To Mance a Mance

Many forms of apparent magic exist. Names have been given out to the verb, such as sorcery, witchcraft, wizardry and so on. Names for those who do the verb range from magician, mage, warlock, wizard, witch and mancer. The terms will be classified as mancer for the noun and the verb will range from a variety of terms, excluding the foolish trickery of magic which is only excepted due to the direction of video games.

Why mancer? Because a mancer is easily used as a suffix. The terms necromancer, pyromancer, aquamancer and even omnimancer all work. The past terms could be used in conjunction with the examples, but not actually used as a single word.

This leads to the role of a mancer. A mancer is one who can take their powers from the specified streams of vibes. Vibes are a certain forces which are not visible to the eye, but detectable with ones own mental eye. Mancers are said to have a third eye due to this, which can measure the force of their proficiency of vibes. Now being a pyromancer doesn't mean that a pyromancer cannot detect perhaps a vibe of life, they merely are most proficient in pyromancy while being quite low in skill of the other. This is like a biochemist still knowing something about electrical engineering. The omnimancer is much like a polymathematician. Few can learn this art well, and many who attempt it die young by the amount of energy their mind cannot handle. That is why becoming an omnimancer is quite difficult, being that one must know their own limits of mental growth and develop at their mind's rate, not their ambition's. But a there are more then a few elemental mancers, there are also conjurers who call forth beasts of other planes or create their own planes and chaosmancers who harness the ability to simply will things, though both the mentioned arts are much more difficult to master then the basic fundamentals of pyromancy and the like.

This energy can aid one when the brain can handle it, allowing for mancers to become very aged. A mancer has a class, which is very much directed a majority by their age. One will become a sage at an old age if they have a capable ability in their art. Mancers are not used in warfare normally, as some vibes may flee violence, besides violent vibes of negativity. A necromancer is at an advantage due to their ability to use the dark powers of death while also using the holy powers of healing. Even then, vibes which gravitate towards a battle may overwhelm a mancer of their origin. This makes mancers unreliable and many times can demolish one's own army if the forces are not directed well enough. Also, mancy is unreliable for generic use as it requires focus.

In some areas of Anae, the art of using vibes is banned and practitioners are searched out to be destroyed. This is generally accepted though, and some areas ban certain vibes while leaving others unwatched. Many believe that this practise can have severe side effects and that the study is of an unnatural nature. Due to this, popularity and credit to the mind can be scarce among groups which frown upon this controversial subject. Many however believe that vibes may lead to an optimal future of cost effective living and that minds will evolve to sustain higher discipline and therefore the arcane work of mancers may still be developed further even without knowledge of its true workings.

Bane was one who absorbed vibes of strong negativity and redirected them. His type were called dark necromancers. Still, for simplicity, he stated he was a necromancer. He did have the ability to heal, to a small degree. Bane was a powerful necromancer in the dark arts and therefore had gained his name in respect to his skills. Nelzlyn only hoped she could one day gain a name that was linked with her proficiency. Nelzlyn was a pyromancer. She took the energy of fire which she then forced with her will. This made it that a highly trained pyromancer was deadly, being able to direct lighting bolts from the sky. While Bane found his vibes in battles, Nelzlyn found her’s in storms and fires. Bane had trained himself to pick up violent vibes from afar and even be able to detect the smallest stream of it.

Nelzlyn was nearing the age of thirty. Pyromancy had caught her eye when she saw a bolt of lighting set a tree on fire, igniting an obsession for fire at the age of 14, and the want to control its great power. She read any books she could find and began detecting its vibe at 17. A year later, she was strengthening flames and in another 2 she was creating them. For the year between her meeting with Bane, she would merely study pyromancy in theory, and attempt maintain fires with the most basic of fuels.

Bane was aging, but his age could not be detected by powers he had inlaid into his body. At the age of seventy, he had the physique of a person in their mid thirties, as he had slowed his growth by an average of 80%. He had been strengthening it his entire career as a necromancer, hoping to eventually reverse the effects if he reached a brittle physique before he could halt his growth. He had become absorbed into dark necromancy when he felt, without any training, the vibe of its powerful potential at the age of 8. His parents would then disown him when he began to study it openly at the age of 11, after following a vibe to a murder scene. In anger of no longer being supported, he would murder his parents with necromancy 1 years later, after studying even harder into the lethal branches of the dark art. From then after, he became a very cold person who consumed his life in the study for power. He went to battles and tried to merge with the vibes he felt. He killed many in these areas, trying to strengthen the vibes even more. In doing so, his mind grew quickly, and miraculously, he did not receive any brain damage. He began to feel vibes from a distance, and could pull it towards him. He would chase after streams of it and find where its destination was. He began to even emit a vibe after long mediation within strong areas of negativity. After passing from ring to ring of necromancers, he would earn the name of Bane.

"I was wondering where I may find a mentor for pyromancy, might you know any?"

Nelzlyn had asked a clerk within a social service building in Alkar.

"I'm afraid any skilled pyromancers are not here, they prefer Darlz Spire. You may wish to see Bane, the dark necromancer who lives in this area. He’s known for teaching any mancy very well."

The clerk responded with a little humour in her voice.

"I see, who might this Bane be?"

Nelzlyn decided inquired further.

"He is a powerful necromancer who had taken some pupils already. He is not very popular though, outside of training some very powerful mancers. He is a little bit destructive."

The clerk had responded again with the same tone of amusement.

"I see. I'll see him, if you can tell me where to find him."

Nelzlyn probed further.

"Depends, he kills any intruders on his manor. He is in the area right now though, I believe. He comes into town every once and awhile, and stays as a vagrant until he has stocked upon what he is searching for. Sometimes he takes days to find what he is searching for. He came the other day for information on any problems. He had sensed a vibe coming from here, he wanted to find its source."

The clerk had become more official in posture, realizing that Nelzlyn was serious about meeting Bane. She had told the truth, and she knew that Bane was becoming a problem. But she hadn't expected anyone to actually want to meet the infamous necromancer.

"I'll be going then, hopefully I can find him."

Nelzlyn concluded. She then left the building to search for Bane.

Bane was met a days later, though he had found Nelzlyn. He could sense her search for him, and decided to see what she wanted. Though he did not know who she was, or what she was. He simply knew that something was calling him in a certain direction.

For Nelzlyn, a man in his mid thirties had approached her, stared at her and then began to speak obnoxiously.

"Might you be looking for someone?"

The voice had been quite inquisitive, and inpatient.

"...Yes, I'm looking for a powerful necromancer named Bane."

Nelzlyn had been a little annoyed by the slight rudeness of the man.

"A mere necromancer named Bane? I'm afraid there is no necromancer named Bane."

The voice had picked up some amusement and a small tone of riddle.

"Are you making a statement that you know every necromancer?"

Nelzlyn was getting impatient.

"Why of course not, but a necromancer on its own wouldn't be called Bane. Bane is reserved for a dark necromancer."

The voice was very amused now.

"I don't know who you are, so leave me alone. I have no time for tricks of words."

Nelzlyn was getting very agitated with the stranger.

"Short sighted I guess. I see you are unskilled at finding people who even greet you in gesture."

The man walked off, a small grin upon his face. Nelzlyn thought for a short time, then followed him. When he walked out of the town area, she followed him still. He did not change pace, and Nelzlyn was getting tired. When they were at a distance from the town gates, and in a small field of green grass with hills in the distance, she attempted to slow the man by materialising a hollow cylinder of fire about him, but the cylinder only lasted for a fraction of a moment. The size was large and the grass it seared was merely dried to a small degree. The man turned about, and stared at her with a frown. A pain entered her stomach and spread throughout her body. It began to strengthen until it recoiled at her stomach and grew in power threefold. She fell to the ground well staring at the man, assured that he was Bane now. Then the pain disappeared completely, and a lasting effect was gone.

"If you want to continue any lessons here without proper preparation, do that again. Next time I'll leave you to die though."

The voice was still amused, but in a very cold way.

"Then I follow you, Bane?"

Nelzlyn was now very humble.

"If you want to continue the way we were prior to your bold act. Or you could lead foolishly to the destination you do not know of. Even then, I could do away with your company and rest awhile before being disturbed. Either way, I want payment now. What do you have?"

The voice went from amused, arrogant before entering a speculative tone. Nelzlyn took a moment of hesitation before replying.

"What do you want?"

Nelzlyn held a tone of inquisition.

"Nothing, besides your loyalty."

The voice was again amused, and this time not as cold.

"Then that you can have."

Nelzlyn was slightly glad, as she had very little to pay with. This joy was soon cut off though, as a pain again shot through her for a moment.

"We have to get going. Don't be slow, I won't stop for you."

The voice was cold again, and Bane was no longer facing her when he spoke. Bane still held a slight amusement though, one that was slightly fearsome in aura.

The Manor of Bane was one which Bane had constructed himself. He had created it within an area relatively near the town while also being close to a source of negativity. The manor itself had a negative aura. Bane lived within it, having many areas made to attract the vibe he yearned for. It was constructed with 3 floors, and 2 below ground floors. The very top floor of his manor held any victims he treasured, like his parents They were kept between the walls of the manor, so that the attic looked more like a small maze of corridors.. The second floor was divided in 2. The east side had 3 rooms for meditation. Each room was for a different meditation. The most east of them was for one to lay on a floor of spikes and meditate while different forms of Bane went through their body. They could walk about the room and receive an extra amount of Bane from various traps if they so wished, as Bane did on occasion. The room was not lethal though. The room in between the room of tortured mediation and the most western room was one which allowed for one to bathe. In order to do so though, one must pail the bath themselves by getting water from a natural spring which was across a trapped floor. There was even a gate of barbed wire one must walk through. All the traps in the rooms of the entire manor, as the third floor was not the only trapped room, sent the blood of the victims to storage. In this way, there was an alternative foundation that one could choose to bathe in blood instead with, Bane drank from this fountain on occasion. Bane drained his victims of their blood so that he could put it into storage. The most western room of the eastern side was one devoted to comfort. This room contained no traps, only a worn floor tarnished with dry blood from the neighbouring room's waste. This room had a flat floor and candles. One could sit on a small mat if they wished, though Bane denied the luxury from himself the majority of the time. The western side of the floor was much the opposite to the eastern, to a degree. Instead of being devoted to an odd twisted meditation, it was more a casual room of torture. And unlike the eastern side, it was lethal and normally used on others. Bane killed any of his unfortunate prisoners and would sometimes keep them alive for days, until they died of Bane. There were 2 rooms on this side of the floor, one which held the tools he used and another to place his victims within contraptions.

This may make Bane seem like a complete creep. And to many he was. Many would kill Bane if they could, but any who actually tried became one of his victims. But he didn't get random people for his experiments. He simply had to destroy any who stood in his path, or which he felt would do society better to be gone. He had taken many other cruel murders and done away with them. In the case that he found one which preferred to kill in a certain style, he would kill them in that style. When someone intruded upon Bane's home, they were seen as a foe. Many of his victims were from small groups of people who were against mancers. Bane was one of the only open practicians of mancy in the area, and made himself a target. Many groups made coalitions to solely kill Bane. The government had attempted on few occasions in the past, and lost any they sent to banish Bane. Some mancers also challenged Bane ignorantly and lost their arrogance as their body was thrown apart from within, so that they couldn't even focus enough to have a single blow cast towards Bane. These incidents were rare of course, as most knew not to stand against Bane. He mainly killed criminals, sometimes capturing them from a prison.

The main floor held all the normal living conditions. The kitchen was at the back of the floor while a lobby was at the entrance. To the east were 2 bedrooms, while to the west were the living room and dining room. The entire floor contained paintings of gruesome scenes, from battles to torture. Bane also had images of his own. His most tolerable was his abstract of negative vibes. It showed an open skull with a stream of dark blood coming out of it, which led to the view point. The eyes held an angry look, but looked a little sombre. From them blue spectres came forth, screaming in pain. He also had real paintings of his victims, many of the paintings held multiple images. Of the victim in fear, of the victim getting tortured and then the victim dead. He divided these images in many different ways, from bands to triangles.

The first basement held a library on mancy, of a generic kind. It explained vibe mechanics, vibe maps, vibe sources, mind exercises, etc. The shelves were arranged in a maze fashion which made entry to the second basement difficult for others who did not know its workings and allowed guests to get lost within the trapped areas. Certain areas contained mirrors to confuse any victims, while some floors would trigger shelves to move about, making the maze shift while travelling. In fact, some areas required the triggers to be pressed for access. There was a lounging area, with a table and 2 chairs. One chair was trapped, while the other was trapped with one of Bane’s calm hexes. Many who sat in the calm chair would dose off, therefore, it was not entirely useful for its function.

The second basement held a library that was of dark necromancy. It covered all the subjects in depth. Bane had a chair to read this literature from, though it was trapped through a hex and inserted the illusion of pain upon the occupant. This floor held a series of sliding book cases that allowed for a very compressed library and traps which were well hidden to the ignorant fool.

This was The Manor of Bane. When Nelzlyn entered, it seemed quite large, and she stood for a moment in awe, until Bane turn around for the first time since he had last spoken to her in the field.

“Your room is to the left. Take another left for your room, to the right is mine. To the right is the living and dining room. The basements are where you will find any literature. I would be delighted if you could tell me how I’ve ordered the literature. You may want to avoid the higher floors, they are for my worship mainly. You will have no need to go there, though you may if you wish. I only advise against.”

Bane had held a casual tone until the library, where he became amused. But as soon as he came to speak of the higher levels, he held a firm voice which increased the note of persuasion.

“Alright. What would you advise me to do therefore?”

Nelzlyn asked Bane, as she was quite lost on what she felt like doing within this manor for the time.

“You chose, I’m going to cook myself a meal. You can make your own food though, as I am not here to take care of you.”

Bane held a slight sarcasm, which left Nelzlyn confused whether she should be hurt or not.

Nelzlyn had a tight schedule at Bane’s manor. She spoke with Bane at 20, would then cook her meal, in which Bane insisted she created the flame which cooked it herself. From there she would be sent into the library until 60. At 60 she came to eat and then studied in the library with Bane until 75. She then was free until 85. From 85 to 90 she would then experiment with pyromancy. At 90 she was free until 20, which was spent sleeping normally.

Once every 10 days, Bane would change the schedule;
 * 0=Eat
 * 0-40=Study
 * 40-50=Eat/Rest
 * 50-80=Study with Bane
 * 80-85=Study in second library
 * 85-90=Study in second library with Bane
 * 90-100=Experiment

This schedule lasted 2 days, forcing Nelzlyn to have no sleep. In the case that Nelzlyn ever slept while not during a rest period, Bane would blast her with a sharp pain until he decided he to release her.

Once every 100 days, Bane would bring her outside at 0. There, Bane and Nelzlyn would have a skirmish. In these Bane would hold back from using his full power, by battling Nelzlyn with pyromancy. These days were complete rest if Nelzlyn could overthrow Bane. But if he won, she would have a full day of rest while he meditated in his most painful room, and shared his pain with her mentally.

It had been thirteen days when Nelzlyn stepped on one of the triggers in the library, while following the route Bane had told her to take. She had heard gears moving and continued on her way until one of the corridors she used regularly was gone. She continued either way, thinking she just took a wrong turn when she found that the floor had a book case instead of its regular carpet. Slightly confused, she looked over the books to see if perhaps Bane had left a clue within them.

There was a note that Nelzlyn found in the book case, it was sticking out a bit. “-Enab .Dias neeb sah tahw tuoba kinht  .Tfird t’ond uoy tseggus I  .eerf eb dna repeed daeR”

Bane had muttered about his library on occasion. The first time she had heard of it was when he introduced her, and the following:

“I would be delighted if you could tell me how I’ve ordered the literature.”

“I spent some time on my beautiful manor, the library especially.”

“Don’t be surprised if you find new books and rooms in the library, there are shelves which appear only after certain events.”

“I never liked the alphabet, it had too many rules. Spelling is worthless, many of my books make mistakes.”

“You should try to read backwards, it always helped me I found in my library.”

“I like looking at what is the first of each row in this library, it just shows the rest so well.”

The first book of each row was:
 * Fish Fins and Tree Sap
 * Familiars and Summoning
 * Eveld the Elf Named Paz
 * Scorched Scales
 * Manors of Mancers
 * Myth to Theory
 * Pits and Traps
 * Architecture of a Maze
 * Random Puzzles to Logic Puzzles

In reverse these books read, with the words that Nelzlyn could find: Pas Eert dna Snif Hsif=Pass Sniff Sift gninommuS dna srailimaF=Must Musk Muse Rail Sail Zap Deman Fel eht Delve= Pass Deman Demand Fell Delve Zap Selacs Dehcrocs=Sell Rocks Srecnam fo Sronam=Foe Name Yroeht ot Htym=Hyme Spart dna Stip=Spa Art Stick Tip Pit Part Ezam a fo Erutcetihcra=Ram Foe Selzzup cigoL ot Selzzup Modnar=Mod Sell Dart Up

The reappearing words were; Pass, Sell and Foe.

The quote of “Don’t be surprised if you find new books and rooms in the library, there are shelves which appear only after certain events.” could be reversed in meaning that certain shelves would only disappear after certain events. These events may have been inspired by the book “Random Puzzles to Logic Puzzles”.

Nelzlyn decided to skim through the small book of puzzles. It read:

Puzzles have been created for a long period of time. These perhaps began with the mazes of lines in which one would follow routes through trial and error. Eventually, mazes were made within buildings. These would prove more difficult with the loss of the aerial view, and one would have needed to remember the path they took. Then the creation of trapdoors made these mazes even more difficult, along with the creation of multiple floors. But then someone began to think up of mazes which could use one’s ability to answer riddles. Soon mazes would have riddles engraved around them, some to set the victim off guard and others to give a guiding hand to the witty. Take for example, a maze with the choice of going either left or right. If the intersection held a riddle of “The right way is never left untaken.”, then one with a proper wit could chose the right path for its indication to never take left for the right path. Now if the riddle was “The right way is always left untaken.”, then it would indicate to take the left path.

But what about when they say “Only the fool will travel left when the right way is that of the fool.”? Soon paradoxes appeared like these, but the answer is still that one should travel left. If one does though, they will meet doom through some trap along the corridor that is in the left direction. In that way, the victim must find an alternative route which leads to where the left corridor leads...

Nelzlyn flipped the pages over to the final page, where a note was written. “Note to Self: Make the floors slide also to offset any markers that are set by the occupants. Perhaps there can be a 1:2:11:22:111:222 pattern even...But who could figure such a large ratio of ratios?”

Nelzlyn waited a moment. A rest was needed. If she was desperate, she could burn the library down. But even then, she would likely kill herself, and Bane would kill her even if she lived. What was the ratio about?

Perhaps it was steps, or books. Books could lead to huge numbers. Or coordinates. Where was point 0 though? Was it relative or absolute. If it was relative then Bane left the book as a clue. But if it wasn’t to be found...It would be absolute. But from where? The entrance? Or maybe it had to do with the shifting walls. The floors slid, as the note indicated. Maybe this puzzle was like many puzzles, simple. There must be a small trick. But a puzzle was limited to its creator. Bane had depth. He had created it. What would Bane choose? He might of hid a switch in a book case...That was it.

The 1:2:11:22:111:222 was a pattern of books. Then 1 to be the book next to Random Puzzles to Logic Puzzles. That aligned with the quote“I would be delighted if you could tell me how I’ve ordered the literature.”

If Bane had ordered it in a certain way, not alphabetical for sure, then Nelzlyn could find the order in which the numbers followed. She read the titles next to the small book she had looked through. Random Puzzles to Logic Puzzles Moderate Growth of Vibes Etarez the Omnimancer Zero Theories Ores of Mancy Service to the Master

That was it. The pattern was so obvious now that she was looking. The first letter of the first word upon the book was that of the last letter of the first word of the previous book. But how did that help? That was it. The shelves had moved. This meant that if the shelves had moved, Nelzlyn had to follow the pattern if the numbers went past the book shelf.

Nelzlyn opened Moderate Growth of Vibes, but none of the pages had a single note. Another moment of though corrected this mistake, the ratios were resetting to 0 after every book, and Random Puzzles to Logic Puzzles was 1. So 1+2=3 and therefore Etarez the Omnimancer was the correct book that was needed to get the next note. Of course, the note was inlaid on the second last page. Following the pattern was very important. The note followed:

Only the fool will go this way, there are too many of them. Fools live longer then witty people for some reason. I must surely compensate for this unusual imbalance. Still, what can I do against this odd dilemma? I have it. I will have those who go backwards die and kill the fools who live...Which way can you go when both ends are dead?

Nelzlyn had to wait a moment. Bane obviously had too much time to himself. But if there was a trigger in the bookcase, perhaps it was at this very point. Nelzlyn felt into the empty slot where Etarez the Omnimancer had originally been placed. At once she held her hand back, and saw that her finger was bleeding. Inside a spike now lay, still raising. Nelzlyn watched it rise. The blood slowly seeped down the spike and left small engravements much more visible. She seized the small hilt on the now more evident blade. It rose, but was attached inside to a spring. As she slid the blood over the etches, the text was easily read:

This fool is less foolish then most. Perhaps this fool deserves a true puzzle. Try this, and you will be half way free. N=Highest page number in the book above Random Puzzles to Logic Puzzles. M=Highest page number in the book below the previous book.

Nelzlyn reached for Architecture of a Maze. Inside it showed many designs, in such a variety that Nelzlyn didn’t wish to ponder on which type this maze was. It was likely a hybrid. Either way, the book had 336 pages. Random Puzzles to Logic Puzzles had 108.

The note continued.

Now take N and add that with M.

Then with the sum of it and the square root of the rounded M/N, divide that by 3.

On this page, you will find a theory of how to calculate the absolute point zero of this maze.

Nelzlyn found and rechecked to make sure that she found that it was 151. But after checking both books for the next riddle, she found the following. Simply the following:

Fool you are, think of the text. Reread the titles of the following: “Z to A is the same as A to Z”, “Zero when Added is Useless”, “Zero Multiplied Wipes the Board.”, “Never Divide Zero or by Zero”, “Zero Subtraction is like Zero Addition.”

Find me the square root to -1 and divide it by zero. Then multiply 10 by itself this many times.

Nelzlyn thought a moment. The second note meant infinite, even if it was impossible. The first were axioms. But one fact remained consistent. They all related to 0. Even the clue was to. If the absolute point of 0 was equal to infinite, any coordinates in absolute form would be useless. She reread all the titles of the books. One stuck out. The book titled “Zero Theories”. On page 151, Nelzlyn found a note, along with the axioms she had read in “Architecture of a Maze”. The note read:

Well done, having chased your tail with this case of books, I will now reward you the absolute point of zero. It is here. Or more, it is here for X and Y. Point zero Z is not even on this floor.

At once, Nelzlyn felt down into the vacant slot. As she pressed a switch, pulleys lowered the horizontal bookcase to the second basement. So that was the answer. When you are faced with two options which are blocked, you take the third. Now she was stuck on the second basement though. Being at a dead end, Nelzlyn walked on to see what was further ahead. When she took a turn, she found Bane’s rest area. He was sitting on the floor, reading a book.

“Self Resurrection, I’m studying it more closely.”

Bane had a relaxed tone, it showed that he was pleased. Most likely because Nelzlyn had solved one of his simpler puzzles.

“I see, so you planned to have me come to the second basement?”

Nelzlyn moved towards the dark red chair, speaking in a calm tone.

“Why yes, I wanted to see your wit. If you had continued from the bookcase, you would of been locked inside it until I felt like opening the maze for you. The second basement allows you to bypass the small room. There are a few rooms hidden in the library.”

Bane spoke in monotone, not changing as Nelzlyn jolted out of the chair as it shot her nerves with pain. She then sat in the other chair, a lighter blue. She felt calm in it, and laid back.

“How late am I?”

“Not by much. Though I believe that we should move upon pyromancy experimentation now. If you would, get out of that chair. You’ll likely doze off, through the positive charm I force upon it.”

The voice hadn’t changed.

“What do you plan to do in this library, I could flare a book.”

Nelzlyn was tired of the libraries, she had hoped to go outside.

“That is true. You could flare a book.”

The word could was held.

“What do you mean by this?”

Nelzlyn was getting tired of Bane’s riddles.

“You have a want to bring down lightning. You create fire whenever you have a chance, but have you ever doused one?”

Bane was speculative, showing that resistence would be crushed easily.

“No.”

Nelzlyn was quick in speech now.

“Exactly. I’ll teach you to blast lighting if you can eventually douse a flame which I generate.”

The if was emphasized.

“Alright, how hard can it be?”

Nelzlyn was content now, there was only one more barrier until Bane would teach her of lighting.

Bane took a candle, and lit it with a mance.

“Douse it.”

He was firm in voice. As Nelzlyn focused on the flame, it grew slightly. She immediately cut off mental control.

“How?”

Nelzlyn was now humble, and looked to Bane for his wealth of knowledge.

“You have taught yourself to add energy to a flame through your own mental ability. You are not absorbing the vibe effectively though, merely feeling it. You can transfer the abstract vibe, but not the true fire. Absorb the energy.”

Bane held a formal tone, as he always did while explaining mancy. Nelzlyn followed the instructions and found that she was draining herself without change to the flame.

“It is difficult.”

Nelzlyn was slightly set off by her inability to do something she had thought would be simple.

“You are having trouble with an osmose effect. The rate of energy being taken is being added, you are being drained through your channelling of the energy. Focus.”

Bane held his firm tone, showing no sign of softening in his demands. Nelzlyn calmed for a moment, and closed her eyes. She spent a moment in meditation and then decided to try again. As she focused on the flame and felt fatigue with no gain, she refused to stop her efforts. Energy was travelling in reverse of her stream she was creating, the more force she put on it the more powerful the counter stream was. But as her fatigue forced her to require more energy, her mind became a reservoir for energy. With the candle’s energy not being enough to suffice, the counter stream found it easier to stop within her mind. The flame began to dwindle, allowing her to lower her force on the stream. It then vanished to smoke. She knew it would take time to douse a fire that Bane was suppling with energy himself.

“That was harder then I had thought.”

Nelzlyn was slightly humiliated.

“Yes, well it should be easy for one who wishes for bolts of lightning. In fact, if you can cause lightning, I’ll bring you to Darlz Spire. That would be the end of your training with me, and Darlz Spire will likely accept anyone I propose to them.”

Bane held his formal tone still, less cold then his norm and also less amused. Still, Nelzlyn was even more ambitious to douse Bane’s fire if it would lead to Darlz Spire.

“May I attempt to douse another flame?”

Nelzlyn held a cautious tone.

“Yes, I have the book I was looking for. Not here though. You can rekindle the candle and then dekindle it.”

Bane was now informal.

“What are you looking for in Self Resurrection?”

Nelzlyn was now inquisitive.

“Have you ever heard of liches?”

Th tone showed that Bane would have to be very detailed.

“Mythological undead creatures? I believe so.”

Nelzlyn was slightly glad to know something of the topic that had arisen.

“Perhaps not mythological. But yes, they are undead. Due to the fact that the amount of steps required of a person to be resurrected as a lich are at such a level of difficulty, liches are rarely found. I am hoping to become a lich as my body is beginning to rot. Even though I have induced charms upon myself, I have read some works on theory of necromancy, and have found that immortality of natural death cannot be attained in my fashion. You see, each time I prolong my life it is grown by a percentage. In order to have this value reach infinite, it would require a percentage of infinite. And the larger the value, the lower the effectiveness of the charm. If drawn in a fashion of acceleration, the growth will eventually reach a limit of 0. Taking that into account, at my current rate of depletion, I will die faster then I prolong in another century. I believe that I may be able to have a multiplication of infinite if I transfer my body for a lich. In order to do so I must follow certain steps, which I have read my library so that it would take me perhaps a decade instead of a century.”

Due to the long passage, the tone became quite formal.

“What may this be?”

Nelzlyn had become interested.

“In order to become a lich there are specific criteria. If I fail, I may become a lesser lich or merely be dead. A lesser lich has no ability to feel vibes, lack of immortality and quite frail. To become a lich, I must complete the following: 1=Die within a negative vibe. 2=Absorb an immense quantity of the vibe, if I fail to absorb enough, I will be a lesser lich. 3=Death must be caused by a certain ritual of suicide called Regenerative Decay.

The rest is within the ritual, if you wish to hear how it is performed you may.”

Still formal, though the final statement was informal.

“I am willing to find more about this interesting concept.”

Nelzlyn was now very interested, and hoped that Bane could explain thoroughly.

“Regenerative Decay is a concept which seems like an oxymoron at first. But, many natural things follow the concept. When a tree dies and is covered in moss, it has made a transition which prolongs its life. This cycle can continue for eons if undisturbed. The ritual is based on the concept, and the form I am using is for human resurrection into lich form. Being a lich is merely a second state of life. Liches are known to be capable of excessive powers, which is true. A person must absorb a large quantity of vibes when they transfer, which is kept within the now capable body. But enough about that, and more about this specific strand of the theory.

Regenerative Decay is achieved after much labour. Its goal is to prolong the life through transition. The required materials are: 1 ritual knife, containing an amulet of death within the blade. 1 vial of own’s blood. 1 vial of another’s blood. A room of sacrificial meditation, containing a bath of blood.

The entire ritual takes place inside the room of sacrificial meditation. The entire ritual takes place in 2 days. Therefore, 10 is 20% of a day. The instructions are as follows.: Meditate on blood stained spikes for 10. Drink half the vial of own’s blood. Meditate for another 10. Drink half the vial of another’s blood. Mediate for 5. Mix vial of another’s blood into own’s vial. Meditate for 25. Bathe in blood for 25 Insert knife into vial. Continue bathing for 25. Take knife out. Push knife into stomach until blade is fully submerged. Initiate a powerful pain through means of mancy into entire body, with a focus point of the blade. Release knife from stomach, continue with artificial pain. After a moment, reinsert knife and slice upwards towards neck. If still alive, press knife into neck until dead. Drink the vial as a lich to stabilize.

I have all which I need, I plan to attempt this tomorrow. I ask that you take a leave for the next three days, exempting today for a time of getting anything you may need for the next 300. If you don’t mind, I am going to be reading. The bookcases should of made a straight hall to the exit now.”

The tone was again formal, but held a slight amusement at the topic. Bane had recited the last part flawlessly, as he was sure to avoid error while following the process.

Once Nelzlyn was gone, Bane went to his apparently comfortable meditation room. There he laid on the mat until he decided to get a meal. For dinner he had water and bread. After dinner, he admired his works and than took a tour of his death gallery. After having done this, he decided he would like to draw forth a higher level of negativity. To do so, he decided he would check his list of those he wished dead. Some of the options he pondered upon were: Oliver Vernin, local merchant which supplied the anti-mancy faction XMancers. Xavier Nelziz, leader of XMancers. Alzume Friam, part of a faction called ANecro.

He decided with Alzume, the death could lead to a higher level of negativity. He put on his travelling robe, holy ward and also took his ritual knife. He then left for Alkar. The walk took awhile, and he spent his time in meditation. He soon reached the area and in another short while reached the house of Alzume. It was night by now, and he could see a candle was lit inside. He waited beside the house until the glimmer of light was gone. He then went to the door. He knocked at it and waited for a moment. Soon the door opened by a small crease. Alzume himself was looking at Bane, and in a moment the door would have been shut, had Bane not placed his knife between the wall and door. Due to the change in events, Bane was prying into the house the next moment while Alzume called for help, and ran. Because Alzume was no longer taking the time to keep the door shut and was running to his larger window for escape, Bane entered quickly enough. He tried to stop his victim with a shot of pain, but Alzume had his ward on, as he always did. Bane ran for Alzume, and was soon facing Alzume’s face. For Alzume knew that Bane would catch him when he reached the window. The room was inside the kitchen. A table was between Bane and Alzume, and Alzume had taken a knife from the table. The 2 looked at each other.

“What do you want of me?”

Alzume was nervous, knowing that he may be dead by the morning.

“Your death.”

Bane was in no mood to talk.

Alzume stepped back.

Bane began to charge at Alzume, who threw a chair at Bane. Bane then tripped over the chair, in which Alzume decided to pounce. Bane grabbed the knifed hand and went to slash his foe. In another half moment, Alzume was holding Bane’s other hand. They were static. They had to hold off the other’s attack while also pressing forward with the other. Bane went to kick Alzume, and ended up being locked. Alzume attempted to attack with mancy, and found Bane was wearing a holy ward. Bane took measures and decided to use pyromancy. He scorched the legs of Alzume lightly, and that gave him time to slash at his victim. Alzume was then pinned to the wall. Bane pushed against the throat until Alzume was weak enough to be left alone.

When Alzume came back to his senses, he found himself being dragged, his limbs entangled. His head hurt, but he was gaged. When he finally looked up, he saw the back of Bane, and in a moment he was shot with pain. He realized that his ward was gone. This made him realize where he was going. By time the 2 reached the manor, Alzume was very sore, mainly his shoulders and head though. Bane entered his manor, dragging Alzume over the stairs. He then took the struggling Alzume to the second floor, where he sat Alzume upon a chair of spikes. Alzume’s eyes grew until Bane removed the gag. Alzume followed to harshly with death upon Bane while being clamped to the chair and impaled the with knives. After some time, Alzume was no longer alive. Bane took the body to his gallery, after draining it of blood.

After much rest, Bane lay in meditation again. He had found a clock which would make a small click when the time had passed for Bane to move to the next step.

Bane meditated on the spikes for a while, letting the pain flow away as he lay down on the small pins. When he heard the click, he took the vial which he had labelled as his own and drank from it. After meditating for another long while, he drank from his vial of another’s blood. He had been keeping the blood stored for some time, it was the blood of Drake, a dark necromancer who had come close to killing Bane. The blood still emitted a vibe. Bane remembered how Drake could have killed him, with a final blow. Somehow though, Bane had sent a back lash through the stream of pain directed at him. The wave absorbed the entire stream and gave Bane an upper hand, leading to the death of Drake. He continued to meditate for 10 until he finally mixed his blood with Drake’s, and then meditated for another half day. It was now that he rose and lowered himself into the bath of blood. He sank lower into it until his body was submerged, besides the face. He remained in this state for another half day, then took out his knife. He lowered it into the vial and watched the blade turn red, waiting for another half day. At the end of this he withdrew the knife and set the vial beside the bath. He then took the knife and thrust it into his stomach, now waiting to transfer all the vibes he could into the wound. He held this posture for a few moments, then released the knife while the pain he was inflicting upon himself spread about and focused. He then reinserted and slashed up his body until he reached the throat. From there he took a final magnetism with the vibes about him and shot them into the blade, its potential risen dramatically by the amulet within. As it struck, Bane felt life fall away, his skin melting into the blood which drowned his face.

Zyx waited as the steam powered elevator slowly travelled up the Darlz Spire. She was at the age of 38, and had held her position for the past 12 years. She was at Darlz Spire for the reason of the company she held a position at named Market Mancers. Though Darlz Spire was mainly known mainly for its pyrovibes, it is also the head quarters for Market Mancers. The corporation holds a monopoly with mancy products and services. They sell amulets and books, offer training and carry out contracts. The business did not have a large demand, but due to the lack of competition, it allowed Market Mancers to flourish. Zyx was head of the mercenary branch. She trained new employees of the branch and took the more difficult tasks herself. Because her branch was seen as one of the most dangerous, and she took the most difficult of the tasks, she received a high payment. As she walked into the room, Gratz looked up at her.

Gratz was aging, and he had finally reached entrepreneur of Market Mancers thirteen years ago, at the age of 72. He walked with a cane, but it was only for style. He was in good health and exercised regularly, along with keeping a fine diet. He was also undergoing an expensive enchantment of longevity. His face was narrow, his entire physique was compact. At the moment, he was sitting on his chair, reading over papers and the what not. Upon his desk were quills, pencils, pens and charcoals. The side had tubes which dropped into the floor. Beside the ledge was a rack which held large marbles which were the size of a fist.

“Zyx, the offer we are receiving is large, it is the largest offer we have ever received before. The offer is 10^5X. With a single X equal to 1000U, we will receive 10^8U, if successful. You would receive 100X.”

The if stuck out from Gratz relaxed tone.

“What is the if for?”

Zyx was trying to hurry Gratz, the man took his time. If she skipped the if, he would go on about how she should take her time because time was a plenty. If she didn’t ask about the if, he would go on about the history of their stocks and the fact that he was actually incorrect in saying that 100X was what Zyx would get, due to business taxes. In the end, there was a 25% tax for paying employees, 5% for security and than another percentage which lowered as risk rose. Zyx normally received between 0% to 2% tax in this area. Seldom would she receive a tax deduction, though this offer may hold the like.

“There are 2 customers, factions called XMancers and ANecro. ANecro recently lost a member named Alzume Friam by what they suspect to be an assassination. They wanted to know if we had been hired for such an assassination, and I let them know that we truthfully were not. This leaves only 1 likely answer, a foe mancer. They believe that the mancer is Bane, a dark necromancer. ANecro made an alliance with XMancers, the extremist group. XMancers have decided to tolerate ANecro and Market Mancers and join with us against Bane. XMancers has been set into action after a pupil of Bane’s told ANecro that he was taking on Regenerative Decay. The pupil is named Nelzlyn, she has taken cover with ANecro. She also admits to betraying Bane due to a lack of her loyalty, and the fact that he killed Alzume Friam. We have been asked to aid the factions in the death of Bane. Be aware, however, that he will likely be a lich.”

Gratz had taken his time in the explanation, though Zyx had become interested in knowing the details to this commission.

“Being that we are dealing with a lich, what is the risk factor I will have?”

Zyx had already decided that this commission may be turned down, the first due to a risk beyond her limits.

“High enough that in the end you will only receive a 10% tax. That means you get 90X and we get 10^4+10X. Fair enough?”

Gratz had already predicted that Zyx would want a high pay for such a task.

“Alright, but I have 1 more condition which I believe I deserve after all I’ve done for your stocks.”

Zyx had a second condition, as she knew Gratz was a little desperate for this commission.

“What may this other desire be?”

Gratz was not hiding his desperation.

“Over my entire career in Market Mancers, I have been seen as the direct cause for 25% of the state we are at, and I own 20% of them. All I want is 5% more of the stocks, which I know you can give. You have 60% of the stocks. Even with 55% of them, you still have despotic control.”

Gratz frowned at this idea, looking up to Zyx and seeing her grin.

“Alright Zyx, our rates should raise soon enough if this is successful, and I can see the logic of the 5%. Is that enough?”

Gratz was getting very desperate, but Zyx could tell he would be hardening his shell soon enough.

“Deal, now aside from the business and to the task at hand. I need the details on this and I know you can tell me all the information you have, and any conclusions you’ve come to.”

Zyx sat back in the comfortable chair, waiting for the long lecture she had sentenced herself to.

“Bane is believed to of become a lich a yesterday, and the ritual is thought to of been a success. Proof of his life has been found, Alzume’s body was found at the city’s gate. When checked, the death was found to be caused by excessive torture. This is known to be inflicted upon the victims of Bane. Bane has a manor which contains 4 floors. The last known place that we know he was at for sure was a town called Azlay, the last suspected area being a forest near the town. The reason we know that Bane was at Azlay is due to a series of deaths and witnesses who believe they saw a lich. Bane’s true name prior to its renewal was Klarth Fang. He was born in Alkar, a town near his manor. He is known to have killed his parents as a juvenile. Investigator’s found that his manor could not be reached, a few died when they struck the barrier. ANecro attempted to disable the barrier, though they failed. You may also interview Nelzlyn, ANecro and XMancers.”

Gratz ended his explanation due to a knock at the door, which opened up to his secretary.

“The elected members of ANecro and XMancers is here, along with Nelzlyn, do I bring them in?”

The secretary, Nelson, waited a moment for the response.

“Yes, best not keep our high priority, customer’s waiting. Bring them in, with formality.”

Gratz was getting slightly nervous now, due to the potential of this commission. The three customers came into the room. Nelzlyn sat to the left, ANecro representative to the right and XMancers representative in the middle. Gratz looked at the three, XMancers was an odd alliance. The faction was strongly against Market Mancers, and so this situation had to be very drastic.

“Hello, I have just spoken with my head of contracts, Zyx. She is very talented in this area of contracts also. If you will, she wishes to interview you upon the task you wish to pay us for. I will observe, and follow through with what resources I can give you, and what few resources I cannot.”

Gratz had most evidently prepared for his small introduction. Zyx decided to speak first, as she hoped to skip pleasantries.

“First I want to know why XMancers has decided to temporarily ally with Market Mancers and ANecro.”

The representative of XMancers was unaffected by the blunt start, and carried a tone of similar stature to that of Zyx’s.

“My name is Lyle. XMancers has acted in desperation of the situation. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Bane has acted against us ever since we first became aware of him, 50 years ago. We have underestimated him, and our slight attempts to crush him failed. We accepted the loss though, until he took on Regenerative Decay. The process he took is one of the most punishable things a mancer can do, and we have been called to take full action now in our attempts to stop him.”

Lyle was very strongly spoken, and Zyx accepted the answer as sufficient.

“ANecro, what status did this Alzume Friam have?”

Zyx turned to the representative of ANecro, leaving her attention from Lyle.

“I am Slorm. Alzume was our head of Alkar. He had organized some attacks on Bane, as that was his main goal in that area. Bane cared little about this, due to the quantity of assassinations against him. We still believe that the Bane’s action was mainly based upon the fact that he knew the death of Alzume would stir the negative vibes. After killing Alzume, he undertook Regenerative Decay. Alzume’s death was not one of revenge, but of sacrifice. Either way, we are further provoked by his bold transformation. Even to many dark necromancers, Regenerative Decay is seen as a forbidden art. This of course extremely more aggravating to ANecro and XMancers.”

Slorm spoke much unlike Lyle, a softly shy tone. Zyx now moved on to Nelzlyn.

“What did you think of Bane while being taught?”

Zyx stared at Nelzlyn in a calm manner, waiting for the response as the less professional speaker, Nelzlyn, thought of what to respond with.

“I took Bane as a fanatic. If that was so, he would know much of what to teach. He was a wealth of knowledge, which is what I seek as a pyromancer. When I heard of the murder though, I finally felt that his knowledge was outweighed by his deeds. Because I did not wish to return, instead to help fight against him, I decided to take refuge with ANecro. In return for protection, I supply them with help. They have offered me membership, though I denied it due to my lack of hate towards necromancy. I find that Bane is simply a dark necromancer who has gone past normal limits of moral. I also have a question to ask, while I am here.”

Nelzlyn looked up, with a slight look of hope in her eyes. Zyx decided to take on the question that had not been asked.

“What may you be wanting?”

Zyx probed slightly, knowing the question would come into the open very easily.

“I was wondering if I could receive some education on pyromancy while at Darlz Spire.”

Nelzlyn was slightly timid amount the subject.

“Though Market Mancers does not choose who is accepted within the confines of Darlz Spire, they will likely accept you if you either can fund them or contain a level of skill above the average. Perhaps you can ask for a test of sorts, or talk with ANecro and XMancers into some sort of agreement. We can however, aid you in informing the seniors of Darlz Spire.”

Zyx was carful with her words, she could not make promises, though she did not wish to lower the moral of Nelzlyn.

“I would be in much gratitude.”

Nelzlyn had an already grateful tone. Zyx waited a moment, then decided to conclude the meeting.

“That should be all the information I need, I will prepare today for the task. Nelzlyn, I will talk with the senior pyromancer today also, and mention your interest in the field.”

The meeting being concluded led to the leave of the guests. This allowed Zyx to speak again with Gratz.

“I suggest you leave tomorrow, while the tracks are fresh. Bane will likely keep quiet for the next ten or more years so that he is forgotten. Likely, he will travel to a very secluded area.”

Gratz was concluding for himself, as he left after his surprisingly short comment. This showed that he was likely tired. He had talked much less than usual, Zyx had been surprised slightly. This was surely a very important matter to Gratz.

Activists of Azlay killed, the bait had been set. With the search headed to the eastern mountain range, Bane could flee to the western mountain range. There he would unlock the Tomb of Shade. He had come across it in his library on occasion, but found few vibes emanated from the tomb when he travelled to it. After further research in the subject, he had found that the seal which barred access also constrained the vibes to stay within. Bane knew that in order to enter the tomb, he must follow some criteria. One of which was to increase his ability to handle immense vibes. The amount of vibes within the tomb would be lethal to any human, which he no longer was.

When he had last spoke to Nelzlyn though, it seemed that he would have three forces pursuing him. To his surprise, XMancers had signed a pact with ANecro, an action he had predicted could happen, and also Market Mancers. The final part came to his surprise, and slight worry. Market Mancers was one of the most dreaded leagues of XMancers. Market Mancers also had a access to resources that would hinder Bane. This had been a joy to Nelzlyn though, her thirst for knowledge desperately yearned for the advanced teachings of Darlz Spire. Bane had taught her to strike lighting that meeting, it had strengthened her loyalty to him.

Bane looked at his hands, mere bones. He wasn’t a skeleton though, his face was a skull also but his body a case of bone, not simply a cage of ribs. His skin had been replaced with bone, an exoskeleton which had replaced his inferior body of flesh.

Zyx entered the forestry near Azlay with a holy amulet. At her back were Lyle and Slorm. Lyle had received a license from XMancers to learn the arts of mancy which could suppress vibes many years ago, which was why Lyle was draining the area of Bane’s preferred vibe. His face were slightly confused though, his inner eye not finding what it wanted. Zyx continued to look about the lush forest which had no trail to lead into the thick trees of years past.

“I am noticing that the density of negativity is much lower than estimated, it would seem that the lead has led us to a false destination. It is quite possible that Bane has used this massacre as a vice to evade our prying eyes.”

Zyx faced Lyle, in thought for a moment. Lyle seemed to have some logic in his statement, but an argument would develop the ideas.

“Perhaps he himself has already absorbed the vibes to evade us within shadows. If he has fled, where would he go?”

Zyx did not try to intimidate Lyle, she wanted him to lash back and think farther into this idea he had sprouted.

“Liches excrete an immense vibe, if he hid from us it would be in another powerful vibe. There is a tomb which offers this perfect protection, and would appeal to his craving. It is the Tomb of Shade. It lay to the west, sealed within the mountains. The most peculiar property is how within its sealed walls is contained the vibe, outside there is only a slight residue.”

Lyle was still speculating, but Zyx took the idea as one which had a strong foundation.

“Perhaps, we should split the forces to head for this tomb. Travel with Slorm and Nelzlyn to the place, I am going to inquire some of the townsfolk. While at Darlz Spire, you may wish to also recruit some other pyromancers. Slorm, what is your opinion?”

Nelzlyn had turned towards the ANecro member, who had been quiet during the conversation. Slorm also had some ideas worth a thought, but he was too shy to speak them without a question.

“I believe that Lyle is correct, but in the case that he is not, you will be in extreme danger. Who will aid you in the case you cross paths with Bane?”

Slorm looked upwards only after he had spoken. Nelzlyn began to weigh the risk she had been taking.

“Yes, perhaps I should ask that one of you remain with here in case I require help.”

Zyx looked at the two and waited. Lyle was first to speak.

“I could ask that Gratz send a few reinforcements.”

Lyle stared at Zyx, who took another moment to think about what had been said.

“Yes, I will wait within Azlay until such reinforcements come.”

At the tomb, Bane took another look at the aged engravements. The mountain had been a slight nuisance, parts of it were cliff which towered a few metres. Many of these cliffs had to be detoured o continue. Much of the mountain was shaped like immense stairs which no human could climb. And after such travel, he stood at the final cliff. This one however, encircled about the mountain which became a plateau at the top. In order to reach this plateau however, Bane would have to pass through the tomb first. What lay inside was of prime interest though. The door to the tomb was a symmetrical art piece which sank into the stone. In the middle was a circle which when touched by Bane, inserted a deep pain within his body. Around the circle lay skulls which drained blood into the circle. At the bottom lay an ocean of blood, which rose at the middle to also enter the circle.

Bane took his ritual knife, and struck the circle with the blade. The blood in the picture seemed to sink in farther, until the rose back to their original depth. With the raise though, Bane was blasted backwards, nearly falling off the cliff. As his new bony body scrapped the ground for a grip, he felt pain entering his body in an powerful wave. He looked again at the picture for an indication of how the tomb would unlock. Bane looked and organized what properties were in the picture. Blood, skulls and a circle.

This led to few factors. Bane again thought over what it yearned for. The blood could be that it desired blood. The skulls could illustrate the need of one’s being of a lich. Finally, the circle could be a hole, a place to absorb the blood. At once, Bane took his blade and slit his two hands simultaneously, in order to maintain symmetry. He then clasp the blade with the blood, and plunged it again into the door. Again, the blood sank within the door. Again it rose, and the circle sank into the tomb, leaving a true hole. Then Bane was blasted again, but with a vibe of negativity and not of force. He walked forward, his own mind feeling fatigued from the constant power of the vibe that struck him, forcing its way into him with a power greater then he could resist. He took a stone and threw it within the tomb, it melted away as it hit a barrier. He then sent a surge of negativity into the hole which now faced him. The hole began to expand, the door crumbling away. Bane began to receive a feedback and slightly faltered. At once the hole began to shrink, until Bane focused once more upon it. As the hole grew again, Bane drew forth all his strength to fight the rising feedback, channelling the vibes which entered him to aid him. The hole had almost disappeared when suddenly the barrier became visible and plunged into Bane. At once he had fallen, thrust back slightly by the mere impact it had upon his nerves and the shock as he realized the force field had become pure negativity. He lay on the ground, in an unconscience state.

Nelzlyn had spent a total of three days at Darlz Spire, studying intensely for when she was scheduled to be tested. The council of pyromancers weren’t busy, with recruits, but they liked to do research on their possible members. They also wanted to give Nelzlyn some time to revise what she knew, and what she needed to know. Now she was waiting in the lobby, she had been scheduled an hour prior, but unknown delays had prolonged the session. Nelzlyn looked up at the door. A moment later, it opened. A pyromancer who was dressed in a formal fashion walked in, his crimson hooded robe trailing behind him. He wore an amulet which held a coal, which all the pyromancers of Darlz Spire did. He stared at Nelzlyn, not saying a word.

“And? What am I to do now? Or is there another delay?”

Nelzlyn had snapped after the odd pause. The pyromancer simply chuckled silently and looked at her again.

“We will now be testing your skill in pyromancy. Come.”

The pyromancer turned again, walking away slowly. Nelzlyn followed behind, wishing he would not stagger after every step.

“Where would we be heading?”

Nelzlyn had calmed herself, and was now inquiring of what events were to follow.

“I am going to be analysing your performance today. I will not be interacting with you further once we enter the basement. That will be done by another pyromancer. Feel free to ask questions of that one, but I would rather avoid conversation with an amateur.”

The pyromancer held a tone which made it evident he wished to talk no more. Nelzlyn however became quite angered by his harsh words, and thought solely of how much she would push herself to her limits. This lasted until they reached a staircase, in which the pyromancer began to walk at an even slower pace. The staircase spiralled downward for some time, unnecessarily deep. But the deeper they went, the more powerful a vibe Nelzlyn felt. Along the walls were written long passages of pyromancy, one strand was a biography of Darlz, another of poetry. The deeper they travelled, the warmer it also became. When they finally reached the bottom, the centre of the spiral shone red with a wave of heat obscuring the view across. They continued down a hall way, the walls lined with heat and vibes circulating about. The stone was of an iron alloy, absorbing more heat and therefore burning at the soles of Nelzlyn’s shoes all the more. By time they reached the large room where a few pyromancers sat in meditation, Nelzlyn was feeling quite sick. Not only did the powerful heat drain her strength, but the vibe was concentrated within the basement. On the main floor, the pyromancers had suppressed the vibe in order to make the area less hostile. Finally, they reached the room. It was there that the escort left and sat at a chair which sat at the back of the room. To her sides were two others. In the centre, a pyromancer waited silently. He wore a much more simple robe, one which was much more practical. He wore an amulet and stood with a cane. The cane was one of iron, spiralling towards the top into an orb to increase grip. His age seemed to be within the earlier region of 50 years.

“I will be testing you, the others are here to observe. Shall we begin?”

The second pyromancer was much less cold towards Nelzlyn.

“I am ready when you are.”

Nelzlyn stared confidentially at the other.

“Good then. My name is Fier shall we start with a basic start?”

Fier gave the notion that his question was not rhetorical. If Nelzlyn had another opinion, he would likely listen.

“No, a gradual raise in difficulty is a logical idea.”

Nelzlyn stood still, simply focussing to not falter in the heat. This was cut short when the centre of the room burst with a flame. Nelzlyn stepped back, felt slightly dizzy and then held her stance.

“Feed the flame.”

Fier had not faltered, for he had trained himself well and had braced for the flare prior. Nelzlyn removed her focus from the heat and took a step back while attempting to raise the flame. The more it grew, the more Nelzlyn felt tired. But she focused her energy towards the flame. Eventually, Fier raised his hand.

“Kill the flame.”

Nelzlyn faltered for a moment, but focused again. The flame died slowly, but steadily. Nelzlyn lowered slightly, holding herself with on of her hands.

“Are you well? Or do you need a rest?”

Fier stood staring at Nelzlyn, almost fallen to the ground.

“No, I can manage.”

Nelzlyn refused to take a rest. She would prove her determination.

“Good then. Shall we look into integrated battle?”

Fier had a slight tone which showed he was attempting to overwhelm Nelzlyn.

“If that is what you wish to begin now.”

Nelzlyn pushed herself up, slipping as her brow attempted to cool her temperature with sweat. She slowly pulled herself up again. The escort walked towards Nelzlyn, and gave her an iron cane.

“Are you sure you do not wish to rest? We could easily have a meal now.”

Fier’s tone showed that he strongly suggested the idea, but the choice was still that of Nelzlyn’s.

“No. I will not take a rest.”

Nelzlyn set the cane to the ground, using it as it was used traditionally.

“Good then, let us begin.”

Fier took one step towards Nelzlyn, then sent a thin wall of fire towards her. Nelzlyn pushed herself through the thin wall and lunged at Fier. He easily parried, but wasn’t prepared for a kick which did not contain very much force. Fier went for a slight jab at Nelzlyn’s leg and struck. Nelzlyn fell as her leg now hurt. As she fell, she jumped back with her other leg while throwing a small spark at Fier. As Fier stepped towards Nelzlyn, he swung his cane at Nelzlyn’s side. While doing so, Nelzlyn focused the last of her energy at the central fire pit. It soon flared, slightly. Fier easily restrained it while Nelzlyn lost focus on everything.

Standing at the gates of Darlz Spire, Lyle led Slorm into the monument. They were to recruit Nelzlyn for her valuable knowledge and any other pyromancers. They would also ask for reinforcements by request of Zyx. Moments later, they were within the lobby. From there, the greeter redirected them to Nelson.

“Hello again, where might Zyx be?”

Nelson had a very courteous appeal to people, which is why Gratz had hired him. He also was casual, which relaxed those around him.

“We decided to broaden our net. Zyx has sent a request for reinforcements and we require aid also, particularly from Nelzlyn.”

Lyle was the first to speak.

“I could easily organize these matters myself, Gratz is a busy man. Unfortunately, Nelzlyn can’t help you. She is very busy with her training. Though we would postpone her training until a later time, she herself has already made it clear she would not willingly go.”

Nelson gave a calm voice for the message, as it was not what they had hoped for. Lyle was first to speak again, before Slorm could say a word.

“That is unfortunate. Either way, we really only need protection from unholy necromancy. Can we at least have a pyromancer to lend a helping hand?“

Lyle stared at Nelson’s eyes for a moment, hoping to intimidate the other. This was to no avail, though there was no need for such actions either.

“Fier is free, he recently tested Nelzlyn. He is also a pyromancer of skill, and an active member of Market Mancers. He would be most suitable for what you wish.”

“Thank you then, I suspect we have no need to speak with Gratz then?”

Lyle was prodding gently, if he could speak with Gratz he would, though he had little need to.

“If you wish to speak with him, you may. However, I will leave him a note on your status and that would have the same effect, just more practically.”

Nelson nodded to the two, who then decided to rest at Darlz Spire and wait for the preparations.

Nelzlyn awoke within the spire chambers, Fier standing to the side.

“You have determination, but you have to know your limits. That knowledge is what will get you into our teachings. Still, I could see your potential. So I’ll give you the final stage of the test now, I have already seen your capability. What I want to know is your problem solving skills. In the basement of this spire is a hidden door. Find it and solve its riddles. Return with the knowledge of Darlz Rite of Rights and I will be satisfied.”

Nelzlyn looked up at Fier, slightly set back. Fier had a tone of charisma, compelling those he spoke to have even more drive.

“Darlz Rite of Rights? I have heard of Rite of Rights but I am unsure what you mean.”

Nelzlyn looked at Fier with curiosity, unsure of what a Rite of Rights truly was.

“In order for a division of mancy to be accepted globally, it must have a Rite of Rights. Or at least, in many mancer’s eyes it does. Darlz was the first to create a Rite of Rights for pyromancy. The laws he laid out are to be followed by any pyromancer who takes up training here. Some Rite of Rights, like geomancy, openly discuss their rites. However, we are less open of our rites. We use it to test new pyromancers. In travelling to the Rite of Rights of Pyromancy, I will accompany you to observe how you solve the problems laid in front of you, and insure your safety.”

Fier held a tone of formality, and responsibility of ritual.

“Good then, I am ready to go as soon as possible.”

Nelzlyn told no lie when she spoke, even after struck by fatigue. Her thirst for knowledge is what gave her ambition.

Awaking from his slumber, Bane looked into the sky as the moon shone upon him. He raised his hand, looking at his bony physique. His body looked black though now. His hands gleamed with blood, a trait he could feel upon his entire body. When he looked at his arm in the moonlight, he could see it was cut in intricate hexagons, all linking together. When he became aware of what had happened prior, and what was happening now, he also became aware of the pain. Slowly the pain grew, until he could not help but to groan in anguish. The darkness of night was closing in on him, his eyes stinging with the cloak of blood which pierced through. He shut his eyes, hoping to stop the pain. But to no avail, the pain only grew in intensity as the blood fell deeper within. He gasped for air, his neck cut and his throat coated within. He felt feebleminded as a lack for blood became evident, his stomach’s scar from the regenerative decay made vulnerable again. He grabbed his shoulder and clutched it to ease the pain, but only hurt his shoulder more. He tried to scream and release his pain, but only gurgled his blood while coughing it, choking upon it only to add to his pain.

He rolled to the side, staring down the cliff he sat atop. He wanted to simply fall to his death, to end his pain. But he couldn’t let himself. He had to remember what he had come for. The source of his pain. He needed to focus. He fell within a void deep within his mind, numbing his senses. Overcoming the pain which throbbed from all around and within him. He lay in thought barely controlling what he thought of. From somewhere else a thought entered his mind which was entangled in shock, ‘Shade.’

Nelzlyn stood at the basement again, bearing an amulet which strengthened her focus. Behind her was Fier, carrying his stave in his sack and wearing one of the amulets which carried a coal. He was not going to intervene unless necessary. Nelzlyn had been given a reference book to refer to, Burning Flames. She had skimmed through it the day before, and had read upon closing her mind to vibes. She had practised it with vigour and was now withstanding the intense vibes which flooded the deeper levels of Darlz Spire. Now she was looking the entrance to the maze of pyromancy. The maze to the rites. She followed the corridor with confidence until she reached where she had failed upon her previous visit to meet her determination.

The circular room held statues of flame, which held true flames from within who spewed from the tops. She thought of what mattered in the art. Fire. The pedestal of pyromancy was most evidently fire, where else would be a better place to look? She scanned the room to find any thing which struck her as odd. Then she saw clearly in her mind, the part of the room which did not always spew a flame. The central grill. Nelzlyn walked towards it, and suppressed it. She looked down the grill, and saw that the walls of the pit wielded indents. Though her hands felt wet with sweat, the climb would be possible. She sat down at the grill and grasped its iron bars, which carried an intense heat from the prior flame. The bars were red, and she stopped before grasping them, forcing away the heat with her hands. Channelling through her hands was much easier. She then preceded to raise the grill, which only had a slight weight. Setting it aside, Nelzlyn climbed down the odd ladder, Fier followed. At the bottom, Nelzlyn stepped aside to feel safer, away from the emitter of fire. There was two paths to take, and an engraved message upon the wall. It read,

Two paths face you, two fates face you. In one direction is the path of distance. To travel through, it requires determination, not to mention a half wit of skill to warm the cold hearted in the dark while cooling the ones who burn with rage. In the other is a test of pure power, doomed to kill. A shower of sparks, a pool of coals and a forest of fires await you, a force that I hope you can’t disable. -Darlz

“Darlz created this maze himself, and embedded his most powerful mancy to create it. To keep it powerful, he had his body set within this maze so that he could strengthen it through death. However, the true maze is through the heavily trapped hall. That one however, is only for when a pyromancer wishes to become an elite. I am still hoping to reach that state. Unfortunately, I have a small amount of innate skill, my skill is gained through determination to learn. You could easily surpass me, you have the drive and innate skill.”

Fier hadn’t spoken since they had entered the basement, but now he did. Nelzlyn figured the matter was not to discuss, but to learn. She reread the text, until she grasped its basic meaning. Nelzlyn lowered her mind’s defences and skimmed for powerful vibes along the paths. Both held an immense volume, and she had to feel it all. She knew that in order to know which path allowed her to live required that she feel their full power, and chose the weakest of the mighty choices. Her mind felt like it was being scorched itself by the amount it was viewing. Nelzlyn finally understood one corridor, and she decided to check the other. Her mind reaching out, Nelzlyn felt her mind burning inside again, but this time it somehow hurt...more. She tried to pull away, satisfied with the result. But she couldn’t. Her mind was locked in place, no longer viewing the vibe but actually absorbing it. Her buckled and she knelt on the charred floor. Her body began to sweat even more, her throat begging for water. Her hands jolted towards her flask, squeezing it so hard that the cured leather gained enough pressure to have its lid blast away. The water gushed into her face, her open mouth catching some of it. The cooling effect and shock of it all was able to severe her mind from its mesmerized state. She immediately drank from the water, stopping once she felt rejuvenated.

“If you need more water, I brought many flasks, as did you. I also would be brought to believe that you have found the correct path, with such a reaction.”

Though the statement held a slight question like manner, it was rhetorical. Nelzlyn simply knew that if she asked for water, Fier would likely lend her some. She began travelling through the path she thought was not a trap. As she followed it, she reached a wall. Fier gave a slight chuckle, but quickly regained composure. Nelzlyn analysed the wall. Oddly enough, it felt cold. She thought a moment, and then remembered the confusing phrase of ‘not to mention a half wit of skill to warm the cold hearted.’ She placed her hands on the cool walls and channelled the vibe around her into the guarded walls. The resistence soon fell, and the wall became warm. The sound of pressure behind the wall came, and the wall slid to the side. Nelzlyn quickly entered, along with Fier. Soon the wall closed again, leaving the hall in darkness. Nelzlyn felt the hall become cold again, and she created a flame to see, and keep warm, and see the slight mist that came from her breath. To the side were pictures of fires on ice, and crystal sculptures of fire which resembled ice lined both sides, the size of a head, with that much room between each. The fire light danced about, glittering about the room in rainbows of colour. She through the fire forward, it quickly hit a wall and died, she now knew that the hall curved under the spire. It also sloped downwards.

“Fier, could I see your stave?”

Nelzlyn held a tone of puzzlement.

“Most certainly, but for what?”

Fier held a tone of trial.

“I recognize it now from the Burning Flames.”

Even while she was speaking, she felt it being handed to her. She soon lit a flame, and pulled out Burning Flames. She looked through the index, went to the ward section and found the page on the Light Stave was 396. It read,

The Light Stave is a ward in which only a fraction of thought need be used in order to channel surrounding vibes into it. Once activated, the Light Stave will remain in its recycling function until it has been isolated from a sufficient density of pyrovibes. Skilled pyromancers, like I, Darlz, emit enough of a vibe so that our staves would never stop glowing were we to never isolate them on purpose...(The text continues with how to create Light Staves and more self glorification from Darlz.)

Nelzlyn grasped the stave and channelled vibes into it, she noticed that its barrier was the same as the wall’s. It easily lowered itself as soon as she attempted to override it. And then it glowed. It grew in brightness, until it shone with a light which made it hard to look at. Within the maze, it found many vibes. Fier passed his sack to Nelzlyn, who then set the stave in it and set at her back, balancing upon her arms and neck. The rainbows shone again, in a stronger magnitude, and less flickering and dancing. Nelzlyn continued to walk down the hall, looking at the walls as they became visible and floor’s dark bricks. The walk was long, and she began to wonder how deep they were. She kept walking, until she noticed that one of the flames were missing. She walked to towards the vacant slot and looked at the ground, a text was left.

The path ahead only leads back, sacrifice must be made to see the unseen door.

Though the text seemed real enough. Nelzlyn went over the possibilities in her head. First there was the path section. It could be a trick, thinking that ahead was the way she had come from. That was unlikely though. It could also be literal, in which it would return to the beginning of the hall. Due to the last phrase about the unseen door though, it was likely that the system that returned to the entrance could be bypassed. How it would be bypassed would have to be chosen once she observed how the system worked. The middle is what struck her slightly. Sacrifice?

Nelzlyn decided to see what was at the end of the hall first, before making a choice. When she reached the end, she found that the wall was warm, enough to make her step back from the wall, and it reminded her that the hall had a cold chill. Nelzlyn thought a moment, and decided to transfer the heat of the wall into the hall. From within the wall, Nelzlyn could sense a ward reacting. Soon the hall closed itself from Nelzlyn and Fier, a lever appearing from a slot that had been hidden. Fier pulled the lever, and the elevator began to raise, slowly.

“The elevator is controlled by weights, the lever controls a larger lever which then shifts a weight along the axis, which effects the pulley. You may want to look at it in Burning Flames, later.”

After a bit of a wait, and some thought on the matter, Nelzlyn had figured that it was possible that the elevator was an obstacle, and that she would have to sacrifice Fier. He had been able to activate the elevator without her taking any action. Again they walked down the hall, Nelzlyn decided to count the flames this time and came to a total of 9999. This made it that because each flame was 15cm, as Burning Flames stated, and there was 15cm between each flame, that there was a total of 15000m to travel. This was exact, because if the missing flame had been present, there would have been 10,000 crystal flames.

“Fier, I’m going to have to ask you to take the elevator alone.”

Nelzlyn looked at him in his eye, and saw that he had a grin. This gave her the notion she was making the correct choice. Without saying a word, Fier activated the elevator. As the cubicle left the ground, Nelzlyn could see a shrine appearing.

Zyx had set residence at one of the homes of the murdered. There, she had investigated the home, which had been left alone by officials. The body had been removed, and preserved at the court. She had observed it, and found that it had no wound. The death had been caused simply by pain. The necromancers with permits had verified this. Zyx had also asked citizens, and could tell that the event had already been deluded into a rumour of Bane being summoned by the activists so they could slay him. Zyx was not ignorant enough to believe such ideas. When she met Narsh, they quickly chose to head to the Tomb of Shade. The setup was perfect for a diversion. Narsh had already researched the tomb prior to his leave after his interview with Lyle and Slorm.

“If Bane were to enter the tomb, he may gain much power. In fact, we may have a harder time defeating him if he became a Dark Lich. Shade had gained such status, it is believed the secret to unlocking such power is hidden within the tomb. Bane probably didn’t think he would escape our search for long, but we don’t know how much time he needs. I’m guessing he has already researched it deeply, which would make entering it not much trouble to him. Also, I believe that his being of a lich has already helped him enter it, many academics in the subject think that is the key to the tomb. If he had wanted us to go to the tomb, so that he could escape, he wouldn’t of made such a bold action here.”

A pyromancer who agrees to this pact will gain the power and teachings of Darlz Spire, while being unable to use vibes in ways which break these rites intentionally. Agreeing to this Rite of Rights will develop the mind’s potential to learn. Set your hands within the coals and read the pact you have embraced. The only rule you are obliged to follow is that the art will not be used to cause harm, indirectly or directly, until after one has need to defend.

If you disobey, the privilege you receive from it will be withdrawn. One of these coals will stay with you, it will cease to burn if you disobey.

Nelzlyn raised her hands, swelling from the heat they had endured. In her left hand, she grasped a coal. Around it was an iron chain. She grasped the heat it gave and set it around her neck. The pain remained, but eventually subsided.

Bane stood at the entrance of the tomb, he had awoken from his sleep and his body had slightly recovered. His bony body ached, but it was no longer the intensity it had been. As he walked into the tomb, the door sealed itself behind him again. Around him was darkness, until the very stone which walled the tomb seemed to glow with a subtle blue luminance which allowed him to see the area in an aura. From the floor, a stone coffin came. Bane walked towards, and could feel Shade’s power coming from it.

‘This tomb should be larger...’

Bane was in deep thought of his situation, trying to figure whether the coffin was a fake or not, and what reasons would be behind it.

‘Hello, Bane.’

The thoughts entered Bane’s mind, clearly divided from the chaos that had been in it prior. He could feel Shade’s vibe within him, and his mind reached for it with his mentalic teachings.

‘I have come to gain power, Shade.’

‘The secrets of becoming a dark lich?’

‘Yes. I have studied all I could of you. It is believed that you are aware of how such power is attained.’

‘Of course, I am one. This coffin carries my body.’

‘This vibe you are...Is it part of the theory of souls?’

‘Correct, a branch of necromancy made to extend life. You of course wished to retain a body. I a soul, you a lich. We may merge to become dark lich.’

‘How may I learn more of the art?’

‘Absorb my soul. A soul is only a conscience vibe. Let us merge, and gain power.’

‘I see, I have one more question before proceeding.’

‘What may this inquiry be?’

‘How did you become a dark lich?’

‘I merged with a more inferior soul. The path to a soul does not require the being of a dark lich. The inferior soul I merged with was a pupil of mine. He had potential, and I had him take on the ritual to become a soul. Once he had proceeded with the ordeal, I absorbed him. Eventually, his conscience died and I was left with the power. You will have even more power then I did, as you will merge with me, and not a necromancer of weakness. You are powerful Bane, even when compared to my power.’

A moment later, Shade was absorbed into Bane’s mind. Bane kneeled to the ground as his mind went into shock. His vision blurred and his body felt numb. A high pitched ring sounded within his ears and he could taste blood within his mouth. His mind sent off a shockwave and he felt himself thrown against the coffin. He grasped one of the edges, buckling into the side of it as his body began to shiver. His feet began to clamp and his fingers stretched open, lightening the grasp he had on the casket. Bane felt his lungs rapidly recycling the stale air which surrounded him. He coughed roughly, blood dripping from his mouth. His skeletal hands began to claw at his stomach of a bone case and he screamed in pain with a volume above that which he had had at the entrance. And then it stopped. He felt his body calm, and a wave of calm filled his mind.

‘You lived. Such is your power, Bane. I pass to you the honour and glory of my name, you are now Shade.’

‘How will we deal with the mercenaries?’

‘For now, we will travel deeper into my tomb. At the end of it I have hidden my armoury. We would be safe in this tomb, but there are matters that both of us need to deal with. You have these mercenaries and the destruction of XMancers and ANecro to do away with while I have a score to settle with a foe I believe is still alive called Devra, the daughter of my pupil. She cursed this tomb with a fiend, and was the result of my death, which had a reason of its own. If we are to reach the end of my tomb, we will have to slay her demon she summoned.’

‘Then let us deal with the first matter, your tomb.’

Shade walked toward the back of the room, a staircase dove into the basement which lay much deeper. What demon Devra had summoned from whichever plane Shade knew not, but that it must be slain he knew he must. He could feel its power, his mind sensitive to every subtle change of the vibes which floated about. When he reached the base of the stairs, he could see the demon. Its chain tail was attached to the floor, so it could not leave through physical means and a ward was set to disrupt it from crossing into another plane. It noticed his approach and its cold blue eyes gazed at him from its black gecko head. The head was attached to a body that extended into a plumb oval coated with scales harder then steel and as dark as its face. From the body extended the six limbs, each carrying hands which held three razor claws. Its chain tail stretched as it leaped towards Shade with hunger.

‘I should of guessed Devra would have summoned one of these. It comes from the plane which emits most of the negative vibes. I built my tomb here because that plane aligns with our plane here. It is immune to necromancy, and any other thing you hurl at it. The only thing it will truly die from is the strike of a blessed blade. We won’t be able to kill it, due to its ability to absorb any vibes aimed towards it. We’d only allow it to kill us.’

‘Perhaps if we were to destroy the ward, then it could leave to its original plane.’

‘Devra is known for her ward’s durability. If we wanted to remove it we would have to dispel is ability to remain where it is, then take it with our own hands. A difficult task with this demon.’

‘Is there any way to communicate with the demon?’

‘Impossible, communicating with demons cannot be done.’

‘Perhaps if we communicate with gestures of peace?’

‘Where it came from, peace is a weakling’s attempt to escape.’

‘What is it that you propose?’

‘We make it impossible for it to attack us by rule of the Dark Law.’

‘The Dark Law? I have heard of the such, though you seemed to have taken it with your death also. If you would, explain the Dark Law to me.’

‘In my armoury is a pedestal that you may choose to agree with the Dark Law. Either way, demons are held by it through heredity. The one that we may tie it on is the ban of drawing the blood from those who offer it prior. If we offer it our blood, it will not be able to claw us. It wouldn’t dare beat us with its palm, due to the consequences which would pursue after such a horrible mistake. It would be filled with pain which its mind would not be numbed of. There have been those who have made the mistake of ignoring the Dark Law and have killed themselves promptly. However, this demon would be unable to escape. Take the ritual knife and offer it your blood.’

Shade took his ritual knife soon after the thought. He impaled his right hand with it, and walked towards the demon with his right arm stretched forth. The demon hesitated its motion to strike him and its head moved towards his hand. He stopped, staring into its blue eyes. Its nose flared at the blood and its tongue came forth, licking at his hand. The tongue burned his hand with pain from the acid, but he held his hand out towards the demon. Once it had taken the blood from his hand, and from his ritual knife, it moved away to a corner. Shade walked towards the ward, and focused on it, destroying its resistence. It eventually dispersed and he was able to take it from the ground where it was originally placed. He walked towards the demon and offered the ward now. The demon took the ward with its razor claws and began to barrage the ward with strikes from its claws. The ward eventually lost its ability to function, and the demon began to open a gate to its home. A black sphere slowly became visible as the light was entered it without returning and the demon became transparent. Once the sphere became opaque, it imploded upon itself and vanished.

‘Though the demons of the Dark Law are powerful by its profit, this is an example of how it can be used against its followers.’

Shade walked across the hall and entered the armoury.

Zyx and Narsh hurried to hopefully rendevous with Lyle, Slorm and Fier. They had not ordered a carriage, being that it would hinder their speed. Slorm, being from ANecro, might be able to suppress Bane slightly with the aid of Lyle. This would leave Narsh and Zyx to dispose of the foe. Zyx had dealt with a many necromancers during her time as a mercenary, they somehow were able to anger people quite easily.

Devra opened her eyes and frowned in anger. She could tell that some fool had not only opened Shade’s tomb, but joined forces. She could also tell that her demon she had summoned had been released, though not slain. She had known such would eventually happen, Shade never liked being dead for long. As she grew in power, Shade did the same. She would have to find a different way to seal him this time. She had already sealed him into a pocket dimension. But still he lived after she had collapsed it. He had simply switched the target to her, leaving her to escape it with ease. It seemed Shade was slowly becoming an omnimancer. She had remained focused though, a conjurer. The art of conjuring was much more straining then most and left many of its pupil’s dead after their first attempt to use it. This made it unpopular as a choice of practice, as it became more lethal with time. Devra had used her most powerful conjure with Shade’s demon. Unfortunately, it was held by the Dark Law. She could sense Shade’s presence of being even with the distance that separated them. She would have to confront him again, and banish him.

Devra arose from her cot in the cave she had fashioned for herself. She had been waiting. Studying away, she was now prepared to summon forth another trial for Shade, and torment him for his unpunished deeds. It was all she had thought of between their last meeting. It was all she lived for. When Shade died, she would accept the pursuit of death with no regrets.

Shade looked at the text in front of him. The door which led to the armoury was the Dark Law. To pass, Shade must accept its terms.

‘After reading the text, you simply must make a blood pact. A single drop is all it needs.’ The Dark Law

The blood pact made here is one which binds tightly around its client while aiding them in magnificent ways. The laws are simple, and the punishment is simply based on a magnitude. Any disobedience will be punished through pain in its most primitive form. When one offers blood, draw no more then they have given. Disobedience will void the client’s pact. When one offers blood, they may do no harm upon those they gift it to. Disobedience will bring death upon the client. If one offers blood in a false pact, pay no mercy.

In accepting these solid terms, one will gain power in every way in which the art is concerned.

Shade took his ritual knife impaled his bone hand. The exoskeleton soon gave way and the dark liquid appeared. Shade thrust his hand upon the altar which lay beneath the text and waited in silence. Soon the wall lowered, giving way to the true armoury.

It was a small room, holding a hooded black robe which was jagged at the base and had long sleeves which expanded at the end, also jagged in cut. Behind it hung a black scythe made of an alloy from the place which the demon Shade had freed was born of. The scythe had a handle which seemed to have notches for an adjustable length every three centimetres. The blade had a smooth curve which made it extend half a metre from the handle. Grips curved along the handle gracefully between each notch, allowing for a sturdy slice even after impact, and a quick recovery so that another blow could be dealt.

‘The robe is enchanted in ways which make it channel vibes, it emits them even. While wearing it, a drought of vibes to draw forth power from will be highly unlikely. What is of more value is the scythe however. It is quite sharp, and it won’t go dull. It inflicts damage by taking the vibes from you and turning them into pain and fear for the victim. Both sides are bladed also, and when it slays it will absorb their energy and lend it to its wielder. While murdering those who oppose, fatigue shall be held off as well as death. If death comes to the one who bears it, it shall curse any who is not of the Dark Law by killing them with pure pain, generated from what it absorbs from its dead master. Be careful when you grasp it, trials of pain are to come.’

Shade stepped forward and took the robe, quickly changing into it and basking in its power. He then went for the scythe, fully braced for the pain he would endure for its greatness. Again, for the third time, he was trialed with pain. As Shade’s trial had been harsher then the trial of the gate, the scythe gave a much higher magnitude of pain. His hands clamped, Shade forcing himself to not let go. The pain travelled like a wave through his arms, slowly. It grew more powerful until it collided at his body. The pain joined against him and doubled as it grew, the core only growing in pain. This trial was different then the previous two trials. No blood was drawn, only pain.

‘Enough. Send the pain back into the scythe.’

Shade stopped simply enduring and fought back. With the resistence, came the scythe’s raise in power. Shade drew all his power, absorbing all the vibes which came from his new found robe and the tomb itself to subdue the scythe. The pain peaked and then it dropped. Shade took the scythe from the wall and it finally submitted to him. He released one hand upon the scythe and found that the leverage which should of made it heavier then he could bear was lacking. The alloy was light, and durable.

Zyx and Narsh had met with Lyle, Fier and Slorm prior to the trio reaching the tomb. This was due to the distance of the tomb to Darlz Spire compared to Azlay and the speed of the groups. Talk had been quick, and all agreed that Bane had travelled to the tomb. Now they stood at the entrance, still shut. Lyle was first to speak, as always.

“There are four possible reasons for its state. The first is that Bane did not come here for some reason unknown to us. The second is that Bane has not come here, yet. The third is that the door seals itself after opening and so Bane is in it at this moment. We can’t afford to divide in the last case, he will have much might when he exits. If he is gone, waiting is futile. And if he has not come yet, patience will slay him. The last is that he has already left, and escaping our net before we have even set it in to strangle him.”

Zyx listened to his words, and decided to prod further, and see what Lyle thought was most likely.

“And seeing to all these possibilities, each is not as likely as the other. In your mind, which is most likely?”

Zyx held a curious tone, one to make Lyle think before he spoke.

“If each event had the same probability, we could have one of us contact Darlz Spire to stay on watch for any dark liches, and then wait here. This is likely even more profitable, since Bane has little reason not to come here. Even if he didn’t, Darlz Spire will still be looking.”

Fier now spoke, his voice quieting everyone to listen. He spoke with a voice which was calm and held wisdom.

“Bane sounds like one who hungers for power. In life, those who effect others do so with something which compels them, drives them and makes them desire. Some are so obsessed with what they desire they are willing to do anything for it. I saw in Nelzlyn the desire for knowledge, how she drew forth power she did not have to prove herself to Darlz Spire. With it, she succeeded. Now, we have Bane. What does one gain by becoming a lich, and then a dark lich? I have heard of him before, his study of necromancy is intense and famous among mancers. I believe he desires power in its most raw form. We all want power, be it finance like Market Mancers, or knowledge like Nelzlyn. But Bane wants it directly. If he knew of this tomb, and indeed he must, he would come here even if he had to face multiple factions alone. He is blind when faced with power.”

Nelzlyn looked ahead into the darkness. A figure was in front of her, hidden amongst the shadows in a dark robe. In its right hand was a scythe which intimidated her. The hands which held it were pale and looked as if they were bony and cold. The features weren’t quite visible though, only wisps of thought which she simply knew.

“I am straining to keep our mental link. Either way, I am near Darlz Spire. I need your assistance. Come.”

The voice was distant and sounded like an echo, only resonating within her mind weakly. Nelzlyn looked down as she responded.

“I would like to stay here, I am learning so much. Please, give me some more time, Bane.”

Her voice was slightly set off, Bane invoking fear in her.

“My name is now Shade. Secondly, do you not remember the price you paid? When I agreed to aid you in your studies, you sold me your loyalty.”

Shade held a strong tone, and a hint of anger in his voice could be felt.

“Perhaps I can aid you while remaining here. I can gain important information and give it to you through a conversation such as this. I can already tell you that they have sent five after you, and they have gone to the tomb.”

Nelzlyn held a hopeful tone.

“The tomb is useless, I have taken all I need of it. However, I am going to have to intercept the group. Thank you, I will leave you to your studies.”

“Thank you, Shade.”

With the passage over, the link was closed and Nelzlyn awoke.

Narsh was at the entrance of the mountain trail which led to Darlz Spire, the clouds making the lighting scarce. He had taken one of the horses which Zyx and him had ordered. But the horse stopped, staring in fear at the path. Narsh waited a moment, but his horse jerked to the side, and began to trot. As it was running, it died suddenly. In a moment, it was dead. Narsh raised himself, clasping at the amulet which his allies also bore. While wearing it, mancy could not harm him.

“Show yourself, I suspect you are Bane.”

Narsh masked his fear slightly, drawing forth all his courage from his amulet.

“I am not Bane. I am Shade.”

Narsh was puzzled by the calmness in the cold voice.

“Then Shade was a soul, I have heard of such things happening from time to time.”

Narsh fell into conversation, the new fact swelling his inner fear even more though.

“Though you may be inferior, I wish for your power.”

From the shadows, Shade appeared Narsh’s fear came out when he saw that his foe had a weapon. He ran in fear, for a moment, then remembered that he had the advantage around Darlz Spire. At his moment of running, Shade had began to chase however. The scythe motioned to collide with his neck, Narsh blocked it by unsheathing his battle staff, which was then dented while hurtling away. In another moment, Narsh began to run into the darkness. Shade would not chase, or so he hoped. As he ran however, he could sense his amulet’s power being dispelled. He turned, his coal amulet now lighting up at his call for it. He drew from it power, and launched a fire wave at Shade. Shade looked at the wall, and in a moment it grew in force with a reversed direction. Narsh focused on the wall himself, the forces making it grow in intensity. He walked backwards, slowly. If he could keep Shade busy with this battle and escape, he could warn Darlz Spire and Shade could be slain. Eventually though, Narsh’s mind fell and the wall flew towards him, he slowed it slightly though, giving him time to hide behind a boulder to his right. He could hear Shade chuckling in the distance, and it was coming closer. And then it stopped. More fear came, as he crawled down a cliff and into an area that was not used as a normal trail.

When Shade had stopped chuckling to himself about how the fool had escaped, he had realized how much fear the poor thing had shown. And with fear came detection. With a simple conversation of vibes and emotion with his scythe, he could sense that the pyromancer had moved to his left, beside a boulder. But by time he moved towards it, he could only hear the rushing sounds of stones being moved along the unused cavity. Either way, he was not going to let the pyromancer escape.

Narsh had never studied the geography of the Darlz Spire region. Due to this fact, he now was lost. But Shade had been quite powerful, fending the mancy of one of the pyromancers of Darlz Spire while in the region. Narsh could feel his coal still against his chest, its warmth cooling. He could hear Shade behind him also, and stopped. Shade must of heard him. He looked about him, seeing that the cavity split into two caves. One was near his left, while the other was between him and Shade. How far they went, he knew not. Narsh grabbed a stone, and threw it into the cave between him and Shade. The stone echoed about, and Shade moved quicker. Narsh bent down, hiding in his dark robe. He could hear Shade enter the cave he had used as a diversion, and leapt for the cave near him. Inside, he moved along the wall, slowly. Shade might give up on looking for him, and leave. He kept moving along the cave. He knew not the length of it, only the chance it offered him. After moving along the cave for some time, he reached the wall. He waited in it, feeling as if he was going to die.

Shade only had to go so far to know that his prey had tricked him. He felt angry, but knew the thing wouldn’t get far. He could sense it, it was near. He looked about after exiting, and saw another cave. He entered it, following his scythe’s directions. And then he could feel the fear in front of him. He did not need his scythe for it, it was so powerful. It made him pause for a moment, and realize the power he had now.

‘Should I kill him? Perhaps he can be of use.’

‘Though fear is wonderful for controlling people, and the man is afraid, they can lash out if given a chance.’

‘True. Still, we may be able to make him ally with us.’

‘I wouldn’t risk it.’

As the conversation of thought went on, Narsh stared up at the dark lich, its scythe raised to attack, but waiting. With a quick motion, Narsh hit the arm which held the scythe while his other arm gave a blow to his foe’s stomach. His fist hit hard bone, however. He hadn’t expected it, though in retrospect he figured he should of. Shade’s scythe came inwards towards Narsh, but due to the range, darkness and time for preparation, only the handle hit him. He fell over, tripping past Shade. In half of the moment it happened in, he realized what fortune had brought him. He continued to run as he gained his balance, hoping Shade wouldn’t catch him. But Shade wasn’t chasing him, he was dispelling the amulet. Narsh recalled some of the basic training he had in protecting the amulet, and set to protect it. The amulet recovered again while Shade destroyed the barrier in a moment.

Shade, seeing that this process of the amulet being guarded until it was cured could continue, decided to take up the chase. He knew he could not fight the other with pyromancy with as much ease, but he didn’t have many choices. He made a wall of fire at the entrance of the cave, hindering the pyromancer to escape without some effort to destroy the obstacle. As he reached the pyromancer, he grabbed the thing’s neck and swung him to the ground, he knew how he could use the fear now.

“If you wish to live, answer my questions. If you wish for a pact, we may create one.”

Shade held a cold tone which gave Narsh the impression that any false move would kill him.

“I will answer your questions, if only you spare my life.”

Narsh held a humble tone, one that let Shade know that Narsh told the truth.

“I have heard that there are five after me, do you know anything of this?”

Narsh could see Shade’s pale skull staring down at him, and he felt his throat was dry. He nodded, trying to regain the ability to speak as he felt sweat sliding down his face and he gasped for breath.

“What of them? Tell me everything you know, and don’t lie.”

Shade’s voice became somehow colder, and Narsh felt his body shaking under the firm grasp of Shade’s left arm.

“I am one of the five, my name is Narsh. The four others are Fier, Zyx, Lyle and Slorm. Fier is one of the more powerful pyromancers, Zyx head of the contract sector for Market Mancers, Lyle a member of XMancers and Slorm is a member of ANecro. I was sent to look for you with Zyx in Azlay. We decided to all go to the tomb and then we found the entrance sealed so I came here to tell Darlz Spire to keep its eyes open for you while they would wait at the entrance to see if you were still to go there or to come from it still. Please I do not know much on this matter, I was only delegated to do this commission because you are of priority to Market Mancers.”

“Good then, I thank you for your valuable information. However, I cannot trust you if you were to leave alone and I don’t wish to deal with your bothersome presence. Because you made the mistake of not taking my offer of a pact, I am no longer entitled to let you live. Farewell.”

And with a single slice, Shade attacked his first victim with his scythe, absorbing a fraction of Narsh’s power and Shade felt another’s blood upon his hands. He took the coal amulet which Narsh bore upon his cut neck and Shade set it upon his own neck, the coal hardening as it permanently lost its enchantment. He then rose, and walked away, he would travel back to the tomb and rid himself of his newest pursuers.

It had been a few days after the death of Narsh that Zyx, Lyle, Fier and Slorm began to ponder upon their comrade’s safety. By the next day, after Bane had not come to the tomb nor from the tomb and Narsh was still to appear, that they began to ponder upon the possibilities.

They came to the conclusion that Narsh’s horse had stumbled and injured itself, leaving him to either attempt to nurse it back to health or continue by foot. In both cases, Narsh would be absent for some time.

But through their natural paranoia, and the problem they were dealing with, they contemplated in silence the possibility that Bane had found Narsh. Such was unlikely, and to suggest it would simply show that they feared Bane. Then again, only a fool wouldn’t fear a lich. Then again, only a fool would combat a lich.

Slorm was the first to react, sensing a change within the vibes he had been carefully watching.

“I can sense vibes which are of a lich’s origin. I think it is safe to assume that the lich of origin is Bane. Though the vibes are powerful, he is likely to not of entered so far, being that he is coming here.”

Slorm spoke with a worried expression, pulling out a scripture to review his defences against liches which he had studied, and which had led to his being chosen for the task. Zyx raised from her restful position and looked along the horizon, as Fier and Lyle were also. A small black figure could be seen, walking in a slow way which made the four become anxious. Slorm looked towards Zyx as he spoke with contemplation.

“From what I can tell, he has already become a dark lich. I sense another within him, a soul I presume. Why he would return here after becoming a dark lich, I do not know. It is possible that the tomb actually opens for only dark liches, though I worry on our chance to defeat Bane. Perhaps if we were to hide within the shadows, he would not see us and we could estimate our extremely small chance of success.”

Slorm was already backing away, his body was shaking enough so that the three others could see. Zyx returned his gaze, thinking through with his idea, which had sprouted through fear.

“Perhaps, though I am not sure how well we can evade him, he probably already knows of us.”

Zyx stared at Slorm, watching his eyes flicker about as he thought about the options.

“I may be able to slightly disable his powers, though he is more likely to set me aside before I can do anything, causing my attempt to be extremely unrewarding. Still, now that I’ve thought about it past my instinct, our goal was to meet Bane. At the eve the event, we should not back away. Besides, I am sure he has not been well disciplined in his new powers, and so I would like to attempt a sealing ritual. All I would need is to have the first strike, perhaps Lyle can aid me in sealing him, as Lyle has been taught how to reverse enchantments.”

Zyx thought over the words, before deciding to call Lyle to speak.

“Lyle, come here. I wish to know about this ability to curse that you possess.”

Lyle moved over quickly, keeping an eye on the lich which was slowly coming towards them.

“Under the authorization of XMancers, I have been permitted to curse enchantments and on strict conditions, people. In the case of Bane, I may use the greatest of my abilities to subdue his power.”

Zyx nodded in thought, revising the research she had done on liches. Time passed, the small group of waiting to face Bane.

Shade held his mind outwards, feeling about the minds he could feel. They wished to battle him, he knew. He had been cautious about the cliff, and his prodding had been set aside. He would have to get closer to have any real effects. They seemed to have someone from ANecro. He would have to deal with the fool in that case. Fighting against odds over belief of morals, it was an odd stand point. Either way, he had reached the last part now, they were probably waiting for him to appear.

As Shade took the final step, he looked forward only to see a weak postured male. He extended a tendril of his power towards the fool who was before him, testing for any traps or wards. His tendril was caught though, the male in front of him staring at him with fear as the foe back fired Shade’s power and locked his mind. Shade felt a second barrier settle upon him as he recovered from the initial strike. He called forth his vibes and felt them spread away. His fingers began to feel as if they were to boil and his mind felt isolated, no longer with the entity.

‘What are we going to do now?’

‘They have four here, we are dealing with two. The one we see is sealing your necromancy, while the one who we have not seen yet is using a curse I once faced. It is made to convert vibes, quite lethal for liches. Either way, you should disable the vibes around you and perhaps fight this battle with the scythe, after disabling it. Besides, the curser seems to be nullifying all vibes, he must be the XMancer.’

In the moment of the converse, Shade began to let go of his powers and slowly dealt away with the weakling through casual meditation, soon the weakling was set off and his body emptied of its vibes. He felt a chill within him, a vulnerability. Before he could look up however, a female had launched herself at him. He felt himself set back and kicked forward to avoid a damaging fall. As he pulled his scythe forward to kill the female however, she gave him another blow. His scythe lost its wielder and Shade himself grabbed the female’s ankle to break his fall, attempting to launch off of her to the former battle ground. But in reverse his ankle was grasped and his chance of escape over, his body already impacted upon new ground. He felt the pain in his side, but also saw the persistent nuisance getting up. Before Shade could stand, his body was pushed again towards another cliff. He lost balance, but decided to thrust himself into his foe’s legs, causing her to also fall. He lifted himself again, running towards the female as she dropped again before he could strike. He tripped, and went to reverse the action to no avail due to his foe’s extra strike. He landed on the ground, his body in pain. There was no source of power to draw from, he had expended it. But he had to find new resources as his persistent foe attempted to land upon him. He moved to the side, his foe landing with slight control. He lay a blow towards her, only to be kicked. He yearned for his scythe, laying at the peak. He ran into the foe, tackling her to side and kicking her unprotected stomach with his heel. He fell back, allowing his sharp hands to seize the neck of his foe. Resistence came as fists plowed at him, though he ignored them. He tightened his grasp and his victim lost awareness until he felt a sharp pain along his back. He lifted himself to see a different male, older then the weakling he had faced earlier. In his new foe’s hand was Shade’s scythe, not reacting because of the disablement he embedded into it. He took to his mental discipline to share the pain of his scraped back with the fool who faced him. As the pain began to enter the other, Shade felt his mind taken again. He took advantage this time of the attack, now prepared for the manoeuvres that were to be taken against him. At once he locked the other and gave it another blast of his pain. He focused on his pain, making it burn within him and the one he was with. The other struggled to escape his grasp but to no avail. And then the resistence stopped. At once Shade probed further into the mind, working to deliver a final blow. But as he found the weakness in the mind, he felt the other move into his mind also, searching about.

‘Kill the fool now, I’ll deal with him here.’

‘He might be looking for you, I’ll quarrel with him. I’ve found his weakness, but he seems to be blocking my blows. He must have taken some discipline for such a defence, it is possible that he has been taught for this very kind of a battle.’

‘Perhaps we should seize his mind when he thinks he is deep enough, and pull him inwards. With his mind near enough to ours, we should be able to probe with ease.’

Lyle sifted through the dense conscience of Bane. He had heard Slorm speak of another conscience within Bane. If Lyle could find it, he may be able to weaken Bane so that defeat could be possible. He could sense Bane within his mind, moving through it with ease. Lyle had taken some teachings in mentalics, but Bane had taken much practise in mentalics. Besides, the mind within Bane likely amplified the ability. All he needed to find though was something that was different, a break in the pattern. The minds were merging though, Slorm had warned him when he went to aid Zyx. It would be a gradual change. It was then that he noticed another part, more powerful and it nearly made him recoil when he probed it. In the moment of a moment that he hesitated, he felt himself separated. He lashed back, trying to escape the firm hold Bane held on him. And then he felt the other come. He could sense its identity, now that it was no longer dormant. Shade. He attempted seal the entity of power that confronted him, but he simply felt himself cornered in the abstract setting. He tried to seal himself instead, but Shade was around him now, he was no longer cornered between Bane and Shade, but surrounded. His mind was weak compared to the two monumental forces. He could sense Bane upon his mind, waiting for him to strike. Shade was waiting, holding Lyle from escape. Lyle could sense probing, giving Lyle slight attacks. Lyle tried to severe the link, but any swift aborts would leave his mind in considerable damage. Bane set upon him finally, giving him a powerful blow. Lyle countered the attack, only to be set aside. He guarded his mind as its outer layer was breeched. He did another scan on Shade’s wall, and found an area of turmoil.

Bane took another blow at the weakling, punishing the bold act of invading his mind. The fool barely even resisted the blows. But he could tell now that his opponent was no longer even focused. He checked over the mind, searching for an indication of what had somehow preoccupied it. He was led to the Shade’s wall, to the turmoil that was happening.

‘Kill him, I’ll deal with the weakling who has decided to lay an attack. It’s a weak one, made to let the comrade escape.’

Lyle had taken his chance already, escaping through the link Slorm had created. He could feel his mind fatigued by the mass of thought. He quickly recoiled into his mind, to escape the thoughts. He did so impulsively, realizing too late that Slorm had been clamped into the minds of Shade.

‘How could you let the fool escape, now we can only do away with the weakling. I’ll deal with the fool, finish the weakling.’

‘I apologize, I will not fail in this task, don’t fail in your task.’

Bane focused on the new prisoner, the weakling he had faced prior. But there were no traps this time. At once he lunged upon the weaker mind, giving it no time to defend itself. The weakling set aside, crippled. It knew its chances to be minimal and tried to abort as quickly as it could, as its mind seemed to fade from Bane’s grasp. Bane grasped a fragment of its vital conscience, making the weakling now a mental cripple. He moved on, the mental battle he had just reigned victorious in had been no challenge, it had been lost due to a foolish mistake. But now he could aid Shade defeat the fool.

‘I’ve lost him, it would seem the fool took the weakling. Did you hold the weakling?’

‘Yes, I rendered him incompetent. What caused you to fail?’

‘The fool had isolated his mind as soon as he escaped, I couldn’t lock on to him again.’

‘Then are we going back to the peak?’

‘Yes, to get the scythe.’

‘What of the female?’

‘We may have to take her hostage. We can interrogate her as well as use her to safely get the scythe. We may also be able to have Market Mancers withdraw. We’ll even give them the hostage back, else they would continue their strike.’

Zyx awoke with her limbs tethered in darkness with her amulet, which had been dispelled. Her neck was sore, as was the most of her body. She sat on a mat, staring across from her was the calm figure of Bane, also sitting on a mat. She looked at him in distaste, and tried to remember how events had led to her imprisonment. She had been fighting with Bane, until he somehow gained the upper hand. She had awaken at one point being dragged, though awareness had not stayed with her for long. And now she was here.

“You have been brought here as a hostage. I will release you later to Market Mancers, if you cooperate.”

Bane seemed calm, and Zyx began weighing how likely she was to actually be released.

“Interrogation?”

Bane gave a slight grin with his bony jaw when her heard her remark. Zyx was having trouble reading his expressions however, due to his skeletal appearance and the lack of lighting.

“You’re quick to figure out your situation. In the likely case that you do not trust my word, I must admit that you have no other chance. Therefore, trusting me gives you a chance of escape which is infinitely larger then not trusting.”

Bane turned, waiting for her reply.

“There are infinitely small chances of escape besides that which you speak. In the case, the ratio is not infinite, but of a higher level. However, I would like to know of Narsh. In the case that you murdered him, then I estimate that the chance of my release through you is lower then that of an alternative possibilities”

Zyx was trying to see how calm Bane could remain, if he began to become irritated then she would have an estimate of his temper. She had been assured of Narsh’s murder due to the slight chuckle when she mentioned his name.

“Would that be the fool who was on his way to Darlz Spire? I never received his name. However, he resisted me until the end, in which I knew that his release would bring harm to me. If I kill you, I will have to face the consequences. In the case of your release, you will also be lacking in knowledge of my whereabouts and therefore be of less harm. I know how Market Mancers is, a group of people who all gain from its monopoly. Loyalty isn’t one of the most prominent things is it, you all simply help each other so to gain more from the growth. What do you gain if you are dead?”

Bane was trying to negotiate, something Zyx hoped to use to her advantage.

“I gain 90X if you are dead, though the total commission is 10^5X.”

Zyx kept a cold tone, seeing where Bane’s other limits were.

“10^5X? Those fools will spend 10^5X over a debate of morals? If I couldn’t sense the truth within that thought, I’d suspect a bluff. I wonder if perhaps you are trained in mentalics.”

Bane was remaining calm.

“I looked into mentalics, however, it takes devotion to train within the field. I have other interests, so that my skill would be of no use against you.”

Zyx was testing how Bane took compliments now, if perhaps she could have him fall on a matter of glory.

“Does Market Mancers communicate with any conjurers?”

Bane had paused slightly before speaking, as if in self thought.

“No, conjurers are a rare find.”

Zyx was curious to the odd question.

“What is the most powerful mancer known to Market Mancers?”

Bane was hesitating now between sentences.

“The question is debatable, though there is a chaosmancer named Zap. He has been known for being unreliable, however. One of the mancers we find contracting at times frequently is O, an omnimancer. However, he is aging and his studies have worn his body. He has taken on great work towards longevity. But omnimancy is an exhausting field. He also refuses to take part in acts of destruction.”

Zyx was slightly set off by the questions, they seemed to be unrelated to the matter at hand.

“Chaosmancer? Well, they are also of short supply. Where may Zap be found?”

Zyx realized that Bane may be trying to bribe associates of Market Mancers, something which was punished greatly when found. However, she had met Zap on an occasion and found him to be uninterested in wealth. She also noticed that Bane took no notice of O.

“He is quite nomadic, we met him through a contract and found his abilities to be quite formidable. We have crossed paths with him on occasion however, he simply paid those he met in exchange for answering riddles or some other odd task. The last time I am aware of his path being crossed was a few years ago, while an escort contract was being fulfilled. His area was known to be near the Zol Marsh, he claimed to be domesticating the grogs.”

Zyx was speaking in long detail as she felt about at the chain bindings about her hands. They were tight, and made in a fashion that each hand was in a separate loop connected with a strand. A difficult knot to target the weakness point. Her feet were in the same situation.

“He tames giant frogs? Well, it is to be expected seeing the branch of mancy he is proficient with. He could be of use.”

Bane stood, pulling his scythe forward.

“And now I am to be executed? Perhaps the Dark Law will hold you back.”

Zyx bit hard on her tongue so to pierce it and bleed upon the ground. She held her mouth open with the sharp pain which swelled within her mouth and the warm liquid which was slowly flowing down into her throat, causing her to cough slightly at the itch she couldn’t scratch. She began to shiver as her tongue scraped across her teeth, clenched as she bore the pain. As her focus withered, she felt her hands lose dexterity.

“I envy the pain you feel. But I will not take it from you, I will only take the blood you have offered.”

Bane spoke in a calm tone, and was acting very ceremonious as he slowly walked towards Zyx, her ability to speak now obsolete at the present. Bane knelt down, setting his snake like tongue upon the small puddle. Zyx simply stared towards the odd sight as she attempted to regain control of her tongue which had froze at her front teeth. Bane looked up at her, bowing. Bane took his claw like finger and pierced into his own tongue, drawing forth blood. He offered Zyx the blood, who accepted with similar ceremony.

“A decade without the pact is unequal to your life’s value. I thank you for your blood, and will leave you in peace.”

Bane rose from the ground and bowed again, leaving Zyx in her pain, after taking the mat beneath her. Zyx moved her hands underneath her legs and brought them before her, gnawing away at the rope. She had to stop when a fibre struck her slit tongue. Zyx lay upon the cold dirt and looked at the sky above. Bane could no longer harm her, as long as she didn’t harm him. However, she wished to know more of the Dark Law. She had been come across a note about it, but only enough to understand the sickening obsession of blood, pain and sacrifice. If she came over the Dark Law, she may be able to find a way to bypass it. But for now she would rest, though she would sleep on her stomach to avoid coughing upon the blood which trickled from the tongue which was pressed against her mouth’s ceiling to slow the flow. Her feet clamped as she tried to ignore the pain.

Having a moment of silence as they walked away from the dead body of Slorm, reviewing the events personally, Fier and Lyle felt the pain left upon them. Bane had risen to the peak with Zyx as hostage, her mind frozen. He’d taken the scythe which Lyle had warned Fier from taking. Bane had left, glaring as Lyle had attempted to curse him. Lyle had stood a moment, realizing that Bane would have gained a new name after becoming a dark lich. And without Bane’s name, his curses were useless. The dark lich had only struck Lyle once though, and fled. With Slorm dead at the base and Zyx taken, they decided to report to Gratz.

“You see Zap, you need to help Devra conjure a fold. All you are known for is the one little trick you played, why don’t you show her another one? She travelled here in one, you are going to have more visitors.”

Zap looked lost within his own hut, osmosis held off from damaging his legs which were within the shallow pond. He stood, a grog sitting on his shoulder. Devra sat on a branch which was uncomfortable but was all which let her legs dry. Zap raised a hand towards the branch, beckoning the branch downwards, it swung downwards as Devra glared at Zap. As her feet began to reach the dark water, Zap moved his index finger into a hook and the branch caught Devra’s hand. As Zap lowered his hand, the branch returned to its normal position, Devra climbing back into place.

“I see that you can do more then destroy one’s existence...”

Devra waited a moment, not wanting to anger Zap any further then he had been by her arrival.

“You’ve never taken a commission have you? Perhaps you should inquire to what this conjurer has to offer.”

Zap simply smirked towards Devra, watching with the corner of his eye as the water rose beneath her so that she was left within a pillar of water. Her frail body moved outwards from the pillar and as she inhaled, the pillar sank back to its normal level. Zap jumped up from his standing position and crossed his legs, sinking below the water. His grog floated in the water, staring up at Devra with its enormous eyes. Devra sat patiently, having braced for the acts of ridicule. When Zap emerged a few moments later, he came launching upwards and landed on the branch, the grog sitting on his shoulder again. The branch bounced like rubber as Zap looked downwards. Finally, when it had calmed to a gentle sway, Zap stared directly into Devra’s eyes.

“State a price.”

Devra returned the stare, not daring to blink. She felt her eyelids feel heavy however, and could no longer see as they were forced shut.

“State a price she says, what type of price will you state, Zap? A kilogram of behemoth blood? No less, no more?”

The grog leaped off Zap’s shoulder and kicked off of Devra, forcing her to stumble, she felt loss in the darkness. Once she struck the water however, her eyelids opened. She was not able to close them soon enough and found they stung with pain when she rose. Zap dived into the shallow water with an aerial flip, flattening as he landed in the water. He rose in a back float, the grog resting upon his stomach. Both were waiting.

“I can supply your price within a day.”

Devra responded immediately.

“Perhaps, but it can’t be from another plane, can it? You can feel the existence wavering.”

Zap continued staring at the ceiling, which was swelling into a whirl of rotten moss. Devra frowned.

“Why the blood there has no difference then it does here.”

Devra stared at Zap.

“You can sense it, but most don’t have the perception for such depth. However, Devra may easily fool others with it. But such actions anger most planes. Perhaps Devra will be forced to leave this plane, then how shall she punish Shade? Why Zap you wouldn’t dare think she fell for such simplicity of riddle, would you? Or perhaps you are right, and she believes the price you stated was the cost of a commission and not simply a price.”

Zap sat up in the water and stared at Devra with a child’s glee as the grog leaped upwards and found a resting place upon his bald head. While laughing at her, Devra felt the water around her freeze.

“What do you wish for, in exchange for your service?”

Devra tried to get out of the ice but the water rose around her, freezing as it came closer to her.

“If Devra wants you to zap Shade, Zap, perhaps she should find another mercenary. Perhaps Devra should speak with Market Mancers, like you do sometimes. Yes, that would be best.”

Zap stood, a swirl of light trailing around him. As he ran towards Devra, Devra felt the ice slide away from Zap and out of the hut, melting. When she looked towards the hut, it was gone.

Fier and Lyle stood within Darlz Spire. Fier had spoken with Nelson and enough had been spoken of to have Gratz agree to speak. Now they were waiting within the steam powered elevator, putting all the events in order. When the brass elevator stopped, weight lowered again to normal levels. Fier slid the door’s lock and slid opened it into the hall which led to Gratz’s office. The doors were open, Gratz staring across the short hall.

“Nelson told me there was some trouble. From the looks of it, we’re missing three of the five who were commissioned. But I can only assume what has happened, so explain it all to me.”

Gratz sat at the desk, waiting silently for the answer to his statement. Lyle looked towards Fier, who nodded.

“Bane has become a dark lich. He returned for a reason unknown to us. He came with a sickle of death and was clad in a dark robe which was potent with vibes of death. We went over how to react and faced him, only to have Slorm and I struggle to escape his superior mentalics. However, I was unable to save Slorm. Once I was safe, my mind left without trying to pull Slorm out. If I had stayed connected, we could of both lived. But that was then, and now Slorm has died and Zyx has been taken hostage by Bane. A note on that, Bane no longer is truly named Bane. I was unable to curse him because of this fact. We are also left to the conclusion that Bane has killed Narsh. We decided to report immediately, and to wait for further orders. However, I plan to return to XMancers to take further training in mentalics and curses. Fier may decide on his own.”

Lyle held a formal posture. With his posture came a formal tone. Gratz had a worried look upon his face. He took a large red marble and dropped it into a slot by his desk which was labelled Nelson. He dropped the marble into the slot, a small echo could be heard from it. It slowly lost volume as Fier and Lyle stared at a worried Gratz. The two sat in the two chairs.

“I suppose I should inform ANecro about the loss, then deal with promotions to replace Zyx and I suppose you’ll give a report to XMancers?”

Gratz stared at Lyle for the last part, drumming the desk with his fingers.

“And what will I be assigned now?”

Fier looked at Gratz, awaiting orders.

“Return to your previous task of training. Are there any promising pyromancers?”

Gratz turned his gaze towards Fier, he was now in a problem solving state, prepared to solve the problem to the best of his abilities.

“If you intend to rapidly train a pupil, Gratz, you will only ruin their potential. The arcane powers of pyromancy cannot be taught in a short span, one must master a skill before advancing. Their mind must adapt to every step and time must settle before they advance. Rapid teaching techniques have killed pupils. However, I noticed an eager pupil recently, her name is Nelzlyn. However, she has not been at Darlz Spire for long. If you allow me to finish a progress report, I may be able to predict how well she would withstand such teachings. However, I will have to also have time to study the curriculums in more detail, as well as receive her consent.”

Fier held eyes with Gratz as he spoke, allowing his belief that the idea would fail be evident.

“If I remember correctly, Nelzlyn was being taught by Bane prior to her acceptance to Darlz Spire. This may cause complications, however, I will give you time to make your decision. During that time, I will see if there are any mercenaries who we should perhaps recruit to deal with Bane. Perhaps this is one which may require O, though he is quite costly. Besides, he always demands extravagance. We may also setup a search party to track Bane and report on Zyx’s status.”

As Gratz speculated his options, the elevator began to give off a slight release of pressure and a whine could be heard throughout the room. As it locked into place and the lock was unlocked, Nelson opened the door with grace. He stepped out of the elevator and walked towards Gratz with the red marble in the right palm of his hand. When he reached the desk, he placed it in rack.

“I understand you have called for me. Of what service do you wish?”

Nelson stood patiently.

“I want you to have someone deliver a message to ANecro and inform them of Slorm’s death.”

Gratz leaned back into his stiff chair.

“Easily done. May I leave now?”

Nelson’s stiff posture softened.

“Of course, make haste. Please, all of you are dismissed.”

Gratz turned to a cabinet as the three others left, going through the folder of mercenaries. Bane was a dark lich, and so with his grown strength came a grown weakness. Held by the Dark Law, Gratz could easily send Demur Rumed. The exiled paladin had registered with Market Mancers as a mercenary and though his exile had left him weakened, he still was a valuable resource. Gratz took a hollow marble, a pen and a paper. Upon the paper he wrote;

1 Nelson; Hire a mercenary.

2 Demur Rumed, exiled paladin.

3 Pay 5X at front, 45X at kill.

4 Have him meet me, I want to brief him.

He included the 5X with the note, placing it into the marble, dropping it down the pipe. He thought of the mercenaries which had kept the entice pay and simply had themselves taken off the registry, vanishing into the shadows to escape the wrath of Market Mancers. That had led to the system of slowly increasing front pay, the mercenary would never receive a single U until they had finally made a kill. That’s how front pay grew, through success. Demur had shown promise, and Gratz was sure that Demur was the correct choice for Bane.

Shade walked waist deep within Zol Marsh. Somewhere within the massive land of waste he was to find a chaosmancer. He had sensed a mind further away, and had been following it. And now he was half drenched with a grog who had a tumour on its left leg staring at him.

The marsh had once been founded as Zol by its founder, Reis Zol. However, Reis had cancelled the project when the summer brought disease and outweighed the benefits of selling grogs for fine cuisine.

He inquired further into the mind ahead, it didn’t seem as spontaneous as chaosmancers seem. It was also familiar, in a sense. He felt about further, and another mind seemed to appear within his perspective. Its frequency wavered about, and Shade found it difficult to follow. All he knew was that the new mind was Zap, the other an unknown.

‘Should we communicate?’

‘I’m unsure to what should be done, open a channel with Zap.’

An unorganized set of abstract data was sent to Shade, faster then he could easily compute.

‘What do you take it as?’

‘The chaosmancer is sending a mass of useless messages.’

The mass of useless messages was blocked and a simple feeling of calm sent. Zap responded with a blast of thought which destroyed the weak link. The other mind came to into the mass of thought, fleeing swiftly.

‘Who would this likely be?’

‘Perhaps Devra, or some mentalic trick Zap is playing.’

‘Why would Devra be here, what are the odds?’

‘Devra would have came here to speak with Zap once she sensed my revival. She has likely figured that Zap’s ability to erase one’s existence will defeat me. If she followed us in a seam, she would have been unable to strike us but able to brood over our more readable thoughts. Once she found us heading towards the Zol Marsh, she would have travelled so to gain Zap’s allegiance just as we came for him. Now is the time to kill her, she has weakened herself. However, I do not know how we will deal with Zap. If it is Zap, we can guess it is an attempt to confuse us. However, I sensed the mind to be of Devra.’

Shade’s mind reached after the small residue which linked to the unknown mind. If it was Zap, it would be a void of thought. If it was Devra, then they would be forced into chase. Within a thought, Devra could be sensed, weakened by her travels between planes. Her mind was too weak to detect their probing, though also too weak to be probed. Shade travelled nearer to the fatigued mind, shielding detection while tracking its every move. The focus required to remain undetected by Devra gradually increased, until Shade had to close his mind to remain invisible. After treading in the marsh for some time, Shade could see the figure of Devra. He slowed slightly and lowered himself into the marsh.

‘Should we attack?’

‘She is immune to necromancy. She went through many rituals so to lower my threat to her.’

Slowly moving towards Devra, Shade held his scythe in place. While he positioned his scythe for a single blow thoughts of anger fled his mind and alerted Devra. With a single motion, she turned to see him while sinking below the dark green of the water. Shade went to kick Devra, only to brush her face by the dense water which was between them. His legs were pulled down and he felt outward with his mind. It was shielded. Devra had always been skilled with mentalic walls, even when fatigued by planar walks. Shade sliced his scythe through the water, cutting through the water only to find he was too entangled to manoeuver the scythe. Shade grabbed the bar near the blade and pushed Devra away. Both lifted to breathe air. Shade sensed a mind of chaos drawing nearer. But without time to wonder of it, Devra laid a blow to his head. Shade regained balance by pulling himself with Devra’s withdrawing fist. As Devra pulled Shade for a moment, Shade moved his scythe into a support while striking Devra with his bony hand, forcing her down with it. Shade stepped away, evading an attack by Devra while positioning his scythe.

‘Withdraw the weapon.’

Shade stepped back, the thought had been so clear. He looked about, knowing it wasn’t Bane by the way it was formed.

‘To master chaos, one must organize it and themselves, this includes thought.’

Shade focused for a moment, transferring his anger towards Devra and the need to lay waste of her.

‘Within the marsh, only the marsh may kill. Withdraw weapon, Devra shall do the same.’

Shade held his scythe back, transferring the importance that Devra be held back.

When Devra came out of the water, she glared towards Shade, making a step towards him. Shade moved his scythe in front of her, barring an attack and forcing a stalemate.

The exiled paladin stood in the elevator. Demur Rumed had left the Vigil Eye after much self reflexion. He had joined Market Mancer as an exile. His commission was a net of 50X. Demur wondered slightly what the actual commission was, though he knew that it was not to be questioned by custom. He sat back upon the wall of the elevator, exhaling as the elevator rose. As the elevator slowed, Demur undid the lock and slid open the door. He walked across the small corridor and entered the room, facing Gratz.

“Sit down Demur, I’d like to ask you some questions and explain the situation. The commission began when a troublesome necromancer by the name of Bane went through Regenerative Decay. Furthermore, Bane continued his blasphemy by changing his name with the transformation to a dark lich. He has 2 of the mercenaries thus far and we are quite certain of Zyx’s death, as reported by 3 survivors who were attacked by Bane. I have decided to commission you due to your knowledge of the topic. Therefore, before we continue, will you accept?”

Gratz leaned forward as he explained the dilemma.

“Certainly, if not for the pay then for the morals I am bound to.”

Demur listened intently to the report.

“Thank you, in that case, I will explain further that there is none left to aid you with this ordeal. However, I am willing to have the 45X I am holding from you used to recruit more at your expense. Fier, a council member, has begun evaluating a promising and eager pyromancer by the name of Nelzlyn. Lyle, a member of XMancers, has returned to his faction to study further. The most recent report on Bane includes both scythe and robe, enchanted to be of a lich’s proficiency. He is also powerful in the field of mentalics. Here is my question to you on the subject, what do you know of dark liches and any other topic which could be of use?”

Gratz looked at Demur in a common fashion. He knew that the assassination of Bane may have to be accepted as a failure. It would show Market Mancer’s limits and would not allow the case to be one which could raise Market Mancer’s reliability. Gratz refused to let that happen. He also was reluctant to replace Slorm, as he would have to give ANecro a discount while still paying the mercenary.

“Liches are of the darkest order. I will slay the undead with my teachings. If Bane has become a dark lich, I will have to pursue him with even more determination. Knowledge of the liches is hidden in the darkest shadows of necromancy, but knowledge of their exorcism is also confidential to the Vigil Eye, knowledge I have been entrusted with, even in exile. I will slay the lich.”

Devra stood glaring at Shade. Zap stood between them.

“Their sparing was of less desirable sources, wouldn’t you agree?”

Zap was in conversation with himself, speculating what he should do.

“Why do you stop our battle, Zap?”

Shade was annoyed with the interruption, for he would have been able to defeat Devra in her fatigue.

“If any of them wish to fight, perhaps we should fight without weapons.”

Shade looked towards Zap, knowing he could overpower Devra.

“Are you saying that we may kill each other without weapons?”

Zap looked towards Shade in thought.

“If combat within the marsh is the lich’s plea, combat with you he will have. To combat the conjurer, they must leave this place.”

Devra looked at Shade, knowing she could not defeat him in her state.

“I will not leave this place of sanctuary until I may defeat you, Shade.”

Shade glared towards Devra.

“Zap, may I ask if our combat would include mancy?”

Zap treaded away from Shade while still facing the lich.

“Zap will zap any mancer who uses mancy, until then, battle shall be of fist.”

Shade moved towards Zap, grabbing the chaosmancer by the foot. Zap buckled, locking Shade’s arm beneath the marsh’s water while having another hand on Shade’s wrist. Shade countered by moving his locked arm deeper into the water, flipping Zap over his body with his other arm. His bony fingers wrapped around the chaosmancer’s throat while his other arm barred Zap’s chest. Shade was, however, attack by Devra who buckled his neck to force his face beneath the water’s surface. Shade release his arm which barred Zap’s chest and wrapped his arm around Devra’s back. Devra pulled Shade’s head back as she was dropped into the water. Zap buckled Shade’s arm which held Zap’s throat and pushed Shade down upon Devra.

“Enough, sacred is this marsh. Where should we continue this, Zap?”

Zap focused his mind, forcing the 3 foes along the planar seams.

Fier stood across a table from Nelzlyn, they were in the cafeteria of Darlz Spire. It was a nice room, not very large but large enough to feed. Fier ate his lunch of bread with dried oats and sage leaves. Nelzlyn had a lunch of bread with spiced cheese. He had looked over the small statistics she had accumulated while at Darlz Spire and decided to interview her on the subject of rapid teachings. He had already read through the curriculum. At maximum speed Fier could teach a valid pupil all his knowledge within a month, though a valid pupil would have to be of greater potential then any Fier could ponder of. The curriculum did however go past all which Fier knew into more arcane knowledge. Within the final chapters of the reference, the limits of current pyromancy hybrids were discussed with opening the seams of fire planes.

“I have been asked to use rapid teaching. If you agree to be such a pupil, we will have to go to the basement, for analysis.”

Fier held a slight tone which showed his lack of enthusiasm.

“Why of course, though may I inquire to your somberness?”

Nelzlyn put down her bread, chewing the pepper seeds which were embedded in the cheese.

“Pyromancy is a slow curriculum, the mind must adapt to it very carefully to reach its full potential. Rapid teaching has exhausted some to death. From what has been shown, your studies are progressing well with the resources we offer and the council members find you’re discussions about pyromancy to be indulging. Before we leave, may I inquire to any symptoms of weariness?”

Fier held his eyes in contact with Nelzlyn’s, making sure his points got across.

“I have mastered at twice the rate prescribed. Even then, I am sure I could learn faster, but I always make sure I have fully integrated the pyromancy and can manipulate it with ease while also testing hybrid techniques.”

Nelzlyn stared at Fier, nervous at the risks but eager to learn more. Fier nibbled at the bottom of his lip.

“Well then, I guess we are going to have to have you apply for rapid teaching. Remember, if at any time you regret your decision, you may abort the teachings. If you wish to learn, this will only ruin you in the face of pride.”

Demur sat in his small alcove. He was to wait at Darlz Spire until information of the whereabouts of Shade were found. He had chosen to use a mace, as it would crush the lich’s bones with its blunt strikes. He also had a longer, though much thinner, pole to parry his foe’s scythe. Market Mancers had sold him a charm which nullified necromancy along with an enchantment to his thin plate armour. He had done his research, he only had to wait now.

Shade stood in front of Zap, though it was dark since the only light was that of Zap’s. They were in a void, simply being.

“So are you siding with Devra? At first I took you as a neutral obstacle, only to find you are against me now.”

Shade pushed Zap with a blow to the chest.

“Shade’s accusations follow anger in the shadows. Perhaps I should explain to him what you are doing? Zap is sealing Devra in a planar seam as she is retaliating. It is enough to have brought them into this planar pocket, never mind with the use of force.”

Zap grinned at Shade while having a foot to his face.

“I have no quarrel with you. Why do we fight even after leaving the marsh?”

Shade glared a Zap, holding back a blow in hopes for diplomacy.

“Shade’s argument holds truth, would you not agree, Zap? Give him to Devra, even if her cowardice will outlive her rolls of the dice. With a gentle throw, set Shade into the flow. Hold no grudge to the blood which sticks like sludge, Shade is ambitious for the blood of another.”

Shade felt himself returning the Material Plane.

Gratz sat across from Devra. The conjurer had stepped into his office along a seam, and he had first suspected her to be an assassin. But she had sat down, which was a sign of peace for Gratz.

“I have information on Shade. You may still know him as Bane. I have been trying to slay Shade for many years of my aged life, and now I hope to have your aid in the matter.”

Devra stared at Gratz plainly.

“We could easily inquire Demur Rumed if he would like your aid. He is an exiled paladin who knows how to slay a lich. I have told him some information, but only what I knew. May I ask what you wish for in return?”

Gratz was slightly set off, having not planned for this meeting.

“If an ally is my support, so be it. All I wish for is the death of Shade.”

Devra stood across from Gratz, waiting for anything else he had to offer.

“I will gladly commission you as an exclusive mercenary for 0U. I will ask Nelson to escort you to Demur, I’m afraid there is little I can do due to all the mercenaries of this commission being occupied. Demur, however, has gladly accepted the commission with enthusiasm. If you require any enchantments, Market Mancers offers a wide variety. Along with the market of mancy, we also have a branch of weaponry. Feel free to buy some of these items, we’ll even let you have them for free in return for your aid. I do have Fier, a pyromancer, investigating the possibility of rapid teaching. If you need more money, please notify me.”

Gratz looked through his papers he was working with and found the drawer which held his checks. He filled in the blanks, leaving Devra with 500U. After handing Devra the money, Gratz dropped a marble down Nelson’s pipe.

Zyx stopped as she reached the first large area of marsh, she hadn’t known that Bane had such navigational skills as to have taken a straight course to the marsh. She had chosen to follow the direction he had left, and found that as she progressed the earth began to get more soft and puddles were scattered about. Her tongue needed mending, and so she hoped that there would be a place to heal nearby. She had found some herbs growing, and had eaten some while applying their oils to her wound. When she stopped to rest by a murky lake, she heard a voice.

“Why look there, Zap, there is an another one who comes. But it would seem she has not come to beg of you.”

Zyx looked towards the direction of the voice, and found nothing. When she glanced in the other direction, Zap was standing upon the water, grinning. Zyx felt her tongue had been mended. Zap’s face was beaten, and he held his side’s wound.

“So Bane came here, asking for your help?”

Zap cackled, falling into the water.

“Zap, was Shade not the second to come? I believe Devra came first, asking that you kill the dark lich. Shade never asked for your aid, as you had to stop his murder within the sacred marsh. It would seem this mortal believes that Shade is still of Bane’s name.”

Zyx looked up, noticing the new name.

“So he has changed his name again? May I ask you who Devra is?”

Zap sank into the soil, pulling Zyx below the surface with him. They landed within an alcove, the mud sealing into a hard core. The ground was hard, though Zyx assumed it had been mud prior to Zap’s modifications. Zap leaned back against the hard mud.

“Devra is a conjurer who was wronged by the original Shade. She seeks vengeance upon him. However, Shade is more powerful than her. She only lives because of her desire. The odds have grown against her however, due to Shade gaining the blessing of the fay. She has decided to gain the aid of your faction. You may choose now which path you wish to follow, lending aid to your blood brother who you have been commissioned to slay, or lending aid to the slaying of your blood brother.”

Zyx frowned.

“How do you know of this?”

Zap grinned.

“My sources are within the fibres of the universe. However, my question’s answer still remains unknown to you.”

Zyx continued frowning.

“I care not for Shade, I will aid in his slaying.”

Zap cackled softly.

“Then it is decided, you are to aid Shade in surviving this time while wishing to slay him.”

Zyx began to display her fury as she came to feel herself flung through the dirt, and wisped simply as an entity towards the field where Shade travelled in inner conflict.

Nelzlyn stood at the top of Darlz Spire, fatigued by her training. Fier stood behind her, unable to do the task he had assigned. Within a short period, she had learned how to learn. Staring into the dark clouds, she could feel every vibe which flowed through her, lending her power. Her amulet had charred her skin, radiating the heat it could not consume. Nelzlyn took her amulet, offering it to the vibes which swarmed about. The amulet grew in brightness, burning at her hands’ flesh. Focussing all her powers into the amulet, a bolt of lightning struck down upon the amulet. The amulet shattered, embedding itself into its wielder. Fier stepped back as Nelzlyn was engulfed in flames, which vanished within the very moment they came.

Shade stepped back as a figure fell in front of him. He looked down upon the figure and quickly recognized it as the mercenary who had made a blood pact with him. He knelt down, helping his blood sister stand.

“What has brought you here?”

The mercenary was confused, but quickly reoriented herself.

“Zap sent me here.”

The mercenary began to focus on Shade, and held back a moment of panic.

“I had hoped to be done with that mancer, he proved to be of no use. It’s a shame really, he has such power. What is your name?”

Shade rested himself upon his scythe, deciding to unravel this new event.

“My name is Zyx.”

Shade could sense that Zyx was quite uncomfortable.

“What is the reason Zap has sent you here?”

Zyx looked into Shade’s hollow eyes.

“Zap sent me here to aid you in surviving.”

Shade’s bony jaw slanted slightly.

“What fate has that foul wretch left me with?”

Zyx looked away slightly, set off by the anger of Shade.

“I do not know why Zap has sent me here, I suspect I have less choice than you.”

Shade decided that he had looked into the event enough, and continued walking on.

“If Zap chooses that you are to aid me, I suspect that must be so. However, I bind you only to that of your oath.”

Devra sat across from Demur. She had taken time to rest from her planar walks and reach out to find Shade.

“You plan to crush the bones of Shade with that mace? What enchantments have you placed upon it?”

Demur looked up from his mace, he was packaging it for the hunt.

“It does not have any, the enchantments which will matter are that which I will lay upon the lich. This is simply a mace of fine craft, an art which has been forgotten as more have come to think that enchantments are what creates a good weapon.”

Devra frowned, trying to understand how the mace was of fine craft.

“You might have to know Shade’s name when the time comes. The name lich won’t be accepted, I also suggest you understand that simple iron won’t defeat his soul.”

Demur sighed as he opened the door, prepared to leave the spire and travel with nature once again.

“Hence I am to hex the foul wretch.”

Devra walked by Demur, taking note of his confidence.

Gratz sat across from Fier, preparing a message to be sent to ANecro and XMancers.

“Demur and Devra have left to find Shade, which is the new name of Bane. I hear Nelzlyn has successfully absorbed the potential to master pyromancy. She has quite a will, and it would seem that her innate abilities are not set against her. Your comments?”

Fier smirked, looking at Gratz.

“Yes, it was quite the sight. I have yearned all my life to be capable of such things. She has entered rapid teaching with the council, there is nothing more I can teach her. Perhaps I may be of service with Demur and Devra?”

Fier sat back against his chair, done with the exhausting task of teaching Nelzlyn.

“Demur and Devra left this morning, you may easily reach them at Lorz, if you leave now.”

Shade walked a few metres ahead of Zyx, walking towards a group of stones in the distance. He questioned how much Zap was controlling the situation. Zap could choose what happened, but why? He had no desire, and so his choices would likely be unmade. But if Zap truly had no desire, then why was he doing what he was doing? Such questions could not be answered, and Shade questioned if perhaps Zap himself knew not what he desired. He looked back at Zyx, she had decided to follow him. Perhaps she was waiting for the next encounter he had with Market Mancers. She would likely not keep her oath of blood once Shade could not lay vengeance upon her.

Shade looked ahead again, and found that the stones he had thought were in sight seemed ordered. Shade continued on, suspecting some hermit had taken them as shelter. He felt for another, though found nothing. Soon enough, he had come close enough to see the other, though still could not sense them. As the two reached the cube of stones, a bald monk sat within. He was looked at them, though his body remained still.

“Hello.”

Shade looked at the monk, trying to pry into its mind. He was frustrated at the monk’s transparency.

“Hello.”

The monk looked away, staring again into the field.

“Why is it you have come here?”

Shade looked at the monk, who was no longer looking at him.

“We are travelling.”

The monk gave the slightest nod, horizontally.

“I asked not the lich.”

Shade looked towards Zyx, who looked towards the monk, who looked towards the horizon.

“I have been left with Shade, by a chaosmancer.”

The monk gave the slightest nod, vertically.

“Chaos has sent you, and I must therefore oblige.”

Fier sat across from Devra and Demur. The place they had chosen to rest at was simple, they had rented a pile of hay for their wooden cubicle. Each sat at a corner of the room.

“Where do you plan to find Shade?”

Devra looked up at Fier.

“Zap left him in a field to north, we’re heading there to meet him.”

Demur glanced at Fier.

“Devra is doing this commission for free, what’s your price?”

Fier looked over at Demur.

“I was one of the first to be enlisted, and I’m registered with Market Mancers in exchange for free tuition. I wasn’t a natural, so I had to pay. When I was young, my home of poverty was burnt. I could have stopped it if I had known pyromancy, as it was only a small fire. What brought you to join the Vigil Eye, and be exiled?”

Demur leaned his head back, and sighed.

“I joined as a vigilant, angered by the lack of law from where I came. They accepted me, and I was eventually exiled when I showed mercy for a foe, though I had already become a vigilante amongst the vigilantes. They couldn’t stand to have weakness in their elitism. Exiled from them, I still hold my pact of confidentiality.”

Demur looked over to Devra.

“Conjuring is an odd profession, I figure now may be the right time to ask about such a peculiarity.”

Devra looked to the opposing corner, which was the one free corner.

“I was taught by Shade. My father was his pupil. He sacrificed my father to become a dark lich. After killing my mother, he adopted me for my power.”

Demur leaned his head off the wall, and looked at Devra again.

“So that’s why you joined this commission for free. It all makes sense now.”

Demur and Fier followed Devra. Devra followed the vibes. Demur’s mancy masked detection from Shade. All three were confused by the apparent area of Shade, a desolate plain. All three felt that the final conflict was near.

Shade stood beside the monk, in silence. The monk finally looked towards Shade. Shade felt an emptiness, and realized that Shade was no longer in contact with him.

“You have an order to your life, and for that I respect. But why is it you strive for power, Klarth?”

Shade looked back, his mind clamping as it tried to find the hole the monk had exploited.

“How is it you know my name of birth?”

The monk looked towards the sun, his eyes unblinking.

“Time is order. I ask you still, why is it you strive for power, Klarth?”

Shade looked into the plains.

“Why is it you must ask? Could you not simply retrieve the answer yourself?”

The monk looked into the plains with Shade.

“I want you to tell me. I want you to know.”

Shade looked at the monk.

“I never had control. As a child I found I had a natural ability in necromancy and I witnessed its power. I wanted that power, and the more I found the power the more I found control.”

The monk looked towards Shade again, his pale eyes locking with Shade’s dark eyes.

“Why is it you strive for power, Bane?”

Shade looked down, wondering. By time he had earned the name of Bane, he had control of his life.

“I wanted more control. I wanted others to know I had power, and know I would punish any.”

The monk looked away from Shade, back towards the plains.

“You already could do so by time you had become Bane, why is you strive for power, Bane?”

Bane looked at the monk, and wondered.

“I don’t know.”

The monk’s posture didn’t change.

“You do.”

Shade looked at the plains again, wondering. Silence settled.

“I wanted to challenge the universe, I wanted to challenge life and death. I wanted to defeat the very essence of existence.”

The monk looked towards the sun.

“Why is you strive for power, Shade?”

Shade looked down again.

“I no longer strive for power. All I wish for is already found. I have defeated life and death, and know that to defeat the essence of existence would require defeating myself.”

The monk nodded.

“As a lich, you have been exiled from society. When Devra comes, she will not face you. She will face Shade. Go now Bane.”

Bane looked down, feeling enlightened.

“What shall I strive for?”

The monk looked at Bane.

“Essence. What of it you find, is of your responsibility.”

Bane nodded, and began to travel further into the plains. The monk turned back, heading towards the cube.

Shade lashed out in anger, feeling the solid mind of the monk’s barrier.

‘Why is you cage me?’

‘You are due for the final conflict. Resolution cannot be met without you.’

Devra stopped, noting the cube in the distance. Demur and Fier also noticed it.

“Shade is there.”

The three moved forwards, and as they approached the cube their minds left their vessels.

The monk released Shade with Zyx, and vanished. Devra sensed Shade, and sent a wave of power against him. Zyx received the wave. Zyx focused her energy and struck out at Demur. Demur diverted the force and it struck Fier. Fier hesitated to strike Zyx and was slain by Shade. Devra attempted to flux the plane into removing the bondage between Shade and Zyx, only to find it ordered into a solid form. Demur lashed at Shade and brought death upon Zyx. Shade struck at Devra, who channelled the force into the plane’s fabric so to destroy its confinement. Demur attempted to banish Shade, but found himself countered out of the plane.

‘I always wanted to slay you.’

The plane collapsed under the massive force of Shade and Devra’s final strike, resolving their conflict.

Anae
Day=Instead of a 12 or 24 hour clock, days are in percentage. So 12h0 would be 50 and 24h0 would be 100.

Alkar
A town which was near Bane’s Manor.

Alzma/O
An omnimancer who was associated with Market Mancers. He earned his name simply for living past the age of 40 while maintaining his studies. O became a monk of order, and cut his ties with Market Mancers once he met Shade.

Azlay
A town which Bane used to distract Market Mancers.

ANecro
A faction against necromancy.

Burning Flames
A reference book about pyromancy, written by Darlz.

Darlz
Founder of Darlz Spire, Darlz is respected by many well being member of many jokes through his foolish death of over dosing on vibes.

Darlz Spire
Made by Darlz the pyromancer, it is located in a powerful source of pyrovibes in a crevice within two mountains which is covered in thunder clouds constantly. The foolish Darlz would be remembered after for his great monument, and a lesson to the consequences of living in a vibe. This spire also holds the headquarters of Market Mancers.

Demur Rumed
An exiled paladin, Demur Rumed is one who had lost his honour. His greed for wealth and sense of moral clashed with the other paladins to the point of exile. Demur Rumed soon registered with Market Mancers, a unique profession for a mercenary allowed him to have highly priced commissions. His slight teachings in mancy were of banishing necromancers, healing minor wounds and creating mentalic barriers.

Devra
A conjurer who lived only do have Shade dead. Her hate for the dark lich came from when Shade taught her father. During the teachings, Shade used her father to attain the being of a dark lich, killing his pupil in the process. When Shade came as a dark lich, he took Devra as a slave after slaying her mother. Under his teachings, she learned conjuring until she discovered her parent’s murder in his records. When she confronted him, he punished her with torture and left her to lay in pain. Risking her life to save it, she transferred herself into a pocket dimension. She soon learned of Shade’s other deeds under the teachings of ANecro and set off for vengeance.

Dram/Fier
An elder pyromancer, he would earn his name when accepted into the council.

Gratz
One of the owners of Market Mancers, Gratz successfully sustained the stock market.

Grog
A giant frog which grows ten times larger then its counter part. Grogs are known to die of cancer.

Klarth Fang/Bane/Shade
A natural dark necromancer who gained his name simply for his power, his potential was not ignored by Shade. He would later become a dark lich by merging with Shade’s soul, and change his name accordingly.

Lorz
A town near Darlz Spire.

Lyle
A member of XMancers, Lyle was taught in mentalics and curses.

Manor of Bane
The manor in which Bane resided until leaving to become a dark lich, it was created to hold off raids.

Market Mancers
A faction which sold services and supplies. Based in Darlz Spire, many pyromancers worked with Market Mancers.

Nelson
Secretary of Market Mancers.

Nelzlyn
A pupil of Bane, Nelzlyn valued nothing more then knowledge.

Oliver Vernin
A merchant who supplied XMancers.

Regenerative Decay
A ritual used to transfer one’s body to that of a lich. Frowned upon by the greater half of society, it was buried beneath the shadows.

Reis Zol
Having discovered the Zol Marsh and attempting to found a village in the area to exploit the grogs, Reis had to cancel due to disease.

Slorm
A member of ANecro, Slorm would die while battling Shade with mentalics.

Tomb of Shade
The tomb in which Shade lay in death until Bane merged with him, it held Shade’s infamous equipment.

Vibes
A source of power for mancers, vibes are another genre of potential energy. Their classifications are merely in the way they are encrypted to the minds of people, so that using them for another genre of mancy would require their conversion.

Vigil Eye
The faction which taught the ways of a paladin. The Vigil Eye kept many documents within secrecy, including the exorcism of liches.

Xavier
Manager of XMancers, Xavier was a master of mentalics and curses. She believed in the theory that vibes were a source of life.

XMancers
A faction against mancy, they made a temporary exception in strictness while working with ANecro and Market Mancers.

Zap
A chaosmancer who had dealt with Market Mancers in the past. Spontaneous and known to cause mischief, Zap quickly isolated himself within the Zol Marsh. Zap gained his name when he was able to wipe someone from existence with a bolt of lightning.

Zol Marsh
Found by Reis Zol, it homes the grogs.

Zyx
Head of contracts, Zyx’s largest and well known commission was the assassination of Bane.