I ran flat
out, pumping arms and legs as fast as I could. Markun, despite being a dwarf in
heavy plate managed to stay ahead of me. I had given a potion to Alistair, and
he trailed behind covering me while our pursuer continued to launch attacks.
The lich
let out another roar of fury. Moments after we'd taken our treasure, the lich
had magically appeared, cutting off our primary escape. Now we sprinted towards
a cliff where Markun had assured us lay a forgotten temple, but one still
consecrated to the gods that might provide us with a sanctuary. If we could
manage to hold the lich at bay.
I felt
useless, barely able to cast any spells, relying on Faenoth's wand to cast fire
into the undead monsters that had barred our path. I fired again at the lich,
hoping to at least distract it, but it didn't seem to care.
"Stop!"
I dug my
boots in hard, too hard, falling backwards to slide another foot before stopping,
just as a stretch of ground a hundred feet wide, long and deep turned to molten
magma. The leather of my boots began to blister and smoke as Alistair hauled me
back.
With no way
around this latest obstacle, Alistair downed the potion, grabbed me, and flew
us over the pit. The potion wouldn't last long, so he dropped me next to the
bridge where Markun waited.
With the
lich overhead, the dwarf hadn't dared cross with our prize. Deep in the chasm,
white water churned. Unless we could overcome the lich, we were trapped. The
lich seemed in no hurry.
Markun cast
a quick series of spells on Alistair, including his sword, which began to glow
with holy fire. I cast a spell to double Alistair's size, hoping that would be
enough to tip the odds in his favor.
Alistair
nodded, then flew after the lich. The lich was all skull with no facial
features, but it dodged back as Alistair closed on it, evidently not used to
someone attacking him on a physical level.
It threw
spell after spell, which bled through the protections Markun had bestowed upon
him, but Alistair kept coming, swinging the enlarged blade to score bone
shattering wounds against the creature that rebounded off of defensive spells.
"Come
on, lad, now's our chance." Markun propelled me across the bridge and he
followed. Below, white water churned as it wound its way down the mountain. As
we reached the other side, we noticed the lich's minions had made their way
around the magma pool, and now approached the bridge. Markun smashed the
bridges supports and I sawed through ropes with my dagger, cutting off pursuit.
"It's
in Alistair's hands, now. Gods be with him."
I looked to
the fight above just as my spell wore off, causing Alistair to shrink back
down. After the dungeon, I no longer had the magical might to sustain spells
for long, putting Alistair at a disadvantage again.
Alistair
didn't let it deter him, and he charged. I winced, sure the lich would have a
nasty spell prepared for him, and I was right. The lich cast out a volley of
fireballs that detonated against Alistair, the force of which sent him flying
up and away, also sending his shield spinning through the air. Alistair still
had his sword, and swung, cleaving through the lich, literally splitting him in
half from skull to hip.
Then the lich
exploded.
Alistair
had no way out, no chance to minimize the damage as he had barely finished his
swing. His body survived, but from how he fell, Markun shook his head.
"You
can bring him back, right?" I asked, watching my friend fall to the
ground.
"Aye.
I have the magic. I ken—" Markun cut off as we both watched Alistair's
body fall into the chasm.
A moment
later his sword landed, on our side of the chasm, clanging loudly as it
bounced.
"Go
on, lad. He'd want you to have it."
I took up
the sword and closed my eyes.