"Mob vamp!" Killum cried. "Watch out, he's a level 18 necromancer, and very Dark."
The vampire held an elaborate bone-white staff in his right hand. He glowed with a faint blue fire. He lifted his left hand, with a silver bracer upon it. The silver had a design worked into it that made the battle-mage's eyes ache and water to look upon. The four collars flew up into his open hand.
"It annoys me mightily that you slew my minions." The vampire's voice sounded like a death rattle, and made Killum's skin crawl worse than fingernails on a blackboard. "You will replace them."
"Like hell we will," Fergus said.
The vampire looked at him, and smiled. One of the collars flew out of his hand at lightning speed, hitting Fergus in the neck. It wrapped around his throat and fastened. The ranger stiffened, a shocked look on his face. Then his eyes went blank, and he fell to his knees.
"I am yours to command, master."
"Screw that!" Rand screamed, and the other three charged the vampire.
Killum's heart skipped a beat when the vampire threw another collar at the dwarf. Rand managed to bat it aside with his axe, but the collar flew straight to Tiana's neck. She dropped her sword to clutch at her throat, but then her eyes went blank and she fell to her knees.
"I am yours to command, master."
The vampire started to throw another collar at Rand, but Killum reached him first. He thrust the spear through the vampire's heart. The undead necromancer gasped, and then turned to grin at him. "That won't kill me, fool." Then he commanded, "Minions, catch and hold them for me."
Killum was forced to jump back. Rand moved to the opposite side of the vampire.
As Fergus and Tiana stood to obey, the battle-mage tried to cast the Spell of Temporary Blindness, but it didn't work. The Spell of Disorientation failed as well. How much time had passed since he last used them? Killum couldn't remember their cooldown periods, but it couldn't be more than ten or fifteen minutes.
"Everything's happening too fast."
Killum pulled his sword and attacked. Rand reached the vampire at the same time. The dwarf's axe bit deep into the vampire necromancer's chest, but only staggered him. When the vampire started to throw a collar at the dwarf again, Killum swung at his arm and severed it just below the elbow.
"What the hell?" Fergus said. "I'm free."
Killum thrust-kicked the wounded vampire back against the cave entrance, and then savagely decapitated the necromancer. "I’d like to see you survive that!"
The battle-mage sighed gustily after looking around to ensure there were no more foes to kill. He grimaced down at the dead vampire, knowing he'd come close to being magically subjugated and enslaved. Fergus was cursing up a storm as he struggled to get the collar off. Rand was helping Tiana remove hers.
"Figures," he said, shaking his head.
Congratulations! You've earned enough experience points to move up one level. You are now a Level 13 battle-mage!
Congratulations! You've earned enough experience points to move up one level in Swordsmanship. You are now Level 4!
Congratulations! You've earned enough experience points to move up one level in hand-to-hand fighting. You are now Level 3!
Picking up the staff, he felt the evilness of it creep under his skin.
Congratulations! You have won the Staff of Calling! Call up the dead to serve your every whim. Must be -1 Dark and level 10 or higher to use.
Congratulations! You've earned 2 Player Kills and won a Dark Object of Power, thus giving you 1 Point to Dark!
Setting that aside, Killum checked the vampire necromancer's robes and belt. There was a black leather purse, with a few coins inside. He tossed it next to the staff. Then he carefully removed the bracer from that severed arm.
Congratulations! You have won the Bracer of Subjugation! Collar and enslave friends and enemies alike. Build an army, or a harem. No usage restrictions.
"Oh my god, anyone can use this," Killum whispered. "At least it isn't a Dark object. I don't need another point toward Dark."
They collected the barbarian's weapons and purses. Between the vampire and four barbarians, they gained thirteen silver and ninety-eight copper shekels. The vampire's purse also had two small rubies, and the barbarians all had dropped numerous silver and gold rings, earrings, and necklaces.
They checked the cave, and found five simple beds made of piled up furs. Some simple foodstuffs, and a roasting pig. No altars. No treasure or artifacts. Nothing.
"Worse dungeon ever!" Rand declared. "Hardly worth the effort."
"Definitely not worth getting Asha killed," Tiana said. "Yes, that sucks. I'm starting to develop a bad attitude for this realm."
"We can still sell the magic staff and bracer," Killum said. "Speaking of, the bracer and its collars kind of freak me out. Someone wrap them up in a pelt and carry it. I'll take the staff."
Killum and Tiana wrapped the staff in pelts, too. Then she helped him tie it across his back. Holding it was discombobulating and distracting. Wrapped up and across his back was much better. Fergus bound the bracer and collars in a tight bundle with another pelt. The elf found a small pack inside the cave and stuffed the bundle inside.
Killum gave each of them three silver coins, twenty four coppers. Since each coin was made to be cut into as many as four equal bits, they cut up the remaining coins and each got a quarter of a silver and half a copper shekel. He put the jewelry in Fergus' pack. Fergus and Rand settled up their loans to him, and they decided to divide the rest of it up after they sold the jewelry and magical items in Knaresburg. Asha wasn't to get a cut, since Fergus, Rand, and Tiana all agreed she died too early in the fight to earn it.
Killum paused to drink healing and mana restoring potions and to check his stats, pulling up Skills and Possessions, too.
Current status
:
Name:
Killum
Race:
Human (European)
Class:
Battle-mage (Novice)
Leveclass="underline"
13 (7% to next level)
Alignment:
-1 Dark
Health:
78/100
Strength:
22/30
Endurance:
17/30
Agility:
20
Mana:
150
Skills:
(Click to View/Hide)
Sociaclass="underline"
Bartering (Lvl 2).
Fighting:
Swordsmanship (Lvl 4).
Spearman (Lvl 2).
Hand-to-Hand (Lvl 3).
Survivor Skills:
Foraging (Lvl 2).
Spellcasting:
Simple fire.
Fireballs.
Spell of Disorientation.
Spell of Temporary Blindness.
Possessions:
(Click to View/Hide)
Weapons:
Knight's Sword.
Long knife.
Armor:
Steel cuirass (front and back).