A System for the Lowly Wisp

How did they manage to get through all of his defenses? His tower had been impenetrable for over 100 years and yet these 'would be' heroes were traversing it like it was their own home. Quill had to think quick or his entire legacy would be lost.

Where did they come from and why were they so fervent in killing him? He had done nothing to deserve this. He may be an undead lich but all he had ever done was stay cooped up in his tower and study his days away. The only time he killed anyone was when they would try to break in. But that was self defense!

"I need to think of something soon, I can hear them drawing closer…" Looking over at his large bookshelves which were full of dusty tomes either discovered or created by himself. "I'm going to miss you, good friends." Quill soberly spoke before turning to face his spell book.

Raising his boney finger in the air, he began to trace a rune. "It looks like it really has come down to this spell."

The elaborate oak doors to his chambers burst open as a large gruff barbarian of a man stood there grinning, a massive bloody axe in his hands. "Firebolt!" shouted a woman from behind him as a large bolt of fire licked past the man and made its way towards the Lich.

"All that I possess, my body and spirit along with every belonging here. Take it all." Quill was reciting a spell now. The bolt of fire streaked towards him but sizzled a few feet away. "Damned magic barriers always getting in the way of things!" the barbarian roared as he charged the lich.

"If I could have just one more chance to continue to study I would give it all away." Quill continued as the rune he carved in the air began to glow a hot green color. Bone began to spark and turn black as he grabbed the sigil and placed it on his exposed ribcage. The Barbarian roared once more and charged the Monster. But no mind was given to him.

The large Barbarian man made it to the first barrier raising his axe in the air to swing down on the Lich's boney skull, but just like the fire bolt, the man bounced off, making a few thuds as he skipped back on his butt. Fuming at the thought that invisible forces stopped him from a kill the Barbarian quickly stood back up and started towards the monster again.

"You really shouldn't go rushing headlong into the Lich's Lair like, that you stupid oaf!" Came a delicate voice that was also feminine, but much lighter than the other one. A woman in white robes appeared at the front door, a symbol of a sun with a beam shooting out of it was patterned across her clothing and mace. Her golden hair radiated light as she stepped into the room. She smiled towards the barbarian and shook her head. "But you're not going to listen again are you?"

"Looks like we finally made it to the end, huh, sis?" The first lady said as a second woman, who appeared to be a witch of some sort, entered. Her slim petite figure danced into the room before nearly tripping as her large brimmed hat that was just about too tall to fit, smacked into the door frame. "Things are getting serious. Aren't they, Mr. Hero?" the cleric spoke while preparing a spell. Light radiated from her hand and the first barrier that seemed to keep them at bay slowly began to dissipate as sparkling dust glittered down on the floor. The Barbarian noticed the glitter and smirked at the undead who was still incanting something.

"Now I've got you!" The Barbarian charged forward once more and made it past the barrier, taking one step further this time before being pushed back by a second barrier, forcing him onto his butt once more. "Screw the king and his reward! This whole place can burn in the pits of Dumois for all I care!"

One last man entered Quill's study. This was the fourth intruder in a century to disturb the lich and if things kept going this way it would also be the last one. The sigil on the Lich's chest sizzled, and what looked like some kind of mist was pulled into it. The green mist swirled around inside the orb shaped rune as if it had a mind of its own. "I am grateful to you, god of the underworld, for granting me this chance."

Standing, the barbarian looked back at the mage. Irritation dotted his flustered face as he rubbed his rear and picked his nose. "Well get on with it already, remove the barriers so I can crack that stupid thing's skull open!" Flustered and irritated the mage puffed her chest out and crossed her arms. "Perhaps I should let the thing take your soul first. Maybe that would teach you a little respect!"

She looked at her sister and smiled. "So Sis, should we finally finish this?" concentrating on another spell the older sister was sweating now. "I could use help, yes." Without another word the small witch raised her staff and began chanting a spell. The second barrier began to crack some.

Quill ignored the bantering as he placed the sigil and his empty hand behind him. "This needs to get as far away from these lunatics as possible." Creating a portal with his empty hand he quickly tossed the sigil into it. With that task completed he turned to face his opponents head on.

Moments later

"That's all?" The Hero said, his face was covered in sweat and his body nicked with cuts and burn marks as he slid his blade into the litche's skull. "Well, once the Phylactery is taken care of,he becomes but a strong skeletal magel," responded the older sister who was beginning to tend to the wounds of the hero. the group looked over the corpse and kinda stood there for a moment in silence. "What about the reward? We have to bring this stuff to the king right?" The Barbarian spoke up as he pointed at all the books.

"Well might as well get started." The Hero said as he went to grab a book off the table. Suddenly the book burst into flames for a few seconds before turning into dust. "What did you do?" The Wizard cried as she jumped from the burst of flames behind her. Smoke filled the air as ash covered them. The whole room began to catch fire including the stones around them. "We have to get out of here now! Hero, use a gate stone!" With those words from the party's Cleric, the Hero pulled out a small stone shaped like a winged angel and broke it as a beam of light transported them all outside the tower just in time to see it all turn to flames and then again to ash. The entire tower was no more.

"Dammit,there goes our reward money…" the young witch crossed her arms and pouted. "All that work and we get nothing out of it. This sucks!"

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*On the other side of the world a lich was starting his life over.*

"So it would seem I made it out of that predicament. But at what cost?" A small green puff of smoke spoke to no one but itself. The forest was dark aside from some lights that could be seen in the distance. Most likely a town. Looking for a way to see the damage that the spell had caused Quill looked around for some kind of reflective source. It did not take long. Once peering into some clear water he saw the worst possible outcome. "Oh no, I've been turned into a memory wisp...."

A voice called from inside of Quill. It was hauntingly beautiful and seemed to warm his very being with each word. "Your new life begins Quill. Will you let this set back stop you or will you take it by the horns and reclaim your glory?" A voice came from inside Quill as he looked around.

"I don't know what you mean about glory. I just want to go back to studying. I took this risk knowing the outcome would not be favorable. I can't waste too much time. I need to get back to my research."

"Good answer." the green puff of smoke began to glow for a moment before a screen popped up in front of Quill. "Are you grateful for your new life? Yes, No"

Clicking on Yes, another screen popped up. "Are you ready to find out the truth you have been seeking for so long? Yes, No." Again Yes was chosen.

Determination filled Quill now. He was not sure exactly what this spell had done for him aside from save his life but he knew that if he was in fact going to learn the truth he had been seeking for his entire life then he would follow it to the end.

"Very well. Welcome to the network of the underworld."