136 Moon Star (1/2)

Light bright enough to have permanently blinded any human engulfed them both.

Darkness followed, and Li found himself back at the cavern, right where he had been before. Around him, piles of inanimate bones and magical equipment lay strewn about, as did countless shattered vials and broken pieces of alchemical equipment tossed about from the fight.

A few fledgling fires were beginning to flutter up, born from flammable alchemical vials and gnawing away at anything flammable they could sink their fiery teeth on. Still, though, because this was a damp, enclosed cavern full of solid rock, it was difficult for the fires to spread quickly, though eventually, everything would be engulfed.

Li went to Azhar's prone body and tapped the bowman on his head, casting a healing spell. As he did so, his leshen form became wrapped in flowing bands of magical energy, reconstructing his human form once more.

Azhar coughed as he raised himself up.

”Back to this form?” he said as he wiped blood from his face.

”Can't be scaring everyone,” said Li as he motioned to the slaves and workers still stationed around the cavern. They were still huddled behind cover just as the lich had told them to with his last order.

”They ain't free from that monster's control?” remarked Azhar.

”Because he isn't dead yet,” said Li. ”Liches can be resurrected so long as one of their cores, their phylacteries, remains intact.” He walked over to the sealed box at the center of the lab that held the lich's phylactery. With a strong chop, he shattered through both the strengthened iron bars of the box and the runic barriers protecting it.

Li reached into the box and withdrew the phylactery – a gleaming ruby red orb the size of a baseball. It shimmered in regular intervals, and as its bloody red light flashed and dimmed, it emanated pulses of power much like a heartbeat.

”Then we gotta' destroy it,” said Azhar.

Li shook his head. ”Not necessary. And I will not budge on that position.”

Azhar took in Li's firm tone and nodded. ”Aight. I'll be trustin' you on this one.”

”As you should.” Li put the orb close to his ear. If memory served him right, liches could still communicate through those that made contact with their phylactery even if their physical bodies had been destroyed.

'When you said we would meet again soon, I did not imagine it would be this soon,' came the lich's voice as it rung into Li's head.

'As it just so happens to be, I needed you for something. I'm assuming you won't have any complaints listening to me?'

'Not at all. To do so would be blasphemous. You are one that holds lock and key to power unfathomable and transcendent. Your wisdom is one to be revered and respected.'

'Then I want you to keep up your mind control of these lab hands and slaves and lead them out the portal you made. Get them to follow me out.'

'And don't worry so much about your lost research. If you decide to be stay within my midst, I will make sure that you can continue it, though as I've said before, you may have to change certain parts of it. Taking slaves and lives will only bring unwanted attention to yourself and, if you bind yourself to me, to me as well.'

'Truly? Then most certainly I shall follow within your midst. It would be foolish to reject an offer as generous as this.'

'Glad to see you understand. Now then, let's get these people moving.'

Li pocketed the orb and beckoned Azhar to his side. ”We're getting out of here. Everyone else will follow.”

As they made their way back to the end of the cavern where the portal floated, Azhar looked behind to see that, indeed, all the beastwomen and labhands were making their way behind them in an orderly manner far too coordinated to have been natural movements.