Malthraksis

Underlord Malthraksis died serving the Belurocian Empire during the rebellion, leading the Darkguard against rebel forces in New Beluroc. He eliminated their commanders, scattered their forces, and slaughtered those who thought to rise up against the Lord of Darkness.

Barashkukor refused to lose him. The Lord of Darkness demanded the Dark Eternals raise Malthraksis immediately, and so they did. When Malthraksis awoke, his heartbeat was gone, but his purpose remained. He returned to his command of the Darkguard, more dangerous than ever.

When Barashkukor learned of Palifala Weslinath's time magic, Malthraksis set out with his Darkguard. Ironwings and empusans, specialized operatives for reconnaissance and assassination, and the blue wyrm travesty should overwhelming force be required. They marched north under the banner of alliance, and Malthraksis offered the ulund and Khymians Belurocian support against the Conclave Arcana.

In their desperation, they accepted.

Now the Darkguard fights beside them, targeting Palifala's mercenaries and elementals, disrupting her supply lines, killing her officers. Malthraksis coordinates tactics and shares intelligence. And while the ulund and Khymians bleed against Palifala's magic, he observes, studying her patterns, identifying her weaknesses, mapping her defenses.

The ulund think he's cautious and strategic, a commander who values efficiency. They're right. They just don't understand what he's being efficient about.

When Palifala falters, when her defenses crack, Malthraksis will strike. His Darkguard will seize her and drag her back to New Beluroc, where Barashkukor will extract every secret of time magic from her mind.

And if she dies? Her spellbooks will suffice.

Malthraksis surveys the battlefield through dead eyes. The ulund and Khymians think they're fighting alongside allies. But they're wrong.

They're fighting alongside vipers.