Chapter 18
May 19, 778
Dan stood perfectly still as the lich grinned down at him, completely unconcerned. Thick black tar had enveloped its limbs and held him fast to the ground. The black and silver steel blade of Memory had cut through the lich’s robes and lodged in several of its ribs. Around them the dome of shadow magic swirled and eddied gently, cutting the two of them off from the rest of the cavern.
“Tell me young sorcerer, did you expect your sword to do something different this time than the last twenty times you and your companions tried that?”
Dan smiled sardonically.
“You really should have tried to dodge that.”
The lich’s white skull cocked slightly.
“Oh really? What need have I to fear… to fear…”
The lich’s voice trailed off and he looked down at the blade lodged in his ribs. Dan’s smile grew a bit bigger. The black steel was dripping black ichor that had an ever slightly different sheen than the quickly dissolving ooze from the wand of binding. Then the ichor of the blade began to seep into bones and black lines of corruption began to snake through them. Dan withdrew the blade and stepped back. The lich stared and then collapsed onto the ground as the wand of bindings’ effects wore off.
“What have you done to me?”
Dan’s smile turned bitter.
“I killed you.”
The lich shrieked and thrust out his hand.
“Then I will take you with me.”
Another crackling burst of energy began to form around the bleached white bones of the lich’s fingers, then Jamaal Hamas let out an agonized scream. The sound was piercing and shrill and the cavern caused the pained screech to echo over and over again. The purple magic fizzled out and the dome of shadows began to dissolve into smoke.
Dan stood over the lich as black tendrils of discolored bone snaked over the white skull. He felt no remorse as he watched the blade's corruption consume the lich’s magic. One tendril reached up off the bone and ensnared a nearly invisible thread of magic that ran in the direction of one of the tables. There was a sharp cracking sound and then the pale light that faintly glowed in the eye sockets of the lich’s skull faded. The phylactery had been destroyed.
Dan had not been sure that the corruption of his sword would actually work on the lich, but figured it had been worth a shot. As Dan gazed down at the now lifeless pile of bones he felt a hollow sensation begin to run through his body. Moments ago, he had been filled with cold fury as he stared at the one time master and tormentor of a friend. Now he felt cheated. The kill had been too easy, the death too clean. It was anti-climatic.
Of course it was right at that moment that he felt a hand grab his ankle and pull it out from under him. It turned out that killing the lich had not led to the instant demise of the zombies and one of them had managed to crawl right up to him while he was distracted. In the end Dan had to bash the thing’s head in with the pommel of his dagger. It was messy and gross and Dan took several major hits from the scaled zombie’s fists, but to his relief Dan managed to kill the undead without resorting to Memory. He cursed and muttered to himself as he picked himself up and cleaned off the gore.
“I really need to learn some fire magic.”
Dan looked around. The other members of the group were all still unconscious, except for Parthos, who had engaged the soldier that had been turned into an undead, and Lord Heinry who was unsteadily picking himself up out of the wrecked remains of a bookshelf. Parthos immediately hurried up, his blade covered in the unpleasant decor of battle.
“Are you alright sir?”
Dan nodded and sullenly kicked the corpse of the zombie.
“I am fine. What about you and the others?”
“I am fine, Aradin and Atmos are unconscious. The rest of the soldiers are mopping up the rest of the undead right now.”
Dan glanced back toward the entrance. The remaining fifteen men of their company were pressing the remaining half a dozen zombies that were still standing. It would all be over soon. Dan nodded in satisfaction and turned back to Parthos. The knight was staring with wide eyes at the skull of Jamaal Hamas.
“That is no wraith.”
Both Dan and Parthos turned to look at the sneering face of Lord Heinry as he limped over to stand next to them. They all gazed grimly down at the remains of the lich. For a moment nobody spoke. Then Dan broke the silence.
“It was a wraith.”
The other two glanced up at the authoritative tone in his voice. Heinry narrowed his eyes.
“What do you mean Del Torre?”
Dan spoke slowly and deliberately.
“If word gets out that there was a lich in the area there could be panic. A wraith is dangerous, but is limited in how much damage it can do. It is limited to a set area where it died. A lich is far more dangerous and their lairs are often the target of more… unsavory characters. There will be those who will come looking for the hoards of magical knowledge that lich’s are known to keep.”
The three all turned to look at the collection of books and notes scattered across the ten shelves and three tables set up in the cavern. Dan suspected he knew what many of the books would contain. This was a place where experiments had been performed that resulted in death for hundreds of people, maybe even more than a thousand if Hydrozeno’s memory had been accurate. Dan looked at the other two. Parthos looked pale and slightly worried. Heinry had his eyes narrowed as he took in the set up.
Dan could tell that the cunning noble understood the severity of the threat that the knowledge contained on those pages posed. In the wrong hands they could wreak untold havoc on the region. The other noble locked eyes with Dan and nodded coldly.
“We should order the men out of the cave as soon as they are done. Then you and I should go through the wraith’s library and see if there is anything worth salvaging. Your experience as a knight of El Torre Sorcierre will be invaluable. We can burn the rest.”
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Dan gritted his teeth. The other young man’s tone indicated he suspected that Dan had been more than a simple knight tasked with protecting the once famed sorcery academy. Dan also did not relish the thought of Heinry rifling through the notes that may contain the secrets of how to create nearly unkillable soldiers, but knew there was little he could do to stop the noble.
Parthos saluted.
“I will get the men organized and lead them out. You go ahead and do whatever needs doing.”
Dan watched for a moment as the knight headed to where the other warriors had just finished their fight with the zombies. Then he turned and headed toward a shelf. He pulled off an unlabeled leather bound volume and flipped it open.
Hydra Zero, Experiment 14
October 25, 768
Our tests today have revealed a rather remarkable breakthrough in our understanding of the subject’s anatomy. It seems that the regenerative properties of the subject could, theoretically, lead to a significant extension of its lifespan. We are not certain as to the exact increase, but we suspect the effect could lead to nearly doubling the natural lifespan of the subject. Due to its elvish origins, this could mean a potential of reaching anywhere from a thousand to fifteen hundred years of age. It is impossible to know precisely…
Dan closed his eyes. This would take a while.
* * *
The creature watched as the humans combed through the dead lich’s texts for nearly two days. Then after they had removed a fair number of the books it observed as they burned the rest. Several times it considered leaving its hiding place to try and feast on the humans but it restrained itself. The one that carried so much of the delicious light was armed. The creature was not sure if the weapon the human carried would be capable of killing it but the aura of the blade was too similar to that of that of the creature itself. Better to wait and watch.
Eventually the two humans left the cave and rode off with their fellows, leaving the creature alone. The humans were gone, one lich was dead and the other one had departed months ago. There was little reason to stay. The creature oozed slowly down the wall from the hiding spot high above on the darkened ceiling.
As it reached the stone floor, now covered in soot, a thought occurred to it. Perhaps it was time to select a form. It considered the thought for several minutes then it began to change shape. It stood on its newly formed pair of legs and swung one of its arms experimentally. The movement of the oily blade was a perfect imitation of the move the lightbearer had performed against the lich. With a feeling of satisfaction, the knightmare stepped out of the cave and into the light of the three moons.
For some reason the knightmare felt that that was a good omen. In the year since it had come to the world of light it could not remember ever seeing all three moons out at the same time. Green, blue and purple light bathed the forest stretched out below. Then it strode off into the night. It wandered for a long time. Its path winding ever farther north and west.
* * *
Hydrozeno,
I have recovered a number of documents that may aid in the understanding of your unusual condition. I happened upon them some months ago in the course of my duties and have been studying them ever since. I won’t go into details in this letter as I do not want to risk anyone else knowing precisely how your abilities work and I don’t know of anyone trustworthy enough to attempt to send copies of the works in my possession with. Perhaps at a future date you will find an opportunity to come and visit me and I can share additional details. In the meantime you may be interested to know that I am now a proud father. The twins Ialo and Nevar were born on May 27th. I can’t help but laugh at the irony of the date. I hope that Octavia is treating you well.
DDT
P.S. Tell that idiot elf that I have received no less than three additional letters from his mother complaining about being unable to find him. I am tired of being the one that she harangues every time her efforts to contact him fail.
- letter from Dan Del Torre to Hydrozeno, dated September 6, 778
Name: Dan Del Torre
Age: 21
Race: Human
Mana:
Basic Mana: 0/2
Body Mana 0/2
Blessings:
Corrupted Blade of Memory: Relive the past of those you have slain and gain their experience
Wand of Binding: Level 2 0/2 2/2 points used
Charges level 1 0/2 0/1 charges(regains 1 charge per day)
Binding Duration: Level 1 0/2 Binding lasts 10 seconds
Skills:
Health: 7/23
Base defense: 1
Basic mana: Level 2 0/4
Body Mana: Level 2 0/4
Enchantment- Imbue Item(Skill Enhancement): Level 3 0/8 3/3 point used(requires 12 hour ritual and 1 gold per mana used)
Skill Enhancement increase: Level 1 0/2 Increases chosen skill by 1 level per 100(98) mana imbued
Skill Enhancement Duration: Level 1 0/2 Imbuement lasts 1 minutes per 100(98) mana imbued
Imbuement Item Recharge: Level 1 0/2 item recharges 1 mana per day
Longsword Accuracy: Level 3 2/8
Longsword Damage: Level 2 0/4
Longsword Parry: Level 3 2/8
Mana Circle(chosen skill): Level 3 0/8 Inscribe up to a level 3 mana circle on an object that will gather 1 mana per day per level. The inscriber may withdraw the mana at their leisure. Costs 100 gold to create per level or upgrade. Requires 12 hours uninterrupted to inscribe
Light Armor: Level 1 0/2
Mana Sight: Level 1 0/2 Can see mana at a range of 10 feet and 1% chance to identify its type
Magic resistance: Level 1 0/2
Enchantment Magic Mana Cost Reduction: Level 2 0/4 reduce enchantment costs by 2%
Speed Boost: Level 2 0/4 2/2 points used
Speed increase: Level 1 0/2 1%
Boost Duration: Level 1 0/2 1 seconds per point of body mana used
Strength boost: Level 2 0/4 2/2 points used
Strength increase: Level 1 0/2 1%
Boost Duration: Level 1 0/2 1 seconds per point of body mana used
Defense boost: Level 2 0/4 2/2 points used
Defense increase: Level 1 0/2 1%
Boost Duration: Level 1 0/2 1 seconds per point of body mana used
Weapon Enhancement(Temporary): Level 2 0/4 2/2 points use
Weapon Damage: Level 1 0/2 Increased by 1 level per 100(98) mana used
Boost Duration: Level 1 0/2 1 attack per 100(98) mana used
Armor Enhancement(Temporary): Level 2 0/4 2/2 points use
Armor Level: Level 1 0/2 Increased by 1 level per 100(98) mana used
Boost Duration: Level 1 0/2 Endures 1 attack per 100(98) mana used
Magic Items
Sword Belt- Inscribed with level 3 magic circle
Current Mana:
423 Basic mana
671 Body mana
Repairing Sheath- Sheath can repair itself from damage at the cost of mana
Recharges 1 mana per day
Current Mana:
8 Basic Mana
Plate of Defense
Increases the level of Heavy Armor by 1 per 98 mana used for 1 minute
Recharges 1 mana per day
Current Mana:
96 Basic Mana
Boots of Strength
Increases physical strength by 1% per 98 mana used for 1 minute
Recharges 1 mana per day
Current Mana:
28 Basic Mana
Gauntlets of Striking
Increases weapon accuracy by 1 level per 98 mana used for 1 minute
Recharges 1 mana per day
Current Mana:
` 10 Basic Mana