A Bored Lich

Doevm steered the Wyvern towards the stars, putting a layer of clouds between himself and the camp of angry War Monks below. Now out of the enemy's range, he relaxed his grip. They drifted along, letting the rush of battle wear off.

"I have never seen so many War Monks at once," Thomas gushed, still holding tight onto Doevm's back.

"I have, but not in this life," Doevm said, glancing over his shoulder.

Thomas gestured to his wounds with a mix of fear and awe on his face. "I feel like I could pass out at any moment! Isn't that weird? And wow the hero is amazing! He nearly killed me! I almost died." His brief, adrenaline-filled elation turned into silent worry.

"There were too many of them for just us, but we got what we came for: information. Actually, it went better than I could have hoped."

"Th-that's good," Thomas hesitated. He poked at one of his open wounds and winced. "I'm not going to die again, am I?"

"Give yourself time to heal," Doevm cautioned. "Holy magic is dangerous to the Undead, but as long as your head is intact, you will recover."

Thomas nodded. "Thanks. I would have gotten out fine if not for the hero. He walked in with that weird orb, and before I knew it I was cornered."

"It was unfortunate timing," Doevm explained. "That orb locks onto the nearest Undead signature. He probably thought you were another Ghoul."

"That explains why he was surprised that I could talk," Thomas said. "Magic items are a pain in the butt."

Doevm chuckled. "How did Arthur fight?"

Thomas furrowed his brow. "You mean Wilhelm?" Doevm nodded. "I mostly ran, because whenever I tried to put up a fight, he'd beat me down. He wouldn't stop until I was dead; I could feel it. The strange thing was that he didn't have bloodlust. It was as if he didn't want me dead; He was determined to see me dead. Does that make sense? If it wasn't for my family's venom then…He was strong, but he wasn't perfect. He was better, in every way."

…

"I can't win against you! One more round," Doevm said while lying on his library's floor. The flames in his empty eye sockets softly lit up a human hand, offering to help stand him up. He grabbed it, and was lifted to his feet.

"Fine, but this is the last one for today," Arthur huffed, fanning his sweaty face. "I'm getting tired of beating you."

They both took a stance.

…

Doevm let his gaze wander, a sly smile on his face. "That sounds like the hero, alright. Did you know? Each hero inherits features from their previous reincarnations. At this age, Arthur was strong and confident, as well as a hotheaded idiot. He was determined above all else. Once he started something, he would see it through to the end."

Thomas glanced over his shoulder. "You don't think Wilhelm is following us, do you?"

"I know he is."

"What?"

Doevm took a deep breath. "I am counting on it."

Thomas tightened his grip on Doevm's back. "I-it's a shame that he's with all of those War Monks. It's like you said: there are too many for just us two to handle. However, he seems to be in charge of legacies. If we open another legacy, you can get another chance then. How does that sound?"

Doevm offered Thomas the reins. "I have waited fifteen years to fulfill my promise to Arthur. Don't interfere."

"But the War Monks," Thomas lamented.

"If Wilhelm is chasing us, he'll be running as fast as he can," Doevm explained. "No one will be able to keep up."

Thomas cursed under his breath and grabbed the reins. "We'll meet back at camp, right?"

Doevm chuckled. "I desire one last fight, that is all."

With that, Doevm leapt off the Wyvern. He threw his mana into magic circles which, as he passed through them, slowed his free-fall. He pushed through the dense canopy, quickly losing sight of the Wyvern. Leaves fluttered to the ground alongside him, gentle and slow.

Miles and miles of darkness lurked on the forest floor. Doevm's light crystal barely put a dent in it. Any attempt to look for Wilhelm would get him lost, so he thought up a different strategy: bait.

Doevm called upon his mana, which surrounded him as a black, torn cloak. The forest shuddered at the sight. Nocturnal creatures, sensing a mal-aligned, deathless presence, fled in a five-hundred foot radius. Branches peeled back, letting the moonlight trickle onto Doevm's unmoving form. He waited, his human heart beating against his ribcage.

It didn't take long. A faint, red flash emanated from the dark, accompanied by a pair of approaching footsteps - metallic, strong, and constant.

An arrow, composed of holy light, ripped through the sturdy tree trunks, heading straight for Doevm. His eyes went wide, and he threw his cloak around himself, its negative energy repelling the positive energy like oil and water.

The stray arrow landed to the right and exploded, the force billowing Doevm's cloak. He kept his calm, standing perfectly still. "You could fire those all night, but the sun would rise before you strike me." f𝘳𝚎𝑒𝚠𝑒𝚋𝘯o𝘃eƖ.co𝓂

A second arrow flew at Doevm, again glancing off his cloak. The explosion lit up the approaching figure of Wilhelm: "Had to be sure." He stepped into the clearing, longsword in one hand and a red, blinking orb in the other. He eyed the surroundings, especially the sky, before turning his attention towards Doevm.

"It's not a trap, if you trust the words of a stranger," Doevm said.

Wilhelm condensed copper life essence around his eyes, and studied Doevm's face. "That depends on the context in which I meet the stranger. I take it you're Doevm?"

Doevm nodded. "It's nice to meet you, Wilhelm. Truely, it is. I have been waiting so long for-"

"Before we get started, are you from Trusk Village?" Wilhelm interrupted while clutching at something under his shirt's collar.

Doevm paused. "No. I've never heard of it."

Wilhelm's eyes flashed with a blue light. He scratched the side of his head and muttered something. "You seem to be truthful. Sorry to interrupt."

Doevm cleared his throat. "As I was saying I-"

"It's just that you seem so familiar. Are we related in some way?"

Doevm blinked twice. "We are related, in a way."

Wilhelm took a step into the clearing, but he didn't sheathe his weapon yet. "I knew it. Who are you? Wait, no. Who are you exactly…to me?"

"I am Doevm, your replacement."

Wilhelm's eyes flashed again. "I don't understand. How are you telling the truth?"

"Because I already took down the Demon King, which makes you a nobody, does it not? Who are you, if not the hero? A pawn."

Doevm could tell that he hit the nail on the head, because pain flashed on Wilhelm's face. Wilhelm might have been born a normal baby, but he was raised with promises of being a great hero. It was his sole purpose, which led countless others to place their faith, their burdens, on his shoulders. He was robbed of that destiny. Under so much pressure, a hothead like Arthur wouldn't be able to keep his head straight.

"Thank you," Wilhelm said through gritted teeth. With two words, he countered years of careful planning.

"...what?" Doevm asked, slowly getting out of his stance.

"Thank you," Wilhelm repeated. He took a deep breath. "You defeated the Demon King, not me, so I don't deserve to be angry at you. I can't defend myself because, at the end of the day, I failed. I'm not a hero, and I don't want to fight you. Just go." He tossed the orb on the ground, then shattered it under his boot.

Doevm was silent. Who was that man, called Wilhelm? Arthur would not say such things, never. It was all wrong, so very wrong. Had Maker done something to him? No, she was an observer. She was probably laughing behind Doevm's back, but she wouldn't dare interfere.

Was Wilhelm an imposter? No, his features were undeniable. Blue hair and golden eyes marked the hero. Wilhelm was the same age as Arthur, so why didn't he get mad? Why did he seem so sad and defeated?

Doevm stepped back. 'Is it because of what I did?' he thought. The pieces of the puzzle began to fit together. He was the only change in the hero's repeating story. Without a Demon King, there could not exist a hero. Wilhelm was not like Arthur and, because of Doevm, he would never be.

Doevm reabsorbed his mana cloak. "I apologize."

Wilhelm scrunched his lips. "Don't apologize to me like what you did was an accident. Be proud of what you've done for the world, for the good of the goddess. No one should be making you feel sorry for that."

Doevm exhaled a shaky breath. "That is very mature of you. It's almost like you've already been told all of this."

Wilhelm nodded. "I was summoned by an entity called the Mumbling Prophet."

"When?" Doevm sneered.

"After The Fracture," Wilhelm said. "It gave me a message to pass onto you: The prophecy is broken, much like the balance. A new god will rise above the old. A calamity is coming. None shall be spared."

Doevm searched his memories but no one by the name of "Mumbling Prophet'' came to mind. "Where can I find this entity? How do they know me?"

Wilhelm shrugged. "I can't tell you that. I don't know what his prophecy means, but it isn't about me, not anymore."

"What are you talking about? Of course it's about you."

Wilhelm jabbed his sword towards Doevm. "Are you trying to pity me or something?"

'Looks like he still is a bit of a hothead,' Doevm thought. He stepped back. "Not at all. You still have your part to play. Did you even think about the prophecy? "A new god will rise above the old". What do you think that means, hero?"

Wilhelm's temper began to surge up. "How should I know," he hissed.

Doevm took another step back. "Think about it. "A new god will rise above the old". What do you think happens to old gods? Can't you see? The gods are going to die."

Wilhelm's temper wrestled against his curiosity. "Gods can die?"

Doevm took two more steps back. "I'm going to kill the gods, Wilhelm, all three of them. You better train harder than you ever did before. I'll be waiting." Magic circles lit up at his feet.

Wilhelm charged forward, determination flaring in his eyes.

'Good,' Doevm thought as he vanished out of the forest. 'Come at me like you want to kill me. I'll give you purpose.'