Clyde and the Roundtable Knights were traveling to the Dilapi Kingdom first, in the back of a royal carriage. Clyde had his interests diverted to a book about the Dilapi Kingdom, seeking to learn their society and customs. He had spent four hours of the trip reading up, his knowledge on Dilapi more refined.

  Dilapi is a kingdom with Necro Magic in every single centimeter of its bounds. It's citizens are all undead, such as skeletons, zombies, ghouls, and mummies. The kingdom is governed by the Lich King Girzem. Clyde exhaled, engaging in diplomacy with a lich was not what he or any other would define as simple. He looked around the carriage, seeing the four Roundtable Knights asleep.

  Clyde poked his head out of the carriage, the air cold, dead. And over the horizon in the grey sky, was the outline of the Dilapi Kingdom. "Knights, wake! We are nearly at the Dilapi Kingdom!" Clyde yelled, succeeding in rousing the knights from their slumbers. Gadius fixed his helmet upon his head, Ogrin wiped some sleep from his eyes, Alicia yawned and stretched, and Heinrich wiped drivel fron his lips.

  Several minutes later, the horses pulling the carriage stopped, the one handling the reigns calling for the five in the back, "Oi Prince Clyde! We have arrived!" Clyde and the knights quickly exited the carriage. The prince took some gold coin from his pockets and placed it in the palm of the carriage driver. He then approached the gate, the Roundtable Knights sticking behind him.

  A large skeleton stood on guard in front of the entrance to the kingdom. It's jaw chattered as it began to speak, "Well 'ello there. What business might one such as yourself have in the Dilapi Kingdom. Domain of the Lich King, Girzem?" Clyde looked up into the skeletons hollow eye sockets. "I am Clyde Monar. I sent a message to Girz- Ahem Lich King Girzem for an audience with him. It arrived hours fore we had. It was sent by Licht Dove."

  The skeleton raised its hand, a list of magic manifesting in front of it. It read the names on the list, finding Clyde's. "Ah yes. The Magic Registry 'as your name right 'ere. Enjoy your visit, Prince Clyde. And make sure to treat Lich King Girzem with respect." The skeleton told Clyde, who nodded in response. The prince and his knights walked through the entryway, stepping into the necrotic streets of Dilapi.

  "Quite nice for a kingdom of the deceased." Gadius spoke, the other knights seemingly agreeing. Clyde kept walking, until a zombie walked up to him and put a hand on his shoulder. The knights reached for the respective weapons, however then the zombie spoke, "Hello hello! You look like you got money with which you'd part! Care to buy some or my stock?" Clyde grabbed the zombies wrist and gently moved his hand from his shoulder.

  "Maybe another time, hm?" Clyde said, the zombie looking disappointed but not stirring trouble. The undead walked back to a stand nearby, sitting in a stool. The Roundtable Knights eased up, resuming their walking behind Clyde once the prince got going again. As they all strolled, Clyde took in the sights of the undead citizens bartering with one another. Skeletons selling products to zombies, ghouls purchasing rotten and expired flesh from the mummies. It was crude in many aspects, but a free society was around him.

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  As he took in the noises, everyday conversations between undead caught his attention. He overheard a skeleton man discussing his zombie bride, a ghoul and a zombie going out for drinks at a tavern, and a mummy chatting with a skeleton about what his favorite corpse wax candles were. Such mundane things, yet they spoke with the same enthusiasm as people of the Monar Kingdom did. People enjoying their lives, or more accurately afterlives.

  "A kingdom literally built on corpses, with said corpses populating the streets...yet they are not so different from the many peoples of home." Clyde said to himself. Ogrin overheard, his lips parting, "I sure would say so. It is truly impressive that undead function just like the living in so many ways." Alicia put a finger to her chin. A smile playing on the woman's mouth. "It truly is marvelous in a way. How society and the whims of the people can even transcend to death." The Archmage said. Heinrich looked around with each step, his attention jumping to every detail, "Yes indeed. The deity my people worship, the Father of Nature, Barksyc, would call such things vile. Yet a prosperity of sorts dwells here."

  Gadius grunted, he already spoke on his impression when they first walked in. And a man of few words the Black Knight was. Clyde's boots sloshed against the semi-muddy dirt roads, before splashing in fresh puddles as the floor swiftly transitioned to stone as the five arrived closer to the Lich King's castle. Clyde took a deep breath, usually his father traveled out of Monar for diplomacy. However, Clyde swore not only to hunt Maurum, but to use this chance to develop into a truly worthy heir.

  A look of determination lit in his glowing green eyes, his chrome silver hair blowing at the slight winds within the streets of Dilapi. As they reached the drawbridge of the Dilapi Castle, a ghoul guard put his claws on Clyde's chest, halting him. "Alright, heartbeat, I am going to need identity confirmation. Even if the bigun bone lad let ye in. Name, purpose." The ghoul snarled, pulling up the Magic Registry. Clyde exhaled and began, "I am Clyde Monar, here to speak with Lich King Girzem. I sent a letter hours before I began my way here by Licht Dove. Same as what I told the skeleton."

  The ghoul looked through the Registry, coming to the same conclusion as the large skeleton. It put its hand down, the Magic Registry disappearing due to the movement. It's rotten maw opened, "You may pass. However, be wise when talking to Lich King Girzem. As I am sure you were told upon entry already." Clyde nodded in response to the ghoul. It let out a loud shriek and the drawbridge lowered. "Have a rotten day!" The ghoul exclaimed as Clyde and the knights passed by it.

  The boots on Clyde's feet touching the stone floors and the metal on the Roundtable Knights' armor clamoring echoed throughout the eery halls. Finally, they reached two large doors with skull decoration upon them. With a deep breath, Clyde opened the door.

  "Lich King Girzem, I, Crown Prince Clyde Monar, have come to speak."