In the next two hours, the group hacked their way through another ambush and reached the top of the summit. A large cavern adorned the top, looming and black as mid-night. The half-elf and half-drow crept forward to investigate. Away from the group, Kerthir glanced over at Claire and asked “Are you sure you want to go in there?” The half-drow stopped to look at the druid, eyebrow already shooting up questioningly. The druid continued, “You don’t have to do this. Go back under the earth.” Kerthir pointed at the cave vaguely “I know how much you hate it. The dampness of the soil, the dank smell, the silence for tunnels and tunnels.” Claire remained quiet for several moments and answered, “I must go back, I have a good reason.” And that was all it took. Her mind was made up and the druid could not change that. Kerthir shrugged “Alright.”

Without issue, the two slipped into the cave and did not sense any oncoming danger. Together with the rest of the party, they crept deeper into the cave. At one point, Ioraial raced in front of Denghal and touched her holy symbol. She closed her eyes and opened them a moment later. “Be careful, something long dead resides here, moving once more.” Denghal shrugged “We came this far, we will not turn back.” Clarie nodded in agreement “Whatever is down there can fall to blade or spell.” For a few minutes there was nothing but the sound of wind blowing through the cavern. That silence was shattered like glass as a scream erupted from Ioraial. The cleric snuck to her knees as a strange creature bit into her back. It had triangular shell that was rounded like the spiral of a tower. Its face could do be seen but squid-like tentacles clung to the clinks of Ioraial’s armor. The creature’s razor sharp teeth dug into Ioraial who could not shake the creature from her. Just then, two more dropped down, landing on Caeliron and Kerthir. With a snarl, Kerthir wildshaped into a fire elemental, giving the creature almost nothing to cling to. Deniva rushed forward and struck the creature from Kerthir’s fiery form. In a flash of white-hot flame, Kerthir flicked his wrist and sent a bolt of fire into the darkmantle on the cleric’s back. It’s grip weaked, allowing Ioraial a chance to stand and ram her back into the cavern wall. It fell from her and began to levitate towards the ceiling. Using her morningstar the petite halfing struck the darkmantle to the floor. Its shell cracked open, sending goo-like matter across the short cleric.

At the end of the group, Caeliron had begun to rapidly play a song on his lute. With each stroke of the strings, the lute gave off part of the bard’s spells. Slowly, the creature began to let go of the bard until it dropped and tumbled to the ground. Caeliron grinned despite the pain “At least I can still put these things to sleep. No problem.” Ioraial beckoned to him “Here allow me to help you.” Before anyone could move, a voice entered the back of their minds. Like an unwelcomed guest pushing a locked door open, this voice entered their thoughts, disturbing them and said, “I congratulate you. Not many have the chance to see the birth of a new conqueror.” At the bottom of the tunnel was a large oval room, decorated with textiles. They were faded and old and looked more like  leaves that crumbled in the fall than the masterpieces they once were. In the center of the room was an opened coffin.

Sitting atop it was a grey corpse, a corpse of a man. His frame was frail looking but his voice had been able to shake their minds like thunder. His cracked lips parted into a sea of black decay. “Welcome” he said out loud “to my coronation.” With that, he stood and raised his arms, making the ground shake. An earthquake shook the chamber, knocking the heroes over into a heap into the oval room. A claw-like, dried hand bust from the ground and began to pull out an attached body. Undead began to crawl from the earth like ants leaving an anthill. Deniva turned to Ioraial and ordered “Quickly, take the others and deal with this horde.” Without another word, the paladin raced at the laughing lich. The half-drow’s blade lit up with blazing light as she rushed after the wayward paladin.

Kerthir flung balls of fire at group after group of the horrid monsters. The more he killed, it seemed twice as more took its place. The hooded ranger stood towards the back of the room, shooting arrows into crumbling flesh. Caeliron stood behind the ranger, fingers flying and voice echoing throughout the cave. Bravery filled the blood of his allies, urging them onwards.  Empowered, Ioraial held aloft her holy symbol rebuking the dead and ordering them back into their graves. The dead hissed at her but fled before the glowing radiant of her holy symbol. They did not run too far before turning to dust. However, there was simply too many to fight. In an eerie voice the druid croaked out words in his elemental form “This isn’t working.” Caeliron only nodded agreement too busy playing to comment.

His laughter was maddening. Deniva swung for the lich’s throat but he simply jumped away. The duskblade rushed forward and swung low for the lich’s legs. Deniva waited for the undead commander to leap into the air before she swung at his body. This time, her blade bit deep into the lich’s torso. If he felt the blade the creature made no signs of caring. He raised his hand at Claire and released a ray of wobbling purple energy. It struck her in the shoulder, corroding the flesh and twisting it up into a decaying state. Claire shrieked in pain but held onto to her blade. A twisted smile crossed the lich’s cracked lips. ‘Its toying with us’ Deniva reflected bitterly. She looked to the side and saw the rest of her friends struggling to hold back a wave of corpses. The lich followed her gaze and cast a black haze over the other battle. It blocked out Deniva’s line of sight on her friends. The light of the cleric’s symbol and flashes of fire from Kerthir were the only things she could still see. Deniva cursed and spun to face her attacker. The paladin’s blade lit up with holy energy as she dug her blade into the lich’s shoulder. The creature’s skin began to peel and boil but he pushed the blade out. Deniva sidestepped as he shot a bolt of green energy at her. She saw Claire, holding her shoulder but still alive. The half-drow shouted, “Distract him!” and took off into the black haze. The paladin dodged another ray of deadly energy and smiled “Is that all? Perhaps you’re still tired from your nap” the holy warrior taunted. The lich raised his hand and extended his fingers. Deniva gasped as she felt the wounds she had closed up earlier begin to open up. Suddenly, Claire rushed up from behind and buried her sword into the small of the lich’s back.

Flames shot through the creature’s body, lighting it on fire. He hissed angrily, knocking away the young heroine who hit him. Claire soared through the air, hitting her back on the wall. With inhuman speed the living corpse grabbed Deniva’s throat and lifted her over his head. Necromantic energy burned the holy woman’s skin, beginning to turn her into a corpse. “Your time is over”, it said grimly. The sound of the lich’s laugher made Deniva struggle a bit but she simply did not have enough strength to fight it. ‘Miria, I’m sorry’ Deniva thought. She put down her head and waited for death. Then, Deniva was on the ground coughing for breath. Beside her was the lich’s arm, cut off from the shoulder. Above her stood Denghal and her friends. The ranger leaned forward and said, “You might want to get corpses that can actually fight.”

The lich summoned a ball of crackling black energy and tossed it at the group. The paladin rolled to the side while the others dove for cover. Before it could cast another spell, a silver blade pierced its abdomen. Claire stood behind it and twisted her sword deeper into her target. This time, the lich twisted in pain as the half-drow’s blade began to glow with arcane light. Kerthir fired a bolt of flames into the lich’s already burning head. The lich twisted and turned but Claire kept her blade in his stomach. Caeliron stopped playing his song to reach into his pocket. He dug around as if looking for something and beamed as he pulled out a closed fist. He shouted “Claire, please step away from our rotten friend.” The half-drow jumped away as the bard opened his hand. He held nothing in it. Instead, a bolt of lightening shot into the lich. The monster groaned and fell over onto his side. Cautiously, Deniva stepped forward and poked it with her sword. The corpse did not move. Deniva turned her back on it and looked to the others and smiled at them as she panted for breath. Just then, Denghal’s eyes went wide and he screamed, “Look out!” Denvia spun on her heels and saw the lich raising a hand.  The ranger knocked Deniva over and shielded her from a blinding yellow explosion.

When Deniva awoke she saw Claire was angrily hacking the corpse over and over, making sure it never moved again. Deniva turned her head and saw the ranger lying on his stomach beside her. Ioraial worked franticly, trying to stop the ranger’s skin from crumbling away. Blood oozed from his mouth and his eyes were closed. Caeliron stood beside the dying man, playing his lute to cast healing word over and over. Denghal was still dying. Deniva crawled to his side; aware of the trail of blood she was leaving. Kerthir had dropped his elemental form and followed behind her, using healing magic on her. “Stop moving, you’ll live if you just let me work.” He ordered. She spat blood and croaked “Why?” The ranger’s eyes flickered open. She repeated the question “Why? Why would you do that for me? Why does everyone die for me? I am not worth all your lives.” Denghal laughed but it soon turned into coughing “Deniva, the worth of a person is not theirs to decide, and the choices others make are not yours to make. If I die, I die because I care for you. Because…there was a reason for you to live…a reason that I can be content with dying for.” Denghal looked into the paladin’s eyes and whispered “Deniva, you are worth dying for. And if I had more lives to live, I’d give each one to you.” His eyes closed and he stopped speaking. Deniva put her hands on his chest, focusing all her divine healing into him. He smiled and whispered “Deniva, I can see her…Miria. Almost more beautiful than you.” He exhaled, eyes distant. He died with the faintest of smiles on his lips.

…

The wind was cold and blew harshly against the holy warriors cheeks. Deniva sat on a hill overlooking the Northport harbor. She felt hollow and empty, missing a part of herself. Deniva looked up into the sky, towards the stars. Snow fell around her but she did not fell its cold. A question keeps tossing around in her head. Why would so many die for her? She blinked and exhaled deeply, she couldn’t figure out this question. Deniva stood up with a groan and turned her back on the harbor. She was surprised to see Kethtir and Claire waiting behind her. “What are you doing here?” the paladin asked. Kethtir answered, “We found your room at the chapel empty and figured you were leaving the city. Ioraial has to run the chapel and Caeliron is writing an epic for Denghal so we went sent to find you. Where are you going?” The warrior shrugged “I don’t know. I just know I can’t stay here. There is a purpose for me that I must discover.”

Claire put her hands on her hips “And you thought you could just wander off on your own?” Deniva crossed her arms “I’m older than you, I don’t need you to follow me everywhere. I can go alone.” That was a lie though, Deniva knew. She needed someone to help her find her purpose. She needed someone to keep her from despair, someone to push her on when she wanted to give up. Her friends had already done that before and she knew they would do it again. Kerthir grinned, “Well, in that case we’re going with you. I’ll leave word for the other two to follow after us if they wish.” Deniva began to walk towards the gate out of Northport. She caught a glimpse of Miria’s Column rising over the city before all she saw was the road ahead. She could feel the presence of her friends behind her; ready to follow wherever she ended up. As they began to walk away, Deniva turned, smiled, and said “Thank you.”