Chapter 12 Part 5

Sephicroth gives a devilish smile to the others, licking his lips. "The path is now clear. You're all very much welcome." He relinquishes Christopher's body back to him.

…

(Narrator) I can see why it's forbidden I suppose.

"Yeah, it's not exactly pleasant. Almost makes me wish I never read that Tomb of Forbidden Spells I read in the Maranus Capital Library. I only read the one. I managed to pick the book with the Slave Crest spell in it by pure chance too." Christopher says, walking through the newly created wasteland of nothingness a half mile wide.

"Uh…I-um, guess this has happened alot to His Majesty to just, wave that away." Jill says, scratching the back of her ear and ambling after Christopher.

"I've only been there for one of them. But the way he refuses to talk about them. It's probably been hard on him." Jasyn sighs, putting on his helmet and picks up his sword. "Seph has always seemed unpredictable at times, but he is there when we're in a bind."

Looking around at the scene she's walking through, Jill scrunches her brow. "I don't have a clue what this spell is, but it seems to eat all living things in a given area."

"That would actually be wrong. Those trees were already dead. It's actually all organic matter. Basically anything that's living, or once lived. Even bugs and stuff in the dirt." Christopher says. They walk in silence while Jill and Jasyn process that.

A mere twenty paces away from the core of the Spatial Haze, a lone Elder Lich blocks their way, joined by a dozen Lesser Lich lackeys.

"*Tsh* Using forbidden magic, how could a human do such a thing?" The Elder Lich spits, its voice is raspy and gravely.

Christopher sighs with disgust. "It's a long subject, I would rather not get all busy talking to someone who gave up their mortality for an eternity of suffering in the afterlife." 

"I gave it up for power, pathetic worm. Humanity would never withstand my might. You could never understand the magnitude at which I operate with my magic." The Lich growls.

"It's been well documented my little dead friend. The strongest Human Elder Lich ever recorded was about half my current power. Which, if I'm being honest, doesn't look good for you. Maybe if you were once an Elf or a Dragon Newt I could possibly see you being formidable." Christopher mocks, examining his fingernails.

"You annoying little runt, I'll turn you to dust!" The Elder lich uses a two circle fire spell, launching it at Christopher.

(Narrator) That's a little underwhelming. If he can't hide his spells, how could he ever hope to do anything.

"I agree Tari, it's child's play." Christopher merely points his finger forward. Allowing a small amount of mana to fire forward. The Lich's spell hits Christopher's mana and dissolves into nothing.

"That's disappointing. I was expecting more after such a confident speech." Jasyn says.

"They must be from a time before invisible casting." Jill comments.

(Narrator) Let's not play with them Christopher. I expect you're already bored.

"I was expecting a larger monologue myself but whatever. I anticipated something derivative anyway." Christopher sighs.

"What did you just do?" The Lich asks, twitching back slightly.

"C'mon. Seriously? You don't know what a counter is? It's one of the first things I learned to do. That's honestly just pathetic. Even a Ghast would know such a thing." Christopher ridicules.

The Lich reaches into its tattered cloak saying, "I never wanted to use this, but-." Christopher cuts him off.

"I swear to the gods if you were going to say something along the lines of 'But you proved to be worthy of its magnificence.' I will turn you into a pile of bones and ash."

The Lich affirms his suspicions by hesitating, resulting in Christopher firing off a fire spell of his own with a scowl. The spell he cast is a 5th Circle Spell named Spontaneous Combustion. I'm sure you can figure that one out on your own.

Christopher, unlike the Lich, made sure to hide his cast from the Undead. It activates successfully but fails for unknown reasons.

Christopher examines his palm, curious about what happened. "Huh." He says with curiosity.

(Narrator) What's wrong Christopher?

"For some reason the spell activated and nothing happened. I wonder why. Deflection? Critical Failure? Maybe something absorbed it? Or did I just miss?" Christopher asks himself.

Jill calls out something she realises at his question. "Wouldn't you know if it failed?" 

"Probably, though I can't use Mage Sight so I actually have no clue in that regard." Christopher clarifies.

"Are you done with your little chat, Worm? Or would you like to know what I just did?" The Lich says with bite and confidence.

Christopher raises his arm at the Lich again. "No, I'd rather figure it out after you're dead." 

The Lich staggers back in alarm and Christopher smirks, laxing his arm as he laughs. The Lich grunts with frustration at his humiliation. "That's all you needed to figure me out huh? Maybe I was too hasty to take you for the common rabble."

"Where are you going with this Lich?" Christopher says with annoyance. He pitches his voice up mid sentence to mock. "I swear if I hear anything like, 'Now pay witness to my true power' I will rip your throat out with my bare fucking hands."

"Now don't be too hasty, youngling. The one who has control over my soul is one not to be trifled with. They are detestable by any standard. I would like to see them, disposed of. But alas I cannot lay a finger on that fiend."

"I will admit that wasn't something I was expecting. I shall entertain this for now." Christopher says, lowering his arm.

"His Majesty has little patience for these things so make it snappy." Jill adds.

"As you probably already surmised, I have a device in my possession that negates all hostile acts that would cause me fatal harm. But it has limited uses so I would prefer to need it sparingly." The Lich drags a golden ornamental object from his robe. Ten Mana Jewels adorn its surface, four have lost their shine.

"An ultimate trump card to avoid death." Christopher summarises.

"I would like to avoid using it if at all possible, Young Sire." The Lich says with a sweat.

"Just tell me what you want already. I'm not going to tiptoe around things here. What's the catch?" Christopher says with a huff.

"Right, uh. I propose that you take this device to free your friend. It is my summoner that has him." The Lich states.

"And in return for such a generous courtesy?" Jasyn demands, slamming his mythril blade into the charred earth.

The Lich winces before answering. "I saw you use forbidden magic. I would ask to be returned to the living. Take my soul, mark me as a slave if you must."

"That is quite the formidable undertaking. You understand that right? Besides, Your summoner must have already realised your betrayal. And what was with all that boasting before if you want to throw away your power?" Christopher says.

"I was lying through my teeth, obviously. Having complete consciousness in this rotting body is horrific, I stink like death. There is no benefit other than immortality. Everything else is a disadvantage. I want to be rid of this hell." The Lich says.

"Besides the irony, I understand. But what's stopping this summoner of yours from just murdering you outright? There would be little benefit if he does." Christopher says.

"It is true that they can hear everything I say. But that is all they can observe. I used to be a 7th Grade Magic Device Researcher before an accident in my laboratory turned me into blood paste. I invented this spell." The Lich boasts.

(Narrator) Wouldn't that make him older than this era?

"7th grade hasn't been a term since The Purge of the Forbidden. That was 270 years ago. But, ancient tool researchers are very sought after these days." Christopher mutters.

"That long huh? There is a way you can isolate the connection between me and my summoner." The Lich points his boney finger at the anomaly. "But with this Gravanium blocking the use of it, it's impossible." 

"I'm familiar with the method. You isolate one part of the connection in a Spatial Dimension, placing wards of deflection around its perimeter to block the signal."

Realisation dawns in the Lich's hollow eyes. "*Tsk* Damn it. How convenient that you were to stumble into a gravitational distortion." 

"It's the first naturally occurring one in at least a thousand years. It's awfully convenient to make it obviously clear. It feels like the universe is testing me." Christopher says.

(Nebulon) *GRUNT, WRITHE, STRAIN* 

(Narrator) The fuck is going on with you?

…

(Narrator) Don't you disappear on me! The fuck was that?