As the two rested Violet decided to look over her notifications that had been trying to get her attention since the fight ended. It was a long list of skeletons and zombies of various types ranging from level 17 at the low end to 34 at the high end. Unsurprisingly the highest leveled foes were the feline skeletons that rushed them at the start. Both girls gained a single level and a number of skill levels but neither cared to check just yet exactly what they had gained.
After both Luna and Violet had rested for a while and regained a good portion of their expended resources they once more rose wearily to their feet and turned in the direction of the cave. With a resigned sigh the two headed off towards their next fight.
It took around 10 minutes for them to reach the back of the valley and they finally got a good look at the cave from up close. It had clearly been excavated by hand as small piles of rock could be seen piled up around the entrance. It was surprising large though easily 2 and a half meters in heighand around 4 wide. Plenty of space for the pair to fight in if needed.
They paused outside of the cave noticing how dark it was within, their was no light of any kind and whilst they both had quite good dark vision their was a difference between dark vision and being able to see in true darkness. Thankfully Violet had a solution of a kind to counter this, she manipulated the void around them to coat both girls eyes allowing them to see what should not be possible to see.
The cave was revealed to them showing them a long tunnel of surprisingly smooth stone. The tunnel disappeared into the distance and despite how clearly everything seemed to be their vision only extended around 30 meters from them. "So ready to delve into a dark and forbidding tunnel that feels like it's very nature wants to kill us?" Luna stiffly joked to her companion.
And it was true a pervasive aura of death and decay seemed to emanate from the cave, seemingly to announce that life was not permitted within its walls. "About as ready as I could be. I still need to explode that stupid Litch's head for insulting you and calling me a lizard. I just know it was that Litch that was talking through the skeleton at us!"
Luna was quite touched by how angry her companion got over her being insulted. But then hearing her second reason she had to hold back a chuckle. Taking a few deep breaths to calm herself Luna grippped her spear tightly before nodding and stepping forward into the cave.
The tunnel was quite uneventful, no undead attacked them from within its depths. The only thing that was 'delivered' to them was the ever encroaching aura of death. It worked similar to a creeping cold that invaded their bodies. Even for Luna who is quite comfortable on cold environments and uses ice herself, this cold was unpleasant. It thankfully caused no noticeable damage but it was definitely an annoyance.
Eventually though they did reach the end of the tunnel and came out to a large chamber, unlit torches lined the walls and at the centre back a alter of some kind resided upon a raised platform.
However it was the figure that stood in front of that alter that captured both of their attentions. It was tall and slender around 8ft in height, it stood on two legs and was draped in an elaborate black and gold robe that seemed so out of place in a location like this. A pair of grey fires stared back at them from its otherwise empty eye sockets. Its body was that of a pure skeleton but it radiated a sense of power so unlike anything the pair had faced before.
The only one that came close was the flame drake. But when compared to the Litch before them it was like comparing a small bucket of muddy water to that of a fresh spring pool. The quality and quantity of mana radiating from its form was leagues apart.
As the two slowly entered the chamber the voice of the Litch echoed out around them both. "So here you both stand, having destroyed all that was mine. Ironic how similar a situation I once more find myself in. Only now things have changed. I. Have changed." Whilst the voice was the same as that of the superior skeleton the shear presence that the two felt after listening to it speak in person was enough to set them both on edge.
"You are so similar to that man, Runtor. You have his strength and his drive for vengeance. I thought my own revenge was perfect. Tell me pup how did you manage to survive, I would know where my minions failed so I might ensure appropriate punishment be delivered once I raise them to serve once more."
Luna took a moment to process all that was said and once more noticed that name it spoke of Runtor, she did not know who that person was but it seemed that he had been a great foe for the Litch some time ago. "Who is this Runtor you speak of? You speak as if he and I are the same but I have never heard of him before." She purposely avoided thinking about the second part of its statement refusing to allow herself to fall into a rage over the idea that the destruction of her clan was a result of this beings revenge.
"Ignorant, but what can I expect of a child. He was a Arctic leopard beastkin much like yourself. He battled my army's in the north and managed to defeat me. But he failed to truly kill me. Now here you stand, one of his descendants, even of the same accursed race as he." The Litch let loose a reverberating chuckle that caused the hairs on lunas body to all stand on end.
"It would appear fate wants me to claim my revenge personally."
At those words a low grown reverberated around the chamber as Violet made her presence known once more. "Except you will have no revenge. Your only fate is to die skeleton. And this time I will ensure you never rise again. So enough of your pathetic words, after all the dead don't deserve to speak." During her short speech Violet summoned two more of her void lances, mirroring how she dealt with that first undead earlier.
A clicking noise was heard as the Litch snapped its jaws shut in obvious annoyance at being interrupted and so clearly insulted by such a young dragon. "Fine lizard, if you want a battle, then I shall give you a battle." Saying so the Litch snapped its fingers together summoning two bolts of grey fire that danced above its shoulders.
Violet fired off her two lances which was shortly followed by the two bolts of magic from the undead.
KABOOM, KABOOM.
Two explosions rang out and kicked up a cloud of dust that obscured their vision. When it finally faced Violet felt herself tense in worry. For the first time ever a creature had managed to perfectly counter her own magic's. For when the two bolts of grey fire impacted her lances they collided and both exploded in the middle. And now looking at the Litch she understood that this would be a tough fight. After all the Litch now had 6 such bolts of fire floating around its head just waiting to be used.