Vanthelis frowned and opened his system.
System List - Opened
Name: Vanthelis Blackthorn
Gold: 13,427
Wood: 2,003
Magic Crystal: 0
Buildings:
Necropolis (Level 1)
Needed for Upgrade: 100 Magic Crystals (to upgrade to Hall of the Dead)
Summon: Acolyte (10 Gold + Person exposed to Mana)
Acolytes:
Dorothy, Kristine, Haben, Jayson, Crispin, Dan, Line, Roger, Hans, Mark, Bane
Graveyard (Level 1) – Former warehouse location
Needed to Upgrade: 10 Magic Crystals + Hall of the Dead
Available Upgrades (Locked):
• Undead Claws (Level 2) – Adds damage to summoned undead (1,000 Gold)
• Undead Carapace (Level 2) – Adds durability to undead (1,000 Gold)
• Frostmourne – Adds ice attack that slows enemies (100 Magic Crystals)
Spirit Towers: 30
• Spirit Tower (Level 2) – Locked (1 Magic Crystal)
Crypt (Level 1)
Needed for Upgrade: 50 Magic Crystals + Hall of the Dead
Summon: Ghoul (7 Gold + Rotten Meat)
Summoned Ghouls: 40
(Locked)
(Locked)
Tomb of Relics (Level 1)
Needed to Upgrade: 500 Magic Crystals
Tomb of Relics – Undead Shop Items
Rod of Necromancy – 1,500 Gold
Cooldown to buy again: 22 days
Effect: Summons 2 skeleton warriors from a corpse (180 seconds duration, 5 charges)
Dust of Appearance – 750 Gold
Cooldown: 60 days
Effect: Reveals invisible units in a target area for 12 seconds
Sacrificial Skull – 500 Gold
Effect: Creates a blight area (Undead regeneration terrain)
Scroll of Town Portal – 3,500 Gold
Effect: Teleports hero and nearby units to a friendly building
Scroll of Healing – 2,500 Gold
Cooldown: 60 days
Effect: Heals 1,000 HP to all nearby allied units
Scroll of Protection – 1,500 Gold
Effect: Increases armor of nearby allies by +10 for 300 seconds
Potion of Healing – 1,500 Gold
Cooldown: 60 days
Effect: Instantly heals 1,000 HP
Potion of Mana – 2,000 Gold
Cooldown: 60 days
Effect: Restores 600 mana
Potion of Lesser Invulnerability – 1,500 Gold
Cooldown: 120 days
Effect: Grants invulnerability for 7 seconds
Orb of Corruption – 3,750 Gold
Effect: +25 damage, reduces enemy armor by 5 for 5 seconds
Altar of Darkness (Level 1)
Needed for Upgrade: 1,000 Magic Crystals + Hall of the Dead
Summon:
• Death Knight (Level 8)
Death Coil (Level 3)
Death Pact (Level 2)
Unholy Aura (Level 2)
Animate Dead (Level 1)
(Locked)
(Locked)
(Locked)
Haunted Gold Mine: 137 Gold remaining before depletion.
Vanthelis stared at the glowing interface projected before his eyes. The numbers were clear: the mine was nearly dry. Only a little over a hundred gold remained in the haunted mine that had once been the foundation of their recovery. If it emptied completely, production would halt. Growth would stagnate. They'd be cornered.
He exhaled sharply and made his decision. His fingers flicked toward the system panel, purchasing the Scroll of Protection and Potion of Lesser Invulnerability. A steep price—3,000 gold total—but necessary. The scroll would bolster his army's defenses, and the potion could be a decisive tool in the heat of battle. He couldn't afford to hoard gold anymore. Not when death could arrive at any moment.
As the items materialized inside his robe with a faint flicker of light, Vanthelis felt the familiar cold surge of tension crawl up his back. Something was wrong.
He looked toward the edge of the system screen.
Four red dots had appeared.
Enemies.
They were close—far closer than he wanted to believe. The system didn't specify who or what they were, only that they weren't his units. Red meant hostility.
He closed the system window.
There was no time to hesitate.
"Get ready, everyone!" he shouted.
His voice echoed through the undead fortress, sending a wave of surprise and alarm through his people. Conversations halted. Children playing near the Crypt dropped their bones and scrambled to their feet. The ghouls groaned, their blackened eyes sharpening as they sensed their master's rising urgency.