Paul’s POV

  The forest thinned as they got closer to the mine. Just beyond the mine was a small town. Before being abandoned, it looked like there had been a bustling mining town. Paul wondered if the town was abandoned before or after the lich took over the mine. The buildings didn’t look too old. They appeared to be of Anglican make. Small individual human sized huts each housing a family.

  At least Paul’s forces wouldn’t have to build their own buildings. It would be a lot easier to repair the building here than to build new ones.

  “Durnakh, how long has the mine and town been abandoned?” Paul asked.

  “The mine was taken over by the lich about a year and a half ago.” Durnakh said. “The town was abandoned a little after that. Without the mine, defending the town against raids didn’t seem worth it I guess.”

  “Was it the Anglican’s that were here before?” Paul asked.

  “They were humans.” Durnakh responded. “I don’t know for which nation they hailed from.”

  As they passed through the town, Paul admired the small village’s buildings. He liked the aesthetics of the small wooded and stone buildings a lot more than the rickety long houses of his goblins. One day he hoped to get them to fully commit to this style of building. Like everything about the goblins, it would be better if they were human.

  At the edge of the town was a small gatehouse protecting the interior of the mine. If Paul had to guess, he assumed that if the town was ever under attack the citizens of the town could take refuge in the mine. This policy probably backfired when the lich got here and took the mine over.

  When they finally made it to the gatehouse Paul dismounted, along with Liora, Durnakh, Rikkard, and Eryndral. The gate opened easily enough.

  “Durnakh, stay here with the men.” Paul instructed.

  “Yes, my lord.” He responded.

  Paul and the others made their way into the mine. It was dark, wet, and smelled of rot. It was the perfect place for undead to lair. He wondered if he would be able to convince the lich to leave so they could operate the mine again, or if Paul would have to kill the lich.

  “What do you know of the lich?” Paul asked Eryndral.

  She shrugged, “He is a servant of Shiiraviia. He hasn’t been undead for long. Just a couple of years. He probably came here soon after turning into a lich.” Eryndral vigilantly eyed they mine’s various nooks and crannies.

  “Probably a little late to ask, but is he expecting us?” Paul asked.

  Before Eryndral could respond there was a loud ear popping screech. They all looked towards the source of the noise. Down near a bend in the tunnel was a human looking creature, except it was all white with short cropped black hair and glowing red eyes. He was dressed in shabby cloths that were falling apart.

  The creature didn’t look like a lich, as far as Paul could tell. As much as he knew about liches, they were supposed to look more skeletal in nature, but maybe because this one was so new, he didn’t look that way.

  “I am Paul Al…” Before Paul could finish the creature screeched again and charged at him.

  Paul prepared a fireball spell. “Stop. Or I’ll be forced to defend myself.”

  The creature didn’t stop. It just screeched again and leapt at Paul. Paul shot his fireball at the creature, which dodged that blast. The creature got closer and took a swipe at Paul.

  The creature was fast, but not as fast as a vampire. Paul easily dodged the creature’s own attack. Paul drew his sword and, not being much of a swordsman, relied on his superior strength and speed to carry him through the battle.

  With a quick flick of his sword, Paul cut off the creature’s right hand. “Now look at what you made me do!” Paul yelled at it.

  The creature didn’t even seem to notice as it swung at Paul with its left hand. Screeching loudly the entire time, it made it difficult for Paul to talk to it. Another screech made Paul and the others look to the bend in the mine shaft, and sure enough another pure white creature stood there. It looked at the for a quick moment before howling and charging at the group.

  Rikkard had already drawn his own weapon earlier, but now prepared to fight off this new threat. Not wanting to be flanked, Paul stabbed his opponent in the heart with a quick stab. Barely noticing, the creature grabbed Paul’s sword arm and shoved the blade deep enough for the creature to bite him hard on his shoulder.

  Paul growled in pain. He grabbed the creature’s head and bent his head back, exposing his neck. Taking a giant bite out of its neck Paul coughed a little.

  “They are undead.” Paul called out, “but definitely not our lich.”

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  “I agree.” Liora said.

  Paul shoved his opponent back as hard as he could, keeping hold of his blade as it slid out of the creature. “What are they?”

  “I don’t know.” Eryndral said. “I’ve never seen such creatures.”

  Turning to look at Rikkard, Paul could see the hobgoblin’s opponent was missing his jaw. “Help Rikkard.” Paul called out.

  “My attacks aren’t working on them.” Liora said.

  “And I have no weapons.” Eryndral said. “And my death magic may only make them stronger.”

  “What about your divine tether?” Paul asked swiping at his opponent again. This time the creature dodged back far enough to avoid being hit.

  “Any time now.” Rikkard said.

  Getting frustrated with his opponent, Paul maneuvered forcing the creature’s back to the wall. Once it couldn’t jump back further, Paul stabbed it in the neck. Grabbing the creature by its hair and pulling the sword, Paul decapitated the creature. Its body fell lifeless to the ground.

  Turning, Paul saw Rikkard still fighting. Knowing what now worked Paul got behind the creature, and like his previous opponent, grabbed it by the hair and used his sword to remove its head.

  “These things are tough.” Rikkard said.

  “Still no match for a vampire.” Paul grinned.

  Rikkard barked out a short laugh. “At least you’re on our side then.”

  “Eryndral, I thought you said there was a lich here, not whatever these were.” Paul said abruptly.

  “There is a lich here. I can feel him.” Eryndral said firmly.

  “So, what, we have to fight our way through these things, just to get to him?” Paul asked.

  “It appears so.” Eryndral said.

  “The mine will still be useful, even if we have to kill the lich.” Rikkard said.

  “We aren’t killing the lich.” Eryndral said.

  “Does he know that?” Rikkard said.

  “Enough.” Paul said. “Let’s find this lich and be done with this place.”

  They made their way further into the mine. There were visible, ore veins in the tunnels, enough that Paul was excited to have the mine opened again. Eventually they reached a part that seemed to have been excavated magically.

  “It appears the lich has been remodeling.” Paul said.

  A loud hiss got the group’s attention. At the end of a long and open tunnel was a giant white spider. The spider’s body was huge, white and bulbus. Its legs expanded out to 8 feet long.

  “Are you fucking kidding me.” Rikkard said. “What is with this forest and spiders?”

  “A little arachnophobic, are we?” Liora giggles lightly.

  “Are we not seeing the same thing?” Rikkard asked.

  “Yes, we are.” Paul answered.

  The giant spider charged. Paul ran to meet it. Bringing his sword down, Paul tried to chop off a leg, but the spider reared back on four legs and brough the other four up. Quicker than Paul expected the spider dashed forwards on four legs and brought on of his front legs down and into his shoulder.

  Paul grunted in pain as he was nearly forced to the ground. He brought his sword up and chopped the offending leg off, only to be hit again in the leg. Before he could chop the leg off, the spider pulled it out.

  Swinging wildly, Paul managed to chop off another leg, causing the spider to hiss madly. Rushing forwards and trying to aim for the spider’s head, Paul wound up slicing open the creature’s belly. Rotten and smelly organs fell from the spider’s injury. Paul could hear Rikkard gagging behind him.

  The spider tried to back away, but Paul grabbed one of its legs and thrust his sword into its head. The spider made one last screeching noise before falling dead.

  “Disgusting.” Rikkard said.

  “I’m glad I didn’t get any of its guts on me.” Paul said as he pulled the spider’s leg out of his shoulder. The wound quickly healed.

  Rikkard watched the wound stop bleeding and close up, “Must be nice.”

  Paul looked at the hole in his shirt, “It is.”

  A howl at the end of the tunnel caught the group’s attention. Another one of the creatures, this one a dwarf, looked at them, before running away. It was the first to run, which Paul found slightly unsettling. If there were a lot more of them and they gathered into one place, his group may not be able to beat them.

  “Let’s go.” Paul said.

  They group made their way to a large cavern at the end of the tunnel. In the tunnel were three of the creatures. In the middle of the creatures was the lich. An impossibly thin creature with black flames for eyes. The lich had the long elven ears.

  “Hello lich, I am Paul Alaricsson.” Paul introduced himself.

  “I am Thalarius Shadebound, welcome to my home.” The lich’s voice was clear and audible, but not quite a yell. “Tell me why have you come here? To destroy me, I will not fall easily?”

  “We were sent by Shiiraviia to recruit you to our cause.” Eryndral said.

  “And what cause would that be?” Thalarius asked.

  Thalarius didn’t even question Shiiraviia’s cause. Paul looked at the white creatures wearily before taking a few steps forwards.

  “I am conquering that Deepwood. The lands where your mine sits.” Paul answered. “Eventually the world will be mine. You are going to help. At least your mine anyways, we will need the ore within.”

  “Why would I help you?” Thalarius asked.

  “It is Shiiraviia’s will.” Eryndral said.

  “Lichs are known for their desire to learn.” Paul answered. “With the Deepwood an undead haven you can conduct research without fear of uppity adventures and armies deciding to come destroy you.”

  “It would be nice to conduct my research in peace.” Thalarius said. “And what do you want in return for this peace?”

  “These creatures, they are of your making?” Paul asked.

  “Yes. I can make on in about two weeks.” Thalarius answered.

  “Let us mine the ore in peace, and give in tax half of your creations, and we will call it a deal.” Paul said.

  “One third of my wights.” Thalarius answered.

  “Deal. Mine in peace, and a third of your ‘wights’.” Paul smiled as he walked forwards and shook Thalarius’s hand. “I will send people to mine shortly. The wights you are to give me will wait at the mine entrance to be escorted to Gravewell.”

  “The wights have some issues with sunlight.” Thalarius said. “It won’t kill them, but it will slow them down.”

  “Noted.” Paul said. “Anything else?”

  “Not to my knowledge.” Thalarius said. “But I do have a question.” Paul looked at the lich expectantly. “How did you know I was here?”

  “Shiiraviia gave me a dream that spoke of your presence and your ability to help our cause.” Eryndral said.

  Thalarius stared at Eryndral for several long moments. It was apparent he was trying to determine the validity of her tale. “I would also like corpses, to help with my experiments.”

  “Will zombies work?” Paul asked.

  “Yes. A zombie will work just fine. As long as the thing is whole.” Thalarius said.

  “I will send a dozen zombies with the first crew to mine.” Paul said. “Now if that’s everything, we will leave.”

  “That is everything.” Thalarius responded.