Lord Protector novel (Zeke Williams) novel Chapter 1809

“Great Marshal, you and I are nothing but ghosts now. We can't die again. Stop lying to yourself. The truth is right before your very eyes.”

“Silence, you mongrel!” Zeke roared, “This is a dream. It has to be. I'm the Great Marshal! I can't die like this! Fortuna needs me to support it! I'm the people's figure of worship! Their emotional pillar! My wife and daughter need me to protect them. My soldiers still need me to command them! I can't die just like this!”

The old monk was about to say something again, but Zeke trapped him using his energy, and the monk couldn't even move a single hair.

Zeke dashed all the way back to the ministry and got back to bed again. This is nothing but a dream. All I have to do is wake up. That's all. Everything will be fine, he kept telling himself that.

Eventually, he drifted off to sleep. Before long, he heard the sound of roosters crowing in the distance.

Zeke quickly opened his eyes. The sun was shining warmly, and the breeze was gentle that day. Everything was fine and dandy once more after he woke up from that nightmare.

He touched himself for a moment. When he realized that his heart was still pumping and that he was still breathing, he heaved a sigh of relief. I'm still alive. But that was a weird night. Why did I have that bizarre dream anyway?

Just when he thought everything was fine, he heard someone crying their hearts out just outside his room. He frowned. Who is crying this early in the morning?

When he went to see who was crying, he realized that a funeral procession was going on. Thousands of people were wearing black suits and cried loudly as they moved forward at a slow, somber pace.

All the spies in the North were there as well, including Sawyer and his brothers.

Zeke's heart skipped a beat. “Who died this time?” He quickly stopped Sawyer. “Sawyer, who is this funeral for? Who died?”

However, Sawyer didn't even look at him, much less answer. All he did was cry in silence as he followed the procession forward.

“Sawyer!” Zeke shouted loudly, but Sawyer still didn't answer him. It was as if he didn't even hear Zeke.

Huh? What's going on? What's happening? Why didn't Sawyer say anything? Why didn't he even look at me? Wait, could it be...

A scary thought popped into Zeke's head. He quickly went ahead in the procession, and the further ahead he went, the more familiar faces he saw.

Ares was there, along with Sole Wolf, Killer Wolf, Alfred, and Nameless. On top of that, even Lacey and Missy were there as well. All of them were chanting the same name, “Long live the Great Marshal, Zeke Williams!”

Lacey and Missy's eyes were red and puffy from all the crying. Missy was holding onto a photo of Zeke, shouting, “Daddy! I don't want you to die, Daddy! I want you, Daddy! I-I want to see you right now!”

Despair filled Zeke when he saw that scene, and he was heartbroken. That old monk was right. I... I am dead. But why? Why, why, why? How did this happen?

Zeke wanted to hug Missy and tell her he was always there, but he passed through her like a phantom. All he could do was watch as they cried their hearts out for him.

This is a dream! It has to be. This is still a dream. I must still be dreaming! Zeke told himself that, but he knew he was just lying to himself at that point.

He followed the procession until they came to a riverside. It was the same one where he met the old monk the night before.

His tomb was standing by its lonesome beside the river, but it was already blasted open thanks to him. Because of that, his remains were exposed to the elements.

When his men saw what happened, they flew into a rage, while his family kneeled beside the grave and cried even louder.

At the same time, the old monk reappeared. “Come with me now, young man. Do not tarry any longer. I let you off last night because I was showing mercy.”

Zeke looked at him coldly. “You're the whole welcoming committee, old man? You're unworthy of me. Tell Hades to come himself, and I might consider going with him.”

The old monk said, “Yes, but I alone am enough, Great Marshal. You might be strong, but you're just a regular soul in the underworld. You aren't worthy enough to be in the presence of Lord Hades.”