"So how do you think we can get up there?" I asked Drelem, scratching my head in thought.

The pair of us stood before a giant mountain range, right at the very bottom. The mountain was as tall as we could see and ascended to the heavens, passed the clouds. It was the natural fortification of the Grove, a mysterious realm that existed on multiple planes of the multiverse.

"I don't suppose you have an undead dragon handy?" My longtime friend and colleague suggested.

I turned to him, showing that, you are a moron face. "And where prey tell in all of Astlan could I get an undead dragon." I gestured to the world around us. "Even if I could." I added. "Somehow get a local dragon, and that is a big if, I would pass out from the lack of air once we got halfway up."

"That wouldn't be a problem if we didn't need to breath." Drelem suggested with that cocky attitude of his.

"Of course, but we need to get to the storm lords before we can even think of becoming liches." I harrumphed, trying to get the problem through his thick skull.

He turned away, accepting a goblet of wine from an undead servant. He was such a snob, had to have a full entourage of undead servants, to lug around his unnecessary stuff.

He took a small sip savouring the wine. "Their are other ways." He added, turning the goblet in his hand.

"What other ways, some sort of life support air magic spell. I am not to skilled in that area." I answered honestly, that necromancy was my true passion. I devoted very little to the other schools of Wizardry.

"I wasn't thinking about a spell." He said.

"What then?" I turned back to notice he was smiling cheekily. "No, out of the question. I will not accept that bloodsuckers offer." I was adamant in my refusal.

"What is your problem with vampires anyway? You never explained." Drelem asked, seating himself on a revenant's back. The poor undead was hunched over on the ground, acting as a chair.

I found his actions a bit gauche, I mean that was a revenant, not some soulless zombie. Yet oddly the undead seemed exhilarated at the idea. It grinned all the while its master seated himself. What kind of kinky masochist did Drelem raise?

I sighed, cracking my neck to relieve some tension. Meeting my friend's gaze, I explained. "I don't have anything specifically against vampires. They are fascinating, but I don't like the idea of being granted immortality." I tried to put my feelings into comprehendible words. "Eternal life, should be something that is gained through one's own power. Not a blessing handed down by some other being." I spat those final words, repulsed by the very idea.

"I am sure the clerics will have a field day on that." He chuckled.

"Those bastards label everything as evil. I wouldn't be surprised they would burn people with holy fire for the heresy of not submitting to the gods monopoly on eternal life." I shrugged, noting that was a bit of a harsh condemnation of the church.

Despite my own personal opinion of them, they did provide an important function in society. They provided the weak and the desperate a place to stand. When such people would be swept away by the powerful and the callous. Not everyone in this world is so blessed with skill and intellect. Nothing in this world is fair and expecting anything else is foolish.

"I am not a fan of those self righteous clerics either. Always so touchy on the subject of necromancy, you cause one village to break out in ghoulism and suddenly your the bad guy." He complained, sipping his wine.

"But Drelem, that was your fault. You gave aid to those scheming vampires and what did they do, stiff you on the deal and went on a feeding frenzy." I explained, pointing an accusatory finger.

"Semantics Belus, besides the lot of them got roasted by the Rod. So I say win win to all parties." He shot back, grinning into his exquisite chalice.

"That village would beg to differ."

He scoffed as if the words were meaningless. "Peasants die, it's what they do. Besides the Rod purged the lot of them."

Unfortunately, he had a point, peasants died, either in wars, plague or just bad luck. They lacked the defences of the truly powerful and only could cling to whatever institution kept them reasonably safe. Still, I am never going back to Eton.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

"We are getting off topic. We need to find away to get into the Grove." I pulled as back on topic and Drelem shrugged.

"I've got no ideas, but seriously just consider the vampires offer." He tried again and I was not having it.

"I will not be handed immortality. I will take it for myself!" I declared proudly, brooking no argument.

He stood down, sighing heavily and going back to his drink in silence. I left him to stew and turned my mind to better pursuits. Perhaps I could pose as a Thaumaturge and get invited. Many ideas raced across my mind, but in the end, I couldn't think of a thing.

Eventually, we gave up and returned to the nearby town. I settled into an inn, secluding myself in my room. I plotted, planned and worked on a few spells, and for days I toiled on an unsolvable issue. Drelem had disappeared off somewhere, which was normal.

After several days, I returned to the meeting point and found no one. The patch of dirt was empty, my colleague of years had vanished. Wondering if he had gotten himself into trouble, I cast a simple tracking spell. His location was north, the only thing in that direction was some small villages.

Making the long trek on my undead steed, ready to tear him a new one. I came upon a peculiar village, it was a mess, and bodies were strewn all about. Blood was everywhere and screams could be heard in the distance. Fearing an attack I quickly raised every corpse within reach.

Their lumbering forms were upright and ready to receive orders. "Protect me." I commanded.

They acted in accordance to my will, surrounding me, with a barricade of tireless flesh. With my defence in hand, I made my way through the village.

Signs of carnage were everywhere, hovels broken into. Traces of blood spattered against almost all surfaces. Once we entered the village square, the architect of this slaughter became known.

A familiar back was hunched over the lifeless corpse of a woman, what was probably her young son, sobbing in the corner, holding his knees.

"Drelem! What have you done?!" I commanded, scorn laced every word.

Despite my question, I knew the answer but felt obligated to ask. The man I knew as a friend, dropped the pale corpse to the ground and turned to me. His eyes were crimson, his mouth awash in blood. What lay beneath that smile were fangs, sharp and dangerous.

"Oh hey Belus, come to join the party?" He said like it was nothing.

He acted carefree like he wasn't ravaging a defenceless village like a ferocious beast.

"You didn't?"

"I did." He grinned maliciously.

"Come join me, give up on this foolish venture. Immortality is right here for the taking." He presented his wrist, expecting me to be tempted.

"I will not be granted what is rightfully mine!" I declared loudly, resolutely and with such certainty that the gods would not deny me.

"Your old sentiment, oh well, remember I offered." He turned to the boy, dismissing me from his world. "One for the road." He reached out to the frightened child, ready to drain him dry.

Casting a spell, I directed all its power upon a single point. His fingers bent back on themselves, snapping like twigs. He screamed in pain, turning a scathing look my way.

I glared back, smug as ever. "You forget yourself vampire. You are undead and the undead kneel before me!"

Readying my next spell, he snapped his fingers back into place and moved with confounding speed. Picking up the boy by the scruff of his neck, he hurled the lad before I could ready a spell.

In a single eternal moment, I decided on instinct. I leapt forward, catching the boy before he could hit the ground.

Inspecting the lad for injuries, I found a young scared child, only five years old, with teary blue eyes and messy blonde hair looking up at me.

Casting a glance at Drelem, I only saw a vacated square, absent his presence. Rising to my feet, child in my embrace, I pondered what to do next. The child was oddly quiet and docile, I wondered if he was charmed.

I went about inspecting the corpses and found what was likely the child's mother, dead and gone. I wondered if I should raise the lot of them, but that might frighten the child out of his stupor. I was caught in indecision, for a while I lingered there, wondering what to do.

"Necromancer! Someone alert the militia!" A voice in the distance shouted.

Somehow there were survivors and I doubted they would be eager for an explanation. I fled, dispelling my zombies and mounting my horse. I don't know why I fled with the boy, I just did.

We rode for a long time, eventually reaching my old inn. The inn Keeper didn't even bat an eye as I ascended to my room, carrying a sleeping child.

Laying him in bed, I let him rest. He had somehow fallen asleep in my arms. He slept all night, I didn't sleep much. I was awakened by a commotion outside. A town crier was speaking to the masses, gathering them in the town square.

Quickly I left the inn, arriving at the back of a large gathering. I could see the town crier nailing parchment to a wall. On the parchment was a wanted poster, with a drawing that had my likeness.

Drawing my hood closer, I pondered how this was possible. Coming up with the obvious conclusion. "Drelem you leech." I cursed the man in my heart.

Returning to the room, I found the young boy awake. He was blankly staring at the wall. Upon my arrival he quickly spun around, gasping at the sight of me, retreating to the corner.

"You don't have to be frightened, I'm not going to hurt you." I said honestly, I don't think he believed me. "I'm Belus, what's your name?" The child didn't reply, remaining sullen and silent.

"Fine, I'll drop you off at some orphanage." I said casually as I turned to leave.

The boy grabbed onto my arm with a vice grip that belied his age. He sobbed, muttering words I could only barely hear. "Ren, my name is Ren." He trembled and I will admit, it touched my black little heart.

"You got any family?" He shook his head in the negative.

"Friends?" I asked, again it was a negative.

I thought on my next words and grinned. "Hey kid?" He turned a tearful gaze to me. "You like magic?"