Agitha worked the long Uniri Blade furiously, searching for a weakness in the minotaur deathlord’s seemingly impervious defenses. More worrying was the half skeleton at the end of the hall raising her hands to cast spells. She gave the sharp command for Merc to attack the most distant enemy. The armored direwolf obeyed, rocketing down the hall at full speed.
The eudaemon was in the midst of casting its own spell, tracing golden glowing runes in the air independently with each hand.
Vira noted the approaching animal without concern. The wards in place around her would send him flying away on fire and likely in pieces before he ever laid a tooth on her. Just a few more seconds and this whole hall would be flooded with negative energy.
As the wolf leaped, Vira grinned with the human half of her face. The grin disappeared instantly as a bright aura of holy magic suddenly enveloped the flying direwolf.
Vira was forced to cancel her long incantation and blurt out a blink spell, teleporting to a nearby storage room. All of her fine tuned magical senses were telling her that the imbued creature was now very problematic. She quickly activated her Ring of The Sage to identify the spell and determine its counter.
“Archangel’s Halo, divine class S enhancement spell: full effects unknown, counterspell unknown, duration unknown.” The ring reported telepathically.
“Very helpful.” Vira grumbled out loud sarcastically. The appearance of the floating obviously holy aligned entity was turning her strategy into an embarrassment.
Back in the hall, the spell the eudaemon had cast on Agitha also took effect. For a brief moment, the Uniri Sword glowed bright white but immediately went dark. The spell had been rejected by the sword. A second later a strange vibration echoed from the sword, like the ringing of a bell that could not be heard but felt clearly. A voice speaking in a dated elven dialect accompanied the feeling in Agitha’s thoughts.
“Who’s the idiot that woke me up with rotten holy magic eh?! My dreams were just about to get good. Who’s this then? You’re not that sniveling soft handed boy general. Now this is the grip of a proper fighter!” The telepathic voice was akin to a cranky old man.
Not exactly sure how to respond to the sentient sword, Agitha just did her best to answer while still parrying the unwavering attacks of the undead minotaur. She mimed the antique dialect as best she could.
“Name’s Agitha Defaria, Sorry to wake you up. We’re fighting a minotaur zombie and a lich or something right now. I don’t know where your wielder is but I’m guessing drowned since you were recovered from ship wreckage.”
“Oh ho? That’s wonderful news Defaria Agitha!” The voice replied. “I’ve been not but an ornament for so very long. Executing peasants is hardly worth stirring for. Now. I have heard your name; spoken with pride. I have felt your hand; worthy it is. Now I offer my own name. Speak it aloud. I am Onigoro. Speak it and the Sand Devil of Ten Thousand Arms shall be at your service.” The voice finished.
Agitha was a bit wary. Devils almost never worked for free. But without another option she decided to risk it.
“Onigoro!” She beckoned the sword. The moment she spoke, something incredibly strange happened.
The world around her had been drained of all color, and seemed to be simply frozen in place. She noted that even her own body, which she was now viewing from outside of herself was frozen in place. Her new invisible self could move freely just like her physical body, and still held a shimmering spectral version of the sword. Onigoro spoke again.
“My power, Epoch Sands. You have been given thirty seconds. Cut the beast as you please. Make it count for we can only do this once a day.” Onigoro explained.
Agitha was not one to question such an interesting twist, at least not in the moment. She launched a flurry of slashes on the minotaur that seemed to not make any contact at all, simply passing through its body as though it weren’t physical. Her speed in this form was at least equal to her physical body, and the fact that there weren’t actual hits allowed her to chain strikes together much faster. The thirty seconds seemed to last much longer, but they finally passed and Agitha’s vision returned to her physical body and time resumed about her.
The minotaur at first seemed unaffected, swinging its right axe hand down in a vicious chop. Then, all at once its protection spells were shattered in a shower of multi colored sparks and it simply fell apart into hundreds of cleanly cut pieces.
Vira sensed the destruction of her prized pet. She entered the hall behind the elf and the floating holy wench, and leveled a thin black wand at Agitha’s back.
Just before a bolt of absolute killing energy would have ended the hated woman, a glow entered her peripheral vision. An armored wolf’s head appeared, jaws open. It clamped down onto her skeletal arm which held the wand.
“Impossible.” She protested. Her body was impervious to such foolish things. Her bones were not breakable. “You can’t!” She shrieked.
Merc’s now holy blessed jaws and teeth crunched down, just as they would on one of the beloved bones from Kel. An explosion of energy erupted, sending Merc flying back to hit the opposite wall.
Vira’s skeletal arm hung uselessly, the wand had also fallen to the floor. She raised her human hand to cast a spell to destroy the beast, losing all other focus in her rage.
The sudden feeling of a presence in her space appeared. It was the floating woman, and she was reaching for her. Vira moved to enact another blink spell but without the use of her skeletal hand it failed.
The eudaemon touched Vira’s left breast with a single finger, and released its ultimate ability.
The Living Lich Vira was an ancient thing, and had caused untold suffering over her many centuries of unlife. She was not necessarily sadistic, but rather totally blind to the suffering she had caused in her endless pursuit of knowledge and power. The eudaemon’s power forced open her eyes, and her mind was not prepared for the feeling... of feeling.
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
Vira’s scream was a terrible thing to hear. She collapsed into a fetal position and suddenly experienced the terror, hopelessness, and agony of every single person she had ever harmed.
Having spent the last of its power, the eudaemon retreated. A moment later she was Merissa once more, unconscious on her feet. Agitha moved to catch her as she fell, holding her upright.
The Living Lich didn’t deserve the mercy Agitha gave her then. A quick thrust through her racing human heart ended the horrific screams. Agitha returned Merissa outside to the shelter of the shadowed buildings.
She returned to collect anything that looked valuable, she took five rings, a necklace, two wands, and a pack full of miscellaneous small baubles from Vira’s body. She couldn’t find much else in the lab which wasn’t a surprise. Powerful magic users often stored their valuables in hidden pocket dimensions.
Agitha heard the approach of armored guards approaching as she exited the building. She quickly went to collect Merissa and left the area with Merc in tow. Unexpected twists aside, the mission had been a thorough success. She hadn’t expected any of it but that’s what made the warrior’s life so very addictive. A eudaemon, a talking sword, stopping time, a half undead. So many new tales packed into a few scant minutes!
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It was nearly midnight when the trio made it back to Kel’s place. Rather than waking anyone by knocking at the locked door, Agitha tapped on the window shutters to their room.
A sleepy eyed Zell opened the window a moment later.
“Whoa, is she OK?” Zell asked in concern.
“She’s just passed out. Go unlock the back door.” Agitha replied.
“Aye.” Zell answered.
He was waiting for them by the open door as she rounded the building. They went inside, and quietly carried Merissa to Zell’s bed.
“Hey, why my bed?” He protested with his hands up.
“You’d ask a three hundred year old woman to sleep on the floor?” Agitha winked as she quipped back. “Besides you’re getting too comfortable lately, you could do with a night or two on the ground.”
“I’m supposed to be recovering, you said that yourself.” Zell reminded her.
“Fine, sleep with me if you want, but I warn you I kick in my sleep.” Agitha said, unlacing one of her knee high studded boots.
“Nevermind.” Zell said, dismissing the conversation. He knelt to begin helping Merc out of his armor. The wolf flinched and yelped as Zell touched his side. Zell drew his hand back quickly and looked to Agitha.
“Damn it.” She abandoned unlacing her second boot to rush over to Merc, gently undoing his armor to reveal a lump on his rib-cage.
“Must have cracked a rib when he got knocked into the wall.” Agitha said quietly.
“Can he have a potion?” Zell asked hopefully.
“They’re formulated for humanoids, they won’t work on animals or monsters.” She replied. “There’s a mage I know that can make a potion for him. We’ll just have to keep him comfortable until morning and I’ll send you with some gold.”
“Sure.” Zell’s face was the most concerned Agitha had ever seen as he looked at the injured wolf. “Is there anything to help his pain now? Maybe my dad knows something, he’s good at alchemy right?” Zell was practically pleading.
“Merc’s a warrior and has been through much worse.” Agitha offered but was touched by his concern. “Just give him plenty of ear pets and stay close to him. That will be more than enough.” She added, returning to the task of undressing.
Zell left the room and retrieved a few extra thick winter quilts and pillows from the storage room behind the stairs. He made a bed on the floor and beckoned Merc to lie down next to him. The wolf complied gingerly, and Zell gently pet the injured wolf’s ears and head.
Aside from Merissa, none in the room found much rest that night and as soon as the sun rose Zell was on his way to The Sand Dragon mage shop. He ran clutching the pouch beneath his shirt, ignoring the raised brows of the many sleepy early risers he passed.
He reached the shop soon after, and breathed a sigh of relief when the door was already propped open. The first thing he noticed was the big crow on its perch which let out a loud caw as he entered.
“No kids!” A raspy voice barked, drawing Zell’s attention to the shopkeeper. Zell’s eyes went wide, having never seen a lizardman before, he failed to hide his shock.
“No stupid kids! CAW!” The crow shouted, deepening Zell’s shock. It had been far too long a night to properly wrap his mind around a bejeweled lizardman and a talking bird.
He quickly filed it away as something to be processed later. Merc needed him now.
“Please sir wizard and sir... crow, this is an emergency!” He bowed deeply.
“Well pitter patter little ape!” Karakis pressed. “What is it?”
“I need a potion that will heal the injuries of an animal - a wolf.” Zell answered reaching under his shirt to produce the small coin pouch.
The salamander raised its scaled snout in suspicion. “A universal elixir is expensive. There isn’t a beast worth that cost...” The salamander was stopped by the cold glare Zell snapped on him.
“Name your price. And do it now.” Zell’s tone could have frozen a lake of lava and he did not lower his gaze.
“Ten gold, no less.” Karakis dropped his superior attitude now that money was in discussion. Business was business after all, and all were equal on the metal’s scale.
“Here’s fifteen.” Zell tossed the pouch onto the sales counter. “Ten for the potion and five for your haste, if you please.”
“It will be half an hour, the lizardman explained. They must be made to order and decay rapidly. This is not avoidable.” Karakis explained as he shuffled past Zell to close and lock the front door. “Follow me.”
Zell was led to the back of the shop, to the salamander’s lab.
In spite of the urgency Zell marveled at the skill of Karakis. His hands were a blur, yet not a drop ever spilled from the many ingredients as he handled them deftly. The intricacy of the process, the equipment required, and the many spells cast during the creation made Zell understand the extreme cost of producing a single elixir.
True to his word, half an hour later the salamander handed Zell a brightly glowing pink flask. “Hide it well and take care, that is a target for thieves and I wont be able to craft another for several days.” He cautioned the anxious boy severely.
Zell nodded seriously and secured the flask in the pouch under his shirt.
His walk home was quick but cautious, his eyes glared into every shadow and he gave everyone he passed a wide berth. His tension did not begin to ease until Kel’s Place was in sight. He quickened his pace and covered the remaining ground without incident. He would not breathe easy until his best friend could do the same.
The most difficult part of the entire mission turned out to be administering the flask. It took several failures and finally handfuls of ground mutton with a little of the elixir mixed in to convince the injured wolf to take his medicine.
The effects were profound and instant. Each handful reduced the swelling and revitalized him. After the last infused handful went down the hatch and one more to clear the taste, the big direwolf was fully himself once more. Zell breathed a deep sigh of relief and hugged him tight.
“I’ll be out for the rest of the morning.” Agitha announced. “You boys get some rest in my bed, but keep an ear out for Pinky over there. She’s likely to need some calming down if she wakes up. See to it if that happens.” Agitha explained as she donned her dragon armor and cloak.
“Aye. What should I tell her?” Zell asked already crawling into the bed.
“Just that tell her where she is and that the mission was a success.” With those parting instructions, Agitha left to gather rumors about the raid, take care of the resulting loose ends, appraise the items looted from Middle, and research devil possessed swords.