text: [Themes: grimdark fantasy, villain protagonist, serious, grimdark, fantasy]
  
  You're not going to be anyone's puppet. You can handle Velzix yourself.
  
  "Get out of here, I don't need your help! In fact I'd say dealing with a loser like you would put me in a worse position. Go scheme elsewhere."
  
  Your words cause Sesisek to give you a look of mixed disapproval, disappointment and disgust. He quite obviously doesn't like your insults, but he was also hoping that you'd help him. All he can do now is attempt to save what little pride he has and leave.
  
  "Very well little necromancer, you think you know best, I'll leave you to it. You'll never be one of us though and that's why your pitiful lifespan here will be even shorter than normal. Enjoy your victory, it will be your last." He remarks and leaves you.
  
  You dismiss his warnings and attempt to prepare yourself for Velzix's visit. You come up with how you're going to explain your actions to Velzix. A couple days pass and you hear about The Grand Alliance army breaking off their siege. Velzix will be coming soon.
  
  Velzix arrives and you're readying every spell and summoning you can think of. If it does go down, you'll have to act quickly. You're actually surprised he's coming down here instead of summoning you to his fortress instead.
  
  "So little necromancer, I hear you have been taking matters into your own hands and acquiring territory yourself. I am displeased that you have done this. The Grand Alliance has been attacking and you've been squandering my potential reinforcements elsewhere. What if they had succeeded in breaking through my defenses? I would've had no troops to support my position, and much would've been lost."
  "Well if that had happened I guess I would've had to take over."
  
  That remark wasn't the best one you could've made, but you can't contain yourself for some reason. By Velzix's statement alone, you're sensing weakness in him, weakness that you could take advantage of. Why should you have to explain your actions? In the meantime Velzix is barely containing his anger at your arrogance.
  
  "Tread VERY carefully mortal! Do not presume that you are not expendable! You are NOT a demon, do not attempt to play this game in which you are ill equipped to play. You are under MY command! Normally I would kill you for your insolence, but your recent victory has been a great one from what reports I have heard. However, it is MY territory! Not yours! Do not think that you are going to build up some power base to betray me later, because that is not going to happen if you value your existence! So you better just put such thoughts out of your mind right now and fall in line!"
  
  Velzix hasn't raised his voice too much, but there is definitely a very real threat there. The temperature of the room is much hotter as you can feel the heat from his body rise with his anger.
  
  If you're going to make a move, you better do it now.
  
  > Capitulate to him
  As much as your desire is there to kill Velzix, your caution overtakes you. You do exactly what Velzix requests.
  
  "...the territory is yours ...I have no control over it." You say and even make a little bow. You feel disgusted with yourself for even doing that, but Velzix is quite pleased. He's broken you a little.
  
  "Yes it is, and I'm glad to see you've gotten with the program. The less pride one has, the more likely one is to survive and in the end, that's what it's all about. Now, we shall never have another incident like this again I trust?"
  "...no..."
  "Good, now I think the best place for you, would be directly by my side where you can be more useful."
  "What?!"
  "Sure, I could shore up my defenses in the heart of my realm, and place more elite troops on the front lines. Plus I think it would be a good idea to keep a closer eye on you. Just to make sure you don't forget your place."
  
  Meekishly, you travel back with Velzix and become a permanent fixture in his fortress Fury. You really hate it there as you're watched constantly; it's unbearably hot all the time and have to put up with more demons than you did in Aftermath. Predictably they're all hostile towards you, "loyal" to Velzix and set your zombies on fire for laughs regularly.
  
  Four years pass...
  
  It's been five years since you made your alliance with Velzix and you fucking hate it even more than ever.
  
  While you've managed to still carve out a niche for yourself, your position is increasingly becoming in danger of being obsolete. Velzix has been successful in keeping infernal portals open longer which is allowing more demons to come in. The Grand Alliance has been hard pressed to hold the line and it seems like more and more mortals each day are willing to bend before demonic might.
  
  Your undead troops aren't even necessary for defense too much anymore. Because of this you've been forced to broaden your magical horizons and tap into the infernal plane. It's only due to the fact that you've been delving into darker necromantic magic and fusing it with infernal powers to create potent unnatural abominations that you're still serving your purpose.
  
  However, this type of magic is highly experimental and you're probably the first one to even attempt it. It's beginning to take a toll on your rapidly deteriorating health, because as they say, you don't change hell, hell changes you. Everyday you're in pain and probably losing what little of your black soul you have left. If this keeps up, you won't be around long enough to see Velzix achieve his goal of opening up his permanent portal which looks like is might be soon.
  
  You haven't heard anything of your family, except you know that your sister is a captain of a Grand Alliance army and your Dad's mercenary company has been hired to launch on going raids to harass and hinder Velzix's efforts. Your Mom is probably saddened by your actions.
  
  You're just another mortal submitting to demonic supremacy. It's a long way from what you originally envisioned for yourself and it's probably too late for you to do anything about it now...or is it?
  
  Recent reports have spoken of another assassination plan on Velzix. It's known that the vampires have been sending their own, but haven't gotten anywhere close to him. A few "heroes" from the civilized governments have been sent as well, but none of them have been successful either.
  
  However, if you could locate one of these groups and try to help them get to Velzix, maybe you could at least get some sort of satisfaction. You don't really have anything else to lose at this point.
  
  > help one of these assassin groups
  You failed to kill Velzix when you had the chance five years ago when this alliance was being proposed, then again four years ago after you conquered Brot, maybe you can make for lost time. And as they say, third time's a charm.
  
  You have no idea how you're going to accomplish this though, it's not like you have some sort of contacts then it hits you; why not go see Sesisek? You know he's still harboring desires of revenge and he's supposed to be returning to Fury soon
  
  You wait a week attempting to plan for this proposal, but you know its really going to come down to "Hey Sesisek, I'm going to kill Velzix, do you want to help or not?" In fact that's exactly what happens, when you catch him in an empty hallway. He looks at you with a smirk on his face. You almost expect him to think that you're setting him up, but he can tell by your pitiful state that you're speaking the truth.
  
  "Sooo, finally wised up eh? You know, you wouldn't be in this condition had you taken my help four years ago. I dunno. I've got my own plans, why should I involve you in them?"
  "Because I do still have power. Power that can help you take out Velzix and regain respect among your own kind. You're talking to a desperate man here, I don't even care if I die at this point, I just need to get my own revenge on Velzix."
  "You and multitudes of others. You're not special. However, you are desperate. And you are powerful. Dangerous combination. Very well, I'll talk with you further, but let's go some place less likely to be listened in on."
  
  You and Sesisek speak in your study. He is very open about his plan to you and explains that he has been in contact with Lord Rostov and working out a deal with the Vampire Clans that will be beneficial to him. This deal could be extended to you as well, provided you are helpful enough. Another group of vampire assassins have managed to make their way into the heart of Velzix's Realm, but if they are to strike they need to do it now, before Sinthinia's internal security forces sniff them out once again. Sesisek's job was to sneak them into Fury without too much opposition, given that you're in on this plan now, you could do a better job since your necromantic magic could mask the vampire assassins' movements. He mentions he will set up the plan and while you and the bloodsuckers are heading to Velzix's chamber, Sesisek says he will be dealing with Sinthinia personally. It will also provide a diversion.
  
  A day passes and you're preparing yourself for the battle of your life. You memorize every powerful spell you can think of and strengthen up your undead minions. When this goes down there is no turning back, so you're just going to order all of them to attack the moment Sesisek's attack on Sinthinia becomes known and an alarm is raised. Hopefully the added chaos will help.
  
  Another day passes and Sesisek sees you fairly early in the morning. He mentions that the assassins will meet you by the dead forest nearby when darkness falls. He hopes you've prepared yourself, because it was very hard to convince them in this change of plans.
  
  When darkness comes, you take a few of your hellish undead abominations with you and make your way to the dead forest. Once fairy folk and the like frolicked here, now it's just a group of desiccated tree husks waiting to be taken away to build more war machines. Your powers in necromancy aren't quite as pure as they used to be thanks to the tainting of hellish magics, but you can still sense the assassins are close by. You aren't taken by surprised when they materialize around you. Indeed you have your abominations to act if they try anything.
  
  "So, you're Velzix's little necromancer eh? You don't look like much." One of them says.
  "Maybe, but you ain't getting in that fortress without me. You think Sesisek could've snuck you in? Please. The moment you entered, you would've been detected. Sinthinia's got magic detection up the ass in that place. Fortunately I can mask your presence, just make sure you all stay invisible until the right time."
  "Don't worry about us, you just hold up your end and get us to Velzix, necromancer."
  
  You make your trek back to Fury, without incident with your hidden friends in tow. You take a deep breath before entering the gates where upon you half expect the demon guards to stop you, but nothing happens. You've succeeded. Your next move is to get as quickly as possible to Velzix's inner chambers.
  
  You don't get far when an alarm is raised, you think it's for you at first, but you soon realize its Sesisek doing his part. You hope it's enough of a distraction, but if it isn't...
  
  You mentally call out to your undead minions to attack anything living.
  
  "Come on! Secrecy is over! We gotta haul ass to Velzix!" you exclaim.
  
  While chaos is reigning in the fortress, you and the vampires easily dispatch those that would attempt to stop you. When you get to Velzix's inner chambers where he's attempting to open up a portal to get reinforcements.
  
  "Treachery! I expected this from Sesisek, but I thought you learned your place! No matter, you will learn pain instead, and your blood leech buddies won't be able to help you either!"
  
  Velzix's portal opens and a swarm of demons come pouring out. The vampire assassins waste no time and begin their work with deadly efficiency. Your abominations have less finesse, but they get the job done.
  
  Velzix unleashes horrible infernal magic that causes a couple of the assassins to liquefy. You're just trying to stay out of the way of most of the fighting and attempting to keep a control over your troops, but you soon realize you're going to have to play a direct role in his death and unleash your own negative energy bolts at Velzix.
  
  The battle is brutal, and dead bodies soon litter the chamber. You've suffered a mortal wound, but it hardly matters now. Deep down you didn't expect to survive this. Velzix isn't either though. Sesisek arrives just in time to slam an axe in his back while he was finishing off the last vampire assassin.
  
  Velzix roars in pain, but falls to the floor where upon Sesisek pulls out a second weapon, a sword and severs his head from his body.
  
  It's done. Velzix is dead and you don't feel too much different. You're still dying and you're not hopeful that Sesisek is going to help you out.
  
  "Ha ha! Vengence is mine! Velzix and that bitch are both dead!" he yells in triumph
  "Uh huh, great..."
  "Yes...well it looks like you're hurt pretty badly there. I don't think I can do anything for you. In fact I need to make my escape. I think you'll understand if leave you here. After all you would only slow me up and I may have lied about my deal being extended to you anyway."
  "...yeah...I sorta figure that..." you say holding on to your bleeding side.
  "Besides, you got your revenge and that is what you wanted right? I can honestly say though I couldn't have done it without you."
  "I can honestly say something too...I'm still nobody's puppet."
  
  You hit Sesisek in the face with a negative energy blast. He screams as it strikes his eyes. He collapses on the floor blindly reaching for a weapon yelling about how he's going to kill you. You smile though as more demons come to the inner chamber and butcher Sesisek while he's on all fours like some sightless dog.
  
  You then give way to the release of blessed death.