Lady Patricia returned later that evening. She brought a bunch of needed supplies but stated the town is closed as they found a coven of necromancers under the city, in the old warrens and are cleaning them out now. They don't want any more adventurers in the city as that could confuse things.

I put forth they want to keep any loot drops to themselves. Most of those here agree with That sentiment.

She goes on to tell me my guess on the Archons was correct, they wanted to 'convert me to the Proper alignment' or kill me. She had a long discussion with them and pointed out killing someone just because they don't agree with their life philosophy was evil. That started an argument between the 3 to the point they faded out and were able to capture the necromancer, who turned out not to be the head undead maker but one of that ones captains. Thus the search through the warrens and learning of all the undead living under the city.

I see MacFarrens aura shift to worry and anger and am able to guess he knows all about those undead and was probably protecting them.

I slide over to him, "You look worried. Something I can help with ?"

He stares at me, "Why should I be worried ?"

"I see aura's remember. Your face maybe calm but your aura looks a combination of angry and worried. Also I can Hear something calling for you to help protect them. I was born with spirit sense, I developed a lot of abilities I learned Because of that gift. Including how to Listen to the voices on the Astral and how they interact with the world I am in. Sort of an increased intuition if you will."

His eyes go a bit wider but that is his only physical reaction, "You did it earlier with me to. You heard the voices who wanted me to belittle you to. You said so."

He sighs, "Damn your observant. I have allies in the warrens and I know how the Dukes people act, kill everything kind of mentality. Normally I am in the city and can protect them, but he has locked everyone out, so." he shrugs.

I nod and think, "Pass Tunnel, yes that would do it. Like pass wall, but well a tunnel, lovely spell. Guy named Morgan Gulliver came up with it in my realm about 80 years ago during a great war. Used it to save a large number of refuges from a group of evil men bent on racial purity, by killing anyone not of their race." Actually that came from an indie comic I read, but what the heck.

I go get my stuff then return to him, "Ok get your troops, I can open the passage easily enough, it's only a level 5 spell."

He shakes his head and as he gets the people who are in the know and on his side in this. We head out, as I speak to a couple of his mages and explain how the spell works. Pass wall opens a 10ft circle in a wall, then closes it after its used. Pass Tunnel makes an 8ft circular tunnel and will remain open as long as the mage can keep energy flowing in to it. (ie concentration). It can be up to a mile long to. They get with in a half mile of the city and 3/4th a mile from the guild. My spell works as advertised with a little help from two of his mages, what we find though are the dukes troops trying to crack open the vaults belonging to the guild.

I get to introduce another new spell, Electro-Paralysis. Basically it sends out an electrical pulse that causes all the muscles in a target group to sieze up. Painful but also paralyzes them, for a couple hours, and makes it hard to move for a couple hours afterwards do to the strain on the muscles. (read shakes) That took out all the troops triing to breach the vaults where I am told that they keep not only the guild monies but recovered items from the adventurers, like monster parts and magic items the groups give over. (Those items are normally items that the party members can't use, so they tell me.)

What we learn from these troops is the Duke ordered them to clear out all such vaults, to get back the cost of this venture.

I look at MacFarren, "Are you sure he is not a bad person, cause he is acting more like a thief lord rather than a noble."

He looks at me, "You don't know much about Nobles do you boy ?"

"I am 4th in line to be the King of my people." I tell him, "Hold the title as the Duke of Muncaster." this is fed to me by the Gods - I know how it sounds but they are very interested in me for some reason. "My brother will take the spot if needed since I am no longer in that world."

I feel several truth seeker spells going off around me. From the aura's of the ones doing them, I am radiating 'truth'.

Golden sighs, "Truth. Damn but you don't act like a Noble."

I smile at him, "I work for a living. The only reason I am 4th is do to a war. Used to be 400 and something before the war." the gods let that one go through.

Tall imposing warrior to MacFarren, "Explains all the war spells that." MacFarren just nods as we head in to the warrens, looking for his allies.

Me I form lightning spheres, charged with Psi-energy thus creating a group of Elemental like balls of light that can make descions and are partially self aware (mini AI's based on a computer simulation I read about once. I took programming back in the day, was not my best subject though. Still it really helps with what I am doing now.)

Ten 4" balls of electrical death, floating around me and lighting up the passage ways with out interfering with anyones heat sight.

They are capable of using any lightning / electrical spell I am to.

The others watch them and me as I created them. I explain they work as defense and a light source and that each has a minor elemental spirit in them so they can work independantly if they need to. They are level 6 elementals on top of that.

MacFarren stares at them then looks back at me, "You worked solo allot didn't you ?"

"For the last 10 years of the war actually. The crew I was with normally abandoned me after the defeat of the Demon King. But that was not the end of the war like so many tried to make it out to be. Lots of mopping up to do." I sigh.

They all nod, knowing the kinds of people who would declare victory after a major win. Even though the war was far from over.

MacFarren ask, "How old are you Rob ?"

"60 as of my last birthday. I been retired for 20 years." I remind him. He slowly nods. I got out of the game alive and quite skilled.

Golden ask, "How long were you a warrior ?"

I smile sadly, "I was 25 when I was injured badly enough to stop that path." I rub my shoulder, there is a scar there still. Over 4" long and sometimes it still hurts. Even here where the reason for the scar is gone from my body. It's one of the strange things left from my old life but it gives me a way to explain why I stopped being a warrior.

They are getting it, went from warrior to mage, during an age of great strife and probably a hidden war. 15 years as a war mage, having to fight mostly on my own against a demonic enemy. Explains my magic and the style of it very well to these people.

Golden sighs, "His history sounds much like yours MacFarren, except he never got anything for it but pain and ignored by the same people he saved I imagine."

"My world has a weak magical field, largely do to the Demon King I helped defeat. As such most people don't really believe in magic or demons. So those of us who protected the world do it from the shadows. Here, here I don't have to hide what I am, what I can do. I actually like that about this world. Magic is a known quanity after all."

The tall warrior snorts, "Problem is your a bit over powered by our standards. Though I can see why to some degree. Solo types are either very sneaky or exceptionally powerful."

I nod, "I can be sneaky when I want to be. I can walk in silence, disappear in to a crowd and with a little work just become another face in that crowd."

MacFarren grunts, "Provided it's not a crowd of short people."

I grin, "I got spells to help with that to actually. Ah my forward balls report a group of metal clad individuals ahead. They really can't tell forms apart very well." I sigh.

They spread out and almost disappear in to the shadows beyond my balls. I dim the light output to 'sparks' and levitate myself up to the cieling, going all Ninja mode now.

What we come across are some injured people with a group of mismatched armed and armored persons who seem to be guarding them as they work thier way through the tunnels.

They almost came to blows with MacFarren's people but I stopped that with a flash blast from a ball. (like a flash from a camera) It stunned them and allowed MacFarren to get enough of a look of them to recognize a few faces.

"Hold Cheeter, it's I and my people." he says to them.

The one called Cheeter hisses, "What is with that light ?"

MacFarren, "Got a new man, not used to working with others just yet."

Different one, female from the voice, "Lovely newbs."

Golden, "Not a newb my Lady, a soloist, a quite powerful one at that."

She squints at him, "Ho Darren, so you have not died yet eh ?"

He grins, "I am stubborn that way."

Me, I am scanning aura's of which several of these people have very faint, almost invisible aura's. Which is either psychics or vampires. Pure undead have no aura beyond the magic that animates them.

A different one, with a bit of a lisp, "DelMarko is down here, killing anyone he finds as that whelp works to steal everything he can."

MacFarren sighs, "Unfortunetly he is the Duke and can get away with it."

The lady smiles, "No he is not. He was removed from his post and supposed to have been banished for Treason just last month."

The group goes still, then MacFarren, "What ?"

She shows him her proof. A broad sheet with that as the top story. He reads it over going slowly red. Looking around, "ROB!"

I drop down next to him from the shadows, "Yes ?"

Scared the hell out of everyone there when I did that, my eyes are glowing Very bright now.

He looks up at me, "Turns out the Duke is a traitor and murderer, which means the treaty we have with this country no longer protects him."

I nod, waiting.

The lady is staring at me, eyes wide, "Uh MacFarren, why do you have a lesser god here ?"

I smile at her, "Not a god, Holy Warrior-Mage actually."

She takes a step back.

She sighs, "That is almost worse."

Wider grin, "I am a Champion of Balance."

She nods and takes another step back, "Shit" she is not the only one backing away. Me I am amused. MacFarren not so much. He is glaring at me, "Rob, behave."

"I am behaving. I don't sense any one here who is against the rules of Balance, so other than scaring them a little I am unlikely to do anything." I am smiling at them all.

I see several confused looking sorts, then Cheeter ask "So which gods do you serve Champion ?"

"Primarily, Lady of Mysteries, Lady of Time and Space, Lady Luck. Sometimes Mercy but not very often as she scares me. " several of them chuckle over that revalation.

The Lady nods, "Magic, Luck and time ? I don't know that second one."

"Time and space is mostly movement, speed, teleportation, flight and anything to do with Kinetics. I don't know if she has a name as she does not really speak. But if you annoy her badly enough, being turned to stone would be an improvement. She does aware stasis to people who tick her off."

Every one of the undead slowly nod. I think they of all people understand what that must feel like. Can see, hear, feel, but can't move or speak. Being stone would be preferable. Then you can't do the other things either.

Out of everyone in the party, including the mages, I think the Golden one, Darren, is the only one to understand what I am talking about for Time and Space.

MacFarren, "Rob ?"

"Sir ?" huge smile in place.

"Can you kill the ex duke DelMarco ?"

"My dear dwarf, I can kill everyone in this city easily. Don't even need to see them. But I have some tracking spells that can find and elimate him if that is your desire. But I get to keep any goodies he has on his person if I do this."

Blank looks all around, "Equipment, weapons, magic trinkets, etc."

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

Tall one, "Loot." I grin at him.

MacFarren sighs, "Standard behavior for adventurers, so why state it."

The Lady, grinning, "He is normally a soloist, he does not know your rules, so he is stating them, probably to verify it."

I nod, "Very good and correct. Oh and presently the ex-duke and a good number of his men are trying to figure out how to get around a force wall that my seeking spells state has a large amount of coin on the other side of."

Cheeter says what the others are thinking, "The bank."

I nod, "Dead or I can paralyse the lot if you want."

I watch the undead all look at me and kind of smile, little bit of their eternal hunger showing through.

MacFarren grunts "Fine feed the night fiends."

I nod to a spark, "Exicution order Spasm."

It glows bright and in the distance many voices can be heard screaming in sudden pain.

I smile, "Ok all them in that area are now suffering muscle lock."

My balls make a lit path to the bad people.

As we walk, MacFarren ask, "How did you drop down on us back there ?"

"I was walking along the cieling. I told you, I can do stealth very well." grin.

One mage mutters about that spell and having to eat a live spider. I look back at him, "What ? Eat a bug ?"

The Lady grins, "Some mages think you need to eat a live spider to walk on walls or cielings."

I make a 'yech' face, "I don't use a spell, its all part of my martial arts training, using the Chi to walk up walls, tree's what have you."

Cheeter grins, "Ninja training."

I shrug, "Martial Arts - most of mine is a mix of storm, tia chi and karate."

Cheeter does not know any of them, while Golden Darren is moving out of reach, just in case I turn on them. I get the feeling he is one who knows, at least intellectually, allot about the various martial arts techniques.

I move over to a wall, using my hands and feet I move right up it and on to the high cieling, disappearing in to the shadows with a scary amount of ease. It occured to me, I can control light, which means I can make shadows darker or more difuse if I want, so moving through shadows is as easy for me as moving through a well lit room. The light from my eyes actually allows me to see pretty well, despite there not being any other light sources. This is a sort of bonus ability I believe.

I do find I am not alone on this path though, there are others with this gift or trick and they are moving along up here to, though many of them are walking upright (or downright ?) like dracula in the cartoons, like gravity is reversed for them. A few are doing it like me, but I note they have claws on their hands and feet which they are using to do this trick, me I am using something closer to a form of telekinesis and 'static cling' for all effects and purposes. One of the clawed ones notices I am not using the tips of my fingers and have no problem seeing in the near absolute darkness. I note him(?) following me, more or less. Keeps watching me but is not interfering with me or the direction we are all going.

Where we come out is a high walled tunnel, sort of an oblique area with a wall thats been torn down till the diggers found the wall of force. All of them and the Duke and one of his knights are on the ground. Muscles locked, leaving them helpless. I stand from the cieling and hold out my arms, "Come to Me my Pretties!' I cackle (I am having fun, I admit it), all their gear glow then slowly vanish off of them or from around them. According to the Bag calculator they had already grabbed up a few million in gems, jewelry and objects D'art but sadly not much in the way of magic items. Now they are all in their skivies and nothing else. Which is fine with me, I don't know what use Used skivies would be anyway.

Lots of spiritual parasytes in them though. Looks like my cleansing did not reach them, or likely very far out of the camp now that I think about it. I sigh, "Ok all undead persons may want to clear this area. I am seeing that these persons are all possessed by some very nasty parasytes and I need to Cleanse them before anything else is done. Unless you all want to be Plague carriers that is."

MacFarren informs them about my last Cleansing just a few hours ago, about how 3 demons got cleansed right out of existance cause they thought they were safe inside their host bodies.

In almost no time the area is completely clear of pretty nearly everyone who can move. I look around, check all tunnels and such to be sure. Then I move to the center and call down the same cleansing I did before. This one hit even Harder than the last one. I think it's because I admitted that Mercy scares me and she is letting me know she heard me. So Extra owies came with This one.

By the time they are done, even I am smoking slightly but there are no parasytes, dieses, slimes, or molds ANYWHERE down here now. A few of the undead are also cleaner than they likely have ever been, but none of them died from what hit here.

Golden Darren and MacFarren are the first to return to the room, I am lightly glowing and look a touch cooked (Sunburned from the inside Out).

I look at them, "Mercy did not like me admitting that she scares me. But then she does this to me which really does not help me Not be even more afraid of her."

Golden nods, "Oh yes, I can understand what you mean now. That looks very painful."

I nod, even as the vampires come in "Sunburned from the inside out. Not a nice thing to do to someone who works for you." I moan.

One vamp points back the way he came, "All the molds on the walls are gone."

Several of the others nod, a couple look a touch white, clothing and all, but otherwise ok.

"Mercy really does not like parasytes, molds or such things, so when I asked the Light for a spiritaul cleansing of these things, she used me to clean this place, completely. Mind you undead don't even show up on her things she likes or dislikes, that's why none of you got a sunlight bath." I moan.

Darren looks at the Lady, "He got a bit cooked by the gods, from the inside out." she winces in sympathy.

I hold my arms out, steam rising from them, "This is what scares me about Mercy. I really think she has the wrong name. Vendetta seems to fit better." The Goddess of Mercy has no mercy for much of anyone anymore. Somewhere along the line she has gone from a force for good to borderline evil. Just enough self control not to move outside of the Neutral set, but only just. Unless she does not see people like me as people, just tools to use and throw away when she no longer needs them. I think I will leave her out of my prayer spells from now on. If I can help it.

I move over to one side, pulling in the Cold and getting it to lightly snow around me. I see many people staring at me as I do that. I am quietly singing x-mas songs like white christmas and let it snow, to myself.

One of MacFarren's people reports to him that I am sing casting snow related spells. Given what I just went through, he completely understands why.

The Duke, he gets shown the broad sheet, so he knows WE know he has been exiled and has a death sentice if he was not out of the country in the next 3 days. As he was stripping this city of everything of worth, we have moved that up to Today. One of the telepathic sorts reports he is calling us all traitors, up till he saw the Lady, then he shit himself cause she is Dead and apparently one of his ancestors.

She scoots over to me, just outside my personal snow storm, "Um, Rob was it ?" I nod, "Could you free only the Duke from the paralysis ?"

I nod, focus on him, then telekinetically lift him in to the air and force him, in puppet fashion, to do a series of strenous excercises which loosen all his muscles, but tires him out to. I sit him on the floor when done. The Lady is staring at me with wide eyes, "Are you sure your not a god ?"

"Psionics, self taught mostly. That was telekinesis."

She nods and walks over to the duke. She kneels in front of him, "Hello nephew, I see you are even a greater fool than your father was. I understand you don't agree with the new kings take on things but trying to take over and in such a sloppy manner. So not how its done. I don't know what went wrong with your branch of the family."

He coughs, "You can't be here. Your Dead!"

I clear my throat, "Thats Undead DelMarko. That's usually what it's called when a body gets up and walks around on it's own after dying and no gods are involved."

She looks at me, "No gods are involved ?"

"I got a resurrect spell in my daily list from the gods." I inform her, "Just 1 a day at this time though."

She nods then shakes her head, "Holy sorts are wierd." she sighs.

I really can't argue with that. I work at being wierd though.

She turns back to her idiot great nephew, "You managed to lose our title and home and then you become a raider, to what end ?"

"Probably to buy a mercenary army so he could return and take over." I point out, "Which would not work with me here really. My primary spell set is designed to take out armies."

I see the Duke look at me with wide eyes, "What are you ?"

"Ex Demon hunter who fought in a shadow war for over 20 years against a Demon King who was out to consume all the magic in the world. They called me the Artillery cause I did long range high destruction magics."

I lost them at that line. MacFarren ask, "What is artillery ?"

I consider, "Know what a catapult is ?"

He nods.

"That is a form of artillery, its a set of weapons that can fire things at range and do a great deal of damage. See ?"

Slow nods all around to that.

He says "Like what you did to the Skworg Palace ?"

I nod, "Yes, and I really need to work on not being so close when setting that one off. Blew me off my feet and threw me in to a wall." I sigh.

He looks at the Lady, "Exploded their Palace, about half of it is gone. Also got 3 confrimed kills on the Skworg."

"4" I state, "I killed 4 of them. I got the bodies, well what's left of the bodies, as proof."

One of MacFarrens mages, old looking man in a blue robe, "He tends to shrink things for ease of transport. Which I believe is what he did to all the gear here. Shrink it, teleport it to a special bag."

I just grunt at that description and return to my cooling - snowing spells. Trying to cool off my now overly hot form.

I over hear Cheeter ask MacFarren if I am an ally or what, MacFarren states that he is thinking of hiring me for a possition in the guild. Provided I don't destroy the city before that can happen. He points out to Cheeter that its not healthy to bother me, even with out magic I am a very dangerous person.

I look over at one of the 'nos' looking sorts, "Why is Cheeter asking about my ally state ?"

The nos grins, "If your not recognized as an ally, then your fair game to we who live down here."

I nod, "I am trained in the Storm. So not someone you want as an enemy."

He shrugs then leaps at me, knife in his hand, aiming for my throat. My ever present lightning shield blast him in to a wall. I sigh, "You don't listen well do you child. I am Trained in the Storm, means I can call on the powers of the Storm to protect myself, cold, fire, lightning, wind, All the Elemental power of the storm is at my command."

He scoffs, orients himself and comes in low, my lightning spheres light him up till nothing but ash is left.

I look at the other hungry dead around me, "You all understand now ? Those balls of light around the room are Elementals I summoned to help me down here. Attack me and they go after you and Lightning is very good at Burning things out of existance."

The Lady sighs, "Well the Nos need a new Prime now. I wondered how long he would last as he was not very bright."

Other Nos, "He was strong, but did not take hints well and well we had a running bet on how long till he angered someone faster or more deadly than him. War mage for the win."

They chat amongst themselves and a small sneaky looking sort is given a paper and a bag. He slips off in to the shadows. I watch him go till he moves beyond my range. Just in case.

The one who had been holding that bag sighs, "He is the youngest of us and he picked out what killed him."

"Technically speaking I am a Holy Warrior and Mage split class." I inform them.

UGly one, "Well you used magic to take him out, so war mage fits the circumstances." I shrug, it's their call after all.

Cheeter is no longer looking at me as a potential meal at least. More like what I really am, dangerous if crossed. Still he pushes a little bit, "I don't believe your a Champion." he states.

I give him a questioning look. The Lady shakes her head, "He has it in his head that All champions have holy swords."

I nod, reach behind me and draw the magic sword. Its blade glows with a strong blue light, "Like this one ?" MacFarren stares at the blade then chuckles, "Brodars Bright Blade, a Champions Holy Avenger, one of the swords of Legend on top of that. Where did you find that ?"

"It was in the Skworg Palace. I got a bunch of nice stuff from there really. Have not learned what everything I got does yet. My identification spells are still working on it all." I hold out my hand and my staff appears in it, "Though this is my prefered weapon."

MacFarren shakes his head, "Staff of the Master. Rank 5 holy weapon. How many weapons do you have ?"

I look blank, close one eye and stare at the inventory page. "104 from level 1 to holy and specialty weapons. Not counting arrows and similar."

MacFarren and the others all stare at me, I smile at him, "I told you the kind of world I am from. My Bag is an extra dimensional storage space with out a physical point. So it can't be stolen or searched by mortal means. Was a " the next phrase I speak causes a large hell hound to appear and look at me, awaiting orders. I sigh, "Stupid slang phrases." I look at the dog, "Was not trying to summon you, was using a slang phrase for difficult to make object." The hound considers that then nods and sighs. Sits and waits.

I look at Golden and MacFarren, "I have no idea what to do with that ?"

Golden, "I suggest banishing it if you can otherwise it will try and claim your soul for payment of it's service."

I sigh, point the staff at it, "Go home."

It laughs at me, till I pull out the Holy Light and blast it out of existance. Made a permanent shadow stain on the wall where it Used to exist."

That also made most of the vampires disappear as they Really get what I am capable of. Only the lady and a couple on the cieling are left. I note that all the healthiest soldiers are gone to. I sigh about that, but really nothing I can do about it. Well There is, but Balance has a say in things and THEY do not want me purging all the undead down here.

I put my weapons away and pull out a pack of crackers. I am hungry as I have been using a lot of power. I am also wondering when I got the job as Champion of the Balance. I been going over the memories of all 3 connected life times and I really can't find a definitive point before being dropped in this world. I think it was programmed in to me when I arrived here, along with the magic and needed slang.

I consider something new. I pull out my phone, turn on the recorder function and FEEL the 'gods' telling me not to do it, not do what I am planning. I do it anyway, "Mary had a little lamb, fleece white as snow." then I play it back. Yes I can understand the words, but Listening to the language I can now tell, it's Not english. Not even close to English. So something else that was put in and left me thinking I was speaking the language of my birth. So explains a few things really. The only parts that are English are Program, Dos, Line, Execute and Excelsior. Interesting that. I ponder it while something is telling me I should not have done that.

I end up focusing my mind on that annoying voice and seeing what happens when I run a pure energy currant through it.