Heather the Necromancer

Book 6: Chapter 11: The Necrofidiax

They ran for the bridge, determined to get into a wider space to deal with whatever had been triggered. The screeching and howls echoed down the tunnel as they raced over the dangerous expanse. Frank yelled for them to go as quickly, or whatever was pursuing them might set off the trap. He turned back to see the doorway filled with dark shapes before they started to spill out. They were gray humanoids with shaggy manes of black hair and dull, lifeless eyes. They resembled something between a zombie and a ghoul as they reached out with sharp hooked claws.

Frank was about to turn to delay them when a chanting voice caught his ear, and a wall of bones appeared between the monsters and them. He turned to see Heather waiving him on as the others ran for the far side of the bridge.

What are those things? Chandice asked as they reached the far side and finally turned around.

I think those are gorlocks, Quinny answered. Its an advanced type of ghoul. They come in big swarms and attack mindlessly. I can use them at a much higher when I evolve into a Zombie Queen.

I had the option to evolve into one of those, Frank said as he backed off the bridge and waited for the hoard to come. It took them several minutes, but they eventually broke through the bone wall and began to spill out the other side. Heather asked if they should keep running, but Frank said the bridge would handle their problem.

They watched as the mass of shapes swarmed onto the bridging, howling madly with mouths full of sharp teeth. As expected, they made it roughly halfway across before triggering the trap. The cave shuddered, and a grinding noise echoed from the walls as the entire bridge rolled over. It dumped the mad hoard into the water, drowning their howls as they sank. It then kept rolling until it was right side up again, coming to a stop as if it had never moved.

Oh, that is a good trap, Chandice said as she saw it in operation. She also saw the beast with three heads slip out of a dark cave into the water to begin picking off the flailing monsters.

Well, that was anticlimactic, Heather said as they watched the ghouls sink into the depths.

That was brilliant, Breanne said and nodded to Frank. You handled that well.

It only worked because Heather delayed them with the wall. I was going to hold them myself and fall into the water with them, he explained.

What? why would you do that? Heather asked.

Frank stepped aside and motioned to the water where not a single gorlock was visible. The entire hoard had sunk beneath the water's dark surface where the hydra could easily feast on them.

They don't know how to swim? Breanne asked.

I knew they wouldn't, Frank replied as he moved to watch the ramp that went down the little graveyard. They are basically savage robots with no ability to reason, but they can crawl across the bottom to here. He pointed to the ledge that served as a small graveyard bordering the underground lake. It was the only viable place anyone could climb out of the water and the only way up.

I can fix that, Heather announced and went to the ledge. She called for skeletons to rise and serve, bringing up a group of fifty in a single summon. She ordered them to stay there and kill anything that came out of the water.

Do you think that is all that was triggered? Breanne asked as she took her ghost form to float into the air.

I hope so, Heather remarked as they watched the far end of the bridge for more. They waited several minutes, and then Frank suggested they cross back over. Heather called a dozen of her skeletons up and sent them across first. She ordered them to walk single file down the center of the bridge and kill anything in the room on the other side. They waited to see if the creatures got across then Breanne flew over to look in the room. She announced the skeletons were alone, and nothing was happening.

Frank helped Quinny set the treasure along the wall and then led the way back across the bridge. They joined the skeletons in the drain room and poked their head into the hall. Frank suggested they try the stairs since those went up into the levels that comprised their lair.

They debated how best to tackle the stairs since setting off the trap meant being washed into the lake with the monster already out. Umtha recommended sending her engineers up, but that didn't guarantee the trap wouldn't be set off. Breanne ultimately volunteered to go up in her spectral form, hoping to avoid setting the trap off. The others would be in the far hall behind a wall of bone to block the door. If the stairs flooded, the water would wash into the drain room while they were safe behind the wall.

Heather suggested Breanne take Webster with her, but she wasn't comfortable carrying a giant spider. The groups parted ways and got into position behind a wall of bone as Breanne floated up the stairs.

Gisley can make a wall of moonlight, Chandice said as she admired Heathers bone wall. I can make one out of fire.

I can make a wall of plants as well, Heather said. But a lot of people have come right through that one.

You should put some points into it, Umtha suggested. I bet it becomes a lot harder to penetrate then.

Heather wondered how strong it would get while constantly looking behind them. She kept expecting more of those monsters to come charging down the hallway, but nothing stirred in the blackness. Frank noticed her discomfort and put a long arm around her to help make her feel safe.

Im fine, she whispered and looked up into his yellow eyes. But I like the gesture.

Aww, you two are cute, Chandice laughed.

They are cute, Quinny said as she leaned into Heather. But it would be cuter with three.

She already has three, Umtha said defensively.

What? Quinny asked and leaned back as she looked from face to face.

Heather rolled her eyes and let out a frustrated sigh before turning her Umtha to tell her that it wasn't her place to claim such a thing.

What are you talking about? Quinny asked, then looked hurt. Are you dating Umtha?

No, Heather grumbled as Umtha nodded in agreement.

We do not need to date, Umtha said. We are already married.

What! Quinny and Chandice said in unison as Heather tried to hide her face in her hands. This wasnt how she wanted the news to get out, and Umtha was making it a mess.

You said you were going to build a relationship with Breanne and me next, Quinny said in a hurt tone. You promised you would!

Quinny! Heather shouted to get the woman to stop ranting. I didn't marry Umtha, but we are married, and if you don't let me tell you how it happened, it will be your own fault that you are mad.

Fine, Quinny snapped. Explain to me how you married her first.

Heather sighed and explained how the goblin crown was a trigger in some kind of goblin ceremony. By accepting it openly and willingly on her wedding night, it added Umtha to their union. Quinny looked as if she was about to strangle Umtha, so Frank was quick to jump in. He explained why giving the crown was so important, as it was supposed to trigger Heather's memories. This was all part of the plan to carry Heather down the path of discovery, but tragically it didn't work.

Goodness, Chandice said. I feel terrible for you.

Don't, Heather sighed. I have gotten used to not knowing who I am for sure or constantly being reminded I can't remember my past. All that matters to me now are my husband and my friends. The past can stay in the past for all I care.

But if you are her, Frank said in a pained tone. Then you were married to him.

Wait! Wait! Wait! Quinny cut in. Are you saying Heather is already married to somebody else?

Frank, we talked about this, Heather insisted. If, and that's a big if, I turn out to be Hathlisora, then maybe you could say I was married to him. But not only did that relationship end spectacularly bad, with both parties hating the other, but I don't remember any of it. You are my husband, and that's all there is to it. I don't care what anyone else has to say about it. All that matters to me is when I pull open my character sheet and go to the social tab; your name is the only one listed as my husband.

Can we please explain who this mystery man is? Quinny demanded.

King Kevin, Umtha replied as Quinny looked like she was going to faint.

You cant be serious? Quinny demanded of Umtha. How do you know that?

Umtha explained her past and how she knew a little of Hathlisoras history because Hathlisora had told it to her. That was how she knew about the relationship and how strongly the hurt feelings were on both sides. Heather jumped in to explain the timeline of events and how they suspected Kevins crime was trying to prevent her from leaving.

So you think she found a way out? Quinny asked.

She did find a way out, Umtha insisted. And she was going to take all of the goblins with her.

And you think Kevin sabotaged her plan to keep her here because he loved her? Quinny asked.

It's the only reason I can think of, Heather explained. Think about it. She wants to go home, but he wants her to stay. He was probably helping her look for a way out initially, assuming they would never find one. But she did, and when it looked like she was going to leave, he did something to keep her.

And lost her forever, Chandice added. What a tragic story.

So the crown was to help you remember, Quinny said as she looked at Umtha. And you are now married to them?

I am, Umtha said proudly.

Umtha, Heather growled. I thought we agreed that Frank and I would work toward a relationship with you. You need to stop stating this like you are already living with us because it isn't true. I am trying to build a relationship with all of you, and I need you three to come together.

But she snuck her way in, Quinny said angrily as she pointed an accusing finger at Umtha.

Actually, Frank interjected. Umtha has always assumed you and Breanne would be part of the relationship. She even put thrones for you in the goblin throne room and had a tapestry that shows all of us together.

You did? Quinny asked as Umtha nodded.

I know you are meant to be a part of this, Umtha replied. I did not mean to cause you distress.

See? Heather said and took Quinny's hands. Nothing has gone on behind your back. We only learned about this a few days ago and were trying to think of when best to tell you.

Tell us what? Breanne asked as she walked through the wall of bone.

Heather decided now was the best time to clear the air and explained it all again to Breanne. She took it better than Quinny but wondered why Umtha didn't just tell Heather what the crown was meant to do. That would have shown some trust and understanding, but Umtha stood her ground, insisting Heather needed to become the goblin queen.

Let's talk about this later, Heather suggested. Did you find anything up the stairs?

We will most certainly talk about this later, Breanne replied. And yes, I found a hall with two doors, one iron with no handle or markings and the other a stoutly made wooden door with a normal handle. I suspect the iron door is part of the trap because water is leaking out from under it and into a drain.

But we have no idea how the trap works, Heather grumbled.

Yes, we do, Breanne corrected. That is why I was away so long. I searched the stairs for a trigger, and it looks like halfway up the stairs become the trigger. Every third stair is a pressure plate that connects to chains that do something.

You dont know what? Quinny asked.

I'm sorry, but they run through narrow channels, and it is difficult to follow them even in my spectral form.

At least we know how it triggers, Frank said.

My engineers should be able to disable the pressure plates, Umtha suggested. Then we can go up safely.

What have we got to lose? Heather asked and dismissed her wall of bone. They returned to the stairs, and Umtha sent the engineers to begin dealing with the steps. They heard tapping and hammering as the two goblins worked, and it wasn't until an hour later they returned to say it was done.

Frank took the lead as always, and up they went, climbing an impossibly long flight of steps. Quinny suggested they went so high up that they were above Heather's lair. Frank agreed they were probably above the lair, but Heather was skeptical. She thought it silly that the entrance to an even higher level would be found in the lowest depths of the dungeon. Still, they couldn't deny that it took a long time to reach the top, and when they did, they stood before the iron door.

She's right, Frank said as he looked at it closely. It's leaking water, and it faces the stairwell. I bet this opens somehow and lets out the water.

Is the water coming from the waterfall? Chandice asked.

That or the stream that feeds it, Frank suggested. We found the stream's source in the area where we want to build our city.

So there must be channels cut to feed water into this cave system, Chandice said as she considered other ideas. Does the water do anything else?

It feeds the giant bath on the lower halls, Heather said.

This is very interesting, Chandice said as she looked at the door. I can think of five ways off the top of my head to do this magically, but the builder of this place chose to do it all mechanically instead. Nearly all the traps are mechanical in nature, for that matter.

So? Quinny asked.

So, why go to all the trouble? Chandice replied. The magical methods would have been faster, cheaper, and easier. Whoever did this did it intentionally for a reason only they understand. It defies logic that anyone would invest this much work into devising an elaborate hydraulic system to power all his traps.

The necromancers, Frank said and turned to Breanne. You told us they used the undead to build things by hand, just like they did the pyramid in the desert.

Yes, they did, Breanne replied. That way, the structures would remain even if the builder was reset.

They all went silent as that concept hung in the air. Chandice had drawn attention to the fact that somebody used a lot of manpower to make an elaborate system of tunnels, traps, and hydraulic systems. Only the necromancers had the kind of endless manpower to do something like that, and it was obvious they had been here. From the necromancer circle in the rooms of the lair to the strange undead iconography in the back tunnels, it could only mean they had been here.

But why did they want to preserve this place? Frank asked.

For her, Umtha replied and pointed to Heather. It was left for her to find.

Oh, this story you are involved in is fascinating, Chandice said. I wish I could get you to write a book and chronicle all of this.

My slow descent into madness, by. Heather said and then looked confused. Who am I? Am I Heather, Hannah, or Hathlisora?

You could write a slightly different version by each name and force people to figure out which one is the most accurate, Quinny suggested.

You are not helping, Heather grumbled and folded her arms.

Lets ignore the bad advice and address the other door, Breanne suggested. Its obvious the iron one isnt safe to open.

Yes, let's, Heather agreed and walked the short distance down a paved hall. The walls were cut from the rock of the mountain, but the wooden door had a quarried stone frame and a glowing gem of light set in the ceiling above it. Heather briefly wondered why this door needed to be illuminated but then asked Breanne to check the other side.

Breanne poked her head through the door and returned a moment later to tell them it was another room with a spiral stair that went back down. There was also a lever on the wall and a tunnel that went up even further.

This is getting annoying, Heather said as Frank tested the door and found it unlocked. We keep finding more paths to explore. We will be down here all week.

I am really enjoying this, Chandice said. It isn't often I get to do some actual dungeon crawling. Roric keeps mentioning going to a big world dungeon to try and plumb its depths, but we get distracted a lot.

Whats the point of exploring a world dungeon? Heather asked as they entered the room.

Artifacts, Chandice replied. The deeper you go, the more rare the treasure is, and at the very bottom is guaranteed to be an item or two of high value to the party.

Really? Heather asked as they entered the room to see it was exactly how Breanne had described. What kind of things have people found?

I don't know, Chandice replied. I don't know anyone who has gotten even halfway down, but Roric wants to try. He was waiting until I was at least level thirty-five so I had access to the fireball spell.

I have heard about those, Frank added as he looked down the twisting stone steps of the spiral stair. People can spend a week just getting down a dozen levels.

Why havent you mentioned these places to me? Heather asked.

I told you the world spawned dungeons, Frank replied.

Yes, you told me it did, but you never said some of them were massive and filled with artifacts, Heather countered as she walked up to face him. What if I want to explore one?

Do you? he asked with a funny expression.

No, but I might have, Heather said. I have too much going on as it is to worry about some super dungeon.

You should know that Hathlisora and Kevin went into one of those, Umtha said. They reached the lowest level and claimed the reward.

All eyes turned to Umtha, who looked startled to be the center of attention. Heather asked her to tell them more, but Umtha didn't know more. It was a small account Hathlisora had given her, and it was sparse. It included some details about magic doors, a moving hallway, and a bridge that tried to eat them. When it came to the final battle, all Hathlisora had told her was that it had nearly killed her, but the reward had been worth it.

I wonder what it was, Quinny said as she dreamed of possibilities.

Now I wonder if we should go, Heather said. Maybe we can go with Roric.

I don't know if that's a good idea, Frank said. Many of those dungeons are under big cities now and heavily protected by paladins. They will detect Breanne, Quinny, and I, then kill us.

I hate this world sometimes, Heather sighed as she put a hand on Frank's chest. But you make being here a joy.

Oh, Gisley would be crying tears of happiness right now, Chandice giggled.

It is beautiful to see them together, Breanne agreed.

Alright, let's not discuss my love life, Heather insisted. We need to decide which way, the hall or stairs?

What about the lever? Quinny asked as she pointed to it.

Do we dare to pull that? Heather asked as she felt unsure at how wise an idea that was.

It might open another door, Frank said and walked to the lever. He scratched his head a moment, then suggested they all stand in the corner. When everybody was grouped up, he pulled it, and immediately the door shut. They heard a sound like the waterfall outside that went on for almost a minute. Then there was a grinding nose followed by a deep thunk they felt through the floor.

What was that? Quinny asked.

I think we manually triggered the water trap, Frank said and returned to the door. It was easily opened and revealed a hall drenched in puddles of water. We did.

Why would there be a manual way to flush the water? Heather asked.

Maybe there was a reason to need to? Frank suggested.

Hmm, Chandice said as she paced. Another mechanical method to deal with the water. I wonder where that tunnel leads. It might explain more.

Then let's explore it, Heather agreed and summoned a few more skeletons. She sent them ahead to find traps, then followed Frank as he and Quinny led the way. The tunnel was wide and tall, providing plenty of room for Frank to move about. It bent to the right slightly and went on for several minutes. Then it arrived at a cave-like chamber with steps of stone formed by flowing water. The entire space glistened with moisture and collected in small pools. The tunnel arrived high on the cave wall, but there were man-made steps to descend to the floor.

Is this a natural cave or part of the complex? Heather asked as Chandice created a ball of light to help illuminate the vast space.

It looks natural, Frank said as he walked into the open. But that can be easily faked.

The water must have once flowed through this cave, Chandice said and stepped into a puddle. Or it flowed here a few moments ago.

Maybe thats dripping from the ceiling, Heather suggested and looked up to see hundreds of stalactites.

Everything is wet, Frank said as he looked to the larger ledges that went every higher. Its almost as of the water had been flowing here a few minutes ago.

Do you think it has anything to do with the lever? Breanne asked.

That just flushed the water down the stairs, Quinny reminded.

But this space is obviously formed by flowing water, Breanne argued. And it is wet like it had been flowing here moments ago.

We need to go higher, Frank said and pointed to the ledges. The answer is up there.

Well, only Breanne can fly, and those ledges are too steep for us to climb. Heather pointed out.

Not true, Umtha said and stepped forward. I am a shaman, and the stone answers my call. She held out a hand and started a chant that caused an immediate rumble. To Heather's utter amazement, the stone ledges began to reshape into flights of manageable stairs. Once they went up to the highest point, Umtha ended her chant and suggested they climb.

That was very impressive, Breanne said as Umtha nodded.

You and I need to talk about what you can do, Heather said as she followed Frank up the steps. They climbed over seven large ledges and finally reached a cave that looked more like an underground river bed. There were deeper pockets of water in places, and the walls were too steep to avoid them. Umtha once again showed her power by freezing pools with a chilling wind so they could cross the ice.

The tunnel went slightly uphill, and they could hear a growing rumble. Eventually, they reached a cliff face with a waterfall that splashed over a massive metal grate. Chandice used her magic to move her ball of light through the grate to illuminate the room below, showing it as a vast chamber slowly filling with water.

That has to be a reservoir for the water trap, Frank said and looked around the tunnel. I bet once it fills, the overflow goes through the cave.

That explains why its so wet in here, Breanne agreed.

So we found where they get the water, Heather sighed. I was expecting more.

There has to be more, Frank agreed as he walked off to inspect the tunnel walls.

What do you mean? Breanne asked.

I was just thinking this tunnel is unusable while the water is flowing, he explained. Somebody created a way to make it usable and then gave them enough time to traverse it.

So, there is a reason to come down here, Heather added as she, too, began to look around. But I don't see an exit.

Could it be the grate? Quinny asked.

No, thats just part of the system to buy us time, Frank said.

Heather spun round as Chandice moved her light to better illuminate the walls. If Frank was right, there was something here they weren't noticing, but where could it be? The walls were stone, polished smooth by flowing water, and the tunnel ended at a curtain of water. As she looked at the falls, she thought of the strange fish monster and how its layer was hidden behind the water.

Its behind the falls, Heather said.

Are you sure? Umtha asked as she leaned close enough to feel the cool spray of moisture. I cant see through it.

It is the only place you could hide a tunnel, Heather said. Its that or one of these cave walls is an illusion.

Chandice used a detect magic just to be sure, and none of the walls showed to be magical. However, a soft blue glow came from behind the falls, about even with Heather's shoulders.

There is something behind the falls, Breanne said and floated up, passing through the curtain before coming back.

It's a very special tunnel, she called.

How do we get up? Quinny asked.

I can lift you into the tunnel, Frank offered. But youre going to get wet.

I can help with this too, Umtha said and stood before the falls. She lifted a palm and called to the water, telling it to part so they may pass. Heather watched as the falls split into two forks, leaving an opening in the middle where they could clearly see a tunnel.

I am going to get in so much trouble when I tell Roric what he missed, Chandice laughed. He loves a good adventure.

Let's get up there, Frank said and carefully wrapped a hand around Quinny's waist. With his size and length of arm, he found it easy to place her on the ledge. Next, he placed Heather, then Breanne, and then asked Chandice for permission to lift her.

I am all yours, Chandice replied and held her arms up. He set her on the ledge and then lifted her devil warrior before looking around for Webster.

Where is Webster? he asked.

Up here already, Heather said and pointed to the spider by her feet. He jumped while you were lifting me.

Frank nodded and used his ghoul powers to dig his claws into the stone, climbing up with careless ease to stand in a tunnel that seemed out of place in the mountain. The walls were made of blue bricks, and the floor a polished marble. Every five meters was an archway of smooth red stone streaked by white and black. Each archway had a gem of light, creating pockets of illumination as the hall went deeper into the mountain.

Frank took the lead once more and went down the hall as Breanne started to look concerned. She explained that the necromancers often used these colors to mark special places, the red and blue signifying something of significance.

The tunnel came out in a vast round chamber with a sandy earthen floor. The walls went up in a dome permeated by alcoves with blue magical symbols floating in them.

Oh, this can't be good, Heather said as they stepped out of the marble hall and into the sandy floor.

This room reeks of magic, Chandice said. But it doesn't make any sense. Why did somebody with this much power resort to all those mechanical methods?

I told you, they did it for Heather, Umtha argued. They must have needed to ensure this place would remain for her to find.

I am seriously regretting wanting to explore these places, Heather said as they crossed the room that seemed to serve no purpose.

I cant believe what is hidden in here, Chandice said.

Wait, Breanne said and shook her head. You have a kingdom heart. How did you not detect this space when you took over the lower tunnels for Legeis.

I dont know, Heather said. But I do know I had no idea this was here.

They reached the center of the room and looked around at the glowing symbols. None of it made any sense to them, but they knew it had to mean something.

So what now? Chandice asked.

We go back and forget this place exists, Heather suggested.

Can you read any of this? Quinny asked.

I can read a lot of it, Heather said. But it doesn't say anything. That symbol there is Atleth, and that one is Velzor. She pointed to them as she spoke their names, but none of them were in any particular order. She was about to comment on how it could just be for show when Webster suddenly chirped and jumped away from the center of the room.

What has him spooked? Quinny asked.

He said the floor is shaking, Heather replied and looked down. They saw nothing at first, but then they all felt it as the sand beneath their feet began to move. They ran for the hall with Frank backing up slowly while the sand bulged and fell away, revealing a single white skull.

Is that important? Chandice asked.

I honestly have no idea, Heather said as she dared to approach.

Oh, I thought maybe that meant something to a necromancer, Chandice said and pulled out her wand. She waved out a detect magic spell, and the skull glowed brightly.

So its magical, Heather said as she bent down to examine it. There was nothing special about the skull to indicate its purpose. Chandice tried to identify the magic and came up with necromancy and animation. When that failed to mean anything, Heather pondered another idea. One of the spells hidden in the book of necromancers was called answers from the dead. With it, she could hold a skull in her hand and ask it questions. Provided the person it belonged to knew the answers, it would answer honestly. She suddenly saw the flaw in that spell when she considered how most bodies vanished after a while. Why would such a spell assume the body would be around long enough to leave a skull behind? She didn't have the spell memorized or added to her panel, so she decided to take it with her. She could perform the ceremony later in the necromancer nexus and get all the answers she wanted.

I want to bring this with, Heather said and reached down to pull it from the sand, only to find it was firmly anchored. She tugged again, but it didn't move, and suddenly green light flared in its eyes.

The floor shook violently as skulls began to rise to the surface all around them. Frank grabbed Heather, Chandice, and Umtha as he ran for the tunnel. Quinny and Breanne were still waiting by the exit when iron bars dropped and barred the way. Breanne quickly tried to pass through them, but a blue light flared, rejecting her ghostly form.

I cant pass through these! Breanne shouted as a rumbling began to fill the air.

Let me bend them off, Frank said as he set the girls down and grabbed the bars. He flared with strength as he used ghoul powers to boost his might, but the bars wouldn't yield. He tried again with Quinny helping, but they couldn't even rattle them.

Umm, Frank, Heather said as she backed away from the center of the room.

Everyone turned around to see a swarm of skulls with spinal cords climbing over one another. They came together in one large mass, forming a towering sphere of skulls whose green eyes looked in all directions. It was three times as tall as Frank and every eye burned with green fire.

What is that? Chandice asked with a weak voice.

An abomination of the necromancers, Breanne said. Its called a necrofidiax, a blend of golemn and undead, given horrible powers. I saw one used once in the wars. They are frighteningly fast and able to attack with any head.

So what do we do? Umtha asked.

Breanne looked at the others and shook her head.

We respawn.