"This…this sword is amazing!" Rookie Warrior could not help but smile as his new sword easily slashed through the skeletal warrior, armor included.
Rookie Warrior continued his attack while both Wolf and Snow aided him by grabbing the skeletons by the leg bones and knocking them to the ground. Priestess and Apprentice Cleric managed to kill some of the undead with the strikes to their skulls with the slings while High Elf Archer pressed her own attack, easily slaying the undead with each arrow.
"Have to finish these things off quickly…can't let her get killed by that scum of a brother." High Elf Archer hissed as she caught sight of Half-Demon Thief fighting with her brother.
Half-Demon Thief panted heavily as she wiped the blood from her face, a wound she received from brother due to a quick slash of his daggers. She had managed to avoid any lethal blows, but it was clear she was having to remain on the defensive, while her brother pushed her further away from the horcrux.
"Shouldn't you just give up already?" He looked at her with cold eyes as if she was nothing more than a clump of mud. "You're only going to prolong your suffering, and I'm growing quite bored of this."
"I'm sorry if I'm boring you…but I'm not stopping until that horcux is nothing but shards of glass and the Lich Queen is dust!"
"You impudent wretch!" Finally she had managed to get a true reaction out of him as he face contorted in rage. "My Queen who gave us refuge…gave us purpose…and all you can think of is killing her!"
"Look at what she's doing! She's trying to take over the world for herself, she says peace but its senseless murder!" Half-Demon Thief continued to plead in hopes of reaching her brother. "She's got you turned against your own sister. We swore to each other that we would always look out for one another! Please, help me stop her!"
Half-Demon Assassin looked at her with contempt, every word she said angering him further until he finally smiled, but this smile unnerved Half-Demon Thief.
"I was just going to kill you, but now…now I'm going to make you wish I had killed you first. I will cripple you and force you to watch as flay your "friends" alive in front of you!"
"Brother."
"Don't you dare call me that!" Half-Demon Assassin howled with anger as he charged toward his sister.
xxxx
"Magic…Missile." Witch's spell flew forward with a burst of purple light and caused the undead to explode around her. "These…creatures can be…quite bothersome."
"Quite right, but we're far from being beaten." Dwarf Shaman smiled as he used his sling to slay the undead, saving his final spells for when they were needed most. "How you holding up Scaly?"
"Their bones are quite tough, almost like trying to break stone." Lizard Priest avoided the massive club of the troll skeletons then slashed himself only to have his blades barely nick the surface. "And then we have two of them to deal with."
Lizard Priest looked to the side and avoided the next troll skeleton as he prepared to continue his attack. Within the horde were his two Dragontooth Warriors who slashed through the undead, thankfully being ignored since they themselves were undead as well, just then the Dragontooth Warriors suddenly stopped. The two turned toward Lizard Priest and roared before charging at him, although surprised by this he quickly used his Swordclaw to stop their attack.
"What…what is this?"
"Scaly, you okay?" Dwarf Shaman watched with wide eyes as his two summons had now turned on him. "What the hell happened with those two?"
"I don't…the Lich Queen! Her magic is influencing them!"
With a grunt he pushed them back and was prepared to attack, but hesitated, even if they were summons they were still connected to him.
"I do not wish to harm you. Please come back to your senses my warriors!"
Suddenly the heavy footstep sounded behind him and as he turned found the troll skeleton standing behind him with club raised for the killing blow.
xxxx
Spearman and Goblin Slayer continued to battle against the skeletal army, avoiding the attacks the best they could but thankfully their armor protected them from any serious injury. Goblin Slayer grunted in approval of the flanged mace in his hands, its weight meant he could use it with just one hand and the metal weapon was far superior to his normal wooden club. Once the last skeletal warrior had been defeated the two worn-out adventurers turned to find the Armored Skelton still standing before the pedestal with his hands upon the handle of his battle ax.
"You two did well." Armored Skeleton gripped the handle with his right hand and raised his ax. "However as I told you the other night, I do not tire."
Goblin Slayer and Spearman rushed forward to engage the Armored Skelton but he was ready as he quickly used his ax to deflect their attacks before launching his own counterattack. With the blow from his ax he knocked back Spearman's spear then stepped forward to punch him across the left side of his jaw. Goblin Slayer too rushed in to fight and pushed the Armored Skelton with his shield then swung his mace toward the skull, but Armored Skelton got hold of his wrist to stop his swing then in an unexpected move head-butted Goblin Slayer knocking him to the ground.
"You're both exhausted from the earlier fight, I'll have no trouble being able to see what kind of foolish attack you're going to try."
The two adventurers pushed themselves up and prepared to continue the fight, behind this formidable foe was the goal the sought, the horcrux that would weaken the lich, bring out her demise and stop her army from slaughtering any others.
"You may remember the skills of your past self, but your time has come and gone!" Spearman grunted as he wiped the blood from his mouth. "No ghost from the past is going to beat us!"
"This "ghost" has got you two young pups pushed further back, you haven't gotten any closer to her horcrux and I sure as hell won't let you advance any further."
"You won't stop us here. Now move or be moved." Goblin Slayer pointed her mace at Armored Skelton.
Armored Skelton looked at this armored man, the one who managed to withstand his queen's magic and who brought down his forces with his strange explosive magic and water spell, and tightened his grip on his ax.
"You boy, even if it angers her, I will kill you before my queen can get her hands on you."
xxxx
Sage cried out as she held her injured arm and watched as the ice started to slowly covered her hand and crawl up her arm. Female Swordmaster found herself in the same state as she looked down with worried eyes as ice crept over her leg wound and began to spread slowly toward the rest of her leg. Hero was the only one standing with her sword in hand, but the exhaustion on her face was present as she looked up at the Lich Queen who chuckled at the sight of fallen heroes.
"My, my, my. You're all doing so much better than you were last night."
"We…are far…from beaten." Hero grunted as she stepped forward, every step felt as though she was weighed down with metal boots. "Our comrades will destroy your horcruxes…and you will fall this night."
"Are you still under the effect of my Illusion little hero? Your companions will soon be my puppets and you may be forced to slay them once they turn against you."
"You monster! My friends won't become your slaves and my other comrades will stop you! Your arrogance is your greatest weakness!"
"Your confidence in your "friends" is yours!"
xxxx
"Scaly! You can't reason with them! Destroy them quickly!" Dwarf Shaman continued to use his sling to smash the undead skulls but the moment he ran out of rocks he then use Stone Blast to obliterate most of the oncoming undead.
Lizard Priest jumped to the side as the troll skeleton brought his club crashing down and as he slowly stood was attacked by one of his summons who slashed at his arm. He hissed as the blood ran from his various wounds and he backed further away from his two summons who stalked toward him. He raised his Swordclaw to destroy the summons, and although he knew it was foolish on his part, lowered his weapon. Skeletons though they may be, they were a part of him and he could not bring himself to strike down the Dragontooth Warriors, as he lowered his weapon.
"I beseech you, do not force me to destroy you." Lizard Priest closed his eyes and brought his hands together and bowed his head, praying to his ancestors. "Honored ancestors, guide these warriors of mine to regain their senses and fight to aid the force of righteousness! Please!"
The two Dragontooth Warriors charged forward followed by the lumbering troll skeletons ready to attack Lizard Priest. Witch and Dwarf Shaman could only look on with wide eyes as they saw this, unable to get to their comrade until this final wave of the undead was destroyed. Just as the Dragontooth Warriors were ready to attack, they stopped short from eviscerating Lizard Priest. Lizard Priest opened his eyes and smiled as the two warriors lowered their arms as they looked toward their summoner with puzzled expressions. Before he could breathe a sigh of relief, the troll skeletons drew closer and raised their clubs to strike. One of the Dragontooth Warriors charged toward the further troll skeleton while the one closest to Lizard Priest pushed his summoner out of harm's way just as the first troll skeleton brought its club crashing down.
Lizard Priest hit the ground and as he looked up saw the Dragontooth Warrior who had pushed him being crushed by the troll's club, returning it back to its catalysts. The second warrior tried to hold the second troll from moving forward, but like the first, was destroyed by the monster's weapon. Lizard Priest saw the sacrifice and grew angry as he gripped his swordclaw and stood once again to face these monsters.
"O proud and strange brontosaurus, grant me the strength of ten thousand."
The miracle of Partial Dragon greatly increased Lizard Priest strength, as he charged forward with a roar to attack the closest troll. With a mighty swing of his swordclaw, he easily broke through the troll's bones, first severing it club from its arm and then with a second swing destroyed the troll's shin bones and watched as the massive skeleton fell forward. The second troll stalked forward but stopped as it heard a strange sound, it suddenly looked up to see a massive boulder forming directly above it.
"Come out, you gnoes, it's time to work, now don't you dare your duty shirk – a bit of dust may cause no shock, but a thousand make a lovely rock…Stone Blast!"
The dwarf's spell caused the boulder to fall upon the troll skeleton completely shattering the creature while Lizard Priest destroyed the skull of the other skeleton thus clearing the room completely. Lizard Priest then went about gathering the spent catalysts, happy he was able to avenge his fallen summons and that they had returned to their normal senses in order to save him. The trio of adventurers, though tired approached the pedestal that held the golden ring, the lich's horcrux.
"We must…destroy…this cursed…item."
"Indeed, Scaly you want to do the honors?"
"Of course Sir Mage." Lizard Priest raised his Swordclaw high then brought it crashing down destroying the ring and pedestal in one swipe. "May this action aid in the destruction of this evil heresy!"
xxxx
Goblin Slayer's armor may have been able to stand up to the repeated claws of the undead, but was not made to hold up to the giant battle ax. Blood ran down his arm and leg where the Armored Skeleton had struck at him, cracking the armor and managing to cut through his chainmail. Spearman didn't fare much better as blood ran down from his right shoulder where his shoulder armor had been until the Armored Skeleton struck him. Both warriors panted heavily as they forced theselves to take up defensive stances while they looked back at Armored Skeleton, his armor cracked in several spots from their repeated attacks.
"You both have done well, stand down and I shall make your deaths as painless as possible. One quick swipe and I'll take your head from your shoulders, it would even keep you from being brought back as an undead. Not too bad a choice to select if I do say so myself."
"The only one losing his head this night is you!" Spearman charged forward with spear raised to give a downward strike.
Armored Skeleton raised his ax to meet this attack and easily blocked the spear, but then caught sight of Goblin Slayer charging forward with mace in his left hand and sword in his right. Goblin Slayer struck at the cracked armor with his mace with enough force to crack some of the ribs then continued with swing of his sword along the left leg forcing the Armored Skeleton to take a knee. Spearman pushed himself back from the battle ax and with a mighty yell charged forward with his spear aiming for the spot Goblin Slayer had struck and pierced through the armor and continued on until his spear's blade had emerged through the other side of the armor.
Had Armored Skeleton been human, this attack would have been fatal, but all it did was anger him. He swung with the back of his right fist and knocked Spearman to the ground, he then grabbed Goblin Slayer by his neck and lifted him effortlessly before tossing him backwards. Armored Skeleton got hold of the spear and ripped it out of his damaged armor and tossed it aside as he stalked toward Goblin Slayer who had dropped his sword to his right side and was fumbling around for something behind him. Armored Skeleton howled as he brought his ax down striking Goblin Slayer left shoulder, once again tearing into his flesh, and the one saving grace for Goblin Slayer was he managed to grip the top of the ax handle to keep it from completely taking his arm off.
"You damn sack of organs! You can't hold me back forever!" Armored Skeleton chuckled as he pushed further as his eye sockets flashed red. "You have no idea how much I'm going to enjoy killing you! You won't steal my queen from me!"
"I have no intention…of taking you queen…for myself. My only goal…is her…destruction." Goblin Slayer grunted as he did his best to keep the battle ax from going any further while reaching for his sword with his right hand.
"Fool, you think that sword of yours will do any good?"
"The sword is not for you. It's to light the wick."
Goblin Slayer raised his sword then quickly struck the ground with enough force to cause a spark with ignited the wick of the granado he had drawn out earlier. He then dropped his sword and got hold of the granado and jammed it into the hole Spearman had created. Armored Skeleton looked down at the sight and could see the smoke rising from his wound, but before he could ponder it any further, Spearman charged forward and slammed into him knocking him off Goblin Slayer as he rolled to the side. Goblin Slayer tore out the ax from his shoulder and Spearman helped him to his feet and both quickly backed away from the smoking skeleton. Armored Skeleton started to rise then quickly went about patting his armor in a futile attempt to put out the fire before looking back at the two warrior with sheer contempt on its skull.
"Damn you both to hell!"
With a thunderous explosion, Armored Skeleton was blown apart by the blast, his armor and fragments of his body flew all around the room, a plume of smoke was all that remained to show where he had once been standing.
"What the hell was that Goblin Slayer?"
"A granado, my last one. You okay?"
"You're asking me that with that large cut in your shoulder?"
"It won't keep me from fighting. Now, let us destroy that item."
Goblin Slayer and Spearman recovered their weapons before slowly making their way toward the pedestal and looked over the magic rod with the gem atop it.
"Destroy it Goblin Slayer."
Goblin Slayer nodded as he raised his mace and brought it down smashing the rod in two and crushing the gem into dust.
"That makes 25 for me…and you?" Goblin Slayer turned toward Spearman.
"…24…looks like the drinks are on me when we get back." Spearman smiled as he placed a hand on Goblin Slayer's undamaged shoulder. "Come on you damn hack, we got a lich to kill."
xxxx
Half-Demon Thief was knocked to the ground only to look up and see the twisted face of her brother looming over her. He brought his dagger in left hand down to stab her to which she raised her injured hand to catch the blade, she managed to stop his blade but only because it went through her hand. She screamed but continued to grip his hand tightly with hers, and before she could manage any other type of defense he brought his right knee down upon her left wrist as he straddled her chest.
"Get…get off…you bastard." She gritted her teeth from the pain in her hand and from her wrist.
"I bet you're used to this, tell me does that human straddle you like this or do you straddle him? How do you look at yourself knowing that it is a human who has defiled you? The same kind that killed mother and father?"
"You damn monster! I am no one's slave!" She angrily gritted her teeth as her brother twisted his blade. "Are you so damn stupid to forget that our mother was human? We took our revenge against those who hurt us! Who hurt mom and dad! Let your hatred go already."
"I'll let go of my hatred…the moment you stop breathing is the moment I will be at peace!"
"You can't kill me, your precious Lich Queen said I was one of her horcruxes, kill me and you hurt your queen!"
"You a horcrux? Don't be ridiculous, why would she trust you with such a noble responsibility? No dear sis…traitorous thief, you are nothing more than a pile of shit." With a crazed smile he raised his dagger in his right hand high, ready to plunge it straight into his sister's face. "And shit isn't useful to any of us."
Before he could stab her, a sharp pain shot through his left leg as she looked down and found an arrow sticking out. He looked back to see the elf from the other night glaring back at him, but that moment of distraction was just what Half-Demon Thief needed. She quickly got her left wrist free from his knee and then plunged her own dagger through his right shoulder. He screamed as he looked back at his sister then heard the growls of the wolves, he looked up to be tackled by the two dire wolves. He screamed as the black dire wolf got hold of his left arm and bit down hard while the white dire wolf right down on his right ankle breaking the bone in her jaws.
Half-Demon Thief sat up and got hold of the knife handle and quickly tore it out of her hand, she looked down to see the blood running from her wound and was rather unnerved to be able to see through the hole, but she could still use it. She quickly went to work wrapping up her injured hand once again and retrieved her second dagger as she walked over toward her brother still being held by the wolves. He looked up at her with disgust on his face despite the pain he was feeling and waited for her to kill him.
"Do it!"
Half-Demon Thief contemplated killing her bother, he had attacked her several times, almost killing her, accused her of being nothing more than a cheap harlot for Goblin Slayer, and threatened to kill her friends. She wanted to kill him, and yet, he was still her brother, her last living relative. She couldn't bring herself to kill him and instead gave him a swift kick across the face with enough force to knock him out cold. Once he was down she quickly retrieved her other dagger from his shoulder and put her weapons away as she knelt down to check the dire wolves.
"Thank you." She smiled and she gave the two wolves a gentle pet atop the head then looked back to find High Elf Archer putting an arrow in the final undead. "Thank you."
"Did you kill that bastard?"
"I…I can't. He may be a murderous monster, but he's still my brother." She looked down at her unconscious brother and despite all he had done to her felt sorry for him. "I may regret letting him live, but I'd like to try and save him."
High Elf Archer was not too happy to hear this, but being a younger sister herself understood wanting to help their family. With a sigh she smiled and nodded her head in approval then went to work retrieving her arrows for the coming battle with the Lich Queen.
"Priestess, you and Cleric to tie him up, make sure to take any weapons off him first."
"Of course."
With the last arrow taken back from the undead, High Elf Archer looked over the carnage of the battlefield and although disgusted at the sight and stench of it all could not help but be proud of all she and her group had accomplished. She saw Half-Demon Thief motion for her to join her by the pedestal, to which she quickly made her way over the bodies and both looked at golden hand mirror before them.
"I take it this was hers?" High Elf Archer turned toward Half-Demon Thief as she looked away from the mirror.
"Maybe when she was human, can't imagine her looking at herself with this anymore. Do you want to do the honors?"
"With pleasure." High Elf Archer took hold of the mirror then gave it a good strike against the pedestal and watched as the mirror shattered before her. "We've done our part, now, let's get back to the others!"
xxxx
"You monster! My friends won't become your slaves and my other comrades will stop you! Your arrogance is your greatest weakness!"
"Your confidence in your "friends" is yours!"
Lich Queen smiled as she marched forward to attack Hero when she suddenly screamed, dropping her swords as she grabbed both sides of her head and stumbled about. Hero looked on with wide eyes at the sight, at first not sure what had caused the Lich Queen such pain then smiled when she realized it must have been the destruction of one of her horcruxes. She charged forward to attack but Lich Queen held out her hands and launched icicles toward Hero forcing the adventurer to roll to the side to avoid the attack.
"Damn you mortals and your…"
She screamed once again this time placing her hands on opposite sides of her stomach as she doubled over in pain. Hero saw this and smiled then heard her comrades call for her and as she turned saw the ice that had been creeping over their bodies suddenly vanished. Female Swordmaster and Sage slowly stood and joined Hero and now all three stood ready to launch their attack only to find the Lich Queen picking up her swords and beneath her veil caught a glimpse of the rage upon her face.
"My…my horcruxes! You miserable piles of filth! I will slaughter you all!"
Once again she attempted to charge forward to attack but now a new pain shot through her body once again forcing her to drop her swords. She screamed with such ferocity that the windows around them shattered, Hero and her party were forced to cover their ears as everything seemed to be shaking round them. Lich Queen dropped to her knees and proceeded to smash her head again the stone floor over and over that she actually began to crack the stone with each strike.
"No…impossible…my…my horcruxes. How…how could they have been destroyed."
"Alright then let's finish this." Hero stood with sword raised and prepared to charge forward.
"Above us." Sage pointed toward the second level as she saw a figure emerge.
The others looked up to see a figure stained in blood slowly emerge, Lich Queen saw them look upward and followed their gaze and was delighted by what she saw. There on the second level overlooking the throne room was the Goblin Slayer who looked down at the Lich Queen.
"Goblin Slayer." Hero was shock to see him and immediately felt guilty for having him return as one of the undead.
"My beloved Goblin Slayer, you've come." Lich Queen raised her arms and extended them toward the undead warrior and waited for her power to control him. "Come to me. Come to your mistress."
Goblin Slayer continued to look toward the Lich Queen when he reached for something behind his back and threw it forward at the Lich Queen. The Lich Queen grunted as the glass vial hit her body and the strange liquid splashed all over her, with wide eyes she looked back at Goblin Slayer and remembered this from the previous night.
"Beloved?"
"Now."
"Brilliant Inflammarae."
It only took one single park from the purple fire to completely engulf the Lich Queen's body in flames. Lich Queen screamed once again as she stumbled around, trying to douse the flames that burned her body but she was suddenly struck by an ax that imbedded itself in her chest. Hero and her party heard looked above them and saw Dwarf Shaman and Lizard Priest join Witch above.
"We move."
Goblin Slayer, Spearman and Lizard Priest jumped down from the second level and charged forward with weapons raised each strike the burning Lich Queen forcing her to stumble about with every strike the landed upon her body. Hero and her party suddenly snapped out of their trance and joined the others, Sage launched firebolts the continued the flames around the Lich Queen while both Female Sword Master and Hero struck her with their swords. Hero yelled as she jumped upward with sword raised over her head and brought it crashing down splitting the Lich's chest open as black blood shot out of her body like a geyser. The Lich Queen stood there momentarily, her body still in flames and blood running from her wounds before toppling over with a heavy thud and lay there motionless.
High Elf Archer and the others rushed toward the sounds of battle, and reached the second level just in time to see the Lich Queen topple over still burning. Half-Demon Thief was stunned to see this but then smiled as she saw the Lich fall before them.
"Yeah, we did it!" Hero cheered as she raised her sword triumphantly.
The others, save Goblin Slayer, also cheered happily at the sight of the downed Lich Queen, but Half-Demon Assassin who finally came to, could only smirk at the sight.
"Fools." He said with a sinister chuckle.
"What?" Half-Demon Thief looked back toward her brother as did the others at what he said.
The Lich's body suddenly exploded in a plume of black smoke surprising all in the throne room. The smoke began to swirl about, the gust of icy winds were so strong many felt they might be swept away if they hadn't held onto something. The plume of smoke then collided with the floor and quickly took shape, when the smoke cleared the Lich Queen stood in the center of the adventurers with both swords in her hands. The veil that covered her face was gone as her skeletal face contorted in in rage and her eyes blazed red.
"You…all of you will die this night for the humiliation you have caused me. Prepare yourselves, for I shall show you what hell is truly like."