Underworld - Book 4 - Chapter 31

The first thing I felt when I came to was a lack of pain. Nothing was clear in my vision, but a great blur of light surrounded me in every direction. Was this heaven, or had I survived? I couldn’t tell. A few seconds later, a vague shadow in the shape of a person appeared in front of me. Was it a person or a short tree? It was still unclear. When the image began to sharpen, it was as if a switch had been flipped. The missing pain gripped me, coming from every inch of my body all at once. I knew what was happening from the feel alone without the need to see my sorry state. My natural health regeneration was in the process of regrowing my body. My character sheet was still up where I’d left it in a semi-transparent state. A glance showed me what remained.

196,674/785,216 HP

More of me was left than felt reasonable. The pain was everywhere. I increased the flow of Heal as liberally as I could. I could feel how low my mana was, so I didn’t push past the limits of my Mana Per Minute. Seeing how high my HP was, and how freely my mana was replenishing, I realized I’d somehow kept 10x Master Mind, Muscle, and Skeletal Buffs on even after Primordial Cat Form had been canceled because of Magma loss.

Magma Regeneration: If magma is displaced from your body, you are able to return to your Primordial Cat form indefinitely, unless 75% of your magma is lost.

Well, the pain was good for one thing. It meant that I’d survived. But if I could survive… I channeled even more mana into healing myself which only intensified the pain. It also meant it was over sooner.

“Elorion.” Aeris sat leaning over me. The light that had surrounded me was gone and I found that my surroundings were dark and enclosed. The explosion must have taken my eyes which explained the fluctuation of light. That would explain my splitting headache. I healed through it. I realized then that we were in the depths of the pit near the far side of the room opposite the mana cannon. It had blown me across the room.

My favorite Wisp was examining nonstop at her naturally frantic pace.

“I’m better,” I said, ignoring every other concern for the moment. “Mistress Nava?”

She shook her head, the motioned back and over her shoulder.

It was then that I felt the succubus. The greatest concentration of her power was coming from near the middle of the room, but her darkness surrounded us even down this deep in the pit.

So that’s how it was, huh? I’d really believed that I’d become strong enough to defeat her. And if not, then there was no way she’d survive the mana cannon if it actually worked—which it had.

Part of me didn’t want to get up, but there was still a sliver of hope that everything we’d just thrown at her had hurt her enough that we could finish her off. This time the others would have to do most of the work.

“Everyone to their battle stations.” I commanded. Quickly I realized that they were already there. Surrounding Mistress Nava, behind the stone walls that Clarissa had risen up from the earth, our mages readied themselves to fire upon her from the first and seconds floors from both sides of The Pit. Each stood behind a narrow opening in the rock like a hidden sniper with their own special kind of firepower. 

Seeing them ready, I lifted myself off the ground. Aeris was watching me. It was impossible to know exactly what was going through her head after she’d been forced to fire upon me.

“Have you picked out your dress yet?” I said.

She’d been pushed past any witty replies. The Mana inside her answered me for her. Wind whipped at the ground around us.

Nodding that I understood, I dropped 10x Master Muscle and Skeletal Buff and cast Fire Incubus Form. With her at my side, I lifted off and flew toward the monster above.

Rising out of the pit, I saw what Mistress Nava had become. It was as if darkness had become a cloud and filled the room, and at its center was liquid darkness with red flames occasionally sprouting off of her humanoid form like flares from the sun. Just as many of us had gained new forms, Mistress Nava showed us one of her own. Instead of a new body, she seemed to have become her mana itself.

With the help of Mana Sight, I saw her clearly enough. She was looking around as if in a trance and giggling to herself. “That actually hurt,” she said in wonder.

I touched down on the pathways that were now lower than it had been. It seemed the mana cannon had a wider spread than we’d thought. It had trimmed meters from the top of the pathway from one side of the room to the other and left a giant hole in both entrances to the room. Like a shotgun the radius of its spread had widened, and the furthest entrance had a much wider hole than the closer one.

“We’re not finished,” I said, but she seemed obvious to my presence. 

She was looking off to the side when she responded. “Finished... Yes, I think I am.” Then lifting up her voice she called out. “You were right sister.”

Without delay, a voice answered her. “Very good.”

I nearly fell back in dismay. It sounded like the Head Mistress was only feet away.

There was a loud crackle in the air as a fissure opened up in front of Mistress Nava, floating over the pit. Out stepped Lilith in a gown of white with a golden tiara on her head. The lich was with her hidden under the hood of his grey cloak. They stood on nothing, but slowly floated down toward the pathway. Mistress Nava stepped back to give them room.

My friends who had been readying to attack let their gathering mana go.

“I see they forced you to transform,” the Head Mistress said.

“They did.” As quickly as I could change to one of my True Forms, Nava returned to her succubus form, small stature and all. Then both the Mistresses embraced. 

Pulling back, Nava looked up at Lilith like a girl might her mom. “I’d like a liter of my own.”

Grinning broadly, she replied. “I thought you might. We’ll work out the details over dinner.”

Throwing her hands out to the sides, Nava spun in delight.

The exchange was the sickest thing I’d ever seen. This whole ordeal had been nothing but a death-defying lie. The Head Mistress had been manipulating us all along. And now that it seemed that we would actually survive, if I was reading the conversation correctly, Mistress Nava was about to kidnap a group of humans of her own. I felt faint.

Aeris grabbed me around the waist, now in her Sprite Form, and hugged me tight. She had heard it too.

“Go ahead dear sister. I won’t be long.” Lilith said.

At her word, Mistress Nava took a quick step and leaped into the fissure, disappearing.

With a twirl of her wrist overhead, the Head Mistress called out with a melodic tone. “Come, my children. Follow me to your Living Quarters. We have much to discuss.”

The power of her allure didn’t charm me as it once had, but even if it was the same for the others, everyone obeyed.

Aeris and I were quiet as we followed along with everyone else. Whether wanted to think of it this way or not, we were nothing but the Head Mistress’s playthings. We had no choice.

No one hid as we made our way toward the Living Quarters at her rear. Zorik was there, and so was the dwarf. Lilith hopped from the ground to stand on one of our round dining tables near the kitchen. We lined up in a semicircle before her.

She spun, kicking up the base of her gown to show too much leg. I diverted my eyes as she seemed to enjoy our mixed reactions. What was the meaning of her white dress anyways? Was it meant for Mistress Nava—for Lilith to declare herself the victor of their depraved bet? Or was it meant to speak to us that she was a pure motherly figure and had been taking care of us all along? Maybe she was what she seemed, an insane, millennium old monster that had nothing better to do than try to come off symbolic.

“You all have done so well.” The grin never left her face. “Dwarf.” She said, turning to him.

All the defiance he’d shown us had bled from his face. He looked at her in utter humility. “Mistress,” he said, bowing his head.

“I will send a caravan that will arrive here in two days. Speak with my children, discover their needs, then go with this caravan to your people. You no longer have to fear that Sanctuary will be in danger, for they now have the Succubi’s full protection.” She didn’t wait for a response before moving on. 

“Now men.” She singled out the guys, giving each of them a quick glance. For some reason, she passed over me. “I am sending you builders to help repair this room and stabilize the ‘mana cannon’ that you’ve created. Russel.”

Russ waved from where he still. I hadn’t known Russel was his full name, or had she gotten it wrong?

“I name you Sanctuary’s foreman.” An orb that shone of blue light suddenly appeared in her hand. It was a mana orb with far more power than anything we’d ever seen. “This will allow you to take possession of this dungeon and speed up production as the Maze’s mana catch is repaired.”

She tossed it and Russ snatched it out of the air. He was staring at her blankly, knowing that she’d just stripped me of my title of dungeon master and given it to him.

“You will need the extra help, because your Earth Mage is coming with me.”

We all reacted with the same mind, scurrying like ants to place ourselves in front of Clarissa.

The Head Mistress wasn’t displeased at our response. “Don’t worry children. The rest of the ladies are coming with her, so she won’t be all alone.”

I knew it was likely to get me killed but stepped forward anyway and cut her off. “Head Mistress Lilith!” I didn’t know what else to say so I just screamed her name.

She still didn’t look angry as she finally gave me her full attention. “Elorion, my dear boy. I have you to thank most of all for helping me to convince my sister to go along with this little project of mine. You will be handsomely rewarded, but…”

She stepped down from the tabletop, used a chair as a steppingstone, then took the last step down to stand a few feet away from me. She was no longer taller than I was, but height meant little. The smile left her face.

“You attacked and caused Mistress Nava pain. That cannot go unpunished.” With a flick of her finger, a rope of mana surrounded me much like Bind, the spell the Imp had used to subdue me when I was first kidnapped. 

It was a spell I should be able to break out of it I put enough mana into it, but I still hadn’t fully recovered. She had far more mana than me, so if it became a battle of who had the most, I would certainly lose.

“For a time, your leadership will be stripped from you and, as of this moment, you are banished from here.”

I began flying backward as if being dragged by an invisible force.

Wide-eyed, I saw the faces of my friends as they turned and watched in horror. Aeris was suddenly in her Wisp Form and flying toward me at a faster pace than my own. Before she could reach me, as if striking a wall, she stopped in place. The last thing I saw of her as I passed through the exit was the hope drain from her face.

The pace at which I flew only increased. Bursting into Fire Incubus, I struggled to free myself, but it didn’t help. I was dragged through the Inner Perimeter and into The Pits. Out the cavern our mana cannon had created I found myself weaving through the rooms of the Outer Perimeter. Primordial Cat took form, but even then I couldn’t even turn myself around. I was soon out of Sanctuary entirely where my trip came to a halt.

Dropping to the floor from a few meters up, the ground connected with my magma paws. I bounded forward immediately, clawing at an invisible wall. Ripples of distorted light echoed out from where I struck. It was no use. The way was obstructed.

Adding 10x Master Muscle Buff to Primordial Cat and my 10x Master Mind Buff, I tore into the barrier over and over again spending what mana I’d recovered. Only when I felt the drain wearing on me did I drop Primordial Cat entirely.

“Aeris!” I cried, hoping Richard’s magic was still working.

“I’m here.” She replied.

“Are you hurt?”

“No.”

“Calm now,” a voice said from behind me.

Spinning, I saw the Head Mistress’s Lich. No this one was different. It was almost impossible to tell them apart by their cloaks, but through the mana realm there was an obvious difference though I wasn’t sure what it was.

“Lord Darius was your master?” I said with an accusatory tone that I didn’t mean.

“Yes,” he replied. “When you’re ready, I will teach you to break through this barrier. But you have a long way to go.”

“No. I have to get through now and save my friends. If you know a way, help me!”

“Save them from what? Their training?”

“What?”

“Elorion, stop. It’s okay. Listen to him.” Aeris said as if she’d heard everything he said. “As soon as you were gone, the Head Mistress said that you were just being sent off for training and not to worry for you’d be back. I’m—I’m to go with her and the other girls to train in the succubi city. You guys can’t go there for the obvious reasons.”

“You’re intercepting our conversation?” I said, turning to the Lich.

He nodded. “I’m happy to show you how it is done. It’s actually not difficult when you know the trick.”

I turned my back to him and began pacing back and forth. “Aeris, I’ll speak to you in a minute. There’s a conversation I need to have.”

“Okay. Be safe.”

“You too.” Taking a moment to settle my nerves, I then gave the Lich my full attention. “Lilith said this was my punishment. Is that not true?”

“It is, but it is also your reward,” he replied keeping his voice gentle and inviting.

“Go on.”

“You’ve had in your possession a Master Ring that belonged to Lord Darius. The Head Mistress would like you to fetch something that should be behind its vault. That is to be your punishment.”

Taking a step closer, I tried to see beyond his veil but there was nothing but darkness. “Why? We were going to check it out eventually anyway.”

“When exactly? When you thought you were powerful enough? Do you have any idea how powerful the vampire, even the lesser lords and their families are? No. You had a dungeon to build and people to protect. If she didn’t force your hand it would be years, perhaps decades, before you got around to it.”

“So my reward is that I get whatever else is left in the vampire’s vault that she doesn’t want?”

He shook his head. “No. Although, yes. Your true reward is that you get me.”

That shut me up.

“Lilith and I both agree that your destiny is sufficient for a Lich’s contract.”

It felt as if cold fingers ran over my shoulders and down my back. “What does that mean, exactly.”

“I don’t expect you to understand all that such contracts entail. First, you must know how rarely these contracts are made. Not even Mistress Nava has been able to form a contract with one of my brothers. The Lich were all once alive in a different form, and choose willingly to give their lives to become as I am. We all did it for the same purpose, and now we exist to pursue that purpose. We seek magic in all its forms so that we might possess it.”

“If Mistress Nava hasn’t been able to form a contract then how was Lord Darius able to? Isn’t she more powerful than he was?”

“It is as you say. Lord Darius was abnormally talented for one so young. Mixed with the great richest of an old vampire family, he went insane with arrogance. But, he was also bold and had resources that the succubi do not, therefore it was likely I’d run across new magic in his service. The same goes for you. Your master and I both believe that, if you survive long enough, your path may lead to many forgotten secrets. Exactly the kind of secrets that I am looking for. I will serve you along your path at the cost of you sharing every secret that you find with me.”

I lowered my gaze as I considered the numerous ways such a contract might backfire. “What if I don’t run into any of these secrets you are looking for.”

“You already have.”

I tried to look him in the eye to get some reading on him, but he seemed to have a veil covering his true features. “I have?”

“Arcane Engineering isn’t as rare as your Wraith friend said. Any lesser being that is seeking the correct types of craftsmanship will be given it as a profession. But, I will help you, and train you, as long as it takes for you to become powerful enough to accomplish what your master has asked of you. When, and if, our task is finished, we will build the Wraith a new tomb and you will allow me to interrogate him as long as I wish.”

I caught myself nodding. If these creatures were really just after magical knowledge, it made sense that they would seek out those that might run across such secrets. Sharing the information seemed a little price to pay considering I’d also have access to the same magic. “What about afterward? How long does the contract last?”

“Normally, it lasts until death. But, if you succeed, we resurrect the Wraith, and I get my questions answered, I’d be willing to consider the terms met and our contract will conclude. You will still have the option for an extension, which I suspect you’ll take anyway.”

“There’s one problem. I don’t have the Master Ring. I left it in my room in Sanctuary.”

With the flick of his boney hand, an object flew toward me. I didn’t have to look at it as I caught it to know what it was. The Head Mistress really did have this all planned out. Not only had she been spying on us, but she’d shared much information with this Lich, and who knows who else.

“Go ahead and place it on your finger. It won’t provide you any benefits, but it’s designed to change with you during your Blue magic transformations. You also have a long way to go before you’ll have to worry about damaging it.

I slipped it on as he said. “What benefits would I get from our contract exactly.” I’d seen this very Lich make it possible for Lord Darius’s army to walk through a wall without destroying it. Considering the Head Mistress had a contract with one herself, it really didn’t take much convincing to persuade me of how helpful he might be.

“First of all, I can provide you a safe place to train where your Light Mana isn’t leaking so profusely that you alert the entire region to your presence.” The undead creature lifted his hand into the air, then, like a conductor, a stream of ethereal amber spilled out of him and began to coat the ceiling. In a matter of seconds it began to coat the walls, the invisible bearer, and create its own wall to cut us off from the rest of the cavern.

I stared at it, blinking. With this single ability I could safely take the time to max out any new Blue Magic I received. Did I even bother to question whether it would do as he said? “How long will my mission take?”

“To get there, not long. A week if we were to go straight there. But currently, you are too weak to succeed with any measure of certainty, so I recommend a few stops first. It will take months, at least.”

“Will I be allowed to speak with my friends?”

“As long as we are in the range of your friend’s magic there is nothing stopping you.”

At least I wouldn’t go crazy from spending all my time with a Lich.

Even if having him around made progressing much easier and kept me alive, this was still far more a punishment than a reward. I was unable to keep my promise. Thankfully, I was alive and so were my friends. But a week from now, if Aeris found a way to return to Sanctuary, I wouldn’t be there to greet her. I’d asked her to marry me because I knew of no other way to reassure her that I wasn’t going anywhere. That I’d be there for her whenever she needed, and, that despite the unending danger, I’d always face it with her. The Head Mistress Lilith had taken that away from us and made me a liar. I’d never forgive her. One day she would regret it.

There was one more thing I had to hear before I could move on. “It was the Head Mistress’s Lich who told us to flee her dungeon. Looking back, it’s obvious that he lied to us. He provided us with Zorik who lead us to Sanctuary. This whole thing was a set up that he was in on with Lilith. So how do I know I can trust anything you say?”

“You can’t. But you can trust the magic contract that binds us as you will see. The Lich was able to lie to you because he was under Lilith’s contract. He is not able to lie to her. If there are any specifics you’d like to add to the contract that would make you more comfortable, I’m open to negotiation.”

There was no denying that I needed him. If someone at the Head Mistress’s level found him valuable, then he should be even more valuable to me once I learned how to utilize him. But I saw the danger that lurked in the fine print so I couldn’t let myself make any hasty decisions.

I began trying to catalog the variables I would need to consider when I couldn’t help but to think of the girls and how they had it worse than me. “Will the girls be safe?”

Folding his hands together, he gave it some serious thought. “I can make no guarantees that my judgment will be certain with my current knowledge, but if I had to guess, they will be safer than your friends that are staying in Sanctuary. I’ve never known a Succubus to favor females as food.”

The mention of the guys reminded me of an even more pressing problem. “Travis is a fledgling werewolf and our female mages were the ones keeping him locked up at night. With them gone, there could be trouble. Can I request that he comes with us? In my werewolf form I can keep him under control.”

He shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t see any harm with bringing along a pet, but that is a separate matter from our negotiations.”

“I understand that. Could you please request from Lilith that he join us? I’m going to need a good amount of time to think on our contract.”

Bowing his head, he replied, “Very well. As I said before, I am with you for as long as it takes to complete this task, so take the time that you need. While you think, I’d suggest you begin training any of your spells that are still lacking. Sometimes the repetition helps the brain.” 

It was good advice. He seemed anxious for me to begin my training. Perhaps, my fears were misplaced. I decided to do as he said and changed into Primordial Cat Form. Even if his contracts were generally fair, I wasn’t about to make any assumptions. I might as well bring the others into the conversation and pose to them my problem. One day, once we were all back together again, having our own Lich might mean the difference between life and death. If I was going to do this thing anyway, I might as well do it right.

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Ladies and gentlemen. That's the end of Book 4!

The date I have set with my editor is just a week away, so you won't have any book 5 updates between now and then, but I'm planning on starting book 5 immediately after I've gone through and reread/reedited. So, about a week from now, we'll start on the next book.

Cheers!