Couzart balanced upon the pinnacle of a stone buttress of a rotting stone monument. Far below was the ash-covered floor of the necropolis. For as far as the eye could see, the ground was littered with gravestones, mausoleums, and obelisks. All jammed tightly together with narrow pathways that teamed with undead. Couzart didn’t care about what was below him. His attention was focused one hundred meters in front of him, where a robed skeletal figure hovered in the air. Couzart was catching his breath. Just as his body was recovering, so was his Will and something that was deeper within him. His Spirit. It was what fueled his superpowers. As he recovered, so did his opponent.
The Lich crossed his thin arms and proposed, “Shall we use this moment to talk?” His robes fluttered around his thin frame like the dancing flames above a fire pit.
How was he maintaining flight without tiring? Couzart wondered and decided to take advantage of the distraction. The Elite activated his innate powers, and in a burst of shadows, Couzart launched through the air and kicked off neighboring buttresses that sent stone crumbling to the ground below. The Lich’s gaunt, leathery gray-skinned face pinched as he let out an unnecessary sigh. The undead didn’t need to breathe, and the exhale was more a reflection of Lev’s frustration. The Lich rapidly Summoned and Shaped a wall of fire to block his opponent’s assault. Couzart swung his two-handed scythe and cleaved the flames apart as if they were made out of cloth. This used more of his precious power.
“This is pure foolishness!” Lev snapped as he pulled his hands to his sides and Controlled the Force around him to launch himself upwards.
Couzart planted his feet on a disc of thick shadows and propelled himself up and after the Lich, where he was met by a falling boulder that was three times his size. Couzart sliced the Earth spell apart, but the Lich was already flying downwards. The Elite allowed himself to fall and used the last of his powers to guide himself onto the top of a crooked obelisk. Couzart’s body was nearly spent, but he maintained the Shadowy energy activated along his scythe. The power allowed him to slice through most things, including Rune magic. It was exhausting to maintain but worth it because with it, he was able to dispel the Lich’s magical attacks. All I need is to land one hit, and this fight will be over, Couzart reminded himself.
Lev hovered closer to the Elite but remained out of range. “It’s been a while since I have felt pain. I sense it is the same with you,” he stated. Despite his dead-looking body, his voice was vibrant, almost songful.
Couzart was still recovering, but he kept his face stoic like a seasoned gambler. He had enough energy to defend but not enough to attack. The Elite grinned as he looked up with his pure yellow eyes at his opponent.
“It is true. I have not felt this way in a long time,” the Elite replied.
The Lich suggested, “Shall we talk a moment?”
Couzart didn’t answer, but he felt he was almost ready to attack again. A strategy formulated in his mind. He considered using the Force aspect to slow the Lich down, and maybe, this time, he could land that one hit. All I need is one hit, Couzart reminded himself. The calculations whizzed in his thoughts. For this entire fight, Couzart only utilized his Elite powers and fighting prowess. Lev would never suspect him to use the Force aspect. To be a Rune caster.
Lev loudly sighed. “You are thinking of attacking me again. We will exchange blows and then come to this same conclusion. I promise you that.”
Cozuart remained grinning, but his mind was plotting. After achieving the Elite rank, there was never a reason for him to take risks. Not like he used to, and he forgot how invigorating this was! But to what purpose? He must not pursue dangerous endeavors only for fun. He worked too hard for that. Couzart’s knowledge bounced around his mind and then connected like puzzle pieces. He recalled that Lich’s pulled their power from a phylactery. Yes, if he could defeat Lev and take his phylactery, then perhaps he could figure out a way to use it to advance to Hero rank. He snapped his attention back to his opponent.
The Lich continued, “Or, I could use my extensive magic to flee, but I’m sure you have the means to go after me. You are clearly faster. It does not hurt to take a moment to talk. Who knows? Maybe in our conversation, we can glean a bit of useful information that can turn the tide of battle. What do you say?”
“Are you proposing a clash of wits?” Couzart asked. This could be helpful. Maybe he can trick the Lich into revealing the location of his phylactery.
“Precisely,” Lev answered with a grin that was haunting on his dead face. The Lich unfurled his arms and asked, “What is your name?”
“Couzart.”
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“Greetings Couzart. You can call me Lev.”
“A pleasure to meet you,” Couzart replied.
Lev chuckled with a slight bow. “So tell me, Couzart. Why do you use the scythe? It is such an unusual choice for a weapon.”
“But it is effective if used properly. I know you know that,” the Elite retorted.
Lev chuckled, but it was icy like the frost on a lake in winter. The Lich glanced at the tear on his robes where he suffered his first real injury in centuries from the aforementioned scythe.
The Lich pondered, “I don’t believe you use the weapon for its utility. Oh no, because it is far too unwieldy for the grace of combat. Perhaps it is more symbolic? Hmm?”
Couzart nodded to the apparent tear in Lev’s garment and stated, “I would say the injury I caused you to be more than symbolic. Tell me this, Lich. How much of your soul energy did you need to waste to keep yourself from dying a second time?”
Lev shrugged his bony shoulders and responded, “Bah, it was just a flesh wound, as they say. But, back to your weapon of choice. The scythe is symbolic of death. I should know this. I am a bit of an expert in that area.” The Lich chuckled and continued, “Specifically, it is held in high regard in a certain Guild.”
Cozuart snorted. “The Adventurer’s Guild fancies no specific weapon.”
“I was not referring to that Guild!” Lev snapped. His leathery lips pulled back in a scowl that softened into a smile that was as fake as gems made out of glass.
Couzart tilted his head and wondered, “Which Guild then?”
Lev chuckled. “You think I would be afraid to say their name? I have surpassed mortal fears and superstitions. But, I will entertain you. The Guild of Bones, the Death Givers, the Black Crows, the Reapers and what was their most feared name? Ahh, yes, the Guild of Assassins.”
“And what of your past, Lich?” Couzart asked and continued, “How many poor souls did you trick and consume? How do they fight for their freedom, and how do you struggle to maintain your cold, dead form?”
Lev gasped and held a skeletal hand to his chest and then chuckled. The Lich waved a hand in the air as if he was batting away an annoying fly.
“Struggle? I don’t suppose you struggle after you drink a glass of water. You drink, and your body is nourished. Nothing more,” Lev responded.
“So you need souls to sustain yourself like a mortal needs water. You admit you are growing weaker the longer I keep you from your precious souls,” Couzart gripped his weapon, and his body tensed. When the Lich flees, he will lead the Elite to the phylactery. Couzart was prepared.
“I grow weaker?” Couzart responded with a grin on his dead face that a cat would give before it played its fatal game with the mouse.
The Lich tapped his bony chin and continued, “You are of the Reapers and achieved Elite rank. It is safe to assume that you discovered their hidden secrets. I am older than you, Couzart. Much older, and I know of the process that you used to gain your terrible power. I considered it myself but did not feel it was worth it.”
“No, you avoided hard work and instead decided to trap poor souls to consume,” Couzart shot back.
“Perhaps,” Lev responded and went on, “You hunted and killed a Shadow Beast, which is no easy feat. But that is not even the hardest part. You needed to remove its heart and perform the correct ritual before you consumed it. I believe it is you that did this because anyone else that could have done it would have consumed the heart for themselves. So not only are you a formidable warrior, you are also a highly regarded Rune artist.”
Couzart gripped his weapon tighter. Lev held up a bony hand.
“Please let me finish,” the Lich said. “Do not take me for a fool. I know you have not used any Rune magic during our fight, and you hope to surprise me. But you will not. Not only do I know you are a Rune artist, I also know that because you consumed the heart of a Shadow Beast, your powers can not fully charge unless under the light of the moon. You grow weaker by the moment.”
“I have more than enough energy to defeat you, Lich,” Couzart replied in a soft voice that was more menacing than a dark cave.
“That remains to be seen,” Lev replied but then flinched. His dead eyes grew wide.
Couzart did not waste a moment, and in a blur of shadows, he launched toward the Lich. With a wide swipe of his scythe, he sliced Lev in half. Couzart did not know what had caused the Lich to be surprised, and he didn’t need to know. All he knew was that there was an opportunity, and opportunities should never be squandered. Couzart used his Elite energy to soar to another pinnacle. He turned to face the Lich and was shocked.
“You have not won,” Lev said. The lower half of his body fell to the ground while the top half floated in the air.
Couzart pulled from his power and attacked again, but the Lich dodged out of the way. The undead somehow moved faster now that it was only a torso.
“This was a fine discussion, but I’m afraid we will have to continue it later,” Lev said, his face withered and the torso turned to dust.
“A clone,” Cozuart observed with a shake of his head.
This was not going to be easy at all. But something caused the Lich to flinch earlier. What was that? Couzart pondered and felt a small spark of hope. The Lich feared something, or at the very least, was worried about something.
“I need to find the others,” Couzart said to himself. His only hope now was to find the other Adventurers. Maybe together as a group, they could hope to defeat Lev Shabuyaton. Afterward, Couzart could either find the phylactery or the source of power that energized the massive monolith. Perhaps they were one and the same? In either case, this trip to the Fifth Floor will be fruitful for the Elite ranked adventurer.