The First Lich Lord

Chapter 114

The flash and explosion of magic drew my attention. I had just finished forging a new sword. It was made out of black bone with purple eldritch runes engraved along its length. To date, it was my best creation. So far, Id created nearly a dozen different weapons, learning how to use the forge more and more efficiently. Ezra had ventured down and fought Chompy two more times. However, theyd wiped each time. Raven suggested a prehensile bone tail for Chompy that could defend its flank, and that made a huge difference.

I had also followed Dereks suggestion and moved Chompy up a floor. It was already a very challenging floor, with all of the monsters now around level 80. I didnt try to hide that I was below, creating a clear crystal floor within the boss room that Chompy resided in directly over my forge. It allowed me to keep track of the fights. I didnt recognize this group, which instantly drew my attention.

Outside of Ezras group, only three others managed to challenge Chompy. So far none had succeeded. It was hard to see the exact details of the fight, but I could tell they were highly coordinated. Even more than Ezras group, which was saying something. There were five of them: two melee fighters, two rangers, and a cleric. I frowned when I recognized the magic as Olattee, but there was nothing I could do about that. Maxwell joined me, and the two of us pulled up seats Id made out of bone for watching the fights.

To our surprise, the group was winning, not easily, but they were definitely wearing down Chompy. It was more a fight of attrition than anything, but the clerics power kept his team going. When the fight was finally over and Chompy was slain I moved toward a hovering crystal disk.

I want a closer look, want to come? I asked.

Sure. Maxwell joined me.

The disc required quite a bit of mana for me to work, but it brought me up to the roof of the floor where I could get a closer look at the players. As we ascended, I noticed that the weapon suspended in the crystal floor as the reward raised up on a pedestal. When you entered the room, the weapon was very obviousa way to lure people into fighting Chompy to get the weapon.

The one they just received had been my greatest creation up to that point. That weapon was a bow made of black metal and etched with crimson runes. Any arrow it shot would have a corrupting enchantment attached to it that would deliver a poison to whatever it struck. It would be quite the weapon for anyone who ended up with it.

Our ascent wasnt unnoticed, and while the bow had been grabbed by one of the rangers, the rest were already preparing to fight me. They assumed I was going to come through the floor. But I stoppedthere was no way through the floor.

I smiled at the group. I hope you like that bow, it was my best creation until I made this thing. I waved my new sword around. The floor had been configured with runes so my voice could travel through.

Come up and face us, the priest sneered down at me. Something about his tone was familiar.

I frowned at them, trying to figure out what it was.

The tank spoke. Thats got to be him, the names right, and our quest brought us here. Behave yourself, Marcus, we need to complete the quest.

Do I know you? That name was familiar as well.

I wouldnt know. A fighter wielding a great hammer leaned down and tapped on the crystal with his hammer. I might be able to break this though.

I doubt it, the female ranger said. Its notoriously hard to break stuff in dungeons, especially something like that.

There must be a hidden way down, the tank said. Jessica, Nick, try and find it. You have the highest perception of all of us.

Then it dawned on me who they were. Wait a second, are you that group of players who helped me through High Pass Fortress?

They all froze, locking their gazes on me. Keep that to yourself, the tank said. That could get us in a lot of trouble.

Dont worry, I dont particularly care, you did me a solid. I squinted at him. I dont remember your name.

Trust me, it was not intentional, Marcus glared at the tank. I warned them we couldnt trust you.

Names Aaron. The tank flipped Marcus off. Yeah, yeah, yeah, weve heard it a thousand times.

There was only four of you though. Whos the new guy?

The names Decker, the fighter with the great hammer said. I hear you make some pretty impressive weapons. I saw that hammer Ezras group got.

That thing? I chuckled. Compared to what I can make now that might as well be a regular hammer.

They said you were unusual, Jessica said.

I slipped on my relic illusion ring, just to see their reaction. My body changed into what I remember my initial disguise looking like. So, why are you looking for me? Really, I do owe you a solid for helping me get through the pass.

Were trying to complete the quest you sent us on, Aaron responded.

You gave them a quest? Maxwell asked.

I sent you on a quest once, I reminded him. I dont know how it happens. Sometimes it does, I think youve been around me too much for it to happen anymore.

What was the quest? Maxwell asked.

I scratched my head, not used to the hair that felt real generated by the illusion. I believe it was some bullshit I made up about Mercy, something about it being my fathers weapon.

See, I was right! Nick exclaimed. He totally made it up just to get us to quit asking questions.

Sorry, I tried to sound apologetic. I was still in a bit of shell shock not really thinking straight.

No worries, it was actually a fairly interesting quest, Derek assured me. Found out a lot of stuff about that weapon of yours and about you.

We found out hes a true monster. You sacrificed the entire city for your own lust for power, Marcus snapped.

Did he really though? Jessica, to my surprise, actually defended me. We spent a lot of time around Dothar. I mean, technically speaking youre right in that he sacrificed the city; but people are still there. Theyre just different now.

Theyre all monsters. Marcus took on a very pious voice. They are an affront to nature and God.

I didnt realize he was a role player, I said. That explains why hes such a dick.

That and hes just a dick, Aaron agreed. But you are a useful dick, so we like to keep you around.

Thats what she said, I said without even thinking.

A surprised silence stretched before Maxwell burst out laughing. The rest of them joined, except for Marcus, who just continued to glare at me.

Ezra wasnt kidding when she said there was something different, Aaron said. Anyways, we found some information we were supposed to bring to you, but we actually have to give you something. How do we make our way down?

Its a hidden passageway, I said. A month had passed, and since then Id regained the ability for the dungeon to resurrect me thanks to Chompy taking the boss role, so I could die again if they attacked me. How do I know that youre not going to just try to gank me once you get down here?

I guess you dont, Aaron glared at Marcus. But you have my word we wont, maybe at a later date we will, you are the, he made air quotes, bad guy. But for now, we just want to complete our quest.

Alright, Ill tell you where the entrance is, though it does change each time its accessed, so this is only a one-time thing, I said. If you do attack me, even if you manage to take me out, the next time you enter the dungeon, Im going to have a specially formed hit squad thats going to hunt you down.

We can take them on. We beat your monster, Marcus sneered.

You beat a monster. How would you fare against four of those at the same time? I asked, then smiled. Derek, if you keep him in line then the next time you guys manage to beat Chompy, I will have a custom-built hammer for you.

Derek smiled broadly through his thick, red beard. We could just kill him. He hefted his hammer and eyed Marcus.

Ill behave, Marcus huffed, the pompousness flowing out of him like a deflating balloon.

It didnt take long for them to make their way down. While I was up at the ceiling, I replaced the reward item, even though Chompy wasnt rebuilt yet. That would take me some work.

Its a rather long story, so Im going to keep it simple, Aaron said, handing me a book with a depiction of Mercy on the front of it and a woven pattern around it. If you didnt know, that weapon once upon a time was a truly evil thing, and I mean true evil, not like you evil, like desecrating the soul.

I nodded having learned that myself.

So anyway, Aaron continued. Something called a soul weaver found it after killing the man who wielded it. He almost destroyed the weapon but was so impressed with the craftsmanship that he instead decided to free the souls within it and rework it to a different task.

Fascinating, I said, looking between Mercy and the book. I suspected something like that when I found out what the weapon was. Interestingly enough, this is the place it was made.

Well, thats very fortunate for you, Aaron chuckled. That book notes that the soul weaver made on the weapon and ways he said one would be able to improve if they had access to the place it was created and the right material.

I will do some careful reading, I gave Aaron a slight bow in thanks.

It just completed, Nick said happily. I got me a whole level! So close to soul compression.

Glad I could help. I was eager for them to leave so I could dive into the book.

The rest of the group turned and began to leave, but Jessica approached me. When I say we found out a lot about you, I really mean that. She glanced over her shoulder where the others had paused, Marcus was rolling his eyes. They think Im crazy, but everything we learned about your time here only adds up to one thing. The records show you didnt exist here for very long, despite being a supposedly ancient and powerful necromancer. The group you ran with were role players, and a nasty backstabbing lot at that. I think you were a player and somehow you lost your power and ended up stuck in this world.

I stared into her eyes, a little stunned. It made sense if the quest had them learning about me in the past.

Maxwell laughed and broke the spell. You got it in one.

Maxwell is right. Once upon a time, I lived on Earth as just your regular old blue-collar worker. I didnt know becoming a Lich actually bound part of me here.

I recommend being careful with who you tell that too, we want people to know, but it has to be the right people at first, Maxwells tone became very serious. Think about the implications of what Ezekiel actually is getting out and becoming widespread.

The next hour devolved into a conversation where they asked me a lot of questions and I answered them as best I could. To my surprise, every one of them, including Marcus, expressed sympathy. They understood Maxwells warning about the information getting out. But Decker argued that it might not be as damaging as Maxwell thought. After all, the Immortals already existed. The only problem was I wasnt exactly like them, I could be killed.

Raven arrived and Jessica immediately fell in love with her. As the conversation dragged on, Raven got bored and turned into her lynx form, which Jessica loved even more. When they finally left, I was a mix of confused emotions. I was touched that they seemed to care, and also thrilled someone besides Maxwell knew, but I was also worried about what might happen if it got out.

Ultimately that was the goal. I figured if people knew and believed what I was, then I might gain some allies against Olattee. The problem was the player killer guilds that hunted the Immortals would find me a very tasty morsel indeed. But those were issues I didnt have to worry about right away, and I resolved to always be strong enough or clever enough to stay ahead of any threat.

Regardless of all that, I felt like I had another ally. Theyd asked if it would be okay for them to continue to do the dungeon, and I told them I didnt mind. They would be a net loss of resources for me, but having allies around on the outside would be worth it.