It has been over two weeks since we moved to Kongenssoevn. I have been in constant contact with Runa, regularly sending letters and meeting her at the citadel's outer wall a few times. The last letter she sent me contains an unexpected development and I had to reread it several times to fully grasp what the words mean.
"Chloe Marcott is a demon." I mutter, causing the big man and Sigurd to turn around.
"What did you say?" Gram was unable to hear it, but I know that Sigurd was. He is looking at me in astonishment. Indeed, if he was unable to tell, then she must be a very special kind of demon.
"Chloe is a demon. Runa just sent me a letter, saying that there was a rumor going around that the resident Fata at the academy became corrupted after interacting with her. When confronted, she admitted to being a demon." I do not want to believe it, but if Runa is the one saying it, it must be the truth.
"... did the missy do something bad?" I expected that question from the big man and I have to smile at it.
"Well, if you consider corrupting a Fata and turning her wings completely black something bad, I suppose you could say so." While Fatas are beautiful winged people whose presence can inspire awe and give a sense of divinity, this kingdom is far from the Fatas Triarchy, their native home, and only ever had few interactions with them. The common folk will most likely never even get to see one in their lifetime, and they have become something like legends. The Empire of Terminus, which shares a border with the Triarchy, reveres them as the messengers of their one god. So hearing that one was corrupted may cause an outrage there, but not here.
"Completely black?" Sigurd shows interest in that part. "Do Fatas not become sick and die long before that can happen?"
"I thought that, too. But Chloe has proven everyone's ideas wrong. Apparently the Fata is really happy that way, too." I hand him the letter from Runa. "Also, Kamii seems to be doing well."
"The missy is something special, alright. All elemental affinities, incredible magical powers, a straightforward attitude and a heart of gold." Gram is speaking of her in high tones. "Her being a demon changes nothing, as long as she doesn't do anything bad."
"I think spreading corruption is plenty bad... but she also shows great love for Kamii, a cursed child, and the Fata is not lamenting her fate." I agree with the big man on this part. Demons are a plague upon mankind, that is what I have always thought. Chloe has now taught me that there are exceptions, but I will reserve judgment for the time being, as it has only been a short time since we have known her.
"Yet, we have to be careful." Sigurd says with a rare serious expression. "I was unable to see through her disguise." That is saying a lot. He possesses a special ability even he does not fully understand, which allows him to see through such disguises under normal circumstances.
"I think Runa is in the best position to judge what she's up to, so I'll tell her to keep an eye on Chloe." I do not like the notion of suspecting a member of our group, but it is just to be sure. I really hope that she does not turn out to have a sinister plan while being nice on the surface.
"Yeah, I think that's good." The big man agrees, but he also is not happy that we have to resort to such a thing. He is the one who has spent the most time with Kamii and Chloe, and has taken a liking to the latter especially. I am sure he has seen sides of her we have not, which is why he has such a high opinion of her.
"On another note, what do you think of my proposal to attempt the Lost Tombs?" Sigurd mentions. He is referring to the immense labyrinthine catacombs underneath the city and the standing challenge of mapping it. There have been many expeditions in the past but many became lost and returned to the entrance, despite following in the footsteps of their forebears.
"I know I can trust in your sense of direction and intuition, but we did promise Runa not to do anything dangerous."
"My intuition whispers to me that there are no dangers on the path that I shall find us." He says with a confident smile. It is in times like these that his demeanor will instill a sense of security in me, so that I cannot help but trust him. Indeed, he has led us through many dangerous situations, based on that intuition alone.
"Alright, I get it. But we'll hightail it out of there if something bad happens." We are short on funds and there are not that many jobs for a group focused on combat in the capital. Runa's excellence has netted her a full scholarship, so even her expenses are covered now, but we still have to make a living in this expensive city. The tomb and the riches that supposedly can be found within its bowels are very enticing right now.
"There haven't been many injuries or even deaths in recent years, so it should be fine." The big man agrees.
"I take that you've already found out everything about the tomb's dangers and traps?" Sigurd responding with a smile is all the confirmation I need. "Then we shall have ourselves a go at the Lost Tombs tomorrow."
The catacombs' upper levels are considered a tourist attraction and many merchants and peddlers are selling their goods in the area. There is no clear starting point, since several entrances lead into its depths, but there is one place, which is the deepest someone is willing to set up a tavern in, that has become the unofficial base camp for exploration parties.
This is where we start, carrying enough food for almost a week of traveling. After all, there have been cases in which expeditions nearly starved to death, unable to find the exit again. I trust in Sigurd, but being prepared has never hurt anyone. Gram is carrying his shield at the ready, since we aim to go where nobody has gone before - and while many of the traps in the charted areas have been triggered or disposed of, there will be many untouched ones where we are going.
Sigurd is taking the role of the navigator and cartographer, marking our path on a map while making sure to point out to those who come after us traps that have become functional again or have caused the path to become blocked completely. It is at these times that I really appreciate the magical map. I heard that before its invention, people had to draw maps by hand and were unable to account for elevation and depth. In these catacombs, where the path may sometimes continue downwards in a spiral, creating a proper map using the old method would be an impossible task.
Gram sometimes blocks poisonous darts and even entire volleys of arrows, while I cut down the occasional undead explorer. At one point Sigurd informs us that we have reached uncharted territory and should proceed with more caution. There have been many explorers who did not mark their progress, so this area is well within the range of individual daredevils who come to find quick riches. In other words, there is most likely nothing left to find here, yet.
Under Sigurd's guidance we avoid the nastiest of traps, such as bladed pendulums, rolling boulders and trapdoors leading into pits filled with spikes, which we heard about from various sources. On one occasion I accidentally activated one such trapdoor but Gram was able to grab hold of me before I fell. Within I saw several sets of bones from people less fortunate than I.
The catacombs were created by the legendary first king, meant to become his tomb. He is said to have died overseas and his body was never recovered, causing the construction to be abandoned and never seeing its intended use. This explains many dead ends and unfinished staircases. Throughout the ages, many kings had their bodies laid to rest in its depth, many with slaves and mountains of wealth to accompany them in death. Rumor has it that the slaves who died during construction were buried where they fell, turned undead eventually and are even now continuing to expand it mindlessly, until one day the entire world will be hollowed out and collapses.
While impressive, the craftsmanship of the tombs cannot be compared to that of the dwarves in their underground city under the mountain. The grandeur of the dwarven masonry is in stark contrast with the almost claustrophobic experience that are these catacombs. It shows that one was built to serve the living, while the other was made for the dead. But ultimately, both now share the same purpose.
"The air in this area is very stagnant..." Gram comments and shines the light from his shield ahead. It does not penetrate the darkness beyond a few steps and the dust particles dancing in the brightness are testament to the fact that there are going to be many skeletons lying in wait someplace near.
"There may be hidden rooms with risen servants, walled in with their dead kings." Sigurd says and pays close attention to the details on the ground and the walls. "We do not want them to get out, so take care in your step and where you touch."
"I wouldn't mind some action, but I'd rather not face a horde of undead while the air is so hard to breathe." I cover my face with a cloth. The copious amounts of dust come from the bodies of which only bones are left. While we encountered some undead with meat on their bones, preserved by the corruption of demon lords past and present, most are just brittle skeletons.
"This is a switch leading into a tomb room." Pointing at a pressure plate in the wall, Sigurd explains. "The door is still closed, so nobody has been here since it was first sealed."
"In other words, we might find some treasures in there?" I certainly am not a greedy person, but this is the sole reason we came here, so not attempting to achieve anything would mark this entire expedition a waste of time. "What do you think, big man?" I leave the final decision to Gram. He has a fear of undead, but the ones so far have been wandering individuals, so there was no reason to be afraid. If we open this door and an army of skeletons streams out, it is an entirely different matter.
"Well, that's what we came for, right?" He gives me a resigned grin. Skeletons are weak, even when they are numerous. Especially very old ones are so brittle that he could simply walk through them with his shield at the front, breaking them on impact.
"Then be ready." I hold my sword with one hand and press the plate once Sigurd gives me the signal that his crossbow is prepared. It will not make much of a difference against great numbers, but it can serve to stop undead who still have not fully decomposed. With a loud noise and great shaking, the wall in front of us is lifted upwards and an opening barely wide enough for Gram's shield to fit through opens.
However, what greets us is a large open hall featuring two rows of pillars. Eerie pale green light from countless crystals come to life on our intrusion. At the end of the hall is a throne, and upon it sits the gigantic full plate armor with the crowned burgonet of a king. It is slouched down which means that the armor's contents have long since turned to dust. In front of it stands a massive battle axe in a mount, like a tombstone. Around the throne are piles of gold, jewelry and various luxurious objects, glittering under the light.
"I believe that should be enough." Sigurd comments with a sarcastic smile. We could never carry all of it.
"We did it!" I shout out and jump into the air.
Then we hear the clatter of bones and immediately go on alert. From behind the pillars and out of many hidden alcoves skeletons pour. Pieces of armor still hang onto their bodies and they are wielding rusted swords and shields. It would appear that this king had himself buried alongside his dead warriors.
An unnatural wind starts up within the room and streams towards the armor on the throne. Its pieces are lifted into the air, assembling into its intended shape before it stands on its greaves. Gauntleted hands take the axe from the rack and the burgonet's eye slit shines with an eerie bluish green light. That is a lich king.
"We just woke up something terrible..." Gram says and is clearly intimidated. The lich king stands almost a head taller than even he, and its weapon looks like it could cleave right through his shield. "What do we do, leader?" I have to make a call here. We can still escape through the way we came in, as the skeletons are slow and have not surrounded us yet. The animated armor, as if understanding what we may be thinking, points an armored finger at the opening in the wall behind us, and it drops shut. We are trapped.
"I think the decision has been made for us." I say and ready my weapon. Runa and Chloe would have helped greatly in this situation, as they both have the firepower to take this undead of the highest order out in a single hit. My weapon is imbued with magic that enhances its cutting power, but that is completely useless against plate armor, beyond which lies only hollowness.
Sigurd gives me a look. I understand what he means, but I shake my head. If we cannot defeat this opponent, we can never hope to defeat the demon lord, as Chloe would put it in this situation.
"A lich has a phylactery, a talisman where its soul is bound." Sigurd says and signals with his crossbow. He suggests that one hit with it should be able to destroy whatever that talisman is, and now we only need to find it.
"What if it's the entire armor?" Gram makes this terrifying suggestion.
"Then we have to destroy it." I turn to the skeleton warriors that are approaching from one side. They look very brittle, so I don't even need to hit them with my blade. I kick the first one's shield, causing the arm holding it to shatter under the impact, before it stumbles backwards and the legs break away as well. The second takes the broad of my sword and the skull is pulverized. I look to see that the big man is using the edge of his shield to scatter those on his side. Sigurd shoots a bolt at the lich king, who is staying still and watching over our battle, hitting him right in his eye slit. It looks completely unaffected, so the armor really is empty on the inside.
But that causes it to take action and walk towards us with slow steps. If it is really that cumbersome, we should have a good chance at defeating it. Swinging the axe in a wide arc, it attacks Gram. By angling his shield and ducking, he lets the giant weapon scratch along its surface and glide off without doing any damage. I take the opportunity to rush forward and round the iron giant's body, to get to its back.
There are no indications as to where the phylactery is, but maybe we can just break this whole thing apart. In the front, the big man bashes the armor with his shield, while I stab at the pit of its knee, where it is only protected by chainmail. The sword penetrates the mail but underneath it is nothingness. This will not work out.
The lich king spins around and swings the axe at me. I cannot block it or I will die. I roll towards him and avoid the massive blade, while stabbing my sword into the eye slit where Sigurd's crossbow bolt is still stuck. The impact causes the helmet to fly off, but as expected, there is no body inside the armor.
"The axe!" Sigurd exclaims and points at the weapon, now stuck inside a pillar. There is a large square emerald embedded in its side, the only thing that looks out of place on this animated suit of armor. As if it realized that its weakness has been found out, the lich king's movements become faster. The surrounding skeletons may not pose a danger, but they can block our movement ever so slightly with their numbers and cause a fatal distraction.
"Big man, take care of the skeletons, I'll keep this one busy." I lunge forward and hit the chest armor with the broad of my sword to get its attention; there is no point to slash, as it will only dull my blade. One arm comes down on me, attempting to grab me, but a crossbow bolt hits the palm and penetrates the gauntlet, causing it to swing off course. I take my distance again.
Its giant body can block bolts aimed at the axe, and since it is constantly on the move, it is a hard target to hit. We need to hold it down somehow. I jump backwards and dodge the massive blade of the axe. If that hits me, I will be cut in half even through my chainmail and padded vest.
Another bolt hits the elbow portion of the armor, lodging into the joint. It is blocking movements to a certain degree and helps me with my hit and run tactics. But of course, my attacks cause no damage and are all but pointless, unless we destroy the phylactery. Gram's cleanup is progressing quickly, as he smashes the skeleton warriors with a single bash of his shield.
The lich king seems to realize that his brittle army is falling apart, as an eerie wind swirls around his armor and a green glow begins to cover him. They may be the souls of the fallen, gathered to amplify his powers. If he cannot hit me, that will remain a useless effort.
Suddenly the armor lunges forward with its spiked pauldron aimed right at me. Its speed has been greatly enhanced and it takes me by complete surprise. Gram jumps between us and blocks it with his shield, his entire frame shaking on impact. This is the first time I have seen the big man being pushed back by an attack.
I do not let this moment go to waste, as I round him and jump right onto the axe while at the same time slashing at the thumb of the gauntlet. While a sword cannot penetrate plate armor, it is able to cut through the weaker armor around the finger joints. The axe drops to the ground under my weight and the loss of the thumb. As if shocked by this, the lich king ceases all movements for a split second. Then it swings its other fist around, ignoring the bolt lodged inside it.
I barely dodge it but have to separate from the axe. In that moment Gram rushes forward and slams into the side of the iron giant, staggering it. I take the opportunity to hack at its supporting leg's knee pit, causing it to fold under the weight of the armor. The lich king falls on its back. The big man immediately runs to the axe and lets the corner of his shield come down on the emerald with all his strength. It cracks the jewel.
The sound of a voiceless scream rides on a storm swirling about the iron giant, which is attempting to stand back up and stretches its arm out towards the axe. It shakes, the green lights surrounding it being sucked away and dispersing into nothingness. Finally, pieces of the armor fall off as if the invisible wearer inside is disappearing, one part at a time. Lastly, a mass of darkness escapes through the neck portion, before it contracts into a tiny point and ultimately vanishes completely. The armor falls apart and remains unmoving.
The skeletons that still remain, as if being stripped of the magic that lets them move, crumble and their rusted pieces of equipment turn to dust. With horror I watch as the piles of treasures lose their shine and the fake gold turns into rusted iron scraps. It was all an illusion, sustained by the lich king for all this time, in case an unwitting grave robber comes along.
However, among it all something shines and attracts my attention. I walk up to it and find that there is a metallic sheen within a pile of bones. Digging it out, I find a rusted sheath with the naked hilt of a sword sticking out from it, as the leather that bound it has long since rotted. However, the hilt itself is in perfectly pristine condition. There are ancient runes carved in it, which I am incapable of reading.
"Roshanee." Sigurd reads out loud as he stops by my side. "... the legendary Sword of Light?"
I draw it, revealing a radiant blade filled with a pure and holy glow.
It has been over two weeks since we moved to Kongenssoevn. I have been in constant contact with Runa, regularly sending letters and meeting her at the citadel's outer wall a few times. The last letter she sent me contains an unexpected development and I had to reread it several times to fully grasp what the words mean.
"Chloe Marcott is a demon." I mutter, causing the big man and Sigurd to turn around.
"What did you say?" Gram was unable to hear it, but I know that Sigurd was. He is looking at me in astonishment. Indeed, if he was unable to tell, then she must be a very special kind of demon.
"Chloe is a demon. Runa just sent me a letter, saying that there was a rumor going around that the resident Fata at the academy became corrupted after interacting with her. When confronted, she admitted to being a demon." I do not want to believe it, but if Runa is the one saying it, it must be the truth.
"... did the missy do something bad?" I expected that question from the big man and I have to smile at it.
"Well, if you consider corrupting a Fata and turning her wings completely black something bad, I suppose you could say so." While Fatas are beautiful winged people whose presence can inspire awe and give a sense of divinity, this kingdom is far from the Fatas Triarchy, their native home, and only ever had few interactions with them. The common folk will most likely never even get to see one in their lifetime, and they have become something like legends. The Empire of Terminus, which shares a border with the Triarchy, reveres them as the messengers of their one god. So hearing that one was corrupted may cause an outrage there, but not here.
"Completely black?" Sigurd shows interest in that part. "Do Fatas not become sick and die long before that can happen?"
"I thought that, too. But Chloe has proven everyone's ideas wrong. Apparently the Fata is really happy that way, too." I hand him the letter from Runa. "Also, Kamii seems to be doing well."
"The missy is something special, alright. All elemental affinities, incredible magical powers, a straightforward attitude and a heart of gold." Gram is speaking of her in high tones. "Her being a demon changes nothing, as long as she doesn't do anything bad."
"I think spreading corruption is plenty bad... but she also shows great love for Kamii, a cursed child, and the Fata is not lamenting her fate." I agree with the big man on this part. Demons are a plague upon mankind, that is what I have always thought. Chloe has now taught me that there are exceptions, but I will reserve judgment for the time being, as it has only been a short time since we have known her.
"Yet, we have to be careful." Sigurd says with a rare serious expression. "I was unable to see through her disguise." That is saying a lot. He possesses a special ability even he does not fully understand, which allows him to see through such disguises under normal circumstances.
"I think Runa is in the best position to judge what she's up to, so I'll tell her to keep an eye on Chloe." I do not like the notion of suspecting a member of our group, but it is just to be sure. I really hope that she does not turn out to have a sinister plan while being nice on the surface.
"Yeah, I think that's good." The big man agrees, but he also is not happy that we have to resort to such a thing. He is the one who has spent the most time with Kamii and Chloe, and has taken a liking to the latter especially. I am sure he has seen sides of her we have not, which is why he has such a high opinion of her.
"On another note, what do you think of my proposal to attempt the Lost Tombs?" Sigurd mentions. He is referring to the immense labyrinthine catacombs underneath the city and the standing challenge of mapping it. There have been many expeditions in the past but many became lost and returned to the entrance, despite following in the footsteps of their forebears.
"I know I can trust in your sense of direction and intuition, but we did promise Runa not to do anything dangerous."
"My intuition whispers to me that there are no dangers on the path that I shall find us." He says with a confident smile. It is in times like these that his demeanor will instill a sense of security in me, so that I cannot help but trust him. Indeed, he has led us through many dangerous situations, based on that intuition alone.
"Alright, I get it. But we'll hightail it out of there if something bad happens." We are short on funds and there are not that many jobs for a group focused on combat in the capital. Runa's excellence has netted her a full scholarship, so even her expenses are covered now, but we still have to make a living in this expensive city. The tomb and the riches that supposedly can be found within its bowels are very enticing right now.
"There haven't been many injuries or even deaths in recent years, so it should be fine." The big man agrees.
"I take that you've already found out everything about the tomb's dangers and traps?" Sigurd responding with a smile is all the confirmation I need. "Then we shall have ourselves a go at the Lost Tombs tomorrow."
The catacombs' upper levels are considered a tourist attraction and many merchants and peddlers are selling their goods in the area. There is no clear starting point, since several entrances lead into its depths, but there is one place, which is the deepest someone is willing to set up a tavern in, that has become the unofficial base camp for exploration parties.
This is where we start, carrying enough food for almost a week of traveling. After all, there have been cases in which expeditions nearly starved to death, unable to find the exit again. I trust in Sigurd, but being prepared has never hurt anyone. Gram is carrying his shield at the ready, since we aim to go where nobody has gone before - and while many of the traps in the charted areas have been triggered or disposed of, there will be many untouched ones where we are going.
Sigurd is taking the role of the navigator and cartographer, marking our path on a map while making sure to point out to those who come after us traps that have become functional again or have caused the path to become blocked completely. It is at these times that I really appreciate the magical map. I heard that before its invention, people had to draw maps by hand and were unable to account for elevation and depth. In these catacombs, where the path may sometimes continue downwards in a spiral, creating a proper map using the old method would be an impossible task.
Gram sometimes blocks poisonous darts and even entire volleys of arrows, while I cut down the occasional undead explorer. At one point Sigurd informs us that we have reached uncharted territory and should proceed with more caution. There have been many explorers who did not mark their progress, so this area is well within the range of individual daredevils who come to find quick riches. In other words, there is most likely nothing left to find here, yet.
Under Sigurd's guidance we avoid the nastiest of traps, such as bladed pendulums, rolling boulders and trapdoors leading into pits filled with spikes, which we heard about from various sources. On one occasion I accidentally activated one such trapdoor but Gram was able to grab hold of me before I fell. Within I saw several sets of bones from people less fortunate than I.
The catacombs were created by the legendary first king, meant to become his tomb. He is said to have died overseas and his body was never recovered, causing the construction to be abandoned and never seeing its intended use. This explains many dead ends and unfinished staircases. Throughout the ages, many kings had their bodies laid to rest in its depth, many with slaves and mountains of wealth to accompany them in death. Rumor has it that the slaves who died during construction were buried where they fell, turned undead eventually and are even now continuing to expand it mindlessly, until one day the entire world will be hollowed out and collapses.
While impressive, the craftsmanship of the tombs cannot be compared to that of the dwarves in their underground city under the mountain. The grandeur of the dwarven masonry is in stark contrast with the almost claustrophobic experience that are these catacombs. It shows that one was built to serve the living, while the other was made for the dead. But ultimately, both now share the same purpose.
"The air in this area is very stagnant..." Gram comments and shines the light from his shield ahead. It does not penetrate the darkness beyond a few steps and the dust particles dancing in the brightness are testament to the fact that there are going to be many skeletons lying in wait someplace near.
"There may be hidden rooms with risen servants, walled in with their dead kings." Sigurd says and pays close attention to the details on the ground and the walls. "We do not want them to get out, so take care in your step and where you touch."
"I wouldn't mind some action, but I'd rather not face a horde of undead while the air is so hard to breathe." I cover my face with a cloth. The copious amounts of dust come from the bodies of which only bones are left. While we encountered some undead with meat on their bones, preserved by the corruption of demon lords past and present, most are just brittle skeletons.
"This is a switch leading into a tomb room." Pointing at a pressure plate in the wall, Sigurd explains. "The door is still closed, so nobody has been here since it was first sealed."
"In other words, we might find some treasures in there?" I certainly am not a greedy person, but this is the sole reason we came here, so not attempting to achieve anything would mark this entire expedition a waste of time. "What do you think, big man?" I leave the final decision to Gram. He has a fear of undead, but the ones so far have been wandering individuals, so there was no reason to be afraid. If we open this door and an army of skeletons streams out, it is an entirely different matter.
"Well, that's what we came for, right?" He gives me a resigned grin. Skeletons are weak, even when they are numerous. Especially very old ones are so brittle that he could simply walk through them with his shield at the front, breaking them on impact.
"Then be ready." I hold my sword with one hand and press the plate once Sigurd gives me the signal that his crossbow is prepared. It will not make much of a difference against great numbers, but it can serve to stop undead who still have not fully decomposed. With a loud noise and great shaking, the wall in front of us is lifted upwards and an opening barely wide enough for Gram's shield to fit through opens.
However, what greets us is a large open hall featuring two rows of pillars. Eerie pale green light from countless crystals come to life on our intrusion. At the end of the hall is a throne, and upon it sits the gigantic full plate armor with the crowned burgonet of a king. It is slouched down which means that the armor's contents have long since turned to dust. In front of it stands a massive battle axe in a mount, like a tombstone. Around the throne are piles of gold, jewelry and various luxurious objects, glittering under the light.
"I believe that should be enough." Sigurd comments with a sarcastic smile. We could never carry all of it.
"We did it!" I shout out and jump into the air.
Then we hear the clatter of bones and immediately go on alert. From behind the pillars and out of many hidden alcoves skeletons pour. Pieces of armor still hang onto their bodies and they are wielding rusted swords and shields. It would appear that this king had himself buried alongside his dead warriors.
An unnatural wind starts up within the room and streams towards the armor on the throne. Its pieces are lifted into the air, assembling into its intended shape before it stands on its greaves. Gauntleted hands take the axe from the rack and the burgonet's eye slit shines with an eerie bluish green light. That is a lich king.
"We just woke up something terrible..." Gram says and is clearly intimidated. The lich king stands almost a head taller than even he, and its weapon looks like it could cleave right through his shield. "What do we do, leader?" I have to make a call here. We can still escape through the way we came in, as the skeletons are slow and have not surrounded us yet. The animated armor, as if understanding what we may be thinking, points an armored finger at the opening in the wall behind us, and it drops shut. We are trapped.
"I think the decision has been made for us." I say and ready my weapon. Runa and Chloe would have helped greatly in this situation, as they both have the firepower to take this undead of the highest order out in a single hit. My weapon is imbued with magic that enhances its cutting power, but that is completely useless against plate armor, beyond which lies only hollowness.
Sigurd gives me a look. I understand what he means, but I shake my head. If we cannot defeat this opponent, we can never hope to defeat the demon lord, as Chloe would put it in this situation.
"A lich has a phylactery, a talisman where its soul is bound." Sigurd says and signals with his crossbow. He suggests that one hit with it should be able to destroy whatever that talisman is, and now we only need to find it.
"What if it's the entire armor?" Gram makes this terrifying suggestion.
"Then we have to destroy it." I turn to the skeleton warriors that are approaching from one side. They look very brittle, so I don't even need to hit them with my blade. I kick the first one's shield, causing the arm holding it to shatter under the impact, before it stumbles backwards and the legs break away as well. The second takes the broad of my sword and the skull is pulverized. I look to see that the big man is using the edge of his shield to scatter those on his side. Sigurd shoots a bolt at the lich king, who is staying still and watching over our battle, hitting him right in his eye slit. It looks completely unaffected, so the armor really is empty on the inside.
But that causes it to take action and walk towards us with slow steps. If it is really that cumbersome, we should have a good chance at defeating it. Swinging the axe in a wide arc, it attacks Gram. By angling his shield and ducking, he lets the giant weapon scratch along its surface and glide off without doing any damage. I take the opportunity to rush forward and round the iron giant's body, to get to its back.
There are no indications as to where the phylactery is, but maybe we can just break this whole thing apart. In the front, the big man bashes the armor with his shield, while I stab at the pit of its knee, where it is only protected by chainmail. The sword penetrates the mail but underneath it is nothingness. This will not work out.
The lich king spins around and swings the axe at me. I cannot block it or I will die. I roll towards him and avoid the massive blade, while stabbing my sword into the eye slit where Sigurd's crossbow bolt is still stuck. The impact causes the helmet to fly off, but as expected, there is no body inside the armor.
"The axe!" Sigurd exclaims and points at the weapon, now stuck inside a pillar. There is a large square emerald embedded in its side, the only thing that looks out of place on this animated suit of armor. As if it realized that its weakness has been found out, the lich king's movements become faster. The surrounding skeletons may not pose a danger, but they can block our movement ever so slightly with their numbers and cause a fatal distraction.
"Big man, take care of the skeletons, I'll keep this one busy." I lunge forward and hit the chest armor with the broad of my sword to get its attention; there is no point to slash, as it will only dull my blade. One arm comes down on me, attempting to grab me, but a crossbow bolt hits the palm and penetrates the gauntlet, causing it to swing off course. I take my distance again.
Its giant body can block bolts aimed at the axe, and since it is constantly on the move, it is a hard target to hit. We need to hold it down somehow. I jump backwards and dodge the massive blade of the axe. If that hits me, I will be cut in half even through my chainmail and padded vest.
Another bolt hits the elbow portion of the armor, lodging into the joint. It is blocking movements to a certain degree and helps me with my hit and run tactics. But of course, my attacks cause no damage and are all but pointless, unless we destroy the phylactery. Gram's cleanup is progressing quickly, as he smashes the skeleton warriors with a single bash of his shield.
The lich king seems to realize that his brittle army is falling apart, as an eerie wind swirls around his armor and a green glow begins to cover him. They may be the souls of the fallen, gathered to amplify his powers. If he cannot hit me, that will remain a useless effort.
Suddenly the armor lunges forward with its spiked pauldron aimed right at me. Its speed has been greatly enhanced and it takes me by complete surprise. Gram jumps between us and blocks it with his shield, his entire frame shaking on impact. This is the first time I have seen the big man being pushed back by an attack.
I do not let this moment go to waste, as I round him and jump right onto the axe while at the same time slashing at the thumb of the gauntlet. While a sword cannot penetrate plate armor, it is able to cut through the weaker armor around the finger joints. The axe drops to the ground under my weight and the loss of the thumb. As if shocked by this, the lich king ceases all movements for a split second. Then it swings its other fist around, ignoring the bolt lodged inside it.
I barely dodge it but have to separate from the axe. In that moment Gram rushes forward and slams into the side of the iron giant, staggering it. I take the opportunity to hack at its supporting leg's knee pit, causing it to fold under the weight of the armor. The lich king falls on its back. The big man immediately runs to the axe and lets the corner of his shield come down on the emerald with all his strength. It cracks the jewel.
The sound of a voiceless scream rides on a storm swirling about the iron giant, which is attempting to stand back up and stretches its arm out towards the axe. It shakes, the green lights surrounding it being sucked away and dispersing into nothingness. Finally, pieces of the armor fall off as if the invisible wearer inside is disappearing, one part at a time. Lastly, a mass of darkness escapes through the neck portion, before it contracts into a tiny point and ultimately vanishes completely. The armor falls apart and remains unmoving.
The skeletons that still remain, as if being stripped of the magic that lets them move, crumble and their rusted pieces of equipment turn to dust. With horror I watch as the piles of treasures lose their shine and the fake gold turns into rusted iron scraps. It was all an illusion, sustained by the lich king for all this time, in case an unwitting grave robber comes along.
However, among it all something shines and attracts my attention. I walk up to it and find that there is a metallic sheen within a pile of bones. Digging it out, I find a rusted sheath with the naked hilt of a sword sticking out from it, as the leather that bound it has long since rotted. However, the hilt itself is in perfectly pristine condition. There are ancient runes carved in it, which I am incapable of reading.
"Roshanee." Sigurd reads out loud as he stops by my side. "... the legendary Sword of Light?"
I draw it, revealing a radiant blade filled with a pure and holy glow.
