Lady Kalina moved silently along the ash and dirt-covered trails that ran in between rows of tall stone tombstones. The area was illuminated by the faint pale light from the strange, enormous monolith off in the distance to her right. Her gentle footsteps were soundless like a mouse, and in one hand, she held her sword, and her other hand was prepared to Summon Rune magic. Behind her, a short distance away, was the rest of her team. Even at this range, she could hear the faint jingle of their heavy armor. The noise was both concerning and comforting because they could draw unwanted attention, but it was also a reminder that four heavily armed and armored adventurers were near to provide assistance. She peeked around a tall obelisk, and the trail led to an open area in the shape of a circle. The gravestones surrounding the space were so tightly packed they were like a wall. Something caught her attention from within the middle of the strange clearing, and she hurried back to inform her team.
"A Monster Portal?" Mina asked.
"Yes, but it was deactivated," Kalina answered.
Alcard scratched his chin and said in his raspy voice, "Where are the monsters?"
Lady Kalina shrugged.
"And why was it deactivated?" Joff asked.
Cris's eyes narrowed, and he added, "Do you suppose it's a trap?"
That question caused the rest of the team to pause. Mina gripped her sword and buckler tighter.
"The lack of things that want to kill us in this area is concerning," she growled.
"Maybe we should have linked up with the other teams by that ball of light?" Joff stated.
The others glared at him.
"What? I'm just saying," the armored fighter mumbled.
Mina shook her head. "There were too many undead for us to fight through."
Joff snorted, "We will never know if we could have made it through or not."
Mina's face twisted into a snarl, and Alcard placed a restraining hand on her. Lady Kalina stepped in between the two.
"Enough!" She snapped. "We will not bring up an old argument. What is done is done. Now, we must focus on the task at hand." Kalina glared at Joff so hard that the fighter wilted like ice under the intense sun.
Mina smirked and shrugged off Alcard's hand. "What's next?" She asked.
Cris patted his friend's shoulder. The two fighters remained silent.
Alcard studied his surroundings and observed, "I think the undead were all lured by the light. They could return at any moment, so we need to act fast."
Mina asked, "Are you suggesting we check out the portal up ahead?"
"And walk into a trap?" Cris added.
"The only way we can find answers is if we go in and see for ourselves," Mina shot back with a scowl.
Lady Kalina nodded with her hand on her chin. "We proceed as a team and with caution," she said.
They approached the strange clearing with the stone Threshold in its center. Its stone arches were covered with Runes, and it stood silent as if it was waiting to be reactivated. The team approached, eyes wary of their surroundings for fear of a swarm of undead to rush forth. Nothing happened.
"Can you repurpose the portal?" Alcard asked. His scratchy voice had a slightly higher pitch to it that showed his nervousness.
Lady Kalina stepped out of their formation and approached the Threshold. The Runes were mostly intact until her narrow, dark eyes spotted the slight imperfection.
"Yes!" She exclaimed, and her voice rang with excitement.
"We can create a Safe Zone?" Mina asked, and her sister nodded.
"We can, but it will not be easy. I first need to activate this Monster Portal and then repurpose it," her sister replied.
Alcard nodded. "We will be ready."
Lady Kalina pulled out her tools, and with slow and steady hands, she went to work.
"What's that?" Joff asked and pointed.
Off to the side on the ash and dirt covered floor was a pile of rags that was easily overlooked due to its dark coloring. The area was dotted with lumps of stone and piles of dirt, but this was different. Upon closer inspection Joff's eyes widened.
"It's a body!" He exclaimed.
The others gripped their weapons and formed a defensive circle around Lady Kalina. The pile of rags didn't stir, nor did a swarm of undead burst forth from the surrounding gravestones. It was quiet.
"It is too quiet," Mina observed.
Alcard nodded in agreement. His dark eyes scanned the tall stones that surrounded them like the fingers of a closing hand.
"Joff, get back here," the Templar growled.
The fighter held up a hand and moved closer to the pile of rags. "Hold up, I see something."
"What?" Mina hissed.
"A glowing red gem," Joff answered.
Cris perked up. "You think it is worth something?" The team had not discovered any treasure so far since they arrived on this cursed floor. Only hordes of zombies and ghouls.
"Don't touch it!" Alcard snapped.
"Why?" Joff asked.
"It could be dangerous. Let us wait until Lady Kalina finishes," Aclard replied.
Mina shook her head. "Fool! Come back here. We can get treasure after we establish a Safe Zone."
Joff's gaze lingered on the gem before the fighter shook his head and joined the others.
"How much longer?" Cris asked.
Lady Kalina ignored the question and worked deliberately to repair the scratched Runes. The others guarded her but also noticed the pulsating glow of the red gem.
"Should we do something about that?" Joff wondered.
Alcard shrugged his shoulders. "The Safe Zone is our first priority," he said after a moment.
Mina shifted her weight with anticipation. "I am with Joff. That gem is making me nervous."
"I'm almost finished," Lady Kalina stated.
Alcard nodded and repeated, "It's settled. We hold our positions. The Safe Zone is our main priority."
The Portal activated with a red glow, but before any monsters could emerge, Lady Kalina completed a second pattern, and the Portal changed to purple. It was finished. However, the Ironfist team could not celebrate as the red gem flared to life and the skeletal body rose to its feet. The ash colored rags morphed into a flowing purple robe covered with Runes and gaunt gray skin grew along the bones. Glowing eyes flared to life and pale lips pulled back into a sneer.
"Thank you for showing me how to repair the Portal. For centuries, I could not figure that out, and my mistakes resulted in their destruction. This was the last one," the Lich said.
"Protect the Portal!" Lady Kalina ordered.
The Iron Fist team formed a defensive semi-circle around the Threshold. The Lich hovered in the air and tilted his head as he studied the team before him.
"Well, I can't have this place overruned with more adventurers, but I also can't destroy my one remaining exit out of here. Hmm, what to do?" The Lich wondered.
"Enough of this bullshit," Mina growled, and she charged forward.
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The Lich shook his bald head. "Tsk, tsk. I recall the days when the Iron Fist Kingdom respected parley and chivalry."
With rapid hand gestures, the undead Rune Caster Summoned and Shaped thick shadows into opaque darkness that blanketed the entire area. Alcard tapped a channeling tool that hung at his side and Summoned the Light aspect. The Templar completed the next gestures to Shape it into a great ball of light that dispelled the Darkness aspect.
"Templars," the Lich said the name like it was a curse.
Mina immediately attacked, and the Lich floated out of reach. Joff and Cris moved to encircle their opponent.
“Are you Lev Shubyaton?” Lady Kalina asked.
The Lich pulled back his gaunt lips into another grin. "I am," he replied.
"Retreat through the Portal!" Lady Kalina called out.
The Lich flicked his wrist, and a wall flame erupted from the ground that blocked the Portal.
"No, you can not start a dance and then leave when we are not finished. That is not proper," Lev hissed.
Alcard launched boulders, and the flying Lich weaved and dodged them. Lady Kalina gritted her teeth to Shape the flames aside. Her Will was not strong enough, and she gasped as she fell to one knee.
"You will regret this!" Mina promised.
The warrior maiden ran up a stone pillar and leaped to slash at the Lich. The tip of her blade sliced off a bony foot at the ankle.
Lev's glowing eyes went wide, and he gasped. "My foot! I underestimated you, but no longer."
Cris fired a crossbow, and the bolt thudded heavily into the Lich's chest and knocked the undead Rune caster from the air. Mina and Joff rushed in to finish the fight but were blasted off their feet by a powerful shimmering wave of force. The spell struck Alcard, and the Templar gritted his teeth as he slid back. The Lich rose and stumbled since he was missing a foot.
"Curses!" Lev spat as he tried to regain balance.
Mina quickly sprung to her feet and slashed her sword as fast as a striking snake. The Blade was met with a shimmering energy shield. The Lich countered by punching with a ball of directed Force, but Mina deflected it to the side with her buckler and slashed downwards with her blade, and sliced off the Lich's nose.
"You will pay for that!" Lev cried. This vessel was getting weaker.
Cris started to reload his crossbow and he braced one foot on the weapon toward the ground and was pulling back the heavy string. Joff charged with mace and shield. The Lich shaped a whip like tendril of sparkling red energy and lashed out. Mina deflected the spell with her buckler. Lev twirled it back at Joff and the fighter was struck on his cheek. His skin turned black with rot and Joff gasped as he fell to the ground.
"Joff!" Alcard cried.
Mina snarled and pushed forward, bashing with her buckler and striking with her sword. Lev floated away and countered with his whip to keep her at bay. Lady Kalina Shaped and launched darts of flame at the Lich, and Cris aimed his crossbow. Alcard knelt beside his dying friend and tried to heal him.
"I can't undo it!" The Templar cried as Joff's skin withered and the light faded from the fighter's eyes.
Lev cackled manically, which infuriated Mina. Lady Kalina drew her blade and joined her sister. They had to keep their distance from the deadly whip. Cris fired his crossbow and struck the Lich again, which threw the caster off balance. Mina deflected the whip high with her buckler, slashed low with her sword, and removed Lich's leg. Lady Kalina struck the Lich with a fire Dart, but both sisters needed to retreat as the deadly whip snapped back around. The Lich used the Force aspect to levitate in the air since he lacked a foot and a leg. Cris started to reload his crossbow, but before anyone could react, the Lich launched a fireball that blew the fighter off his feet.
"Cris!" Mina cried.
When the smoke cleared, all that remained was the charred form of their teammate.
Alcard rose to his feet, and his skin turned to stone. His face was impassive, like the stone shape it took on. Lady Kalina did the same. Mina circled to find an opening. All three charged the Lich. The red glowing whip struck Alcard and shattered the Stoneskin spell as if it were made out of glass. Mina and Lady Kalina slashed with their swords, but they were deflected by a shimmering shield of energy that cracked under their blows. Before the two sisters could press forward, the dangerous whip came back around and forced them to retreat.
More adventurers came through the Portal but were blocked by the wall of flame.
"Call for Rune casters!" They heard one cry as they went back through the Portal.
Lev shook his head. "This ends now," he hissed. With rapid gestures of his hands, he shaped another whip of malevolent red energy.
The undead Rune caster twirled the whips around and created a deadly vortex. One bounced off of Mina's shield, and she countered it with a slash across Lich's face. Lev howled as he lost one eye and kept Alcard and Kalina at bay with his flashing whips. The three fighters circled him, and the Lich floated backward.
Alcard tapped his two-handed warhammer and Shaped glyphs with one hand. The hammerhead flared with golden energy, and the Templar charged from the left. Mina charged from the right, and Lady Kalina ran up the middle. Lev snapped his wrists downwards, and the ends of each of his whips split into three parts. Alcard's silver hammer deflected a whip, but the other loose ends wrapped around his weapon as if they were alive and struck the Templar across his wrists and face. Alcard stumbled as his flesh turned black with rot.
Lady Kalina swung her sword and removed Lev's left hand, but not before one of the whips struck and shattered her Stoneskin spell. Mina stabbed Lev through the side, but before she could pull her sword free, the other whip snapped back and struck her in the neck.
"Mina!" Kalina cried as her sister fell to the ground, convulsing.
"A strong warrior, but with a weak Will, she will succumb soon," Lev observed.
Alcard struggled to his feet and growled as he fought the necromantic poison that coursed through his skin.
"Take Mina through the portal," Lady Kalina ordered.
"But…" Alcard objected.
"Now!" Kalina cried.
The flames subsided as a dozen Golden Empire Legionnaires emerged. A few helped Alcard drag Mina through the Portal. Lev floated in the air. The Lich was missing an eye, a nose, a hand, a leg, and a foot. His robe was slashed, and he had a gaping hole in his side from Mina's sword.
"You are done, Lich. I will end you," Lady Kalina promised.
The Legionnaires fired arrows, and Lady Kalina launched fire darts. With his one good hand, the Lich rapidly shaped glyphs and Summoned and Shaped the Force aspect into a powerful shield. Cracks formed along it as the arrows and Fire darts struck it. Lev's whip slashed out, and its end struck multiple legionnaires at once. The soldiers cried in pain as their skin withered, and they fell to the ground as dried husks. This caused panic among the other soldiers.
Lady Kalina charged. Lev's whip snaked back and the Amber Guard dodged, weaved, and slashed with her sword that, shattered the force shield, but the Lich soared up into the air. Lady Kalina Summoned and Shaped stone missiles that shot up in rapid succession. Lev twirled and dodged the attacks, and he swooped down toward the remaining soldiers. They fired arrows, some of which thudded into the Lich's undead body with little effect.
The malevolent red whip slapped downwards on the soldiers like a long-fingered hand. The rest of the Legionnaires withered and died. Lady Kalina Summoned a huge mound of dirt under her feet and Shaped it into a rapidly rising pillar of stone that launched her into the air. She held her sword in front of her, and like a thrown spear, she impaled the Lich in the chest. As the two crashed toward the ground, Lady Kalina tapped the pommel of her sword and Shaped a glyph in the air, and the blade flared with flame, bursting apart the Lich's chest cavity. The two slammed to the ground, and Lady Kalina rolled to the side. She was breathing hard, and she watched her hands wither with rot. She was struck by the whip! Lady Kalina gritted her teeth to fight the poison with her Will. She rose to her feet and limped toward the Portal, but a red whip wrapped itself around her ankle, and it seared through the boots like a hot knife through butter. Lady Kalina cried out in pain and stumbled to the ground. The Lich floated over to her.
"You were close," he said and pointed with his one skeletal hand to the red gem above the hole in his torso.
Lady Kalina stabbed with her sword and missed. With a flick of his one good wrist, he lifted Lady Kalina into the air with the Force aspect. Her Will and body were weak from fighting the necrotic poison.
"You are dying, child," Lev said as he dismissed his whip and grabbed her by the throat.
The two hovered above the ground, and black rot spread outwards from his skeletal fingers along Lady Kalina's pale neck. She gasped in pain but glared at him.
"I can sense your strong Will and Spirit. It is remarkable. There are very few that have your strength. Look at the soldiers below and how easily they succumbed, but not you," Lev said.
Lady Kalina pulled a dagger from her hip and stabbed upwards toward the gem, but the blade was blocked by the stump of Lev's other arm. The Lich grinned.
"It would be a shame to lose such potential. You would make an interesting piece on the game board, no?" He asked.
"What are you talking about?" Lady Kalina growled.
The Lich chuckled as he released his grip around her neck. She remained floating in the air through the Force aspect and was too weak to resist. With a pointed finger, he seared a series of Runes into her forehead. Lady Kalina howled in pain.
"I doubt this spell would work as your Spirit is too strong. But, I sense a rage in you. Remember, I killed your friends. Even the ones that escaped are likely dead now. Remember that because when my spell takes effect, you will have a choice. You can depart this life or remain to one day take your vengeance upon me," he said and released her to fall to the ground in a crumpled heap.
Lady Kalina was too weak to move as the Lich's dark spell ran its course. She remained unmoving as the Lich floated over toward the Threshold that, was surrounded with the rotted corpses of the legionnaires.
Lev tapped his chin with his one good hand. "What to do about this Portal?" He wondered to himself.
"We can't have adventurers coming through here. But, if I deactivate it, others could repurpose it again. Or, perhaps I can hedge my bets and exit this prison," he continued and glanced at the giant monolith in the distance.
Lev shook his head. "No, no, no. I have come too far to stop now. So, I will need to find a way to have this Portal guarded. But how?"
A smile appeared upon his pale, gaunt lips. "I know what to do," he said.
The Lich floated over to the purple-glowing Threshold. He didn't have much time because soon more Adventurers would arrive. He studied the Runes. He was an incorporeal spirit when he watched Lady Kalina use the Portal aspect. She had used a pattern that he would have eventually discovered if he had more Thresholds to experiment on. But now, he knew what to do. With a pointed finger, he etched and altered the Runes. The Portal flared from purple to red. Lev's grin was wiped off his face as a giant clawed hand shot out from the Portal and gripped him by his head. A huge Fiend emerged from the Portal.
"Lich, I've waited long years for when this Threshold would reactivate," the monster said in a deep rumbling voice.
"Well I supposed I missed you too," Lev's voice muffled by the enormous hand that engulfed his face.
The Fiend's thick red arm rippled with muscle as he pulled Lev close to its thick bearded face. The Demon had one glaring yellow eye and horns that curled back above his head like a ram. The Fiend fully exited the Threshold on hoofed feet, and his wings spread outwards.
"You jest? I will destroy you," The Greater Fiend snarled.
Smaller human-sized Fiends emerged from the red Portal. About two dozen of them. They wore dark leather armor and were armed with barbed spears.
Lev grinned and replied, "You can try."
The Lich reverted back to a rotted skeleton that crumbled apart in the Fiend's giant clawed hand. The red gem faded and fell to the ground like a stone.
The Greater Fiend howled into the air in rage. "We will reclaim this floor and kill the Lich once and for all! To the Monolith! Find every phylactery and destroy it!"
The Fiends took to the air on flapping wings. Soon, the area around the Threshold was silent once again, but a body stirred.