Chapter 9

The Council of Alchemy and Magery's campus was swallowed by an infernal blaze. Hell fire and neon embers scorched the land. Buildings crumbled into ash. Metal and stone melted with ease. Black smoke rose above green flames.

"What's going on? What happened?" Vera trembled.

"It looks to me that the city is under attack." Said Sir Isaac.

"I can see that, dick!"

"There! In the town square!" Everyone turned their focus to Elizabeth's point. Standing in the streets, cloaked in mystical robes and holding an oaken staff, was a powerful entity. A necrotic skeleton with three little horns protruding from its skull.

"Hold on... is that-"

"Necros!" The grand elder interrupted.

"I've waited a long time for this, grand elder!" The shrill, nasally voice of Necros called out.

"I locked you away ages ago! How are you out?"

"A question that shall be answered later!"

"It was Grimwald wasn't it." Elizabeth interjected.

"How the fuck?! Grrr! Never mind! I shall make do on the promise I made oh so long ago and burn this palace of lies to the ground!" With that, Necros jabbed his wooden staff into the ground. A neon ring of light pulsed outwards and after a staggering delay everything the light touched became shredded and upheaved. The foundation of the temple cracked, the stairs split, and the whole building began to sag and tip. The heroes stumbled, tripping over each other trying to find their footing. "This country shall know ruin!" Another pulse of light. Another tremor in the earth.

"Not if I have anything to say about it!" Sir Isaac leapt forth. His foot hit the ground with force, to which he used to spring himself forward into a lunge. Sir Isaac thrusted his sword into Necros' chest. He grinned underneath his helmet. "How does that feel, warlock?"

"Oh my god." Vera whined.

"You truly are an idiot, aren't you paladin?" Necros tore away his robes, revealing that Sir Isaac's blade had only weaved through Necros' ribs. "I'm a skeleton, you dolt!"

"You know, I was really hoping you had some flesh under there." An invisible force launched Sir Isaac back. His back slid across stone, metal armor pressing against his spine. Elizabeth rushed down to help him while Vera took her grandfather's staff. "Got any fancy medicines, doc?" He groaned.

"Nothing that'll cure a broken back." Elizabeth said, propping Sir Isaac up. Vera raised the staff and pointed it at Necros. A white glow shined out from the orb fixed to the tip, and soon it beamed down at Necros. The necromancer swiped his staff across the air. A protective bubble erupted from his core, causing the attack to from a perimeter of ice crystals around him.

"Damnit!"

"You cheap bastard, I'll pop that stupid bubble of yours!" Sir Isaac charged at Necros once more.

"Wait!" Elizabeth called out, ignored. Sir Isaac struck at the barrier. He struck at it again, and again, and again, all the while Vera pelted it with volleys of magic missiles. But to no avail. The shield didn't even dent, nor did it budge. Sir Isaac brought up his sword, high above his head. He shouted out as he sliced down with tremendous power. The bubble gave way, shattering into tiny little fragments. The small victory was quickly spoiled, however, as Necros caught the blade with his boney hands.

"Vines." He said, summoning a thick bushel of thorny plants. They wrapped themselves around Sir Isaac, restricting his movement. "Why do you persist, paladin? This isn't your fight. Constrict." The vines obeyed, growing tighter around the helpless knight.

"Don't act like we aren't here, Necros!" Vera screamed, flinging a fire ball at the lich. Necros gently tapped the ground and another barrier manifested itself to block the incendiary.

"I thought they would've taught you this in your knight academy. The spellcaster will always beat the spell-less. Constrict." Tighter. Tighter they grew. The sound of creaking metal could barely be heard over the screams. "I will help bring this kingdom to its knees, and I cannot wait to hang your body and string your entrails across my alter." A purple glow illuminated Necros' fingertips. "Ruin." Quickly, glowing purple cracks spread across Sir Isaac's blade. The metal rusted, weakened, withered, and soon within a matter of seconds the sword disintegrated into a fine dust. Everyone was too stunned to speak, petrified from the display of sheer dominance. "Thorns." Suddenly, the vines binding Sir Isaac sprouted thousands of small spines and spikes. At first, they were just a mild discomfort, but then they grew to become a ceaseless pain. The thorns elongated and pierced through the knight's armor, turning his protection into a makeshift iron maiden. Blood trickled out of the puncture holes. Sir Isaac tried to scream, but tears in his lungs stifled his breaths.

"No!" They screamed.

"Don't look so distraught, paladin. Once I'm done with you, I'll make sure all your little friends join you in Hell. And I'll be sure to get Dullahan and Grimwald to flay your skin so you all will look just like me!"

"That's it!" Vera shouted. "I've had enough!" Vera slammed her staff into the ground. A similar light pulsed outwards from the pristine, polished wood. The ground cracked and upheaved as another quake rocked the area. Necros stumbled and fell as his joints buckled and gave way. The vines released their hold on Sir Isaac, letting him fall as well. "Obliterate!" Vera said as she swiped her staff across the width of her body. A tiny orb flew out towards Necros. It danced with a chaotic, colorful light. A tiny mix of blues, pinks, and greens. The red lights in the necromancer's sockets shrank as the orb imploded, and then subsequently letting out a devastating blast of pure energy. Nearly half the town and its surrounding lands were caught in the attack. A blinding light covered the skies. When it and the dust faded, nothing was left but smoldering ash and the broken bodies of fallen warriors. Vera panted as she struggled to stand upright. Elizabeth crawled to Sir Isaac, hoping to save his soul. Necros took deep, lungless breathes as he searched for his oaken staff, keeping his eyes fixed on Vera and the grand elder. Once he found it, he thrusted it forward to cast another spell, but nothing happened.

"Damnit." He whispered. "Out of mana." He ran his free hand down his skull, feeling the newly formed cracks in its foundation. He growled. "This isn't over! I'll be back, and next time I won't lose!" Necros mustered all of his strength and endurance to cast one last spell. An abyssal portal manifested behind him. The skeleton rolled back through the spatial gate, closing it before anyone could follow.