Lucius took a few steps outside of the Holy Palace, as he thought [Why was my Lord just floating? Has he become so much, that he refuses to step foot on the same land, as us mortals???]

As Lucius thought along this line of thought, he felt even more sure that Jack was not just a divine being but in truth a god... Filled with more zeal, Lucius made his way to pass off orders for the construction of a temporary residence. He had decided that since the Furysmith Clan had gained the God-King's favor, he would visit them personally, and pay his respect.

*******

Jack floated along the twisted corridors, as he made his way to the ward when he heard Verruca speak up, "Jack... Can we... Can we just not talk about what has happened?"

Jack looked down at Verruca, as he was making quick progress reaching his destination, "I can wait until after you are done with the Doctor, but I will wait if you will listen to one condition."

"...Okay..."

"I wish to speak to you alone. Is that okay?"

"Okay..."

[Haaaa~ This is going to be troublesome.] Jack thought, as he reached the door of the Ward to meet a thin female geist. She had long blond hair, with a white blindfold. Her skin was very smooth, with a bone-white complexion. With her white lab coat, she gave the impression that she was all white... Only her painted nails and the symbols on her lab coat were gold.

"Doctor Hollowell?" Jack asked, as he went to a table, and laid Verruca's massive form on the bed.

Doctor Hollowell hand already bended knee when Jack had walked in, and now spoke, "I am, your Grace."

"Please tend to Warmarshal Verruca. If you need anything to speed up this process, please ask now. I will give anything that is necessary." Jack took a step back, waiting for the Doctor to approach.

"Well, I'll need to examine her to tell." Doctor Hollowell came to Verruca's side, "Warmarshal, if you will be so kind, and remove your armor. I can't see to the extent of your injuries, otherwise."

Verruca sat up and looked at Jack. Jack read the situation, and the look, "I will excuse myself. Doctor Hollowell, please make sure to send for me if you need anything."

Jack was going to bow to the good doctor before leaving, but hesitated, [I'm the King... Do I bow to others???]

"You have my thanks," Jack spoke, as he turned to leave, as the doors closed behind him.

Doctor Hollowell helped Verruca out of bed and gave assistance to taking off her armor. It seemed that Verruca was struggling with her greaves.

"So, Julia... Back to see me after just a short period of war... How did it go?"

"You didn't see what happened outside?" Verruca asked strangely, as she finally got the greave from, her right foot.

"No, should I? I was here examining a few of the Holy Sentinels... A strange lot all of them." Doctor Hollowell said off-handedly.

"Oh... Well, it didn't go so well." Verruca said begrudgingly, as she with the help of Doctor Hollowell took off her plated Cuisses.

"Really? I haven't heard of you getting a tough fight in a long time." Hollowell continued making small talk.

"I... I think it went really bad. His Grace, actually, had to step in... So, I don't know what's going to happen now." Verruca said sadly.

"Oh? Must have been fireworks, no wonder you said did I see what happened, too bad I missed that. What did he do?"

Verruca removed her Gauntlets and Bracers, Verruca dropped both massive pauldrons on the floor, when she pulled the bindings on her shoulders, as they fell with loud reverberating metallic sounds. and with Hollowell's assistance again carefully removed the plated chest piece.

Verruca now stood in all her might, with just her Chainmail shirt, and cloth briefs.

Verruca stood for her examination, she and Doctor Hollowell had known each other for a long time. This wasn't the first time seeing her, and she was a personal patient of the good doctor. Doctor Hollowell went to her back, as she listened to Verruca talk.

"Well... I lost almost all my Warbreakers, two Warmarshals died... Well... Three Warmarshals died, and the God-King brought one of them back to unlife, and who knows how many of the other armies suffered casualties. We also lost the City of Zitergall, and in the God-King's Wrath, he removed the City from existence. Whatever is left of Zitergall has been melted by now in the Brimstone Ocean..."

"...." Doctor Hollowell remained silent as she went to prepare tools to extract the metal fragments embedded in Verruca's back from the cross slash she received.

She soon returned with her tools, as she began to systematically remove these shards. She hadn't spoken in a while until the silence was broken by Verruca again, "Is it that bad?"

"That's a lot to take in... Besides the campaign being a complete failure, no offense, you just told me, in not so many words, that his Grace is actually a God, and he took his anger out on his own city... I feel that behavior is a bit scary."

"In his defense, he did save everyone in the city first before destroying it," Verruca said wantonly.

"Oh... Well, that certainly makes things a lot clearer. Sorry for your loses on the battlefield, but my question to you is what is he going to do now." Hollowell removed the last few pieces of armor shards from Verruca's spine. She then reached over for twenty-five percent Holy Water solution to clean the wound.

"What do you mean?" Verruca asked as a searing pain came from her back. Holy Water still hurt even if you were a Holy Cultivator being undead... Thankfully it was diluted Holy Water.

"You botched your military campaign, and as the Lord Commander of the Deagoth armies you have to take responsibility for their failure," Hollowell commented, as she put the bottle of Holy Water down.

"Yeah, but-"

"No, buts... If you weren't favored by his Grace, you should have already been dismissed from duty at the very least." Hollowell picked up her next set of tools. A golden needle with black silk thread. A specialty from the Grand Tomb of neolith and began to stitch the gashes on Verruca's back.

"But this is my first failed campaign..."

"Yes, but it is also the worst losses of Deagoth troops since Our founding... We have never lost two Warmarshals in the same battle." Hollowell worked quickly.

"...I see your point... Haaaa~" Verruca sighed.

"So, what story do you need to spin to save you in this situation."

"What do you mean?" Verruca asked as she felt the needle pierce in and out of her flesh, at least the sting of the Holy Water also doubled as a pain reducer to the area.

"You need to come up with some facts that downplay just how bad your campaign went. Else, you may not be seen on the battlefield again. You know there is such a thing as early retirement."

Verruca sat up straight away, almost knocking Doctor Hollowell away, and tearing five new stitches.

"Damn girl, hold yourself!" Doctor Hollowell cursed, as she got back up rubbing her hip where she fell. She reached back over to get more Holy Water to clean up the bleeding black blood from the tore stitches. She now couldn't guarantee a scar in this spot, making her angry.

"I'm sorry... I just don't want to retire."

"Obviously... So, get your story straight. You will not answer just his Grace, but the entire kingdom."

Verruca fell deep in thought for a long time, as her back was stitched up. Hollowell came to her front and found that Verruca was still in deep thought.

She checked on Verruca's right knee and found that the knee cap bone has been shattered. Doctor Hollowell frowned as she thought it was no wonder that his Grace had hand-carried her to the Ward... What frightening perseverance.

"Julia, I'm going to have to replace your knee cap. This one is shattered." Hollowell said, as she mentally messaged one of her nurses to fetch a new one from the inventory. She would have to use spells to manipulate one to the right size, a standard of Bone Doctors.

She came back to see Verruca still thinking, "Julia, you can always pick up singing with your voice."

"NEVER!?"

"Oh, finally got your attention, but I miss your voice. You sang so well when you were younger in the choir... I miss your voice sometimes."

"Blah, those days died long ago."

"Yes, but we are undead... So, maybe those days that died can be raised again?" Doctor Hollowell laughed, as she helped Verruca lay back down, as she started to work on her knee. Verruca returned to her thoughts and the dread of speaking to Jack later.