The First Lich Lord
Chapter 30-Interlude

Ezekiel paused in his story, taking in Marissa’s rapt attention, her quill scratching across the pages of her notebook. “What kind of shape is your mindscape in?”

“It’s confusing,” Marissa said quietly, quill stilling. “Instead of a series of floating islands, it’s a twisted labyrinth.”

“I cannot recommend enough someone like Ilore,” Ezekiel told her. “She was instrumental in restoring my mindscape. Without her, I don’t think I would’ve ever been able to reconnect it.”

“I will do that next time I go,” Marissa said with a smile. “My mental assistant is a long dead Lich. She’s been helping me explore the labyrinth and defend my center from the monsters that roam it.”

“You really have a Lich as a mental assistant?” Ezekiel asked in surprise.

“I do. I had always planned on becoming a Lich—it seemed like fun. I’d just meant to undo it before I died on Earth.” She heaved a great sigh. “I guess I didn’t get the chance. Life’s like that sometimes. You’re going along and then the next moment you’re just… dead.”

“I can drink to that,” Ezekiel chuckled.

“What’s the point when we can’t taste anything?” Marissa asked sourly.

“Who said we can’t taste anything?” Ezekiel asked, raising an eyebrow.

“You said you couldn’t taste anything,” she said.

“You must have missed a detail. That was back then,” Ezekiel said. “Trust me, we can still taste things. For it to happen naturally, you either need to figure that out on your own or wait until I get into it in more detail about it in my story. For now—” He handed her a pitch black potion, trusting him she drank it. A black miasma appeared around Marissa’s head. It happened so quick that she had no time to recoil.

“What was that?” She asked, getting up and glaring at Ezekiel.

“Relax,” Ezekiel said, standing. “I promised I would not harm you and that you would be under my protection. That spell will simply allow you to taste for a short time period.” He headed for the only door. “Follow me.”

Striding confidently down the hall, Ezekiel did not wait for Marissa to follow. It took Marissa a moment to gather her wits and run to catch up.

The sun had risen over the mountains as Ezekiel spun his tale. Marissa didn’t feel tired, one of the benefits of being undead, and was able to get a true appreciation for the fortress Ezekiel had made his home. They crossed the courtyard, covered in elaborate stone carvings. In the middle, a tree with black flowers bloomed, though they were beginning to close as the sun shone down.

All around, elaborate stone carvings covered the arched hallways flanking the courtyard. Ezekiel led her into another room, where he gestured for her to take a seat. He pulled out a bottle of wine.

“This wine has been enhanced by holy magic.” The look of alarm on her face made him smile. “Relax, without the enhancement the alcohol would have no effect on us. After all, alcohol is poison and we’re all but immune to poison. It needs the holy aspect to make it effective.”

“How did you get a priest to bless wine for you?” Marissa asked.

Ezekiel just smiled, opening the bottle and filling two glasses. “Tell me, Marissa, what do you plan to do for immortality?”

Marissa was a little taken aback by the change of subject. “I’m not sure… If I can become a player again, I guess I’ll be a true Immortal. Haven’t put much thought beyond surviving, actually.”

“Did you have anything you loved to do before you died?” Ezekiel asked.

“I used to be a reporter,” Marissa said. “I worked for a news agency back on Earth. I loved that job, even though it was what got me killed in the end. Digging up stories and recording them, sharing them with others, that was something special.”

“You could pursue that,” Ezekiel said. “I can see it now, Marissa. The recorder of all of history—the teller of stories.”

“That seems a bit much,” Marissa said as she tentatively took a sip of the wine.

She let out a long sigh of satisfaction. Wine had been one of her passions. One she’d missed since losing her sense of taste. Having it temporarily restored was blissful in a way she didn’t know was even possible.

Ezekiel smiled in understanding. When his spell faded, she would go back to the bland, tasteless life he’d lived for so long. It was good she had this moment to enjoy the sensation. He could tell her how to overcome it, but some things were best learned on their own. Though he guessed she would pick out how it was done by listening to his tale. Eventually, anyway.

“Do you wish for me to continue?” Ezekiel asked after several minutes of companionable silence. Sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ Nʘvᴇl(F)ire.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

“Yes, of course.” Marissa pulled out her notepad again. “I guess if I’m going to become a recorder of history, your story can be my first.”

“It would be my honor,” Ezekiel said. “I’ll be honest, I’m going to skip over the winter. Not much happened during that cold, cold winter.”

Marissa thought she saw a shadow of something pass behind Ezekiel’s eyes. She said nothing, letting him keep his secrets. He was being more than gracious with her. There was no need to prod for more than he was willing to share.

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