Time was kind to Volodar as he practiced his necromancy within the motte and bailey. A sort of comfort was sensed in the tiny family that called this place home. The keep was in good condition, despite everything that happened in the past. Even the walls made of wood were structurally fine in most places. Hunter did a fine job in infiltrating the location and making sure the gate wasn’t an issue.
Checking upon Adelia, Volodar noticed that she was working quite a bit recently. She would go outside with Doppel to practice her magic safely. He was more than enough to control her should the magic be too much for her. When it would get dark, Adelia would seek out Volodar to watch over his rituals. Seemingly, the days passed as a whirlwind of activity to truly get this place in working order.
Volodar paused for a moment one day as he ate beside Adelia, “What do you think of this place?”
She played with her food as she responded, “It’s becoming a fine fortification, although we haven’t been subtle in our actions.”
“I guess we may have made our presence known pretty aggressively. Hunter speaks about rangers that find our troops within the woods and the encounters that follow.” He scratched at his chin as he thought about the work that his creations had done.
Adelia lights up as she speaks, “Both Hunter and Doppel have done a tremendous amount of work, my lord.”
“Yes, they are in the middle of training you as far as I understand. They also bring a sufficient amount of animal corpses for me to use in my studies.”
Hunter walked into the room frowning as he looked towards Volodar, “Master, you have a visitor should we accept him. It is Lucas.”
Surprised, Volodar stood up and started to walk towards the door. “It’s about time I get that explanation for his absence. His assistance has been long overdue.” Adelia opened her mouth to say something, but held back as she followed Hunter out towards the bailey. Slowly, the doors opened as Lucas proudly walked into the bailey. He bowed, “Master Volodar, you look well. I take it there hasn’t been too much trouble.”
“I have progressed by a large margin since I last saw you.” Volodar frowned as he spoke, “Where have you been? You left without saying a word to me.”
Lucas was grandiose in his movements as he bowed once more, “Matters, my lord. Matters of grave importance. I wish I could’ve told you before I left. However, I have brought a present with me as an apology.”
Hunter couldn’t hold back his grievances as he said, “A present? You leave for a month or two thinking that a mere present would solve anything.”
Volodar raised his hand to silence Hunter. Lucas must have had a reason to do what he did, he thought. That would explain why he had brought a present. Something of power that will enhance him even further. “Well, Lucas. I am willing to accept your gift as an apology.”
A wry smile took over Lucas as he nodded, “Most gracious of you, my lord. Come with me and I’ll display it to you. It’s off in the woods barely two miles from here.”
Something turned deep within Volodar’s stomach as he listened to Lucas. Feelings that he never had before seemed to rip apart his insides as he thought about what it could be. Adelia couldn’t hold back, “This is a bad idea, Volodar. Don’t go with him.”
“Quiet girl,” Lucas said, “his father has given him a gift from his own personal arsenal. He should accept it with grace.”
Hunter growled at him, “You’re full of it, Lucas. My beasts would’ve alarmed me should anything have been out there.”
Lucas laughed, “You didn’t even know that I was here until I knocked. So much for being the ‘hunter’, I will say.” Hunter grip tightened along his bow as he tried to not make any sudden movements to alarm Volodar. Torn between two paths, Volodar stood without a single idea to solve his issue.
“Doppel could get the package for you,” Adelia said.
“That’s true, my lord. I would be more than honored to accept on your behalf.”
“No,” Lucas sighed, “the master will not become stronger without pushing himself towards unfamiliar tasks. Let him follow me and take the item.” Many instincts instinctively told Volodar at this moment to disobey Lucas. His whole life was towards the serving of this man’s goals, his father. However, what did he truly gain from it? Sights entered his mind, still shots of his allies as he thought about his father’s legacy.
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“I respectfully decline your offer, Lucas.” Volodar started to walk away as he spoke once more, “Lucas, I am no longer in need of your services.” No more than a second after he spoke, a pain could be felt from the side of his head as the world spun. Adelia placed her hand up to cast an incantation as the entirety of his vision went dark.
Nothingness pervaded the mind of Volodar. Upon the ground, was a tar black liquid that was a few inches deep. Expanding endlessly upon all directions, he walked along the path until a chair appeared in his peripheral. A man with pale purple skin that was bruised and elven features looked unamused as he stared towards Volodar.
This man, Volodar thought, radiated an aura of death. Dark energies seemed to swirl upon this man in soft hues. Should Volodar be a pool of mana, this man was an ocean. An unbelievable gap in power as he compared it to others that he met in the past. His facial expression never changed as Volodar paced around him in a circle once. Examining the energy from this man, he certainly used magical items to enhance himself. “Shame,” Volodar said, “I thought this would be Valdier, but no. You’re simply some powerful necromancer. So what do you want? Summoning me to speak through the use of nightmares is not a way to build rapport with me.”
“I simply want you. That is all.” Slowly, the skin of this man turned to ash as it fell and left a skeleton behind. “You’ve expanded your mind and heart in no short order, my child.” Raising his hand, the ash slipped through his fingers and fell back onto the chair. “It is time to become my vessel so I can return to the land of the living. Lichdom is far too restrictive for my tastes.”
Volodar shook his head as he backpedaled away from the creature, “I refuse to be anyone’s vessel.”
“I didn’t waste all of these years simply waiting for you boy. Embrace your path as Lucas has led you.” Clenching his hands with a clack of bone, he stood up. “Everything, your entire purpose was to be my vessel for reincarnation. You have a mind and body strong enough to withstand me now. Accept me before they kill you.”
Sharply, it whistled past Volodar, “Accept me.” Waking up in a sweat, What did he mean by that. Becoming his vessel would kill me or make me a prisoner in my own body anyhow should I have accepted. Volodar couldn’t help but to breathe heavily as he surveyed his new surroundings. He was in what looked to be a dungeon as far as he could tell. Bars blocked his exit as he grabbed a hold and spotted the other cells. There were three other cells alongside his own. One had a man with blonde hair clasping his hand as he vocalized a prayer. On the other side of him, a man with a strong physique laid against the wall. His messy brown hair trapped as he pushed it backwards. Lastly, there looked to be a humanoid that was black and as tall as a human. Volodar looked at his own arms as the physique of these three far exceeded his own.
The messy haired man looked towards Volodar, “It’s a dirty trick you did before.”
Caught off guard, Volodar held onto the bars, “What?”
“I was there when they attacked your tower.” He pointed towards the captive blonde, “My buddy here Cederic did in that clone of yours.”
Staring at the two, Volodar couldn’t tell if they were the ones from his sight of the body double. He did look strong at least. Looking down, Volodar could see chains wrapped around his hands as he tried to wiggle out of them. The bird spoke up, “Stop rattling the chains. Guards will come and give you a beating if you make too much noise.”
“Where are we?” Volodar asked.
The bird humanoid spoke, “Welcome to the dungeons of the glorious Boar. I’m Blackjack and you are?”
“Volodar.” His curiosity couldn’t be held back in even the worst of circumstances, “What are you?”
Scratching his beak, “Your people call me a tengu. But, mostly your kind just calls me a waste of space and a detriment to the welfare of the land.”
The stranger’s voice chimed back in, “Don’t talk to the necromancer. He’ll curse you if you exchange too much info.”
Blackjack looked back as he remained silent, simply laying on the floor of his cell. “Why did they keep him alive, Stokrar?”
“Damned if I know, our original orders were to kill him.”
Volodar couldn’t help but to smile at how candid their answers were. Many people who wished ill upon him, would only do so in private out of fear. “How did you get into the dungeons if you worked for them?”
The man scoffed as he got closer to the bars as well. “Same way you did, I guess. Pissed them off when I wouldn’t kill the tengu outside of the city walls. The bastards don’t own me.”
Cederic unfolded his hands and nodded in agreement. “Listen, necromancer. We’re on the same team here. We all hate Boar’s men and want to see them dead.”
“Not my team,” Stokrar said as he stretched, “what the hell are you thinking Cederic?”
“I’m thinking that we need all the help we’re going to get. We don’t have to befriend the man, we just escape. That’s all, we can head back to Osark come morning and no one would be wise to it.”
Blackjack agreed with the sentiment, “Magic users send a chill down my spine, but I think I have just the plan for what we can do.”