Once they entered the town, Malcolm felt dread settle into his gut as the undead instantly sensed their presence and came rushing towards them. Saria had explained earlier that due to their low level that the undead wouldn't put much into strategic fighting and probably wouldn't even use weapons.
And she was right. Most charged at them with only their flailing arms as their weapons, though a few did come at them with planks of wood they had managed to tear from condemned buildings.
Malcolm clenched his jaw as he glared at the approaching undead. A few of them still had rags of what used to be clothing, but a handful of them had remnants of armor on. Though the armor was severely aged and looked like it'd do little to provide protection.
<>Skeleton. Level: 7. Health: 15/15. Mana: N/A. Stamina: 50/50. Resistances: Poison. Buffs: Undead Mantra. (This creature is being empowered by an unknown source. +10 Strength. +2 Dexterity.)
"These guys are getting a buff from somewhere!" Malcolm called out as he blinked away his analyze ability.
"My bet is on the big house by the lake!" Darion pointed far ahead of them to a large rickety house that had the most undead pouring out of it.
Malcolm glanced up at it just in time to see a large cloaked figure with luminous green eyes glaring down at them from the buildings top window.
"Yea, that looks about right!" He called out.
They had to start shouting to be heard over the sheer outburst of clacking bones and chattering teeth. Malcolm could see that they had slightly underestimated the number of undead as more lumbered from the ruined houses around them. He glanced at Saria as she finished a spell and stabbed her staff into the ground.
Albris's Protection (Large) has been casted on you! Temporary boost to Natural Defense (+10 Defense) and Health Regen (+10 HP every two seconds).
As the undead drew closer to them and stepped past the glowing ring that surrounded them, thanks to Saria's spell, they let out chilling groans as their health began to drain slowly.
"That'll slow them down, but it won't stop them from coming!” Saria shouted.
Malcolm nodded then hefted his hammer, swinging with all his might as a skeleton got a little too close to him. He had seen quite a few horror movies to know exactly where to aim his strikes. The phrase 'Aim for the head!' was one of many phrases burned into his subconscious mind. Along with ‘Taco Tuesday’ and the entirety of Disney song lyrics.
A satisfied smile curled his lips as his hammer crashed right through the creature's skull and the rest of its body crumpled to the ground. Lifeless. Or maybe Unlifeless?
"Hah!" He chortled, resting his hammer on his shoulder. "One-hit kill, these things are weak!"
"I feel," huffed Darion. "This will be more a strain to our stamina than anything else!"
"I agree with the grass head!" Kaslier cried out after sending a torrent of flame into an skeletons face.
It took a long while, with the undead swarming them from all sides, but they, managed to wipe out the majority of the undead. Until the thing at the large house by the lake let out a blood curdling scream and all the skeletons halted. Malcolm and the rest covered their ears as the sound bashed against their ear drums.
Once the scream died down, the halted undead began to clash into each other with reckless abandon. The group watched in horror as the skeletons began to merge, dry bones creaked and snapped as they entwined and bent. Finally, the head clicked into place and let out a haunting groan. The undead creature loomed over them, it had to over ten feet tall. It was about the shape of an overgrown gorilla. Malcolm gulped audibly as he analyzed the new monsters.
<> Skeletal Goliath. Level 15. Health: 80/80. Mana: N/A. Stamina: 100/100. Resistances: Poison. Buffs: Undead Mantra (This creature is being empowered by an unknown source. +10 Strength. +2 Dexterity). Lich's Manifest (Willed by the orders of a Lich, a group of lower level undead have meshed themselves together to create a hulking undead monster! All stats doubled!)
"By the Green!" Kaslier cried out. "That thing is huge!" The man was a shivering wreck. His teeth chattering as he went on. "N-not t-to mention that it's getting dark! Undead get strong under the moonlight. Do we really stand a chance!? P-perhaps we should retreat?"
"Calm yourself!" Malcolm gripped his hammer tight. "And hold your position! It may be bigger but it's still as dumb as a sack of rocks. Right, Saria?"
Saria swore under her breath as she glared up at the lumbering goliath. "We should be fine..."
"Should?" Darion spoke up. "That doesn't sound very convincing!"
"Shush!" Berlung cut in. Speaking for the first time since their assault began, the dwarf was like a shadow in his dark cloak. "I see movement by the house."
Malcolm snapped his attention back to the house and suppressed a shiver as the gangly figure stepped out of the door. It looked to be a man, an old hunched over man. His beard was long and grey, his skin pasty white and so thin they could see his veins easily. But it was when the man looked up to them that a cold chill settled in Malcolm's gut. The man's eyes glowed a bright green and the flesh on his face looked like it was melting off his skull. The man's mouth moved as if he were talking but his voice came a full second later as if it were just an echo.
"... As they rest, go down and check. Be... wary. Before the light dies down..." The man's voice was dry and sounded like two pieces of sandpaper rubbing against each other.
"Oh, gods no!" Saria nearly screamed. "It's a Lich!" For the first time in a long time Malcolm saw true fear in the woman's wide eyes. "I have a spell to deal with higher level undead, but it'll take a long time to cast..."
Malcolm scanned the man with his analyze skill.
<> Lesser Lich. Level: 18. Health: 135/135. Mana: 355/400. Stamina: 80/80 Resistances: Poison, Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from non-magical attacks. Buffs: Blossoming Lich (This creature is in the process of becoming a true Lich! All Stats doubled). Fractured Mind (A great trauma has torn this creatures mind asunder making it incurably insane!)
Analyze skill has leveled up! You can now see more information and a person's disposition towards you!
"It's lost its mind..." He said as he blinked away the creature's stats. "And apparently, it's not a full Lich yet, so perhaps we do have a chance. Just stick together and let's take the Goliath down first, the Lich isn't making any moves yet."
The group began to coordinate their attacks and defenses wisely, keeping Saria safe in their center, so she could more easily provide healing and let out effective bolts of white energy to weaken the stumbling skeletal calamity. Having no other choice, Malcolm played tank and kept his mana shield up whenever the Goliath made a move to attack. Darrion and Kaslier kept to the sides and bombarded the Goliath with arrows and torrents of flame.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
Though it was Berlung who seemed to do the most damage, the dwarf was like a wraith as he darted about, striking at favorable moments to cause the Goliath to groan in pain and annoyance.
With an annoyed grunt the Goliath turned and ignored Malcolm's insufferable shield and stretched its arm back to reach for the dwarf who had somehow climbed onto its back. Berlung was amid a fury of stabs he was administrating to the back of the Goliath's neck when he noticed its clawed hand reach for him, with a flourish he flipped back. But he wasn't out of the fire just yet, the Lich was finally done talking to itself.
The insane undead stamped its feet and a tangle of black vines erupted from the ground and held Berlung to the ground. The Goliath fully ignored the rest of the group as he shambled to the now helpless dwarf. Malcolm swore as he saw Berlung's health begin to plummet at the corner of his vision once the vines began to constrict.
"My arrows aren't doing much here!" Darion shouted as he tossed his bow to the ground and pulled out his dual daggers.
"And I'm running out of mana!" Both Saria and Kaslier said in near unison. "We need to do something before..."
The members of his group were beginning to panic, and Malcolm was about to join. But he held fast and forced himself to remain calm. A pleasant tingling tickled his mind and he knew that his calmest mind ability was activated.
"Hold on, I think I got something!" Malcolm tightened his grip on his hammer so much that his fingers felt numb.
He couldn't quite comprehend what he was feeling, but the hammer in his hands seemed to want to tell him something. Words he didn't know he wanted to speak were suddenly on the tip of his tongue. Throwing caution to the wind, he rushed the towering creature. Once he was a foot away, he stopped and swung the hammer with all his might as he shouted the words that popped to the front of his mind.
"ICE SMITE!"
Abruptly, a cyclone of wind and ice shot from the base of the hammer. The sheer force made Malcolm feel like his arms were going to be ripped off. Ice Smite was an ingrained spell that the Hammer of Tedas, it was a powerful mid-tier spell. The cyclone clashed into the Goliath, freezing winds and sharp jagged shards of ice swirling all around the beast. As the wind died down, they all marveled at the ice sculpture the Skeletal Goliath had now become. The massive creature was completely frozen, though it was still alive. They all flinched as the ice began to creak as the Goliath started to struggle free. Instinctively Malcolm knew that he wouldn’t be able to use the hammer’s special attack again for at least twelve hours. Thankfully, Malcolm already had the perfect solution to this problem.
"Get fucked!" Malcolm tossed his hammer Thor-style at the frozen Goliath. Once the hammer stuck, the creature was no more as it busted into clumps of ice. "Booyah!"
"And you couldn't have done that sooner?" Darion huffed.
"Hey man, sometimes you gotta work up to greatness." Malcolm flipped off the green haired elf, who looked bewildered by the strange gesture. Apparently sticking up your middle finger at someone wasn't an insult in this strange world.
"Enough banter!" Saria called out the them. "Berlung is still in trouble."
Both Saria and Kaslier were knelt over Berlung who was still being crushed by the black vines. Malcolm and Darion ran over to them. They watched as Kaslier placed his smoldering hands onto the black vines and burned them away.
"C-couldn't breathe..." Berlung began to wheeze.
"...As they rest. Be wary. Tamara?"
They all jolted to battle positions as the Lich materialized in front of them. Up close the stench of him was nearly vomit inducing, it was a horrible mixture of death, rot, and moldy ass. He smelled worse than the orcs! The Lich's glowing green eyes locked onto Malcolm. A sickening smile cracked on its decaying face, even as they all started to attack it.
"Use its madness against it!" Saria shouted. "It can't keep track of all of us. I'll ready my spell and we- Graaahhh!"
The Lich gave them no time to retaliate. With a stomp, it emitted a powerful blast of power and knocked them all off their feet.
Berlung and Darion were the first to get back on their feet, due to their high Dexterity stats. They both dashed forward, blades held at the ready, but their attacks did little thanks to the Liches immunity to non-magical piercing and slashing weapons.
The Lich muttered and did a forceful yanking motion. Both Berlung and Darion stood still and screamed as light poured out of their mouths.
"No!" Kaslier slowly got to his feet. "It's sucking out their souls! Keep attacking it!"
A ball of flame rocketed out of the old mages hand, but it was far smaller than his previous ones. But it did its job. The bolt smacked into the Liches barrier causing it to stumble and cut off its soul sucking spell. Berlung and Darion clattered to the ground unconscious.
"S-Saria! Are you okay?" Malcolm grunted as he picked himself up. The old life mage had been knocked against the side of a tree and was now crumpled on the ground.
He moved to her side and shook her, relieved when he heard her groan.
"We have to stop it..." Saria whispered weakly.
Malcolm nodded then looked back to the Lich, who was now wrapping Kaslier like a Mummy with its black vines.
"You're our best bet," Malcolm pulled her to her feet. "You still have enough mana for that spell?"
"Well yes, but it'll take over a minute to cast and I fear we lack the time..."
"Nonsense! If times what you need, then I'll make some." Malcolm cut her off. "Listen, this is what we'll do..."
The Lich stood over the unconscious body of Kaslier, whispering gibberish.
"Didn't want this... Couldn't save any... Had to... Had to be wary." The Lich tugged at the few strands of hair on its scabbed scalp. "Be wary as they- Gragh!"
The Lich shouted as a large spinning blue bolt drilled through its barrier and crashed into its hip. The barrier then crumbled into nothingness, fury burned in the Lich's green eyes as it found its new target. A grinning man in a dusty blue cloak.
"Glad to see that worked, only got maybe three more of those to dish out." Malcolm said as he brandished a smile.
"YOU..." The Lich moaned. "You aren't right... Shouldn't be here! Not from here!" With a sudden ferocity, the Lich stormed toward Malcolm. It raised its hand and an eruption of black vines came from the ground and started to wrap around him.
Thankfully Malcolm had his mana shield up, the vine smacked against the shield, and he began to systematically knock them away with the clawed end of his hammer. But the Lich didn't falter, it kept up its attack. Closing in on Malcolm, it struck out at his face with a fist covered in a black aura. Then followed with a right hook to his side.
Malcolm managed to duck out of the way of the fist hurdling towards his face but was too slow as the Lich's right hook caught him in the ribs. Pain exploded in his side, the undead had far more strength than his frail stature would suggest. Why would it get closer? It could have just stayed back and cast spells at me. This thing is crazy.
Shouting in anger, Malcolm released a spray of mana arrows at the Lich. Emptying his mana completely. The Lich took the barrage head on and howled in pain. Bit of its skull began to chip off and its jaw hung slack to the side. Fully enraged now, the Lich jumped forward and dug its clawed hands into Malcolm's face.
"Ahhhhrrgggg!" Malcolm screamed as the Lich's hand burst into black flames and engulfed his scalp. He could feel the intense heat but didn’t feel his skin burn, instead it felt the Lich’s finger had dug straight into his skulls and now frying his mind.
“Mind flay! Mold skull like clay! Cook it all away!” The Lich croaked.
Frantically, he began to bash the Lich with his hammer to dislodge it. But the Lich had a death grip on him and was now cackling madly.
"Feel my hate, boy!" The Lich laughed. "See the truth of it! See the honesty of death! See it all! Become it! Become it! Become it!"
Malcolm dropped his hammer as pain consumed him, screams tore from his throat and he tried and failed to pry the Lich's hands off him. He hollered in terror as images of death and the Lich’s past flashed before his eyes.
The Lich wasn’t always a Lich. He was once a normal man, a human of some sort. He oversaw the mine and its crew. He had a wife that he loved, and she loved him back. The mine crew found a door in the mine. They thought they’d found a treasury. The door opened. A being without a face stepped out. Madness swept over the town.
Malcolm felt his mind crumple as his mental defenses gave way. The flashing images were too much, and the swirling emotions were driving him to madness. Fractured images popped into Malcolm’s mind. A joyous meal shared amongst his crew and their families. The warm embrace of his loving wife. The insane screams of the townspeople as they began to slaughter each other as the faceless creature watched. His mind splitting in half. His wife’s bulging as he grasped her neck until she finally stopped clawing at his face.
“We opened the door!” The Lich cried. “It… It was in there. Death. It consumed me. Made us kill. Made me kill her… I’m so sorry Tamara…”
"Get off of him!" Saria leapt from the shadows and stabbed the Lich right through the chest in the spot where its heart would have been. Then she began rambling off one of her longest spells. While she mumbled, her hands and arms weaved through the air. After what felt like an eternity she finally shouted. "Blessed Banish Undead!"
The Lich still cackled even as Saria's spell began to burn him away. "Remember... To be wary of... Who’s that? Tamara?... Please forgive me." Then with a strange popping sound, the Lich fizzled away.
Saria flopped to the ground, giving into the exhaustion from using the last of her mana. "Malcolm..." She gasped. "Are you alright?"
Malcolm stood in the same position he had been standing when the Lich had taken hold of his head. Blood flowed from the scratches on his face, and tears cascaded down his cheeks. He fell to his knees and mumbled in a near whisper.
"T-they all died... The monster in the mine, it killed them all."