Changing Faces (New Game Minus Book 1)

by Sarah Lin

  [Affection +NaN!

  Meara Affection: NaN/NaN]

  Bloodwraith stared at the box, trying to figure out what in the hell that meant. In any case, he didn't mind just sitting there with Meara, taking time to recover. He was annoyed when the guards walked up to them, but gathered himself.

  After all, he had essentially started a civil war in Cresthaven. Brought a drake to set fire to the city and killed one of its leaders. Not to mention stolen a nobleman's valued helm. He was willing to bet they wouldn't try to prosecute him for all of it, but he didn't expect it to be easy.

  "You're Raigar, right?"

  "That's me." He shifted his grip on the hilt of his greatsword for effect.

  "The Governor wants to invite you to his palace as soon as possible."

  "...what?"

  The head guard nodded to him, smiling broadly. "You know you're the hero of the day, right? You stopped Daek the Knife from murdering our citizens, slew the drake that menaced the city, and brought balance back to Cresthaven by taking down the Thieves Guild."

  "I see." Bloodwraith nodded as if this had been the plan. Well, he wasn't complaining, since this would make his job easier.

  "We have adventurers from the Guild coming out to help restore order, and they've all spoken highly of you. Make no mistake, by tomorrow they'll be singing tales of the great Raigar, Blade of Rage."

  Bloodwraith choked back a growl and tried to ignore Meara's cackling.

  Fortunately, he didn't need to accept the invitation right then. As Bloodwraith stayed on the drake's corpse, no one was willing to interrupt him, and they gradually left him alone. Mages arrived to put out the fires and the street began to calm. Eventually he felt well enough to move again, at which point another box appeared.

  [NOTICE:

  While power is increased on a reincarnation, standard safeguards are also removed. While some customers enjoy the expanded freedom, it is important to remember that all risks in Alliandelle are real. Caution is strongly recommended.]

  "Yes, fine." He waved aside the box, but another immediately appeared.

  [NOTICE:

  AdventureCorp takes the safety of its customers seriously. In light of the recent conflict, level guidelines will be modified to assist you. Recommended level guidelines will now be displayed on all encounters.]

  "What? I don't want that, turn it off."

  [ NOTICE:

  Due to recent events, level guidelines cannot be disabled.]

  Bloodwraith sighed. "Fucking boxes."

  Epilogue

  By the time the adventurers reached the central chamber, there were only two of them left. The mage and the fighter had never liked each other, even less so now that their companions had fallen. But they needed one another to loot the place, so they stayed close.

  "This had better be worth it," the fighter complained. "Half the traps are already triggered and the treasure is gone. This place has already been looted."

  "The mana doesn't feel that way." The mage raised his sphere, taking another reading. "I think that one person looted it, a long time ago. Since then, no one else. After all, you saw how strong the monsters that moved in were."

  "One person? What, you mean the alleged adventuring hero from before?"

  "Alleged? Someone killed the Master Lich."

  "The Master Lich that appeared and disappeared in a few years, right." The fighter tossed a stone in front of them to test for traps, then shook his head. "I don't know. I don't like this place. Too many strange stories about it."

  "Oh, stop crying. We're the first people to have been here in years, so at minimum we'll find something worthwhile in the throne room."

  "Are you sure about that? If this adventurer was so powerful he could charge in and kill the Master Lich himself, why wouldn't he leave with everything of value?"

  "He might have skipped something that would be useful to..." The mage trailed off as the entered the throne room. For a time, both of them were quiet.

  Hundreds of skeleton bones lay on the ground, most broken or shattered. A fine layer of dust covered everything, undisturbed for years. Though a vast throne lay at the end of the chamber, no one sat upon it. Scorch marks and damaged stone around the throne showed signs of a great battle, all of its actors long dead.

  The fighter scoffed. "Well, if you wanted to take up bone collecting, this would be a good start."

  "Shut up. There's strange magic here..."

  "Oh, really? The chamber filled with undead corpses, in the center of the Master Lich's lair, and it has strange magic? Gods above!"

  Shooting him an ugly glance, the mage walked further in, light expanding from his sphere. "No, it's different. I've never seen anything like it before... could this be power from another world?"

  Though the fighter opened his mouth to make another comment, he didn't get far. Dust began to swirl between them, mana flowing through the room as an old power reactivated. They looked toward the throne first, but it remained still. Instead, the swirling dust coalesced around the body of a skeleton in a mage's robe.

  "Holy shit!" The fighter raised his sword and advanced closer. "That's no random minion... what was the name of the Master Lich's subordinate again?"

  "Skullcrusher? No, that was the big ugly one..." They watched in shock as the skeleton slowly rose to its feet, unholy light flickering in its eyes. "Bloodwraith! That was it!"

  Swallowing, the fighter lifted his sword. "Back to hell with you, Bloodwraith!"

  The skeleton punched him the face, sending him sprawling. It then staggering, raising one bony hand to its face. "Bloodwraith? Who the hell is that?"

  X X X

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