Revenge of the Sorcerer King 2 - 12

Chapter 12

Oberon

The basilisk hunting lasted most of the night. I think collectively, the goblins managed to go up about twenty levels. Which was impressive given they were already high level for the desert. The basilisks were just considered the kings of the desert and were even higher level. 

We had two living basilisks that we were currently keeping alive for blood to revive the statues. I left a party of fifteen goblins to handle that. There were close to two hundred statues in total after I had a goblin count them. I sent the rest back to the castle while Wraith and I inspected the cave to see if we could find anything useful.

Basilisks much like dragons liked to hoard things. Though that was a thousand years ago. I wasn’t sure that still applied after a thousand years. Surely, the best of the best adventurers would have picked this place clean years ago. 

We’d made our way through most of the caves finding generally useful gear but nothing to really write home about. Instead, we did find many more statues. It appeared the basilisks had stopped collecting trinkets and started collecting these. 

“This is the last one master,” Yunio said in her scratchy voice. I would have to remember to have her talk to some mortals in the future. I wanted to see their reaction. 

I nodded and we moved deeper in the cave. The largest collection of statues came into sight a few minutes later. Along with a basilisk that was the size of a dragon. The thing obvoisly couldn’t get out of the cave hench why it was still here. 

“Lich. Do. Not. Kill. Me.” A voice resounded throughout the cave as I stepped into the cavern of the big guy. 

I looked up at the creature with some surprise. “You can speak. That is quite impressive!”

“Many. Years.”

“It would be a shame to kill one as learned as you, but what is in it for me?”

“You. Can. Have. My. Collection.”

I glanced around at his dozens of statues. I could tell from most of their appearance they were likely high level. That would mean it would be a double edged sword. I could revive them, but I would likely have to subdue them afterwards. 

“I’m pretty sure I can take them if I kill you,” I said leaning on Promise.

“This. Is. True. Then. I. Have. Nothing. For. You.” 

I looked the old creature over. It wouldn’t be a good source of information given that he has been stuck in here for who knows how long. But… When I get high enough level I could teleport him out or just enlarge the cave. Then he would be quite a force to reckon with on any battlefield I put him on. His gaze alone might stop thousands if used right.

“Very well. I will take your collection. After I have inspected them, I will send a few back so that you can sustain yourself.” Basilisks drew energy from the statues and persisted on that. Still, a creature that could live to be a hundred could potentially live to over a thousand if petrifiyed. I doubted any of these statues were that old but it would interesting to find out.

“Thank. You. Lich.”

“Call me Oberon. If the time should come, I may call upon you to do battle for me. Be prepared for that,” I said moving over to his gallery and inspecting some of the statues. I found one at the end of a dragonkin that looked fimailar for some reason. “Yunio. Go fetch some of the goblins…” I started then changed my mind. “Go fetch some of the undead. Have them take these back to the castle.” The goblins would likely turn to stone just walking in here. 

I left the cave after that. The sun was starting to rise and the annoying tingle was one my paper thin skin. Some of the more sun durable undead were making their way into the cave as I was leaving. Wraith absolutely hated the sun so I doubted I would see her until I got back to the castle. 

I called for my new undead stead. It was reluctant to come into the sun, but once I was in the saddle, the sun stopped bothering it as much. I started to leave the rock outcropping but came to a stop when I saw Gobluke. 

“Find someone you can rely on to lead here. We’re entering the dungeon either tonight or tomorrow morning. I want you with us.”

“As you command, master,” Gobluke said with a bow and I nodded before heading back to the castle. 

The ride back to the castle was uneventful. The undead patrolled just about eighty percent of it, and the goblin force and I had cleared the way earlier on the way to the basilisk area. Needless to say, I was bored as hell by the time I got back to the castle. 

“This is why I perfected teleportation magic in the first place,” I mumbled as I hopped off the undead steed. I needed to think of a name for him. 

Walking into the throne room, I found Alessa sitting at the foot rolling a blood orb between her fingers. She looked like she had something weighing on her mind. Given that she had changed some of the women to vampires, I wondered if it hadn’t gone completely as she hoped. Given the stigma of the undead, I was sure many of them refused her.

“Alessa. What’s got you down?” I asked as I moved over to her.

“Tonight has been… interesting,” she replied looking at me.

“Oh? Did no one volunteer?” 

Alessa hopped to her feet as I walked up the throne following close behind me. “On the contrary that went much better than I expected. Speaking of that, one of the women wants to become a lich. I told her it would be up to you of course.”

A lich. I hadn’t created anything of that level yet. To be perfectly honest, I thought Ted would have been the first person I changed to that type of undead, but maybe it would be better to do some trials beforehand. “Alright. I’ll give it some thought, but I’m not rejecting the idea outright. Is that what has you wound up?”

“No. Before I tell you, will you promise me that you wouldn’t kill her?”

I gave her a critical eye. It was something that could be potentially dangerous to us. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have requested that. “Very well,” I said waving my hand through the air.

Alessa

I exhaled a breath of relief once he promised. While he hadn’t used magic, I found that Oberon was very uptight about his promises. It was likely a bleed over from his mortal days. I just hoped he never got rid of it. 

“Thank you.”

“Now what it is?”

“Jade. Um, one of the girls I changed into a vampire today turned out to be the princess of the country we’re technically part of.”

“And?” 

I blinked as I wasn’t expecting that. I mean it was a princess! Aren’t people like that usually sought after by all the knights in the land until their back home safe. The fact we changed said princess into a vampire might be taken as an offence to some people.

“That’s… That’s it,” I said with a shrug.

“The fact they allowed their princess to be taken by one of the lords and kept at Gallery tells me all I need to know. Either she ran away, likely not wanting to be part of a political marriage, or she was sold or spirited away by someone that wanted to get rid of her. From what I gathered at one of the towns, they king was looking for an excuse to go to war.”

“Now that you mention it.”

“This is interesting though. We have the princess, even as a vampire she still has claim to the throne. If we *cough* accidently *cough* remove all the other lines of succession we can have one of our own on the seat of power in the area.”

“Surely, the people wouldn’t allow that?” I asked with some trepidation.

“If the choice is that or have your towns and cities burned to the ground, not many people are going to complain outright.”

“Fair enough.”

“Did you ask the princess how she came about her situation?”

“No. I was too surprised about it and thought it better to talk to you first.”

Oberon nodded. “Why don’t you go get the girl and we’ll find out right now.”

I nodded and left the throne room. A few minutes later, I was back with a girl in tow. I had to admit she was quite beautiful. The vampirization had only served to enhance her beauty much like myself. I didn’t understand why it hadn’t helped in Sarius’s case very much. Sure, he had become a bit better looking but it wasn’t at our level. Not to toot my own horn.

“Master Oberon. Thank you for seeing me,” Jade said as she curtsied.

“Yes. Princess. I hope we have met the standard of courtesy of the country.”

Jade smiled nervously. No one truly got used to Oberon. Even after being in his presence for almost two weeks on the trip back to Haven, I could tell that Jade was uncomfortable. “Indeed. It has been quite the pleasure to see the great city of Haven that has been talked about in legends.”

Oberon laughed but shook his head. “Tell me about how you came to be in a whorehouse.”

Jade flinched but nodded before she launched into her tale.

She was the princess of the kingdom. That meant she would have to marry to strengthen the family line. Her father chose a prince from the neighboring kingdom of Shargvin Kingdom. She had accepted her fate and had left to meet her future groom to be. 

During her journey to the city they had chosen to host the talks, their caravan was attacked by bandits. She was thoroughly abused until she was sold to the people that owned the Gallery. She didn’t tell anyone that she was the princess as she wasn’t sure what that would result in. They were very vocal about hating the crown after all.

“I see. So you were willing to go through with the wedding?” Oberon asked leaning forward. 

“I saw no reason not to be. Sure, everyone woman dreams of marrying for love, but for someone of my position that just wasn’t possible.”

I took her hand gently. “I’m sorry. It sounds like you had a rough time.” 

“Not as tough as you mistress. Chased from such a young age,” she replied with an equally gently smile.

“This is all touching but moving on. Where do you stand about your kingdom?” Oberon said without an ounce of delicacy. I wanted to glare at him but knew I would only suffer later during magic practice.

“The way I see it, I am already bound to mistress Alessa. I would likely be hunted by any churches in the capital and if I wasn’t. My father might try to use me to make an alliance with Hizin. I’m sure he would love that.”

“I see. So you plan to help Alessa from now on?”

“Yes. Master Oberon.”

“Very well. For now, I have no issue with you staying in the castle or being with Alessa. I will be keeping an eye on you. Alessa why don’t you take her back to her quarters. We’ll work on your magic later.”

“Alright.”

I pulled Jade’s hand and we left the throne room. I honestly couldn’t tell how Oberon felt about the situation. I was just glad that he didn’t mention selling Jade to the kingdom or anything along those lines. 

“That was a lot scarier that I expected it to be,” Jade muttered as we walked back to the new vampire quarters. I felt her trembling which as a vampire was more along the lines of vibrating.

“It wasn’t that bad,” I said raising my eyebrow. Oberon hadn’t been too different from normal.

“I think you’ve become used to it. I thought he was going to pull my soul from me.”