The Empire of the Necromancers (Long Synopsis)

Clark Ashton Smith

A story told by a man centuries dead — the prince of a perished people. He, and all his subjects, are raised up from death to be the slaves of two necromancers greedy of dominion and power. These people, living a ghostly, hollow, shadow-like existence, are driven to toil for the necromancers, are tortured for their sadistic pleasure, made to serve their necrophilic lusts. The prince, learning the secret of their power, and throwing off their spell in a measure, resolves to rescue his people from this terrible doom. He contrives that the necromancers shall themselves die, to awaken at a stated time and find themselves among the living dead. Then he and his people, freed from their slavery, seek the oblivion of a second death by flinging themselves into the subterranean fires beneath the kingdom.

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Printed from: www.eldritchdark.com/writings/short-stories/60
Printed on: March 28, 2024