Just being a dark elf in Warhammer

"Three thousand years before Sigmar appeared, a civilization emerged along the Daming River. Five hundred years later, this civilization became Nehekhara. When most people in the world were just barbarians, we had learned to cultivate the land. , herding cattle and sheep, we built cities, ships, and roads. And of course...our greatest achievement was the development of a complex written language that, according to legend, was originally taught by the gods who walked among us given to us.

Proud and powerful, we conquered the wandering tribes of the desert, imposed our culture and beliefs on all we encountered, unified them into a great nation, and bound them as citizens or vassals of the great city-states. We drove the greenskins from Nehekhara and conquered every plain, desert, and mountain as far as the eye could see, from the western desert to the eastern sea.

When we reach our peak, our influence stretches from the rainforests of Southland, along the shores of the Bitter Sea, along the fabled Dragon Isles, across the Darklands, across the World's Edge Mountains, and across all of the Badlands. and the area now known as the Border Princedom, extending as far north as Sylvania.

In the west, we control Arabi, the central sea is our inland sea, and the southern city-states in the north are our borders. There has never been a human civilization as broad and vast as the ancient Nehehara civilization. There has never been one. I believe even The great distant empire ruled by the Dragon Emperor who sat on the Emerald Throne was never as vast as the ancient Nehehara civilization. "

As he spoke, Vlad stared at the ball of light in the distance, feeling an inexplicable chill in his heart. This was something he had never felt before, a deep uneasiness. The light ball that appeared out of thin air was like a sharp blade, piercing into his heart. As a spell caster, he knew the power and terror contained in the light ball. He knew that this ball of light was about to spread, drive away the darkness, and day would come.

For the humans of Altdorf, the ball of light is a symbol of hope and vitality, but for Vlad, the ball of light means destruction and the end. Vampires and armies of the dead rely on the protection and power of the night, and the emergence of this magical sun will strip away all that. He knew he couldn't resist the powerful force, it was too late, everything was over.

Darkus, who was also looking at the ball of light, nodded. He knew that the Great Styx was the River of Death, but a long time ago the Great Styx was not called the Great Styx, but the Daming River, which was the River of Life. river. Like the Nile, the Daming River makes Nehekhara lush, fertile and powerful, providing its inhabitants with some of the most fertile land in the world. The Daming River along its waterways provided enough trade and food from fertile soil to sustain and uplift the small nomads in the desert, lifting them out of their primitive state of existence and becoming one of the first human civilizations.

Without the Daming River, there would be no prosperous Nehekhara, but everything changed with the emergence of Nagash. He took revenge on his former homeland and used warpstone and Dehar to pollute the source of the Daming River. The filth spread along the Daming River to Nehekhara's main river. Soon, the corrupted river water began to become sickly and turned as red as blood. People were infected by the plague and people died from huge pustules that appeared on their skin. Thousands of people died.

From season to season, death looms over Nehekhara, crops wither and die, livestock grow weak and sick, and seemingly every creature in Nehekhara dies, until the dead outnumber the living. Since then, the River of Life has become the River of Death, and the Daming River has become the Great Styx. Until now, the source of the Great Styx is like an open wound, and the water flowing out is still the color of rotting blood.

"Great Styx." Darkus sighed. In his opinion, Nagash was a bit blind not to become the Chosen One of Nurgle. Moreover, regardless of whether Nehekhara is conquered or not, the source of the Daming River must be restored. Perhaps the purification device of the Guest Spring will play some role. Besides, since the source of the Daming River must be purified, why not conquer Nehekhara? After all, the land there is really fertile.

The treasures of heaven and earth can only be used by those who are virtuous, and Darkus felt that he was quite virtuous.

"Yes, the Great Ming River, the source of it all! Settra, a great tyrant! He lived a long life by any normal standards, but eventually died on his bed, resentful and blaming it all The failure of the priests. Before his death he said that if he could find a way to return to the world again from beyond the veil of death, he would come to the priests to ask questions. This is what Settra felt about the hearts and minds of his people. Terrible control.

The priests vowed in fear to continue their previous work. The priests promised that one day Settra would rise from the dead and rule his powerful kingdom in an immortal body. Settra commanded the priests to remain eternal, and he gave them most of his mortal wealth to ensure the resurrection. "

"He succeeded, didn't he?" Darkus suddenly laughed, he said with a smile.

Vlad, who was about to continue speaking, was stunned when he heard Darkus's words. He believed that Darkus's words were logically correct. Settra was indeed alive, but This method was not what Settra wanted, but he came back to life after all. After all, Nagash was once a member of the funeral rites. Thinking of this, he also burst out laughing, laughing so hard that he was out of breath, as if Darkus had told the funniest joke in the world.

Where there is a cause, there is an effect. Causes and effects make things closely connected.

Darkus knew that Settra, as the great emperor of Nehekhara, had a huge influence both in life and after death. After Settra's death, the priests did not disband, but continued to study and gradually expand. The priests used various methods to extend their lives by decades beyond the normal human lifespan.

Settra's influence was so great that his former vassals and kings all asked themselves to embark on the same fate as him. The rulers believed that one day, like him, they would wake up from death and enter the world. Eternal, immortal, perfect life. Because of this, the influence of the funerary cults spread throughout Nehekhara, and over time, all rulers sought hope in death and resurrection with obscure cures and mysterious rituals.

Talented people emerge from generation to generation, the funeral rites are constantly iterated, the experiments become more and more rigorous, and the knowledge becomes more and more abundant. In the end, the priests found a way to avoid death, and although their bodies continued to wither and crack with age, leaving them looking like dried corpses in the unforgiving sun, they were still able to walk and say.

The priests became lichs, able to care for the king's body and perform rituals of permanent preservation. This group enjoyed supreme status in Nehekhara society. As time passed and the mortuary cults grew in power and influence, Nehekhara society became increasingly distorted and its rulers became focused on seeking immortality and return after death.

Blinded by their pride and united by their fear of death, the ancient rulers of Nehegarah focused more on their afterlife, even at the expense of the lives of their loyal subjects . In imitation of Settra, the rulers ordered the construction of magnificent necropolises and pyramids to preserve their wealth during life and to serve as residences for their souls until they were reborn into their eternal new lives.

Often, the ruler's relatives and servants were killed and mummified, or buried alive with them after their death. Some powerful rulers would also ask their most loyal soldiers to form a phalanx and drink poison in order to die with them and protect them until they are resurrected together in the future. This is how the Tomb King's skeleton army came to be.

The customs of the upper class influenced the lower classes. The custom of making mummies and building tombs spread throughout Nehekhara society. Even commoners would spend their mortal wealth to prepare for the afterlife before they died. The funerary priests acquiesced in this practice, and were pleased with it, as it expanded their importance and authority in Nehegarah society. In the end, large cemeteries appeared in the desert next to each city. From a certain perspective, the cemeteries became cities of the dead. As time went by, these cities became more than settlements of the living. huge.

Then, Nagash appeared, everything that had been planted for thousands of years was detonated, and the Tomb Kings appeared...

"I'm curious, as an ancient Nehekhara, what do you think of Settra?" After laughing for a moment, Darkus's expression became solemn, and he asked a question that he was more curious about. He found it quite interesting, asking a person living in the past, present and future to evaluate another identical being.

"Only a master, not a subject!" Vlad thought for a moment and then evaluated Settra.

"Then...Arkhan is only a subject, not a master?"

Vlad was stunned for a moment. He had always been saying that the elf in front of him seldom said anything about himself, and the elf in front of him was far beyond his expectations. The elf actually knew Arkhan. He had dealt with Arkhan a lot when he was still called Vashanish. He knew Arkhan. In his opinion, the elf's evaluation of Arkhan was extremely accurate. Arkhan Han is one of Nagash's dogs, not even a dog.

After a while, the laughter of Darkus and Vlad echoed through the city wall again.

"In my opinion, they have always been children imitating the quarrels of their elders. Neither party can truly understand the stakes of this game." After laughing for a moment, Vlad said in a sad tone.

"Do you know the stakes?" Darkus said with a sarcastic tone. In his opinion, Vlad has always been strange. An ancient Nehekhara man wanted to be the emperor of the empire, but he couldn't do it. Things can actually be connected together, and in this way.

"Actually... we can't be enemies. We shouldn't have come to this point. You are mysterious, powerful, and very good. I see the potential of an outstanding leader in you. In terms of things, I hope we can become allies. " Vlad, who was pacing in place, responded to Darkus' sarcasm in a gentle tone. At the end of the sentence, he laughed because he knew that no matter what he wanted to do, it was already too late. He was like a beast before. Just like that, he ran straight into the trap prepared for him.

"My friend, do you think you are important to me? Or something else? Like this world?"

Vlad was silent. He didn't know what to respond. Although he had never been in contact with elves, he knew that elves had a very long life. Immortality and becoming a vampire had no influence on elves at all. The race of elves was There is no need for these at all, let alone the existence of a funeral ritual group.

Darkus looked at the sun that was very close at hand and shook his head. Vlad has a charismatic personality, but that's it. He doesn't need Vlad or an army of the dead in his puzzle. The elf is such a good immortal species. He doesn't have to play with the undead army and vampires, and these heretical and evil things. He has blisters in his head, and he has been cursed by Tzeentch and has his head lowered.

"In my opinion, we rulers are given power and responsibility. Our decisions affect the fate of the entire country, and our actions shape the direction of history. Evil and justice are a very abstract concept for us rulers. The topic is that in this world, there is no evil or justice, everything is relative and depends on our choices and actions.

Maybe... you don't know that much about elven society. I am a Druchi, and I identify with my identity. My hometown is full of chaos and disorder. It shouldn't be like this, it shouldn't be like this, everything needs to be corrected. Druchi's ancestors saved the world. Saving the world is our pride and responsibility. It shouldn't be like this.

The so-called darkness and light? So-called temptations surround us all the time, trying to erode our souls. When it comes to evil and justice, I'm conflicted. My behavior is somewhere in between, but I like it. Like I said, evil and justice are a very abstract topic for us rulers. , like the witch hunters who hunt you, are they righteous? Or evil? Who defines these?

Although I am very contradictory, I stick to my principles and I have goals to fight for. I want to establish law and order, guarantee the interests of the people, and ensure the stability and prosperity of society. In this eternal struggle, I will remain brave and determined, and I will keep my mission and beliefs in mind. Only in this way, only in this way, without talking about evil and justice, without talking about light and darkness, but I will make this world a better place. Better, at least better than yours. "

Darkus's words are full of inner contradictions and struggles. His understanding of evil and justice is not as simple as it appears on the outside. He has done many evil things, and similarly, he has also done many righteous things. . As a Druchi, he recognized his identity, but he also felt a heavy responsibility. Nagaros was chaotic and disorderly, which was incompatible with the tradition and pride of Druchi in his heart. He had many concerns. Things must be done, this is his unshakable belief.

"It is better to die free than to be the slave of a monster like Vlad von Carstein."

Vlad was silent, and there was a burst of pain and helplessness in his heart. He recalled the process of conquering Sylvanir, and recalled the words spoken by humans when they fought against him. He was full of ambition and desire, longing for power and dominance, but as time passed, he began to realize that the power he pursued did not bring him true satisfaction, but instead turned him into a monster.

"Although my hometown is chaotic and disorderly, there is still so-called hope. As long as I do it, everything will change and everything will be reversed.

But Vlad von Carstein, what about you? Perhaps you will capture Altdorf, and you will be crowned emperor in Altdorf's palace? Will your heirs become palace ministers? So you won't walk in fear? No more hiding in the shadows? Let the times be yours? Not to mention the legitimacy of the regime and other messy things, what about your people? A corpse coming back from the dead? Or are humans waiting to die like livestock? Is that what they want? Or... it's not important? "

"This is a page from Nagash's nine books. The blood on this page was written by Nagash and shaped by his own hands. It is only a small part of his wisdom and hints at the mysteries of his immortality. These are The writing opens up the kingdom of the dead. This page is more precious than gold. The power in this page...

These words give life, resurrect corpses...provide a way back to all those who have passed away, imagine that with it, there would be no death. Not as we know it, as a meaningful thing, living to the full end of life. In this way, the dead will rise to stand beside me, and if I will, they will fight alongside me as I stride across the mortal empire. Death will have no dominion, and I will command the corpses with these spells, and I will restore them to life where I see fit.

Oppose me and you will face my wrath, and I will kill my enemies and let them fight for me as I conquer the world. Free the dead from their prison with these few spells. I will tell you that I, Vlad von Carstein, the first vampire of Sylvania, will rule over the realms of life and death! "

Vlad did not respond to Darkus, and memories kept flooding into his mind. He thought of that witching night, what he said to Isabella, and he began to think about his long life. With everything going on, he felt that his heart was filled with endless emptiness and bitterness, and he felt that he seemed to be on a road of no return. He felt a little ironic. He knew that there were many evils in the world, and he always thought that he was an indispensable one.

A tyrant, but never an excessively cruel tyrant.

This is how Vlad defined himself. For him, cruelty was just a means to achieve an end, nothing else. Blood nourished strength and discipline, turning it into a source of order. He once believed that mankind called for leadership and needed a firm hand to guide, and he was that hand. What he had to do was to rebuild ancient Nehekhara in the turbulent and crazy land of the old world, but just like Dak As Wus said, he was too stupid and trusted his own kind too much. He despises Nagash, but there is no fundamental difference between him and Nagash.

"It's very important to you that you don't have me." Vlad said with a sigh. After saying that, his hand that was not holding the blood-drinking sword reached into his arms under the armor. After taking out the things, he continued, "I Friends, it’s meaningless to talk about that now. If I had to choose again, maybe I would still go down this path. Maybe we should have known each other earlier, hundreds of years ago, thousands of years ago, but there is no if. After I leave Beforehand, please allow me to give you two gifts, a token of appreciation for my friends."

"The Book of the Netherworld." Vlad placed the thing he took out from his arms on the ground. After getting up, he explained, "Since you know so much, you must know what this book is. Of course, this is a copy. , some fools will think this is...heresy? But I think you will find the contents of the book interesting? Underneath the Nether Book is a page from Nagash's nine volumes, and you also know what this means. What are you wearing?"

"Thank you, although... I don't really need it... and I'm not interested either." Darkus glanced at the Book of Netherworld and the Nine Books of Nagash and nodded. As he said, he was very interested in these. Things are not interesting, first of all he is not a warlock, although he can use some spells.

Resurrection from the dead is evil, heretical, and blasphemous to the elves, whether it is Druch, Assur, Aenir, or Aslay. Necromancy and black magic are interoperable, and sorceresses are not cerebral palsy. It's not that they don't know how to use them, they just don't use them. Malus's sister once used it to bring the fear lord Venir Iceblade from Khaoak's stronghold in front of Malekith.

In Darkus' view, the books placed on the ground would be of some use to the sorceresses, just like popular science books and references, looking at the use of Deha's energy from another angle.

"Maybe you're not interested, but you won't burn it, right? This is my gift. As a friend, I give you a gift, not a trophy. Maybe as you said, the sword in my hand is yours It belongs to the elf, but I won't give it to you now, because it still belongs to me, but... you can take it as a trophy after my death. In short... I am very happy when my life comes to an end. Meet a friend like you.”

"As a friend, I will hold a funeral for you. Do you want the ancient Nehekhara kind? Although I am not familiar with it, I will try my best to do it..." Darkus raised his eyebrows. He understood what Vlad meant, and then he nodded and said.

"No! My friend, I want my funeral to be imperial-style. If possible, I want it to be hosted by him! Not by the Moore priests." Vlad interrupted Darkus, He pointed to William III, who had been standing there, and said to Darkus.

"In my opinion... this is a bit ironic? Or is it... black humor? Of course, this is what you want. As a friend, I will satisfy you." Darkus said in a serious tone before finishing. He bowed deeply to Vlad.

"Thank you, my friend. Now, can you ask your fiancée to let go of my wife? I'm sorry that I can't attend your wedding. I hope I can go with dignity. I hope I can be with my wife." Say a few words and say your final goodbyes." Vlad said in a calm tone, and at the end, he also bowed deeply to Darkus.

"In a few hundred years, I will go to the Dragon Islands, and maybe... I will pass by the Silver Summit? Do you need me to bring you a message to Neferata?"

"Every once in a while she would give them some 'tokens of love', such as a lock of hair, a collection of poems by a philosopher we knew well, the Lahmian crown taken from her husband's head, the Da Nevra's stolen amulet of Asaph, and... a sword stained with blood? Ussillian's teeth. I have to say, my friend, you have ruined the current atmosphere, and you shouldn't. Mention her at this time.”

Vlad, who was moving forward, was stunned when he heard Darkus' words. He stood there, and after a while, he spoke slowly.

"Feel sorry."

"There is no need to apologize, my friend. In essence, there is no difference between her and me, or...except for Abhorash, those of us who came out of Lahmia, the last children of Lahmia, we... …all of our existence is essentially the same. Kill her if you can! Without her, it’s just as important to you! When you see her, please help me convey my words, I hate her! Just like Carly He hates her so much!"

"I will. Are you there that day?" Darkus, who agreed, asked curiously. The day he asked was referring to the day when sisters Khalida and Neferata fought at the banquet.

"You also know this? Of course, why am I not here? There is no reason for me to be away? Everyone was there that day, Neferata, Abhorash, Usolan, and Wusolan. I still remember it clearly. , where the two brothers Varazi and Lutul are standing. I have to say that Usoran has some talent in hosting banquets. At least I can't do it. I don't have as many whimsical ideas as he does. By the way. ...You should know where Wu Suoran is? If you can, kill him. Thanks to his good sister, he has gone completely crazy. Please end his pain."

Darkus was stunned. He really didn’t know where Usuoran was. He couldn’t ask Vlad where Usuoran was now, otherwise he would have failed. But it didn’t matter. As long as he wanted to, he would find Usuoran. Uninterested. He agreed with Vlad's words. In his opinion, Usoran in the Age of Sigmar was indeed crazy.

"By the way, my friend, remember, a true ruler must devote himself to a belief greater than selfishness, whether it is good or evil. Only tyrants believe only in themselves, but remember, tyrants do not end well!"

"You are right, my friend, tyrants only believe in themselves, but such rulers will eventually be isolated and helpless, and will eventually go to destruction. Isn't Nagash the best example?" Darkus listened to Fu silently. Ladd's words, he felt the heaviness and depth contained in them. In Vlad's words, he heard a sense of confusion and inner struggle, as well as an understanding and thinking about the role of a ruler.

"Fortunately, he also has a dog!" (End of Chapter)