A Lich's Love (Death Knight Series Book 5)

by Michael Chatfield

  The buildings that rose from the stalagmite were set out in a ring.

  Aila rode past streets as she headed for that main building, where the water fell from the ceiling into. She turned and faced a large building with a blind elf bowing his head.

  A group of people stood outside the building. A stage had been erected. Below the woman, a man stood on the stage.

  Aila looked at the man and the people around him. They all had disappointed looks on their faces as they looked at the man. The crowd spoke in dark and angry tones.

  “Move!” Aila yelled as she pulled out the enchanted formation from her saddlebags.

  Elves turned to see her approaching. Startled, they moved out of her way. The people on the stage all looked over to her as she approached.

  They had various looks on their faces, some filled with gloating or loathing. Others looked disappointed or sad. Others looked at the man and shook their heads, looking at her with kindness.

  Guards stepped forward, blocking her path.

  Aila channeled some of her power into the enchantment and dropped it on the ground. “You block my path, Phyrra.” Aila pulled Ryan back, slowing him and stopping him before Phyrra.

  “This is a trial. No one, not even the princess, can intrude.” Phyrra held her staff. She was one of the war maidens, sworn to protect the leader of the dark elves. She had been like a second mother to Aila.

  Now she stood in front of her. Words passed between them and Aila couldn’t help but feel a heat within her. Anger filled her as she looked at the stage.

  “The charges?” Aila asked.

  High Chancellor Leena stepped forward. The woman looked down on Aila, not just from her position but by her actions.

  “Poisoning the queen and looking to install his daughter as the new leader of our people. Leading us out of the Underdark’s protection and fighting in the war above. Guards.”

  “She didn’t!” Her father spoke out, fighting against his chains, but he was hit in the back by a guard and fell to his knees in pain.

  The guards moved forward and Phyrra gritted her teeth, unable to look at her and looking past as if what happening in front of her was not happening.

  Aila’s anger and outrage bubbled beneath the surface.

  “Did you, Emmyth Wranoris, poison my mother?” Aila looked through the crowd at her father.

  “Pull her from her mount! They make a mockery of our justice!” High Chancellor Leena yelled out.

  The guards moved forward as Aila watched her father, seemingly ignoring them.

  The guards grabbed onto her and her power surged out, tossing them back. Black, purple, and green swirled around her as the crowd drew back.

  “You wish to attack your fellow elves!” Leena yelled.

  “I did,” Emmyth said, unable to look Aila in the eyes.

  Aila breathed a sigh of relief. “So someone must be pulling the strings to make you make a false confession.” Aila leaned forward on her mount. Thoughts of who might try to set up her father and remove her mother and her sprouted in her mind.

  The guards looked at the mana around her and her inaction and then back to Leena.

  “Take her!” Leena yelled. Others moved up to support her.

  “You are right. This is a mockery of justice. Thankfully, I can help with that.” Aila’s smile appeared wicked as a purple light appeared underneath her clothes. The guards rushed forward as threads of Guardian power ran down her arm and to her hand, forming a hammer.

  Phyrra was with the guards, swinging their staffs to attack.

  Aila smacked her hammer down. A wave of force tossed them back and she knocked it three more times.

  A Guardian courtroom appeared behind her, the judges growing from the courtroom’s power.

  The Guardian Flame came to life and flared up, taking the power strain off Aila as their strength grew and they became more lifelike and real.

  “A counter trial or an appeal—having the Guardian trial supersede the original. Haven’t had one of these in a while,” the beast kin judge said.

  “Charges?” the dwarf asked.

  Aila got off Ryan and bowed to the judges.

  “Who—what are you!” Leena yelled, gathering her power.

  “Silence in the court unless you are asked,” the hob said.

  “Chaotic power.” The elemental looked around the plaza. Chains shot out and grabbed several people, including two from the stage. One was the guard who had hit her father.

  “Remove the veil and see the creature beneath,” the elven judge said in an angry tone.

  The people struggled before the power of chaos that lay within them was ignited and they appeared in their chaotic beast forms.

  “Seems there is an infestation,” the elemental said. More chains shot out, grabbing elves from across the Underdark and bringing them in front of the courtroom.

  Aila’s anger grew as she saw the number of people who had turned toward the power of chaos.

  “Which of you is the leader?” the elven judge asked.

  Many of their heads turned to a male elf who had been half turned into a chaotic beast, much like Leadio had.

  “Name?”

  “Venali.”

  I know that name. Aila looked up at Leena, who took a step back, looking at the man with a pale face.

  That’s right—he is her assistant and her nephew. She never married but she doted on the young man as if he were her own son.

  “Venali, what is your plan here?” the elven judge said. “Remove the queen, place my aunt as the leader of the Underdark as she deserves, and leave the other races to fight their wars,” Venali said.

  “Ah, very head-in-the-sand of you to do,” the elven judge said.

  “What about the rest of you? Anyone get different orders?”

  Others opened their mouths.

  “One by one now.” She pointed to the first person.

  “I altered the watches and the scouting; said that there were more of the humans and beast kin in the north. I knew it wasn’t right, but I did it anyway. I took a look and saw that there were a group of creatures that are filling the Northern Basin. I couldn’t tell anyone anything or else they would find out that I had been lying. I didn’t think it was much; maybe the humans or the beast kin had a new plan. It was just more fighting and I wanted to keep my people and my family safe.”

  “You?”

  “I went and started to build a resistance, a group that wanted to rise up and take control of the city. We have been passive for too long—it is time that people knew about our strength!”

  “You?”

  “A number of our people have gone already to kill and attack the humans. They took our people, turned them into slaves and things of their enjoyment. With our attacks, we would make it look like the beast kin to make them fight one another to the brink.”

  “You?”

  As the elven judge asked, people revealed their plans. Many of them worked against others. If they were enacted, then the different fringe groups would gain power and strike out against one another, with people who just wanted to live peaceful lives caught up in the middle of it.

  The trial continued on as information was pulled from the chained elves. They were unable to lie and the people around the trial were in a daze as they heard people freely admitting the kind of hell that they had planned to create. Each of them wanted to do what was best for the people, but all of their plans involved using violence and underhanded means in order to go about it.

  “So, you plotted to poison Queen Wranoris. You had one of your people planted with the apothecary; they worked with the healers to keep the queen affected by your poison that you had placed into the tea she drank with your aunt. You then threatened her husband Emmyth with killing her and killing his daughter, if he did not agree to the charges and admit his wrongdoing.”

  “Correct.” Venali seemed to be trying to keep his mouth closed but was unable to.

  “Emmyth Wranoris, is this true?” th
e human judge asked.

  “Yes, it is. I didn’t know who to turn to and I don’t know how to heal my wife,” Emmyth said, cutting a pitiful sight.

  Those up on the stage seemed to have lost their reason as they heard the accounts from those wrapped in chains.

  The people who had come to see the execution of Emmyth stared up at the trial.

  Purple chains were absorbed into their skin and their bodies causing them to cry out as threads of power was drawn out of their bodies. The Chaotic power that had seeped into their bones.

  They all looked like husks after the flames had gone through them. The corruption that had supported them, now burned clean.

  “I believe that my father should be free to go?” Aila looked at High Chancellor Leena.

  Leena looked at Aila, her eyes lost as she was pulled back to reality. “Yes, yes,” she said.

  Aila walked forward the guards quickly released her father’s chains, backing away. She bit her lip, keeping her emotions down as she hugged her father.

  He pulled her in tight.

  “It is so good to see you. I-I did not know if you would return to us after so long,” he said into her ear.

  She could feel the rough emotion in his voice. The fears that had tried to consume him and the hope he had clung to.

  “I was able to reach the Deepwood and pass the message to their leaders.” She turned and looked at the surrounding people.

  “What my mother and the exploration group found is true. The signs were right: there are now doorways appearing across Dena that are connected to another planet, one filled with creatures that wish to take our world from us and kill the people of Dena. The other races are fighting them right now and uniting together.

  “To our south there is Shivernsin Stronghold. We need to move our people there and assist in the defense of the stronghold.”

  People started to make noises and talk to one another in low voices.

  “We are in the path of the Drafeng. They do not care about the other races. They only care about consuming the power of Dena and our own. They use these agents as a way to weaken and divide us before they arrive. If you stay here, you will die. If you come with me, our families will be safe and we might come back to an Underdark that can be recovered. I leave the choice up to you.”

  With that, she moved to Rachel, helping her father up onto her, and got up onto Ryan.

  “Thank you, judges. I would ask if you could tell the people of the Underdark about the Drafeng?” Aila tilted her head to the judges who remained floating in the air.

  “It is our role to educate and build so that we might not need to be called in the future,” the gnome judge said. The courtroom dissipated as the judges stepped into the sky.

  “Go and check on your mother,” the elven judge said.

  Aila nodded.

  “She is at home,” Aila’s father said.

  They traveled through the streets and headed for the building that sat at the middle of the Underdark, with the water falling from above.

  Aila and her father rode up to the front gates. Word seemed to have been passed to the guards as they allowed them entrance. Aila got off her mount, following her father through the halls. They passed the great hall and other rooms before they reached her parents’ room.

  The doors opened to show scared-looking healers and apothecaries who stared at the windows in shock. The woman who was working with Venali had been dragged from the room by the chains.

  Aila ignored them. Her gaze rested on the woman in the bed, her features mirrored in her own face.

  She saw her chest rising and falling, but her eyes were screwed shut as she moved weakly in the sheets, letting out groans.

  Aila used her Eyes of Truth, looking over her mother.

  It’s as they said. A poison has seeped into her body, with an illusion curse that is stopping her from combating the poison in her veins. If we can dispel the illusion, she should be able to recover from the poisoning.

  Aila moved up, feeling disconnected. She couldn’t let her feelings take over as she stood beside her father, who was on his knees, holding his wife’s hand.

  “You’re going to need to lead the people now. We need to get out of the Underdark as soon as possible. The longer we wait, the worse Mom’s condition will be. The Drafeng could break out of the northern plains at any moment and come for us. If they do, then we will be screwed. We need to put as much distance between them and us as we can.”

  Emmyth squeezed her mother’s hand, looking at her.

  “I’m just a crafter.” Emmyth looked at Aila. “You are the princess. You bear her name and the authority of the Underdark.”

  “I am not a princess anymore. With becoming a Guardian, I renounced those vows.” Aila pulled back her thick outer robe and revealed the Guardian emblem on her chest. “You are the king of the Underdark. You will need to lead the people.”

  “I’m just a crafter,” her father repeated.

  “You are a king. You might have married into this, but you knew what you were taking on. This is not the time for you to be burying your head in the sand, to be hiding in your crafting workshop. If you fail to act, people will die. I will be leaving in two days with Mother for Shivernsin Stronghold. In the meantime, you will uphold your duty,” Aila snapped.

  Emmyth bowed his head, ashamed. “I’ll get it done,” he said, a new fire in his voice.

  Aila nodded and took another look at her mother.

  Emmyth kissed her on the forehead and stood. “Sometimes I forget how much you’ve grown up.” Emmyth sounded stronger than before as he turned his head to her and smiled.

  He rested his hand on her shoulder. “I will convene the council and send out messengers across the Underdark to start preparing people to leave. I know not all of them will be willing, but we will try to save as many as possible.”

  “We are at war, Father. The enemy might not have reached our borders yet, but we should be prepared,” Aila said.

  Her father’s face tightened and he nodded. “I guess that is true. Wish me luck.”

  Aila hugged him. Her father was a kind and simple man. He liked to laugh, joke, and create, leaving her mother to run the Underdark and helping her as she needed. Now he was taking on the role that he hated.

  After what he had been through, the strain was intense.

  Aila felt bad for yelling at him, but she knew she had to pull him together in order to push him forward.

  ***

  Anthony plummeted through the sky. He hit the ground with his sword. The purple flames dove into the ground, creating the enchantment needed to raise a Guardian Flame. Wings appeared from his back and he took off into the air again. Now they were a mix of red and gold.

  “Guess this is me now,” Anthony muttered as he flew through the air. His power was impressive and he could fight on the front lines, but he was the fastest Guardian they had who was capable of creating Guardian Flames.

  “I wish that the enchantments would reach people faster.” Anthony sighed. There were people dispersing them across Dena. But Selenus and Radal were big countries and it wasn’t easy to travel them with Drafeng running around across the place.

  He streaked across the sky. He dove lower as he saw a village among the trees. He saw smoke rising in it. He dropped lower, able to see the destruction brought on the village. He dropped down to the ground and looked around. There were people who had been cut down in the streets, others who had been killed in their homes. The buildings had been set on fire, killing those who had hidden. He looked at the charred wood and glowing embers.

  He took off into the skies again. He felt tired and worn down.

  Can I really stop it? If I do, are we doomed to repeat what has happened already? Are we going to turn on one another as soon as there isn’t a greater threat than one another?

  He didn’t like what his mind thought of, or the answers that appeared. Instead, he flew through the sky, alone, seeing another town in the distance.


  The town was under siege by a dozen or so chaotic beasts. Seeing them, Anthony gripped his sword tighter.

  They could be the ones who did that to the village.

  He released his wings and plummeted toward the ground. He let out a war cry as he went through a chaotic beast that was spewing chaotic power at the walls of the town.

  His body crackled with energy. Purple light filled his sword as the chaotic beast was drained of its power. He shot forward, drawing on the power of his familiars. His sword cleaved through the chaotic beasts. He didn’t care about technique, using raw power to defeat them.

  In front of him, they weren’t able to put up any resistance. Each time his blade moved, a beast was left on the ground, burning from internal fire.

  Anthony lost himself to the despair, feeling powered by his actions. He flicked his sword, clearing it of blood as he looked over the battlefield.

  The two dozen or so chaotic beasts lay across the ground.

  The beast kin guards on the wall looked at him, not knowing what to do.

  Anthony’s wings unfurled as he shot up and over the wall. He planted his sword in the middle of the town.

  They all gripped their weapons tighter and hid their children, looking at the bloodied knight.

  Anthony felt hollow as his wings beat, sending him up into the air.

  Next one.

  Penelope’s flames swept over him and Anthony kept moving. The faster he put down the flames, the more people he could save.

  ***

  Leader Ulmash stood at a rise that overlooked the Northern Basin.

  The entire basin teemed with Drafeng and chaotic beasts.

  Conversion towers created three rings, converting the power of Dena into chaotic power for easier consumption. Chaotic beasts were pulled from the conversion towers and thrown into several evolution pits. Drafeng queens rested underneath those conversion towers, taking in the majority of power.