Sol'ginok

Sol'ginok

          Not everyone cares if you are dead.
          No one can convince me I am to blame for this, though I have always done things my way, outside the laws of man and nature. It goes with the territory of being a Lich.
          How I began as a Cleric no longer matters. What does matter is how I became into being after I died.
          It happened when Qhok'mudin, a Lich Necromancer, knew we could not beat it. The warriors were down, and the archer was unconscious. I was left to fight alone. The lich didn't bother looking at me, displaying my insignificance in the battle.
          I readied my last three offensive spells, each only requiring a Word to release.
          I released a Distortion Bolt. The bolt creates positive energy to disrupt the negative energy of the undead. The bolt hits an invisible wall and bounces to the left, striking a pile of old pottery.
          Before the lich could respond, I uttered the second Word of Power and released a blast of elemental fire--a continuous column of lava poured from ceiling to floor onto the lich.
          My last spell, Cause Destruction, required me to be in contact with the lich.
         While distracted, I placed my hand on its head and uttered the Word. The spell's effect destroyed its left cheekbone, eye socket, and mandible.
         The lich grabbed my tunic and telepathically spoke to me; however, I could not understand what it was saying. It might have been a language the lich spoke before its death. Pushing my hand forward, I placed my left hand on its chest and uttered the Holy Power Word.
         Another column of fire erupted around the lich. Startled by the sudden flame and heat, the lich dropped me, and I fell backward onto the floor.
         Stand, filth. I am Qhok'mudin, your new master.
         "Your reign of terrorizing the countryside ends today."
         You are insects underneath my feet.
         "Stop trying to possess my mind. I am well protected. The curtain of fire also burnt a Holy Symbol into the floor beneath us."
         Ignoring my comments, You have taken my treasures and encroached on my land. And you, specifically, tried to take my life away.
         "We came here to imprison you within these caverns and magically seal the entrance."
         How can this be? You don't even know what you have done? You are a bigger fool than I imagined.
          I was about to strike the lich. However, before I could swing my mace, the lich waved its hand neglectedly, and unseen hands flung me across the cavern, breaking three ribs and dislocating my shoulder.
          Looking at me intently, I see within you a struggle. A terrible conflict. The battle has festered within you. There is resentment within you. Your desires haunt and torment you. If you were your true self, others would call you a traitor.
         "That's a lie. You know nothing of me."
         I am merely trying to set you free.
          "I refuse to listen. You are evil incarnate."
         You're right. I am. I distracted you enough to leave the protection circle to finish the incantation. Don't worry. I will explain it all when you wake up.
         I tried to remember what happened. There was a thunderous noise, extreme heat around my head, and nothing.
          Eventually, I became aware of my surroundings. I noticed I was on a cold piece of stone. When I lifted my hand to feel what was covering my face, I saw it was covered with taunt, dry, dead skin. The fingers of each hand had rings with rubies, sapphires, diamonds, and opals of varying sizes. Sitting up, I noticed the rest of my body clothed in a black robe. I stood up; the robe had runes inscribed to augment my natural and magical abilities and added protective spells and glyphs. The runes I read were that of a magic user, not a cleric; I didn't know how I knew this,
         I see you are finally aware. I worried your body would not accept the gift of transformation. Qhok'mudin observed. Though you tried to end my life, I have cursed yours. You have transcended into something glorious.
         What do you mean? What have you done to me?
         Ignoring my questions, he continued, I was close to permanently perishing because of your interference. You unwittingly damaged my phylactery. Thankfully, you were unaware of what you did, so you did not press the attack. I had to punish you. Simply killing you wouldn't have taught you anything; turning you into a mindless undead wouldn't further my revenge. No. You needed a lesson that would last an eternity.
         I own a vast magical treasure. Some of the most valuable items are rings. Among them are my rings of Wishes. With careful thought, well-worded phrases, and several potions, I remade you to match your inner you.
         Transformed me? Why do I hunger for something I am not aware of or am not aware of? It's a bottomless hunger. What is the buzzing in my head?
         So many questions. I hope you are an adaptive pupil, for I will not repeat myself. Ask your queries: think wisely before you do.
         What am I?
         You are now what you hunted: a Necromancing Lich Wizard.
         What? I will never be like you.
         But you are now. You are immortal. You are outside of life and death.
         What is your next question?
         What is this gnawing hunger I feel?
         Ah. This question is the most critical, if not the most important. Your magical receptacle, called a phylactery, stores the remainder of your essence or soul and anchors you to the physical world. Your phylactery will allow you to rise repeatedly as long as it is intact.
          Now, heed this carefully; you must feed on souls to sustain yourself.
          I will do such thing.
         Qhok'mudin responded, If you do not feed, your dark side will surface and cause you to become insane. You will hunt indiscriminately and without pause.
         I then asked a question I did not know I would ever ask; How do I do this? Feed.
         You are lich-born--the apex of the undead. Your minions will bring it to you. You command, and the undead will obey. Now, reach out your mind as you did when searching for undead to banish. Call the undead to you.
         I feel them. I can bend them easily. Wait. A vampire is trying to resist. I quickly controlled it.
         Soon, you will leave and claim your territory; this territory is mine.
         How long did this process take?
          It has taken centuries for you to be reborn.
         Centuries? My friends, the companions I came with, are all dead?
         To work the dark magic needed to craft you, I sacrificed them to the dark magic. The spells required me to use your family and friends. They willingly choose to sacrifice themselves for you.
          Qhok'mudin gave them no choice-he took their lives without discretion.
         At this time, five fleshless skeletons slowly shuffled in. Moss and lichen hung loosely off their bones. Close behind, shrouded in darkness, came the vampire.
         It stopped and stared intently at me. Contempt and challenge radiated within its blood-filled eyes.
         Qhok'mudin, seeing this, stated, The Vampire is challenging you. It sees you as a rival, an inferior. You must show your dominance.
         As the cleric spell Turn Undead came to mind, a searing pain exploded within my head as I tried to recall the incantation.
         When Qhok'mudin saw my pain, it stated, You can no longer use your Cleric spells. You are a Necromancer. Listen to the incantations speaking to you within your mind.
         I listened to the unfamiliar noises within my mind. Focusing my thoughts on the noises, strange but somehow familiar glyphs began to glow in my mind. These were commands to change reality, control weak minds, and destroy those who challenged me.
         I aimed my hand toward the vampire. Three glowing darts of magical fire shot out and hit the vampire in the chest. The energy drove him backward, and he staggers to stand. He stares at me without blinking, then bends one knee and bows his head.
         Well done! Well done, indeed, praised Qhok'mudin. Now, tell your minions to find souls for you to consume--preferably those lost in the woods, cemetery, or out adventuring. A few hamlets in the vicinity are without witches, as they cannot afford their services. There are bigger villages nearby that employ witches. The fools believe the witches are there to serve. They are mine to control.
         I commanded the skeletons and the vampire; Each of you bring back a lost human. Ensure they are alone and no one sees you. Do not be followed. I turned to the vampire; Find a suitable host for you to turn into one of you.
         The vampire and skeletons don't acknowledge the command; they simply leave.
         Time passed. Sounds of sobbing echoed from the stone corridor as the skeletons returned. Five dirty, scantly clothed peasants huddled together as they appeared while the skeletons surrounded them. Two young women and an old crone entered. Two bearded peasants covered with muddy clothes, hands, and faces followed. Grave robbers, no doubt.
                   Addressing the vampire as it entered with its captive, Take your young 3090 Words
female and sire a new servant.
         The vampire glides over to the now-shaking young woman. She is now crying hysterically. The vampire gently lifts her head with his hand and stares at her. The young female slowly stops weeping and smiles at him. They keep the gaze for a few more moments before the vampire turns away and begins gliding away. The young female follows willingly. They soon disappeared back down the same corridor.
         Once it is gone, Qhok'mudin addressed me, And now it is time for you to feed.
         How? You said earlier that I knew an incantation to feed. Do I focus like I did before?
         Before Qhok'mudin could respond, a terror-filled scream filled the cavern. The scream stopped with a gurgling noise and then silence.
         Qhok'mudin continued as if nothing occurred. Your phylactery does not need to be present. The only way to summon it is using a Plane Shift incantation. To answer your other question, yes, you have the incantation to transfer the souls into your phylactery. I am glad you have extra souls because this will allow you to feed enough to settle in your territory. Always look for graveyards, as that will alert you to settlements. Now, let's proceed.
         Feeding went much easier than I thought, and after devouring the first soul, I began to enjoy the process.
         After I fed, the vampire returned. I knew what he had done, how he turned the young female, and how long it would take for her to rise. I marveled at this knowledge.
         Once rising, I will take my leave with these minions. I do not want to wear out my welcome more than I already have.
         You now must create your new name. Your name must strike dread in all those who hear it. The very mention of it will cause the most devout to question their faith.
         I know who I am.
          I am Sol'ginok, Soul Stealer.



Contest: Journey Through the Genres
Prompt: Fantasy
Word Count:1,868 Words