A Bored Lich

Mr. Barlan put the bounties back on the table: "I'm sorry. I can't help you. I've never heard the name 'Doevm' before today. I'm sure I would have remembered such a strange name."

'What now?' Thomas asked through his mental connection to Doevm.

'Simply wait and listen,' Doevm suggested. 'We want what Mr. Barlan knows, so why interrupt his interrogation?'

'I thought you said he was a dangerous source of information.'

'I said potentially. It appears otherwise, so finish up and come back.'

'I guess I will.' Thomas let out a sigh, and let some of the tension fade from his shoulders. Although his fears had faded, he remained alert. Dozens of War Monks feasted behind his unguarded back, separated by only a tent.

Mr. Barlan yawned. "Is that all you needed me for?"

"Not quite," Brother Earl said. "Do you remember this?" He switched the bounties with an old, crumpled document.

"My report?" Mr. Barlan asked. "This should have been filed away by my old captain. Does the Vilbarian military know about this?"

Brother Earl pointed to the bottom of the document. "We noticed that your report was cut short. After you saw this 'pillar of light', as you described it, what did you do next? Did anyone else see this phenomenon?"

"Only dead men," Mr. Barlan shrugged. "There were too many Ghouls. My unit…let's just say they're still shuffling around. Speaking of which, you'll hold up your end of the deal, right? My unit might have turned into Undead, but they still deserve a proper burial. I owe them at least that much."

Brother Earl nodded. "I swear upon the name of the goddess; every last one of them will be put to rest. Sir Wilhelm will make sure of that. You may have heard some unscrupulous rumors about him, but-"

Mr. Barlan laughed and leaned his chair back. "It's all you people talk about. Who cares? The situation was handled in the end, wasn't it?"

"Yes, you are quite right," Brother Earl said. "Forget I mentioned it."

"It's ironic, isn't it? All of this started because my unit helped fight for him. Now, he's the one who's going to resolve my…our dilemmas."

"That is what he does best," Brother Earl assured him. "He should be back any minute now, so let us finish up. Have you ever looked inside of the ruin? Have you seen anything else that we should know about?"

Mr. Barlan shook his head. "Not unless you haven't heard the rumors about the Acrin Kingdom. Legalizing black magic, the Demon King's defeat, and causing The Fracture; Do you know if any of it is true?"

Brother Earl folded the report. "Thank you for your cooperation. If you hear anything, let us know. We will find you."

Mr. Barlan sighed. "Figures. Whatever." 𝘧r𝑒𝘦𝒘𝘦𝙗ｎovel.𝐜o𝒎

Thomas yawned: 'Is this all you wanted me to do?'

'Yes,' Doevm said. 'Good work.'

'I expected more excitement for all the trouble this caused me,' Thomas said. 'Usually there would be some dramatic twist or reveal.'

'Like the fictitious stories your father read to you as a boy?'

Thomas frowned. 'What's wrong with them?'

Brother Earl patted Thomas on the shoulder. "That should conclude the questioning."

Thomas nodded and stood up. "I will take my leave then, if that is acceptable."

Brother Earl gestured for Thomas to sit back down. "Unfortunately, you will have to wait."

Thomas slowly reached for one of his daggers. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No, not at all. Don't worry, it won't take long to report in. As a matter of fact, I can sense him coming for us."

Thomas sat back down. He glanced outside the tent, but he didn't see anyone. "Who?"

Brother Earl cocked his head to the side. "The man we report to: Sir Wilhelm."

Metallic, strong, and constant; the footsteps of an unseen man seemed to stamp out the ambient chattering. A red, blinking light splayed his armored silhouette across the tent.

Thomas stood up. An inexplicable panic rose up from his gut, as if his mask had been ripped off his face.

The man, presumably Sir Wilhelm, stopped in front of the tent. He cautiously peeled back the tent flap with his longsword, revealing himself. Blue, wavy hair went down the front of his chiseled face, stopping just above his golden eyes. Symbols of the goddess decorated all metal on his body, each dripping with black ichor.

"No one moves," Wilhelm warned. He swept the red orb across the face of Brother Earl, then Mr. Barlan, and finally, Thomas.

The flashing light quickened, as if it would burst at any moment. It rolled out of Wilhelm's fingers, stopping at Thomas's feet.

'What is that?' Thomas asked. 'What's happening?'

'Run!' Doevm yelled.

Thomas threw himself to the side, staring wide-eyed at his reflection in Wilhelm's blade. It cut the front of his hood away, revealing his mask.

"I knew he seemed off!" Mr. Barlan gasped.

Copper life essence flared around both Thomas and Wilhelm. Thomas knew that he couldn't win, not against the hero. However, he didn't have to win. He just had to run and buy enough time for Doevm to pick him up.

Thomas kicked his chair at Wilhelm, and bolted for the exit. Stepping outside, the War Monks were slow to react, more focused on their meals than the happenings of the tent. He could sprint right past them, or so he thought until a wall of earth sprang in front of him. 'He can use magic too?'

Wilhelm charged out of the tent, mana emanating from an outstretched hand. He circled from the left. Thomas cursed, turning to the right only to see another wall rise up. He was cornered.

In came Wilhelm, putting a shield into his offhand before executing a lightning-fast flurry of slashes and stabs. Thomas danced through the storm, feeling his blood painlessly rain down from his torn flesh. No, it wasn't painless. For the first time since his resurrection, he felt his wounds. Each time the blade cut into him, pain shot through his body.

Thomas screamed and leapt away by instinct, his back hitting a wall of dirt. Wilhelm had been waiting for that moment. He charged in. Thomas leaned into the wall, then kicked off at the last second, sailing over his head.

Wilhelm turned around, revealing a confused expression. "I've never met a more strange Undead," he said, more to himself than to Thomas.

Thomas couldn't care less. He never ran so fast in his Undead life. The War Monks, realizing what was happening, joined in the chase. Dozens of blue and red life essences lit up the camp. The hair on Thomas's neck stood on end. He had kicked the hornets' nest. Radiant energy buzzed behind him.

Spells soared past Thomas's head, tearing the camp apart. Dirt exploded upwards. Campfires turned white and exploded outwards. Most spells missed their mark, since their casters fell behind. Wilhelm was the only one among them with copper life essence. He alone kept pace with Thomas. The gap however, began to shrink.

Each spell Thomas had to dodge was a chance for Wilhelm to catch up. 'Where are you, Doevm?' Thomas asked. He glanced to the right. A distant, winged silhouette rose above the forest canopy.

'I'll be there in thirty seconds,' Doevm said.

'I don't have that much time,' Thomas thought as, finally, he failed to dodge a burst of energy, the force of which sent him flying. He collided with a campfire, rolled off the burning logs, and scrambled into a stance, just in time.

Wilhelm's blade descended. Although Thomas blocked, the force pushed him down to a knee.

'What the hell is with this guy?' Thomas asked as his dagger flew out of his hand.

'He's the hero!' Doevm said.

Thomas looked up at the towering form of Wilhelm, who reared back his radiant blade. 'He's a monster.'

Thomas threw a handful of dirt into Wilhelm's eyes and, as he winced back, kicked the blade out of his hands. "You are the worst kind of fighter!" Wilhelm hissed.

Weaponless, both combatants turned towards Thomas's dagger, which lay a few feet away. They both dove for it at the same time. Thomas grabbed the dagger first, lashed out, and was caught by the wrist. Wilhelm used his weight to roll on top. Slowly, he pushed Thomas's wrist, and subsequently the dagger, towards Thomas's neck.

Thomas's life essence surged. He pushed and kicked and cursed and bit. Wilhelm was an unmoving boulder, denying him any room to move around.

"Get off of me!" Thomas screamed in his desperation.

"A Ghoul that can talk?" Wilhelm gasped. His expression abruptly shifted as blood trickled from his nose. He hesitated.

'Doevm!' Thomas said. 'I guess I punched him! He looks really mad!'

'Ten seconds,' Doevm said.

"Who are you?" Wilhelm asked. He grabbed Thomas's mask.

Thomas's eyes went wide. He tapped his heel on the ground, causing a blade to shoot out the front of his shoe and graze Wilhelm's ankle. Wilhelm winced, but a scratch would not stop him.

As the mask rose above his mouth, Thomas revealed a mischievous smile. "Got you," he said.

Wilhelm froze, his muscles locking into place. The cut was small, but just enough to work Virility's infamous venom into his veins. Thomas kicked Wilhelm off, and stood up to find a small army of War Monks charging towards him. "I just can't get a break," he lamented.

The Wyvern crashed into the War Monks, sending them flying. Wings, talons, and tail swept through the remnants. Doevm reached a hand towards Thomas. "Get on!"

"Don't let them escape!" Wilhelm screamed. Radiant energy erupted from his paralyzed form. The scratch on his ankle healed up. The muscles untensed. He picked up his sword and exploded forward. Thomas got into a stance, yet Wilhelm ran past him, heading straight for Doevm.

Doevm's life essence flared. A demonic spear appeared in his hands.

A flaming, white aura crawled down Wilhelm's blade. He leapt into the air.

Doevm looked down at Wilhelm with a complicated expression that Thomas had never seen before. First, it was unparalleled excitement, practically glowing. Then, it was solemnity. His life essence faded.

"Tailwhip," Doevm said, prompting the Wyvern to slap Wilhelm out of the air like a fly.

Wilhelm let out a pained groan as he crashed into one of the tents.

"Time to go," Doevm insisted.

Thomas didn't need to be told twice. He grabbed Doevm's outstretched hand, and they took to the sky. Spells and magic soared by as they flew higher and higher. Doevm never looked back, steering the Wyvern with a thousand-yard stare. His entire body shook as he white-knuckled the reins.

Thomas held tight onto Doevm's back, thankful that he had not died a second death.