The Lich (2)

I think I was sweating. Fighting that Draugr really took away some of my stamina. But now that I know how easy it was to kill that thing, this Lich won't be a problem for me.

I slowly approached the Lich, expecting him to back away from me. But surprisedly, he stood his ground.

I tilted my head. Why wasn't he afraid of me? He should be after what I just did to his minions.

The Lich shook his head as he tapped the ground with his stick once more.

I looked around, searching for anything that looked like bones and anything that looked like it was rising from the ground. Nothing.

When I turned to redirect my attention at the Lich, a ball made of dark energy exploded in front of my face.

[Health: 324/400]

"Ough, ough!"

I was coughing, this smoke smelled a bit weird, and I also felt a little resistance in my breathing.

What was that? Was that... dark magic?

"You... couldn't sense that? After... all you did to my minions, you... couldn't dodge that? How... pitiful..."

This Lich shouldn't be talking. Why is he speaking like that? Pausing after every starting word.

But what he's saying is true. How was I unable to sense that? No, did feel its presence. But when he tapped the ground with his stick, it gave me the feeling that he was going to summon something. I basically got distracted.

But now that I know he's not able to summon anything, I can fight him without distractions.

The Lich tapped the ground with his stick again, and 3 dark spheres appeared. They traveled towards me one by one. Dark magic, huh? Then I'll use Light magic!

I made 3 light spheres and threw them at the dark spheres.

Boom!

They exploded as they collided.

Stumble~

"Huh?"

I looked over at the Lich, and he had fallen on his back. He tried standing up, but he kept on falling.

"What are you... doing?"

The Lich looked at me with a terrified expression. Well, that's what I think he's looking at me with. He was shaking with fear and clutching onto his stick tightly. Out of fear, he summoned more dark spheres at me.

I used light magic once again and destroyed the dark spheres. That's when I noticed the Lich flinching.

Could it be?

"Are you... afraid of light magic?"

The Lich shakingly shook its head. I made a light sphere in my hand and it yelped.

"H-how? How... could a demon possess light magic?"

Huh? Can't a demon possess light magic in this world? Well, actually, I've never heard of a demon possessing light magic before. Well, in some novels I have.

I smiled as I just discovered its weakness. I have heard of the undead fearing light, but I never really agreed with that until now.

Suddenly my body began flashing. I tilted my head. Then the Lich suddenly spoke.

"Could... you be?"

"Huh?"

"There... has not been a demon that can use light magic in a millennium."

"What do you mean by that?"

The Lich then revealed to me. A millennium ago, there was a race of demons that were able to use all elements of magic. But they were seen by the gods to be too strong, and they were wiped out. This group of demons lived by a hierarchy, classing from F to S. Those that are S rank have what is called an Alpha state which raises their powers by a tenfold. However, they won't be able to turn back into their original state, Omega. The existence of these demons has faded throughout history. Until I came.

"I... was killed by your kind. Demons..."

Well, I was technically a human until I became a demon. Well, I was supposed to be a human until that devil made me into what I am. I have no complaints though.

"Wait, so if you were killed by 'My kind', that means your-"

"Yes... I am over a thousand years old."

"Wait, then how are you so weak?"

Honestly, if he was a thousand years old, shouldn't he be wise and all-powerful?

"Sadly... when you become a Lich. You... lose the ability to grow. So... if you are a necromancer and you are killed at a low state, you... cannot increase your power."

"That's... sad."

"It... is. And... I'm already getting bored. My... minions want to go back to their homes. I... wish I could grant them that.

The Lich dropped his stick and looked at the scattered bones and corpses on the ground. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

"I can help you grant your wish."

"Really...? You... can grant this old man's wish?"

"If I am able to grant it."

The Lich nodded.

"Please... end this old man's life. I... have lived as a Lich for long enough."

"..."

"My... servants. They... want to return. Once... you kill me, they... will return to the afterlife."

I crossed my arms and looked up at the ceiling. Then I sighed.

"Well, I was going to do that, anyway. But I expected a little resistance."

"Sonny... if we fought right now, you... would have won easily."

I highly doubt that. This Lich could've actually killed me, but he's surrendering to me.

"Please... do it quickly."

The Lich begged. If it really wanted to die, I have no choice.

I formed a ball of light in my hand, and I dropped it on top of the Lich. Then, as the light entered his body, he slowly began turning into particles made of light.

"I... truly thank you."

The Lich said as it started fading away. Then in a few seconds, he had turned completely into light and his clothes dropped down onto the floor. When he did, I heard a cluster of screaming coming from his clothes. Then I saw a blue light. No, those were souls. A cloud of souls were ascending into the air.

[Souls are nearby]

A message popped up. I watched the souls ascend into the ceiling, fading away.

I will honor the Lich's wish. He wanted to free his minions so I will let them go.

[Objective: 1/1 Lich (Completed)]

[Level up!]

[Light magic level up! (Lv4)]

[Rewards: Summoning Stone, Undead Executioner]

I finally got the summoning stone that I wanted. And I also got a new effect.

[Undead Executioner: Damage dealt to undead-type monsters increased by 10%]

Hmm, now that I look at it, effects are kind of like titles which help boosts the player.

[Quest: SLAY THEM ALL... (Completed)]

I'm finally done. Whew, I'm exhausted.

[Rewards: Spectral Stone, Mithril longsword, 20 stat points, 5 levels]

Spectral stone? What's that?

I took out the spectral stone from my storage and inspected it. It was shaped like a crystal. I noticed that it had a weird symbol on it that was glowing blue. It was also emitting a cold misty aura.

Guess I should absorb it and see what it does.

My body flashed blue and tried absorbing it but then, I felt a shock go through my body and I dropped the crystal.

"Ack!"

Zap!

It just electrocuted me. When I tried absorbing it, it sent a shock through my body. Why couldn't I absorb it?

[Error! The user has not consumed the following item: Summoning Stone]

What? I need to absorb the Summoning Stone first? Well, I guess I can do that.

I took the summoning stone out of my inventory. The texture of the stone was like obsidian. Dark glass. My body glowed again and my hand absorbed the stone.

[Summoning Stone absorbed]

...

That's it? I can summon my souls now?

I went to an open area and tried summoning the Iron Death Bear. My body glowed dimly and then a blue mist came out of my body and that blue mist slowly formed into the shape of a bear.

The bear then slowly became that of an Iron Death Bear. When the bear was summoned, it looked around and then at me. I stepped back, thinking it was going to attack me, but then it bowed its head.

"Uhh... ok."

So I can control these. Well, it is my summon after all.

Since it was a soul, it looked a bit different when it was alive. It looked a bit like a half deceased bear. Remember how I killed it? There was a large gash on its belly and there was hanging organs.

I felt kind of bad that it looked like that. So souls retain the appearance of how they look like when they die. It looks like I'm going to have to resist from cutting a creature's head off if I want it as a minion.

Hmm, now that I absorbed the summoning stone. It's time for the spectral stone.

I picked up the spectral stone of the ground, and I absorbed it.

[Spectral Stone absorbed]

Tti-ring!

"Huh?"

[Effect received: Spectral Spirit]

[Spectral Spirit: All summons will now become Spectrals. Spectrals cannot be killed and they will always regenerate. This does not cost any mana.]

What? Spectral?

Suddenly, I noticed that the bear looked quite different. If not, very different.

Its whole body was now clad in darkness, and it was emitting an icy-blue mist from its body. Not only did it change in appearance, the deep wound that I gave it before death was now gone as well.

The bear looked at its new form, then it looked at me. I stepped back again. What is it going to do to me?

The bear didn't do anything. It just stood there and looked at me.

That's right, it's still my summons so it won't disobey me. Well, that's going to be a relief.

I walked closer to it and my body glowed the same blue as the bear. I inspected its armor on its body and when I poked it with my claw, it was the same hardness that it was when it died.

"That's good. Who knew my first summon was going to be an 'Iron Death Bear'?"

The bear looked up at the ceiling and began sniffing, then it jerked its head. I looked at where it was looking and the light that the Lich became earlier was floating around what looked like a tunnel.

"Is that the exit?"

I looked at the bear and scratched my chin. Bears have a great sense of smell, so maybe it knows where the exit was.

"Well then, get to guiding you."

The bear grunted and headed for the tunnel. I hopped onto its back. Even though it had iron armor, its fur was still soft.

"Ahh... can't wait to get out of here."

*A few minutes later*

We had been walking through this tunnel for a long time.

"Ahh... I can't wait to see the sun again. The trees, the clear water, who knows... maybe I might get to see some humans. I hope humans in this world look the same as they do on earth."

Suddenly, the bear stopped. It sniffed around and then looked at the walls.

"What's wrong?"

I asked. Then the tunnel started shaking. Shaking violently.

Just when I thought I was out of trouble, something worse just had to come.

I sensed a bloodthirsty presence.

Something was coming, and it was inside the walls.