The OP Lich is a Returnee, Chapter 58 (Patreon)

Chapter 58 – Blood Magic

Aeko and Dai looked around as we teleported into the ‘receiving room’ of my Seattle mansion. The mansion was not anything special, nor was it built to my specifications. It was simply something I bought for the times that I needed to visit America. Of course, I had warded it, like any of my properties, to keep out intruders.

“Welcome back, your Majesty. And welcome Lady Aeko, and Lady Dai.”

“Ah, thank you, Aleister,” I nodded to the butler I had left in charge of the estate. Aleister was a vampire, but, like all of my troops, he had enchanted gear to ensure that something so banal as sunlight would not be an issue to him. As an undead, myself, I was painfully aware of the limitations of my kind when it came to certain phenomenon, and I refused to have an army that could be defeated by a weather forecast. “Anything to report?”

“There was a pulse from Princess Eri’s phylactery earlier. Other than that, we have only seen the normal attempts at break-ins, which were all dealt with without involving the local officials. The only noteworthy thing is that the last group of intruders weren’t local thieves, but agents from this country’s CIA.”

I nodded at the report, since it was much as I expected. “Well, at least you and the guards will be well fed, then? And yes, I detected the pulse, which is why I am here, with my disciples. It is time to blood them in the field, I believe.”

“Of course, your Majesty. Will you require the guard’s services? Or do you wish to handle this yourself?”

“No, I’ll call upon the reserves, if I need backup. But do have the horses ready, and lay out a couple suits of armor for my disciples, if you will. Mage-types, and suitable for mortals. I’m going to the armory, so that they can select weapons for the assault.”

“Of course, Majesty.” Aleister bowed perfectly, before turning sharply on his heel to carry out his instructions. He really was the perfect servant, in times like this.

“Excuse me, Mistress, but what is this about ‘Princess’ and ‘Lady’?” Aeko asked, hesitantly, as we set off towards the armory.

I chuckled at her, and said, “I may have left the old world behind, but by right I am the Queen of Risen Athelia, and that is how all my faithful servants and soldiers address me, unless I tell them otherwise. Eri is my younger sister, and is therefore a Princess of Risen Athelia, even if she is amongst the living. All of my family are royalty, to my people.

“As for you being called Lady, while you are not royalty, you are the direct disciple of a Queen. In the other world, that would automatically put you as a peer of minor nobility, no matter what your station at birth may have been. As is custom, my servants at home have been commanded to not use the title, as constantly hearing such things can inflate a disciple’s ego and cause problems, but when we are away from home, protocol demands it. If they did not show you that respect, then they would be disrespecting me, as your Mistress.”

By now, we’d reached the vault I’d turned into an armory. Inside were all manner of weapons. Most were of the style that I used in the other world, but not all. This was America, after all. However, the guns were mostly pieces to familiarize myself with firearms, and for target practice. Well, mostly. Even I had to admit that there was a certain amount of stress relief involved in sending rounds downrange.

Looking to my disciples, I said, “Pick a weapon that suits your talents. This will be the first time that I will be taking you into combat alongside me. I do not expect you to behave as battle-hardened soldiers, for you have not seen the true horrors of battle. However, I do expect you to defend yourself when the fighting starts.”

Dai Ya, my little Chinese spy, immediately picked up a straight sword in the style of a Chinese jian, as I expected. Aeko Naya, on the other hand took more time in her decision. Eventually, she picked a black wooden staff, with a crystal at the end. Fitting, since she was less of a physical combatant than Dai was, and the staff would enhance her spells somewhat, while also serving as a defensive weapon.

While they were picking their weapons, I reached for an otherwise empty section of wall, and channeled mana into it. There was an audible click, and the panel slit to the side, revealing a compartment hidden behind. Inside, there were eight enchanted crystal vials, each containing red blood. One was glowing softly, and I picked it up.

As I did so, I channeled a trickle of mana into a locator spell. A golden thread appeared in my mind’s eye. So long as I kept a portion of my magic concentrated on the spell, I would be able to track my sister with ease.

“What is that, Mistress?” Dai asked.

“It is a phylactery, my dear. Oh, not a Lich’s phylactery, though they share similar principles in storing and preserving the essence inside them. In this case, it is storing and preserving the blood inside, so that it can be used as a material link to the one it is connected to. This phylactery is my sister’s, and the glow says that the wards around her have been disturbed, as I already knew. That it still glows shows that she is still alive, and in good health, which is a relief.”

Dai nodded in understanding. “This is how you’re going to find where they’ve taken your sister, then?”

“No, I already cast the spell to find her. It was easier for me, since she and I share the same blood, and I made these phylacteries personally. But you two, my disciples, will use this to track her.”

“How, Mistress?” Aeko asked.

I held out the phylactery in the palm of my hand. “I’ve taught you both the basic ‘finder’ spell. As you know, that spell has a rather limited range, normally. That is, unless you have some link to the object of your search, like this phylactery. Now, both of you, reach out with your magic, and cast the spell, focusing on the blood in the phylactery. Use the blood’s connection to blood, and follow it back to the source. Let your magic guide you.”

“I have it! There’s a golden line!”

“I see it, too,” Dai said.

“Excellent,” I said, as I put the phylactery away, and resealed the compartment. “Now, both of you hold that spell, the same as you do with gathering mana. You should be able to hold the spell until you wish to let it go. Outside of combat, of course. I won’t ask you to hold the spell if we get into a serious fight.”

There was a knock on the door. Aleister was standing there, proper as ever. “Your Majesty, the horses are ready, and two sets of mage armor have been laid out for your disciples. I took the liberty of assigning servants to help the ladies dress.”

“Very good, Aleister.” I looked to the girls. “Follow Aleister. The servants will help you dress as a mage who is going into battle ought. They will show you the proper way to wear the armor. Then, meet me in the garage. And don’t forget to keep hold of the spell.”

“”Yes, Mistress.””

Fifteen minutes later, both disciples stood before me in the mansion’s garage. Both were armed and armored as a Mage of Risen Athelia ought to be. Enchanted wool provided the first bit of protection, shielding against unpleasant temperatures. Leather boots enchanted to keep their footfalls silent, unless they chose to be loud. Bracers and grieves made of mithral, providing protection against both blade and spell. A breastplate of mithral, engraved with runes of protection, keeping their vitals safe. A cloak enchanted so that their forms blended with nearby shadows. A helm which protected their heads from both weapons and mental magics, but also ensuring that they could breathe easily, no matter whether they were in a toxic miasma or underwater. And a tabard, showing the crest of Risen Athelia, secured at the waist by a belt of silver, enchanted to allow a living wearer to have the endurance of the Undead.

Sensing some of their questions, I said, “Yes, this gear was made for the living. It came from the vaults and storehouses of Athelia-that-was, and the heraldry was changed to fit my new regime. Unfortunately, the living too often seek death when surrounded by an army of the dead, thinking themselves invincible, so mortals who joined my cause soon found themselves as part of the undead, due to their carelessness.”

Turning my back on them, I smiled at the three skeletal warhorses that had been prepared. Each had blue flames for eyes, as well as their mane and tail, and blue flames surrounded their hooves. Their barding and saddles were all enchanted to provide extra protection for both mount and rider, and would keep the rider in the saddle until they wished to be let go. One had a pole extending up from the saddle, bearing the flag of Risen Athelia. That was my mount, obviously.

With a touch of my hand to the ankh around my neck, I transformed into my full lich guise, armed and armored for war. I pulled off the rings that suppressed my power, allowing my aura to freely be felt. Aleister opened the garage door, and I swung myself into the saddle with a grim smile. “Mount up, my disciples, we ride!”

If my disciples had been expecting a ride through the streets of Seattle upon horseback, they would have been disappointed. However, their exclamations said that they were still suitably impressed when the horses took to the air with flaming hoofbeats, trailing blue flame as they galloped across the sky. Subtle, it was not. But it was certainly impressive.

It also allowed us to bypass traffic and the city streets, as we passed over buildings instead of following the road. There were more than a few people pointing and staring as we rode through the air, passing over the bridges on our way to the port. Because that is where the golden line was leading us, straight to the Port of Seattle.

That, above everything, made it clear to me that this was not some kind of random event. Someone had targeted Eri, and were moving her to a place where they could quietly get her out of the country. Naturally, that suggested that someone was doing this to get at my father, or me. And, given the events of the past couple weeks, I figured that I was the likely target.

Focusing mana into my eyes, I focused my vision, putting eagles to shame. There. The line led to a cargo ship. It was New Soviet flagged, which pretty much limited the range of responsible parties to one.

No matter. A bolt of black flame flew from my fingertips, landing upon the ramp to get onto the ship. The fire quickly spread, until it had completely encircled the ship, leaving no way on or off, save by air. Into this mix, like a thunderbolt we came down, landing upon the ship like heralds of doom and destruction, causing the crew to scatter.

As I dismounted my horse, I looked at the two disciples who had followed me. “You may let go of the finding spell, now. Secure the ship. Anyone with a weapon dies. Those who surrender are to be bound and gathered here upon the deck. They will either be spared, or thrown into the fire. This is your first live test. Do me proud, my disciples.”

The line led me onward, into the ship. As I left the deck, a voice came over the intercom, speaking in Russian. Telling the crew to surrender, and not resist. There was someone on this ship with a working brain, it seemed, and they didn’t want to throw the crew’s lives away on a whim. Interesting.

As I walked the halls, crew members quickly raised their hands in surrender. I bound them in mystic chains, and left them for my disciples to find. Others tried some suicidal resistance as fear overrode reason. They died, each in a different way. I knew a lot of different ways to kill a mortal, but I was only on number seven when I got to the stateroom where I could sense Eri was being held.

A Russian man wearing the dress uniform of the New Soviet Army opened the door, and stepped back, letting me in. Five more men were there, as well, for a total of six. Eri sat in a comfortable chair, unconscious, but unharmed. She was unbound, and it looked as though they had not manhandled her more than absolutely necessary.

The first man spoke to me in heavily accented English. “I am Somov Lavr Pavlovich, Captain, Spetsgruppa Alfa. My men and I were following legal orders of the Committee for State Security. I would like to negotiate for my men’s lives, and those of their families.”