D’Averon’s estate."

"I see."

He presented the sealed letter first, followed by a long box.

I accepted both.

"The invitation concerns the royal family’s gathering at the palace during the academy’s break. Your attendance has been requested as a member of House D’Averon."

"Understood."

The knight bowed again.

"Then my duty here is complete."

He turned and left without another word.

I closed the door and returned to the room.

Draven was already looking at me.

"A royal gathering?"

"Apparently."

I broke the seal on the letter.

It was from my mother.

Ares,

The royal family’s annual gathering will be held at the palace in a few days. Your father and the rest of the family will be attending, so make sure you come as well.

I’ve sent your formal attire with this letter.

Don’t embarrass the family.

—Mother

I stared at the final line.

"She could have at least pretended to be affectionate."

Draven chuckled.

"That’s your mother?"

"Yeah."

I opened the box.

Inside was a formal outfit prepared specifically for me: a dark coat with subtle silver embroidery, a white shirt, matching trousers, polished shoes, and several accessories bearing the D’Averon family crest.

I lifted the coat and examined it briefly.

I placed the coat back inside the box.

The gathering itself wasn’t unusual. The royal family held these occasions regularly, especially during the academy’s breaks, when many nobles and influential figures were already gathered in the capital.

The royal family would be there, along with the kingdom’s great noble houses, senior knights, military commanders, government officials, wealthy merchants, guild representatives, and other influential figures.

For the nobles, it was simply one of the occasions where everyone could meet, maintain relationships, discuss business, strengthen alliances, and remain on good terms with the crown.

And as the son of a count, attending was simply part of my family’s responsibilities.

I sighed.

"So I’ll be spending my break at the royal palace."

Draven smiled.

"Try not to cause trouble."

"Why would i?."

I looked down at the invitation again.

Still, having so many influential people gathered in one place wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.

I’d been spending the past few months looking into the hidden side of the kingdom.

This time, I could simply observe the people who stood at the top of its public hierarchy.

I smiled faintly.

"Could be interesting."

I’d been meaning to ask him something for a while now.

"Draven."

"Hmm?"

"There is something important I want to ask you. You’ve lived for thousands of years, so you might know more about this than anyone else I could ask."

Draven looked toward me.

"That sounds serious."

"It is."

I closed the record in my hands.

"I’ve found traces of something called Algazar. There’s evidence that someone is attempting to bring him back."

Draven’s expression changed immediately.

"Algazar?"

His voice was noticeably different this time.

"You mean the undead king?"

I nodded.

"As expected, Yeah that’s the name."

For a moment, Draven remained silent.

I had expected some reaction, but not quite that one.

"You know him?"

"Know him?"

Draven let out a short laugh.

"Of course I know him. Algazar wasn’t exactly the sort of person you could forget."

I leaned forward slightly.

"Then tell me about him."

Draven rested his back against the chair and thought for a moment before speaking.

"Algazar wasn’t originally an undead king."

That caught my attention.

"He was a holy knight of the kingdom about twenty-five hundred years ago. From what I remember, he was considered one of the strongest knights of his generation. He served the royal family, fought monsters, protected towns, cities, and spent most of his life defending the kingdom."

Draven’s expression became somewhat distant.

"But something happened to him."

"What?"

"He was betrayed."

Draven’s voice became quieter.

"According to what I heard at the time, Algazar discovered that several nobles and high-ranking officials were involved in something they didn’t want the public to know about. I never learned the exact details, but they apparently decided that allowing him to speak was too dangerous."

"So they killed him."

"Yes."

Draven nodded.

"They ambushed him and killed him despite everything he’d done for the kingdom."

He paused.

"But that wasn’t the end of Algazar."

His expression became more serious.

"His hatred didn’t disappear with his death. Somehow, his body remained saturated with the magic and resentment he had accumulated during his life. Afterward, he returned as an undead."

"An undead king."

"Exactly."

Draven folded his arms.

"He wasn’t simply a powerful undead. He retained his intelligence, his combat experience, his magical knowledge, and everything that had made him dangerous while he was alive."

I frowned.

"So he became even stronger after dying."

"Much stronger."

Draven gave a grim smile.

"Algazar gathered other undead beneath him and eventually created an entire army. He conquered several territories, destroyed cities, and nearly turned the kingdom into a graveyard."

I stared at him.

"And no one could stop him?"

"They tried."

Draven sighed.

"Knights, mages, armies... even several powerful monsters were dragged into that conflict. None of them could defeat him permanently."

"So who finally killed him?"

"The hero of that era."

Draven’s expression softened slightly as he recalled the distant past.

"That man was incredibly strong. Strong enough that even I had to acknowledge him."

"You?"

I raised an eyebrow.

Draven clicked his tongue.

"Don’t look so surprised."

He paused before continuing.

"Although, if I remember correctly, I could probably have killed Algazar myself back then."

I stared at him.

"Really?"

"Of course."

Draven laughed.

"That idiot nearly burned down the forest I was protecting during one of his campaigns. If he’d actually reached the deeper parts, I would have dealt with him personally."

I couldn’t help smiling.

"So you actually hated him."

"I wouldn’t say hated."

Draven scratched his cheek.

"He was simply an incredibly troublesome undead who didn’t understand that some forests were not his to burn."

I shook my head.

"That’s your reason?"

"It’s a perfectly good reason."

I laughed.

"So Algazar was eventually defeated by the hero."

"Yes."

"And he remained dead after that?"

"As far as I know."

Draven leaned back.

"His body was destroyed, and whatever remained of him was sealed. After that, the story gradually became history."

I was silent for a moment.

So the records I’d found weren’t describing some obscure monster.

They were talking about someone who had once been powerful enough to threaten an entire kingdom.

"Then the people trying to resurrect him..."

Draven’s expression immediately became serious.

"Who’s stupid enough to summon him in this era?"

I looked at him.

"It’s some kind of cult. We haven’t identified their main ritual site yet, but we’ve found enough evidence to know that they’re preparing for his return."

Draven stared at me for several seconds.

Then he sighed.

"They really have no idea what they’re doing."

"You think they’re underestimating him?"

"Obviously."

He folded his arms.

"Algazar wasn’t some obedient undead that could be pointed at an enemy and commanded to attack. He had his own will, his own hatred, and enough power to destroy the people standing beside him just as easily as those standing against him."

I nodded slowly.

"That’s what I was worried about."

Draven glanced toward me.

"If they actually manage to bring him back, this era is going to have a serious problem."

"That’s why I’m investigating them."

I leaned back against the wall.

"We still don’t know where the ritual is being prepared, but the Eclipse Order is already searching for it."

Draven was quiet for a moment.

Then he laughed awkwardly.

"Well, I suppose I shouldn’t complain too much."

I looked at him.

"What?"

He rubbed the back of his neck.

"I almost forgot."

He glanced toward me.

"You belong to this era too."

I stared at him.

"Well..."

Draven looked away.

"I’ve been alive for a very long time. Sometimes I forget that most people around me weren’t."

I sighed.

"You’re unbelievable."

Draven laughed.

"Either way, don’t take Algazar lightly just because he’s an undead."

Draven looked toward the window.

"Because if that cult actually succeeds, they won’t simply be waking up an ancient king."

He paused.

"They’ll be bringing back one of the greatest disasters this world has ever seen."

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