Maledictus Terra Book 3: Vetitum Nemus Part 69
Hello readers
After some back and forth with @zakludick I had a clear vision for how I wanted to have this update to go. That was until I started writing and decided to be a little mean to the latest character. I hope you all enjoy it!
Be sure to read Zak's update to know what is going on!
Thoughts filtered through Adiran’s head.
Why? Why is he so desperate? There must be a reason, but what was it?
He considered Letulah. He really didn’t care much for her. She was rude, uncouth, and frankly annoying to be around. Very much the way Mary had been when she had first come to the castle. However, Mary was smart and knew how to quickly rally people to her side. Something that both annoyed and marvelled Johnathan. Adiran couldn’t help but want if the rest of Mary’s people were just like Letty. And then it hit him.
Clarprati.
Of course! It was so simple. Why had he never thought of it before?
“I see.” He muttered under his breath.
The lich looked at him with his sunken eyes, leathery skin, and wispy hair almost in hope, but Adiran didn’t give him the satisfaction of that.
“The curse. You need the curse for something. It must have been a shock when Vitex removed it suddenly. Thankfully, you already had a thrall on your side. Tell me. Did you have her husband killed just so you could have at least one cursed Clarpratian under your thumb?”
“Her husband’s death had nothing to do with me! She is just that, a thrall who came to me for help.”
“Then why?”
Barakus remained silent, and Adiran took a few more steps back, watching as the lich squirmed. He could drag the truth from him eventually, but he wondered how much time he had to do that. Something had to break. Would it be Letty, or would it be Barakus?
“If it is the curse, then why not go after the new king and queen of Clarprati? They are still cursed.”
“They are no longer pure. They are avatars of Vitex and useless to me.”
“Ah! So, it was the curse that you needed. That would explain the protective spell you have over Letulah and why she wasn’t cured.”
“She will die.”
“Why do you need her?”
Silence.
“I can wait, can you?”
Barakus sunk his skeletal fingers into the ground, and Adiran prepared for an attack, but nothing came. The lich was silent for a few more minutes before sighing and saying.
“My life is tied to hers.”
“You’re a lich…”
“I know what I am.” Roared Barakus. “And if it wasn’t for the scheming of the Cold One, I would still have the magic to sustain this body, but without it, I had to find the next best thing.”
“The curse that was generated when a god fell. That’s a low form of immortality, a curse in itself.”
“Enough talk. As much as I am sure you’d love to have me as a pile of sentient dust in a vial in your tower, the longer we talk, the quicker the cat loses all her lives. Bind me, and let’s be done with it.”
“Oh no, no, no. We’re not done. There are so many more conversations that the two of us are going to have, and for that, I really, really, only need one part of your body.”
Gorma and Adrian kept everyone away from Letty as she continued to rub dirt on her face and moan in pain. The stench of undead magic was in the air. Magna felt helpless. Her brother was trying to contain the Letty, but the more dirt and blood that flew from her face, the worse the smell got.
Magna had no idea what to do. She had sent a servant to find her uncle, but that had been ages ago, and now several servants had been sent in hopes of finding him. She was just about ready to go look for her uncle when a new smell came to her nose.
It was flowers. But it was strange. It was a hint of pepper and seasoned wood, with an undertone of floral and earth. She knew this smell. This was the smell of the flowers that had been arranged on her father’s coffin. Chrysanthemums.
The smell almost made her gag as it got stronger and stronger. It seemed at its peak when her uncle stood next to her. He didn’t greet her but seemed to be carrying something clenched in his left fist. Magna wasn’t sure what it was at first, but within seconds she realised the strands her uncle was holding were hair. He was carrying a desiccated skull in his hand.
Adrian sensed his sister’s panic and turned. His mouth dropped when he saw the skull in his uncle’s hand. He knew most of the artifacts that his uncle possessed, but this wasn’t one he had seen before. The magic contained within it was staggering, and Adrian couldn’t help but take a step back.
Gorma noticed this and followed suit, her face wrinkling when she noticed what appeared to be a small skull, far smaller than what was normal for humans.
“Shrunken skulls are not the norm amongst your conquering mages?” she asked.
“Shrunken skull? Shrunken skull! Did the green giant just call me a shrunken skull? Adiran what did you do to me!” came a shrill voice from the object gripped in Adiran’s hand.
“I agreed to this deal, now you uphold your bargain.” Adiran unceremoniously threw the shrunk skull at Letulah.
It seemed to hit the centre of her back and remain there instead of bouncing off. There was muttering from the artifact followed by a soft black light that seemed to emanate from it. Letulah was no longer moaning and sunk into the turned-up dirt as if unconscious.
Magna made to step forward, but Adiran stopped her.
“Not one step until he is done.”
“He? Who is he?”
“Our new companion. Meet Barakus.”
And back to Zak!
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Mortis Custos
Sanguifex
Vetitum Nemus
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