The chamber filled with Deepdark as Erebus went through the last and hardest stretch of his evolution. His frame blazed as the dragon heart's mana moved through him, refining each part of his body in turn. The nine-star skeleton grew denser, heavier, its lines more commanding. His skull widened a fraction to hold the magic now flowing into it.
"The refinement is nearly complete," Erebus said, his voice carrying a new depth. "The restored Basilisk's Heart is binding cleanly with the strengthened frame."
I watched with real pride as my first and most loyal undead went through it. It was methodical, controlled—exactly what I'd expected from Erebus. No wild surges, no lurching between states. This was careful engineering of an undead body, step by step.
"How does it feel?" I asked, as the flows began to steady.
"Magnificent," Erebus said, testing his new form. "The parts have become far more than their sum. I am no longer an Arch Lich. I am a Lich King."
