Day ~121~Part Two~

The freezing blizzard intensified as they marched on. They knew by now that the closer they got to Selene, the harder this journey would become. Rea had turned into a great wolf so that they could make more progress. It was hard to tell time, for what seemed like forever she continued to push forward. When she could feel Sereda shivering on her back Rea decided to call it for the day. She was sure no one would make it this far as quickly as them.

Reverting to human form she quickly shielded them from the wind with a walls of ice. After that Sereda dug down a few feet as usual. Within their dome of ice Rea went about spewing lanterns everywhere. As the two lounged in a nice hot bath they talked about Selene. About what might happen, Rea was pretty sure that the lich couldn't completely take someone over. It was more likely using Selene to reconstruct its own body. From the way Creighton had called it the immortal lich she figured it would be powerful.

That night was spent in silence for the most part. When Sereda had tried to say her goodbyes... just in case something happened to either of them, well, Rea shut her up.

Day ~122~

It took Rea nearly three hours of trekking through the blizzard to finally make it. During that time they had run into a few massive frozen creatures. Those were easily dealt with thanks to the fire weakness... but it was still damn scary. Sereda was pretty hyped to be riding a fire breathing wolf. Rea was a bit annoyed at her wife's jovial attitude... but soon realized it was just bluster.

The mood was still dark, their friend was likely beyond saving. Both knew it, and both desperately tried to avoid saying it. Rea wasn't sure how losing Selene would affect her, more so than that, she didn't want the young woman to miss out on life. The reason Selene had been out here in the first place was to find her. That was making Rea feel so damn guilty. When Rea had realized that, she became desperate to save Selene, resolving herself to do whatever it takes. Unknowing to her, Sereda had also made that resolve. Sereda, who barely knew Selene just didn't want Rea to suffer anymore.

After those three long hours they had emerged from a wall of sleet. In front of them was a grand ruin, all around them, clear summer skies. Reverting to humanoid form, she almost couldn't believe it. Running her hand across warm grass, it was bizarre. Sereda took point, Rea dismissed her lanterns and used evocation to restore lost mana.

Together they quickly passed by a large, intimidating stone archway. Jagged time-worn rocks lined their path. In front of them was a mildly intimidating corridor of darkness. Inside... the chill was present. By now Sereda had gone ironwoman again. Rea, trying to make light of the situation, taped on her buns. Sereda was not amused.

Nursing a twisted finger, the ophidian, waltzed down uneven steps. Time had not been kind to this place. Walls covered in moss and frost looked ready to fall. It really was unnerving, having the temperature drop with every step. Breathing was becoming painful so Rea lit a lantern back up. As soon as she did there was a response from deeper within. As a flurry of wind and ice came at them Sereda covered her unprotected eyes and pushed forward. Rea, in her marauder garb, followed slowly.

Just as before, they had broken through another wall of magic. Crashing down an old wooden door both peered into a massive chamber. Earthen floors, nature blooming all around, water trickling down into a small steam. It was uncanny. Selene stood off center, over a stone coffin, staff in hand. Rea had no doubt what was inside that coffin, they couldn't let her force it open.

Selene turned to face them, her once dark blue hair now glistened with in a lighter shade. Icy veins ran along her exposed arms, neck, and face. Those cute bushy eyebrows had become longer... something you'd see on a super model. Every spec of burnt umber in her eyes, gone. Almost as though she was looking right through Rea with those glowing blue eyes Selene laughed, "master will be awake soon, please don't interrupt us."

Rea scoffed, "I'm here to break your master's wood, please hand it over."

That seriously pissed her off. A triple frigor came flying right at them, Rea switched to her mage garb and started up an inferno. As the magic clashed, Sereda dove to the side and began to fire steel arrows. Before they could get near, the arrows were diverted. When Selene changed her target to Sereda, Rea switched to her blade garb and dove in. Realizing the threat, Selene jabbed her staff into the ground. Jumping back and ducking behind her myrmidon shield, Rea absorbed the impact of an icy nova. Sereda charged through it and tried to take hold of the staff, with a single frigor she was sent flying across the chamber.

Rea didn't like how this was going, getting that staff was gonna be a bitch. Switching back to her mage garb she fired off a force pulse to deflect some incoming frozen arrows. As Selene deflected a few steel lances that were being lobbed with a fury, Rea summoned her little atronach buddy. Using the steam from ice and fire as cover, she instructed it with telepathy to get that staff. As the atronach disappeared into the fold, Rea launched a few of her own frigors. She knew that it was taking all Selene had just to stop them from getting close, she also knew that Selene was still pouring mana into that damn tomb.

Rea chuckled under her breath when Sereda started a countdown using their telepathic link, the woman was planning something. As soon as she hit one Rea put everything she had into frozen lances. As they made contact with the barrier, Sereda used a greater earthen spire to catapult herself through the air. When the ironwoman made contact there was a resounding boom across the room, seconds later she was blown back. Rolling across the floor Sereda looked up to see Selene turning towards Rea. Just then, a three foot tall stone creature hopped out of the steamy surroundings and snagged one glowing lich staff.

As Selene fell to the ground her atronach grew nearly three times its size in an instant and began to shout, "I am Rockus! I am mighty! I am the master of...."

Sereda had a flat look on her face, Rea just shrugged as her wife threw another steel lance. The staff shattered, her atronach exploded...

Both women ran to Selene's side, "she's breathing, that's something." Rea claimed hopefully.

*slap* *slap slap* *Slap!*

"Rea!?" Sereda had to stop her at that point, she was getting a little rough. "Let's get her out of..."

A low hum pierced their ears, the coffin began to shake. Rea, sensing the danger, quickly switched to guardian and rammed her tower shield into the ground. Sereda ducked behind her with Selene. Dark, foul mana burst forth from the coffin in all directions as the staff began to assemble. They had been too late, the lich was alive. Once the pulsing stopped Rea peeked around her shield. A skeletal figure slowly pulled itself out. Rea cringed as every bone seemed to pop in place while a menacing hand took hold of the weapon.

"Don't suppose you're a good lich?" she asked timidly.

A booming laughter of pure evil filled the chamber. Without warning another blast, this time some sort of spell, hit her shield directly. Rea's feet dug into the ground as she slid backwards. Sereda dropped Selene and took her place. Rea encased Selene in ice as best she could. Realizing that the dagger she was wearing with her mage set is a mannaz she quickly thought of which use would aid her best. She'd only tested awareness... she wasn't sure what skill, ability, or divine structure would do.

Feeling like her best shot was the mannaz intelligence stroking, Rea quickly activated rune transmogrification. Looking at Sereda's back as she withstood the brutal assault from an egomaniacal lich Rea suddenly understood. Lichs are just as undead as the next thing, fire was their best bet.

Trying to split its attention, Rea dove out as soon as one blast made contact. For the first time she used rain of fire. The lich laughed as it dissipated before reaching him. Before he could retaliate she lit up a spiraling inferno and started to launch lava bursts. Sereda had noticed the chance to attack and flung a well aimed steel spear. The lich howled and turned back to attack Sereda, it had decided to kill her first. Rea's attacks weren't getting through whatever that barrier was. For some reason though, she wasn't panicking, in fact she was thinking clearly.

Continuing to infuse the intelligence rune with mana, she went on to conjure then shoot off three condensed spears of fire. They tore nearly a foot into the shield before dissipating, the lich had noticed and used a wave of its hand to retaliate.

Ability [Flame Lance Lv. 1] learned.

As the lich's bony hand waved a dark blade emanated from it, sweeping across the room in her direction. Using her snake muscle Rea jumped nearly six feet into the air, while airborne she pushed her staff forward and caused flames to literally erupt all around the lich's shield. Unfortunately, that only provoked more laughter.

Ability [Eruption Lv. 1] learned.

Sereda was literally right on top of Selene now and she was barely holding on. As he continued to pour on attacks the lich raised his off hand. Nearly a dozen dark orbs appeared and fired at Rea. Switching to blade garb she quickly activated tech, then expertly dodged every one of them. Charging forward Rea's blade erupted with enfire as she drove it in with a piercing blow... barely a scratch. Quickly diving backwards then doing a barrel roll she manage to avoid a diagonal dark blade.

Going mage, she once again summoned her mana to fire of another spell. This time small lanterns appeared all around the lich's barrier. At first he laughed, then one exploded... in tandem, all of the lanterns exploded violently one after the other. Just as his barrier crumbled she fired off more flame lances. The lich howled as one made purchase, shattering his left arm.

Ability [Conflagration Lv. 1] learned.

Rea put everything she had into an inferno as multiple dark blades were flung her way. There was no way she could dodge it. The next thing she saw, as the chaotic clash mana dissipated, was her tower shield embedded in the ceiling. A violent orb made contact with Sereda's arms and chest as she stood low to protect Selene. Watching the steeled Sereda crash into a wall set her off. Rea howled as she charges forward and put everything into another inferno. The lich let out egomaniacal laughter as it burned, facing Rea one last time, with glowing ethereal eyes, it snapped its fingers and became ashes.

Ability [Frozen Lance Rank Up].

Ability [Frigor Rank Up].

Ability [Lava Burst Rank Up].

[Hero-Dual Element Sage] Level 35!

Ability [Presence of Mind Lv. 6] learned.

Ability [Snap Freeze] learned.

Ability [Inferno Rank Up].

Ability [Inferno Rank Up].

[Hero-Dual Element Sage] Level 42!

Ability [Presence of Mind Lv. 7] learned.

Ability [Mana Barrier Lv. 1] learned.

[Hero-Dual Element Sage] Level 49!

Ability [Presence of Mind Lv. 8] learned.

[Hero-Dual Element Sage] Level 56!

Ability [Presence of Mind Lv. 9] learned.

Ability [Mana Flow] learned.

[Hero-Dual Element Sage] Level 62!

Ability [Presence of Mind Lv. X] learned.

Ability [Amplify Magic Lv. 1] learned.

Rea's face contorted in sorrow as she saw what the lich's final malicious act had been. More than a dozen thin lances of its dark magic pierced the ice she had covered Selene in, Rea was certain she was beyond saving. Averting her eyes as blood trickled down the dissipating spears Rea quickly ran to Sereda's side. Her heart beat faster by the second. Clutching a fist she turned Sereda over. Dark veins were pulsing along her chest, the leather armor was torn wide open and her steel was gone.

Popping open an elixir Rea quickly forced one down Sereda's throat, "drink." She whispered.

Sereda tightened a hand around Rea's forearm and ground her teeth. After thirty seconds she was crying out in pain, the damn blood was obviously doing more harm than good. Sereda looked at the bloody ice surrounding Selene, "I'm sorry..."

Rea hushed her as the tears continued to fall, "it's not your fault." Rea immediately cast all three of her new druid healing spells. Once again, they did more harm then good. She now looked towards Sereda's rapidly decaying hand...

Sereda choked down the pain and resolved herself, "kill me, I'd rather die than be an undead revenant."

Rea leaned down, her face burrowed into Sereda's neckline. Vocalizing her grief as Sereda desperately tried to think of anything she could possibly say. After a few seconds Rea lifted herself off, "I refuse to let you die."

As the tattoo on Rea's left arm began to glow, Sereda panicked, "You said it yourself! You can't use that! Stop, Rea! Please don't do this! Rea!"

Rea put her left hand on Sereda's chest and calmly said goodbye, "I fell in love with you, and we deserve to be together. I will find a way, so for now, you sleep... wait for me."

Just as Sereda tried to struggle against her, the floor turned icy. Within half a second, just as Rea had envisioned it, Sereda was entombed in ice. A stunning crystal clear coffin.

Rea gazed at the woman, frozen in time. She then looked at her left arm... buried in the ice, nearly to her shoulder. Biting down on her lip Rea twisted her torso. She howled in agony as the bone snapped. A few seconds later Rea had her carving knife in hand. Blood splashed across the ice as she tore into the arm. She kept stabbing and slicing around the broken bone until her arm came free. Screaming at the top of her lungs, she collapsed on top of the ice. Rea gazed at Sereda from above. She then permafrosted the stuck arm, so it wouldn't rot and leave Sereda exposed.

Falling backwards, Rea looked towards Selene's lifeless body, she vividly remembered what Lucatiel had done for her. Not even bothering to cauterize her gaping wound she dragged herself to Selene and dispelled the ice. Rea looked to make sure. Selene's heart, liver, and neck had all been pierced. The now ethereal dark lances had passed right through Selene's clothes, there wasn't even any blood. She was truly beyond the [Elixir]. Just before the lances completely disappeared, without even hesitating, Rea sacrificed a precious year of her life by activating martyrdom. She could feel it almost instantly, all the damage from the dark lances that had pierced Selene's body.

Selene awoke with a gasp. She turned in her panicked state to face Rea. The hopeless ophidian gave her a toothy grin, "Long time no..." Rea coughed up liberal amounts of blood.

Selene cried out and embraced Rea, "I'm so sorry, Rea. I didn't mean to."

Rea was dying but she needed to say it first. Rea pointed at Sereda, "....don't break the ice."

Selene gripped onto Rea with every ounce of strength in her body and cried. She had lost consciousness... Rea was dead.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Creighton and the adventurers who had followed after them charged forward hopefully. The ice, the storm, had ceased. They were still on guard, ready to face the lich. Running into the chamber full speed every one of them stopped and gazed in wonder. Scorch marks, chunks of ice, and places where the earth had been torn asunder or burst forth. Knowing that none of them would have survived what happened here, their gaze fell to the lone survivor. Creighton held up his hand and slowly approached the crying girl.

"From the state of things, I'd assume you're Selene."

Selene didn't look up, she kept clinging to Rea, "nnn."

"The lich?"

Selene pointed to a pile of ashes. Creighton quickly commanded them to gather the ashes. They needed to be taken to the cathedral in Solanis. He could see that she was inconsolable, "I'm sorry for your loss, they... were desperate to save you."

Selene, with a muffled and raspy voice, replied, "Rea may be dead, but I think she found a way to save Sereda." Her gaze met the coffin of ice, "Rea told me not to break the ice. Which means she did something to it."

Creighton walked over to the coffin, "This arm..." he looked back at Rea's lifeless body and grimaced, "... Mistress Ainsworth's arm has a glowing tattoo on it, any idea what it is?"

Selene wiped her tears away, "I'll find out.." she looked at Sereda, "..I'll also find a way to heal her. I have to do it, for Rea."

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Alright, that's it for now folks... *cough* Hiatus *cough*, don't hate me! >

Gonna put links in for chapter 38-47,(Edit: Links are done!) then scurry off to do whateva I plz!

I thought I should mention my favorite fic... author's privilege. :P

Commoner Online has been pretty entertaining so far, I'm looking forward to more of it. I know that when I get tons of nice comments and reviews it makes me feel like writing more, so please continue to support all of your favorite writers...

That was not an indirect way of me telling you to go praise Commoner Online, only say you like it if you really do. Don't be a sheep like me. *baaaaa baa*

P.S. I LOVE YOU PEONS!!! ♥♥♥NaughtyHippy♥♥♥