Lich Encounter: Part 5

I opened my eyes to the familiar dim sight of the damaged ceiling above me. I got up and once again found myself surrounded by candles placed in an odd pattern on the floor. The sight wasn't as distressing as it used to be, maybe I was just getting used to it. I considered asking Alyssa about it again, perhaps she would be more honest with me after yesterday's events. I looked towards the Lich, and saw that she was sitting on her chair and fixated on a book as usual. I opened my mouth to talk, and noticed that unpleasant taste again.

"Good Morning, Alyssa." I stopped, realizing this was probably a strange thing to say. How could I be certain about the time of day down here in the dark?

"How are you feeling?" Alyssa immediately asked, still engrossed in whatever she was reading. Something else I was getting used to, slowly.

"Pretty good, actually" I replied. Considering I had been down here for days now, I actually felt rather well. I wasn't even feeling sore after all that "experimentation" last night. "But I'm still confused about these candles. Why are you placing these around me when I sleep? Is this some kind of ritual?"

Alyssa got up and put down the book carefully. "Well, I did promise you knowledge" she walked over to the candles and made a movement with her hands over them, as if she was tracing their pattern in the air. "It's kind of a protective circle. You're so helpless when you sleep, I just wanted to ensure your safety. You've probably noticed a couple of positive side effects, too. You won't get hungry, any injuries you have will heal and you'll wake up full of energy." She teasingly poked a finger at me. "So stop being paranoid!"

Well, that explained a few things. I was beginning to wonder why I wasn't hungry after all my time down here, but assumed that this and my alertness were mostly due to Alyssa's Demonic Energy. I suppose I should even be grateful that she - wait, what? "What do you mean by ensure my safety?" I hurriedly asked. "This tomb is your domain, and you're a Lich, you're essentially the Lord of this entire place. What could possibly be a threat to me while you're around?" Was there something else she wasn't telling me?

"I just told you to stop with the paranoia!" Alyssa answered sharply, momentarily losing her controlled composure. "The important thing is I'm keeping you well and healthy. There really isn't anything you could eat down here anyway, so this was the only alternative available."

I got the horrible feeling that she had another surprise waiting for me later on. It wasn't the first time Alyssa had lost her cool around me, but this was an emotion I hadn't seen her display before. It was almost like she was afraid of something.

I was about to push her for further answers, but the Lich spoke first: "Anyway, on the subject of knowledge, how about we begin with your first lesson?" She started browsing a nearby bookshelf, then turned her head to look me over. "Now I don't know what your exact skill level with magic is, but from what I've seen so far from you I would guess... basic."

"Basic?" I tried not to sound offended. I think I failed.

"Very basic. You were clearly born with some magical ability, but it isn't exactly impressive. You do understand that an illumination orb is supposed to remain until it is dismissed, yes?"

I looked at the ground sheepishly. I had always assumed that the light to that spell just burned out over a set time, but in my defense there wasn't much of a need for spell casting in my line of work. Well, not until I was sent here anyway.

Alyssa went back to browsing the books in front of her. "So beginner's level it is for now. Don't worry, I'll make a respectable mage out of you yet, my dear." That slight hint of a wicked smile returned to her face as she looked back to me for a moment, and she went to fetch something from a table nearby. "I WILL get results from you, one way or another..."

She returned brandishing a short, black cane. Alyssa bent it slightly in her hands, staring evilly at me and slightly biting her lip.

"Uhh... what's that for?" I nervously inquired.

"Oh, pay no mind to this..." Alyssa playfully dismissed, waving the unnerving thing at me and picking up a book from the shelves. "Just think of it as a... teaching aid."

"A teaching aid? L-look Alyssa, I - I don't need a wand to cast spells!"

"Oh don't worry! It's not a wand..."

Yeah, I sort of knew that already. I suppose I was just hoping that-

"I told you to pay no mind to it. Now, follow me, I'm not about to have you burn down my library with an errant fireball." She led me out into a dark corridor. I couldn't see a thing, and was about to remind her that I was blind in such conditions, but before I could speak several torches ignited themselves on the walls around us. Alyssa stood close beside me, and pointed ahead into the darkness. "I want you to light as many torches as you can ahead of us" she commanded. "Concentrate on the intensity of the flame you want to manifest, and make it happen. I want to see what you're capable of."

OK, how hard could this be-THWAK!

I yelped, rubbing my behind and jumping around to face Alyssa.

"Oh my, what a cute noise you made." She cooed, licking her lips.

"Wh-what was that for!?"

"Your posture was terrible."

"Do I need a specific posture for using magic?"

"Well, no, but it really isn't good for your back, my dear."

"Can we lose the cane, please?"

THWAK! I cried out again, my bottom stinging from the second strike of her cane.

"No answering back now!"

I could see that I was going to regret this. Alyssa leaned on my shoulder and gently blew into my ear. "Come on now, you can do this." She began to trace a finger around my ear and down my neck. "Don't get distracted now!" I could feel her breath on my skin, which was clearly on purpose considering that the undead didn't actually need to breathe anyway. I could feel my own breathing getting heavier, and something stirring in my pants.

THWAK! "ARE YOU GOING TO STOP THAT?" I shouted, holding my increasingly sore backside as the initial pain slowly began to dull.

"Lusting after teacher? What a naughty boy!" Alyssa taunted with a grin, eyes flitting to my crotch. She slipped around so her face was close to mine, and her voice became a sensual whisper. "I can tell that you're enjoying this, at least one part of you is being honest about it."

"I thought you were trying to teach me some magic?" I rebutted, slowly pushing her away.

"What's wrong with making it an experiment on top of that? I already have some very interesting results: it would appear that my beloved husband is a masochist."

"N-no I'm not!"

"Additionally, he's also a terrible liar."

"Can we just concentrate on the spellcasting, please?"

She glanced down at my crotch again, and raised an eyebrow. "Well, you can talk."

"I-" No, I would not rise to it. Eh, come to think of it that would have been a poor choice of words, but anyway, if I ignored Alyssa's obvious attempt at teasing I would at least have a chance of completing this task. Maybe that was the point, that I was supposed to keep a clear head throughout all this taunting and whipping, and still light the torches. Then again, maybe I was giving Alyssa far too much credit. I ignored the Litch beside me, and tried to picture the torches on the wall catching alight, to feel the heat they would emit, to see the-

THWAK!

I glared at Alyssa

"You were pulling a silly face."

"I was concentrating. Are you going to cut that out?"

I looked back down the dark hallway and went back to concentrating on the unlit torches ahead. I imagined them burning, and the corridor ahead being flooded with light. I continued to stare intently down the unlit path, and as I did two of the torches roared into life. I stood there feeling proud of this accomplishment. Sure, it wasn't an amazing result, but it was my first time using any kind of destructive magic. I turned to face Alyssa with a grin on my face.

"Was that honestly the best you could do?" She sighed, causing the cocky smile to immediately fall from my face.

"Well, I got results didn't I?"

"There are at least eight more torches down this corridor. Were you honestly pleased with yourself for such meager results?"

"You know, it WAS my first time practicing this kind of magic, Alyssa. What the hell did you expect from me?"

THWAK!

"Unsatisfactory. See me after class..." Alyssa winked, sauntering back into her library.

This really wasn't what I was expecting when a Lich promised to educate me in the dark arts. I thought she was going to be teaching me all kinds of forbidden magic, stuff that would make my imprisonment down here feel worthwhile at least. I gazed at the two torches that I had successfully lit, and found myself wondering about Ross. Lani didn't seem to be that bad of a person really, but I doubt Ross would have given her an easy time. Paladins hated monsters far more than the average man, it would take a lot to break him. Perhaps he would escape and - no, it was hopeless. I remembered that Kyle was still out there somewhere, and since I still had heard nothing about him, it was likely that he had escaped the tomb during Ross' rampage. Maybe he would return with reinforcements? It wasn't too much of a stretch, The Library obviously wanted this book badly. Until that moment came I would just have to make the most of it here, Alyssa wasn't too bad when you got used to her, I supposed.

I rubbed my now aching backside and followed Alyssa back into the library, wincing. I may not have found her Phylactery, I may have failed in my escape, but at least I could "misplace" that bloody cane of hers.

As I entered the room, I noticed something laying near the door. I approached it, and realized that it was Ross' divine sword. Alyssa must have just left it there, having no use for it. I wasn't about to enrage her with a pathetic assassination attempt, but I still couldn't resist the temptation to pick it up. Ross never allowed my near his sword, and there was nothing to stop me from sating my curiosity this time.

I grasped the handle, and immediately jumped back as an agonizing pain shot through my arm and I dropped the sword.

It couldn't be...