The time had come. Eight days after returning to this time, a party of five walked through the ruined streets of Oldergrah.
Gerard toyed around over the last several days with the new spell in his arsenal.
[Bind - Restrict the target with invisible magical vines.]
Before his own death, he hadn't realised it at the time, but before Rena stabbed him, someone bound his body with magic. He tested the limits of the spell on skeletons and zombies around the ruins to kill time before the adventurers arrived.
Gerard watched the adventurers from inside a building. Jerrick and his team walked in a diamond formation while the ninja-like member ran across the rooftops.
*No wonder she saw me last time.*
When they were close enough, Gerard exited the building and approached them. Making sure his cloak covered his bony body, Gerard focused on the five of them and then tried speaking while using his mind, similar to how he focused his thoughts towards Sprite.
~Hey, you are the Red Lotus adventurer party, yes?~
Each adventurer looked around for the voice, which seemed to come from nowhere until they spotted Gerard.
"Who's asking?" Jerrick stepped forward, weapon drawn.
~My name is Gerard. I ask kindly that you don't be alarmed by my appearance. I'm using magic to speak directly into your minds.~
Gerard lowered his hood to reveal his half-flesh-covered pearly white skull. Jerrick jumped forward.
*No hesitation. That is exactly how an adventurer should be, Jerrick.* Gerard reached out his hand.
*Bind.*
Semi-corporeal vines shot up from the ground and held Jerrick in place.
"What? A binding spell?" The spellcasting woman in priestly robes widened her eyes.
~Please listen. I'm not a lich; well, I am, but only due to a curse. I'm still very much human!~
"Prove it," Jerrick said, his eyes showing no fear.
The other adventurers readied themselves to attack.
~Proof? Would having a spirit guide be proof enough?~
"A spirit guide? Impossible," The female spellcaster stated.
Gerard saw all of them falter. Even the small presence of Rose, the ninja, on the roof of the building behind him, shrank.
~Yes. Hold on.~
*Sprite. Just repeat what I told you to say if this happens. Can you do it?*
[Yes.]
*Then I hope this works the same way it did for your mannequin body. Telepathic Link.*
Gerard focused his ability on the five adventurers.
[Hello, adventurers. I am Gerard's spirit guide, bestowed upon him by Our Lady Amathea. You may call me Sprite.]
*Perfect.*
"I can hear it!" The priestly woman lowered her head and raised her hands in prayer.
"Woah. I never thought I'd hear a spirit." The martial artist grinned from ear to ear.
"Emille, Delilah, quiet. I wish to speak to the spirit."
They nodded in unison.
*Yeah, as I remembered, the martial artist is Emille. The spellcaster's name is Delilah.*
"Sprite, oh blessed spirit, how did you come to guide a lich?" Jerrick looked to the sky as if speaking to the heavens themselves.
[Gerard suffered a fatal accident, and the gods granted him a second life as an apology. A powerful being grew jealous of Gerard's relationship with the gods and cursed him with an undead body. I was provided to Gerard by the gods to guide him on his journey.]
"The gods themselves? I'm so sorry, Lord Gerard!" Jerrick prostrated himself on the ground.
Gerard focused back on the adventurers.
~Thank you, Sprite. Jerrick, get up, and please don't call me a lord; I am of humble birth, just like you. I'm just Gerard.~
"Will you forgive my ignorance?" Jerrick raised his head and got to one knee.
~What is there to forgive? I would expect nothing less from fine adventurers like yourselves. I'm honestly surprised that adventurers would have faith in the gods.~
"What do you mean?"
~Well, surely, in your travels, you have seen all of the death, destruction, unfairness, and darkness in this world. Demons, monsters, and even mankind make our lands a dangerous and unrelenting place.~
"I apologise for speaking up, but although it is as you say, many people's faith is tied to their beliefs and actions. Remove that faith, and what will we have left? Faith and hope guide us all." Delilah raised her head enough to have her eyes meet Gerard's.
~Faith is a necessary thing in this world, then?~
"Not for me. I couldn't care less about gods and all that. I want to meet strong people, fight them, and become stronger. What do you say, Gerard, mister blessed by gods and spirits?" Emille danced left and right on his feet; his hands clenched, guarding his body.
~I don't think it's the appropriate time for that. See?~ Gerard pointed to a shambling group of undead headed their way.
"Is there anything we can do to help?" Jerrick readied his blade.
~There are a couple of things, actually. That's why I approached you at risk to my own life.~
"What can we do?"
~For now, watch me deal with this trash. The cure to my curse relies upon battle.~
Jerrick nodded and watched as Gerard sprung forward.
*Hellfire!*
The front group of skeletons, ghouls, and zombies were set aflame but kept charging ahead.
"This is going to hurt..."
*Divine ray!*
Gerard's skeletal hands shattered as light beamed towards the undead. Over the course of seconds, the entire group of undead became ash.
*Oh. I'm not a vampyre anymore, so I can't regenerate.*
He looked at his stumpy arms and hung his head in shame. Delilah looked over his skeletal stumps and looked into Gerard's eye-less sockets with deep sadness.
"I'm sorry. I wish I could heal you, Gerard..." She said.
~You can't?~
"Even though you're human on the inside, you're still a lich on the outside. Healing spells will only injure you."
~Oh... I'll be okay.~
[Actually, you're a cold and heartless shell of a human being on the inside.]
Gerard ignored Sprite.
"I'm terribly sorry. I'm supposed to be a healer and can't even help someone who has met the gods themselves."
~Don't worry about it. Instead, about the things I need from you...~ Gerard was going to put two fingers up but looked at where his hands should have been.
*I'm not doing that again. I have no way to heal as a skeleton unless I evolve.*
"I'm listening," Jerrick said, eyeing off the pile of undead ash.
~Firstly, I need to learn more magic. This body I've been cursed with can only learn magic that it is attacked with. I would appreciate it if your party could hit me with low-level magic or use non-offensive magic.~
"Delilah, Rose, and Quinne can do that for you. Between them, they know something like fifty different spells. What else?"
*Ah, so Quinne is the archer's name. She's been pretty quiet this whole time. Not that I mind, since she caused a lot of trouble for me last time.*
Gerard stepped closer to Jerrick. Jerrick reflexively took a step back.
~Sorry. I guess my appearance really is ghastly. About the other thing; before I was cursed, I was seeking a bandit group that pillages villages around this area, and I know of their next target. There's one more thing, but we need to capture the leader of those bandits alive to be sure.~
"No, I'm sorry. As someone trying to become a paladin, the undead have only ever been my enemy. What's the target?"
~I'm unsure of the name, but I know the location. The village will be attacked tonight.~
"Tonight?! Lead the way!"
~And the spells?~
Jerrick looked at his companions, who nodded.
"They'll use them on the way to the village."
~Good. I'm sturdier than I look. Use whatever spells you want, and I'll tell you if we can't continue.~
"First, let's get you some armour to cover your appearance. We might be friendly, but anyone else who sees you will either run away or attack you on sight."
~Good idea.~
Gerard and the adventurers scoured the buildings and took pieces of armour from dead and undead until a nice set of armour covered every inch of Gerard.
"If I didn't know, I wouldn't be able to tell that you're a lich!" Delilah exclaimed happily.
Gerard nodded, and his armour clattered a little—a slightly loose fit but good enough to fool most people.
*It took me about eight hours to get to the village last time. Humans need to sleep, too, so the journey will take a little longer than that this time around. Since I don't have to wait for the sun to go down, we should easily make it in time.*
---
The six of them sat around a campfire in the middle of the hills. Not much further, and they would reach the village, but Gerard saw the exhaustion in the faces of his companions.
Gerard told them he would keep watch while they slept, as one of the benefits of his curse was that he didn't need to sleep.
*On average, I needed to be hit with a spell or skill two to ten times to acquire it. Without a way to heal, this isn't very optimal. Sprite, what-*
"Gerard, sir?" Delilah wandered over and sat beside Gerard.
~You're close. Does the smell of the undead not bother you? You are a priest of some kind, yes?~ Gerard attempted to shift away from her, but she gripped his cloak.
"I am a priest of our lady Amathea, yes. But you don't smell like the undead that we hunt. You don't smell like anything at all."
~Is that so?~ Gerard attempted to use what little of his nose he could, but no scent reached him.
Delilah nodded and looked into the depths of the campfire.
"I was a little frightened when you overpowered Jerrick so easily. If we had fought you seriously, would we have died?"
~I won't sugarcoat it. You would have all died instantly. That's why I tried to talk as soon as I could.~
"This curse. Does it remove your human feelings?"
~I'm afraid so.~
"Then why spare us? Why help this village?"
~Just because I don't feel anything does not mean I am a ruthless monster. I have heard of your adventuring party and the amazing things you have all done, and this village being targeted is a place that was very special to me.~
"Special?"
~I owe them for looking after me when I most needed it.~
"I see. So it's a favour you're returning."
~Exactly. Delilah?~
"Yes?"
~Rest. We have to go shortly. I don't want you to put your life at risk on my behalf.~
"Good night, Gerard."
~Good night.~
Delilah skipped over to her bedroll and promptly fell asleep.
*Finally. Sprite, what spells did I learn today?*
[You have gained the spells: Fire Lance, Lesser Strength, Lesser Defence, Lesser Speed, Lightning's Embrace, Field, Turn Undead, and Flash.]
[You have also gained the skill: Shadow Step.]
*Turn Undead was hellish. I can't believe that took a thousand health off me in just two uses. Delilah is a terrifying opponent for undead creatures. I'll have to be extra careful now with my lower HP.*
[HP: 1261/3640]
*Thank you, Sprite.*
Gerard spent an hour playing with the new spells he gained from his trip.
*My MP?*
[MP: 780/1534]
*That's not a whole lot. I'll need to evolve, and soon. If only we could fight some stronger enemies.*