“Hear me, Sleeper King! Hear your humble servant Boudazz and listen to my appeal!”

Connor, Olanna, and Dargan listened to the caravan owner shout his insane cries before the giant stone sarcophagus. Each of them shivered in disgust.

“It him all along?” Dargan whispered. “He did this to his own people?”

“Necromancy is a growth business,” Olanna added scornfully.

“But why?” The dwarf shook his head in confusion, and it wasn’t too much longer until he got his answer in the fevered ramblings of the man himself.

“I can hear the whispers of Annwn!” Boudazz cried out.

Annwn? Connor frowned, looked at the others. What did they have to do with all this?

“They told me to bring you rich sacrifices! Enough souls to raise you into this world from the UnderWorld! And all those who have fallen getting here will be raised once more in your glorious army! For the glory of Annwn, all things are possible!” Boudazz nearly shrieked. Connor exchanged a look with the others.

Boudazz was trying to summon something . . . or someone. The Sleeper King—the very same creature he had written his mad and terrible play about.

And somehow, Annwn was behind all this, Connor thought.

“And he’s going to use their lives to do it!” Olanna said, already raising her bow. “One shot should end this.”

Boudazz had already started to mumble again. His hands waved in the air before the sarcophagus, and he made strange hand gestures and provocations.

“But if it doesn’t . . .” Connor was nodding to Skeleton Guards. “We’re outnumbered.”

“He’s the Necromancer!” Olanna pointed out. “If he’s the one controlling them, then it should stop his foul enchantments too!”

“Are you sure about that!?” Connor asked. “Just because that’s the way it works in other fantasy games doesn’t mean it will work here.”

Olanna shrugged then released her arrow.

The half-elf was about to say something about being a party and making decisions together, but the elf’s arrow was already sailing toward its destination, racing through the cavern—

It hammered into nothing but solid air behind Boudazz’ back, stopping there, levitating several feet off the ground.

Connor gave her a look that said, What did I just say?!

“What!?” Olanna snarled, already nocking another arrow.

“Fools!” Boudazz cried out. His voice was taking on a deeper tone, one born from an actor’s ability to project. He slowly stood up and turned around. Connor saw one of his hands was already bloodied and clutching something at his throat—an amulet, it appeared, with a giant blood-red ruby now smeared with more crimson. Boudazz’ other hand made a small gesture in the air and the floating arrow to fall to the ground.

“Did you really believe that I would try any of this without first getting a bit of magical protection?” Boudazz cried out, glaring at them.

“My army! For the Sleeper King!” he called out, lifting his free hand as shapes started to clamber from the very walls, stumbling forward.

“More Skeletons!” Dargan called out in horror. Connor suddenly realized just what it was he was looking at. The entire cave was a crypt, a place of burial—and the walls were filled with alcoves where collections of the dead had been made.

“The amulet!” Connor called out, immediately certain. “It’s the amulet that gives him the power! Get that amulet!”

“Save the others!” Dargan snapped, breaking into a charge straight toward Boudazz. Connor exchanged glances with Olanna, who was drawing her shortsword, then they both broke into a run toward the Skeletons guarding the captives.

Four skeletons. Two of us. Four Skeletons, two of . . . Connor’s thoughts were racing as his boots hit the stone cavern floor, taking one stride, then another and then—

“Skrrargh!”

He was suddenly among them. One Skeleton Warrior on his right and one on his left. He was quicker than they were, his half-elvish reflexes easily outpacing the dead and dried ligaments of the cadavers no matter what strange magic possessed them. That meant that he got the first strike in, a fast sweep with all his strength against the first Skeleton.

Connor attacks Skeleton Warrior with Mace. Attack dodged; no damage done.

But Connor’s move was telegraphed and easy to spot. The Skeleton raised its scimitar and easily blocked the attack.

The blow from the half-elf’s stolen mace nearly knocked the sword from the monster’s hand, though, and it was unable to block the half-elf’s second attack.

Connor attacks Skeleton Warrior with Mace for 7 Health points damage. Blunt-edge weapon increases damage by 100% against Skeleton. Total damage: 14 Health points.

The Skeleton was knocked to one side by the violent force of Connor’s strike, but that didn’t stop the other undead monster from attaching him from behind.

Skeleton Warrior attacks Connor with Spear for 10 Health points damage Surprise attack increases damage by 100%. Total damage: 20 Health points.

Connor’s side exploded with pain as the spear tip tore through his jerkin and the flesh underneath it

The half-elf turned and reached down to grab the spear with one hand.

“No!” Connor growled, sweeping out with one desperate flail of his stolen war mace at the first Skeleton. He kept that one at bay while he was involved in a tug-of-war with the second. His blow missed, and Connor wondered if this was going to be the end . . .

Beside him, Olanna had fared little better, moving with blistering speed as she crouched and struck out at one Skeleton with her shortsword and then stamp-kicking the other away. Her sheer savagery was all that was keeping her from being surrounded like Connor was.

Dargan was caught up in his own troubles.

“Don’t. Play. With. Dead Things!” the dwarf roared, striking with his war hammer at Boudazz, but every time he hit, there was a flare of green energy, as if he was hitting a forcefield.

Connor could see that the strikes were working to some extent, though. They were forcing the actor turned Necromancer back toward the edge of the crypt itself. But the half-elf didn’t know how strong the field was or how strong Dargan would have to be to break it.

“Connor—behind you!” he heard the fast-moving Olanna cry out, forcing his attention back to his own troubles. He saw a shadow in the corner of his eye as another Skeleton shamble toward them, bits of dust and grave dirt falling from the animated corpse. He saw a flash of steel in its raised bone hands . . .

The half-elf grunted and jumped to one side as his free hand pulled the end of the spear held by the second Skeleton, pulling the creature around as the third Skeleton slashed downward.

The steel blade smashed down on the Skeleton holding the other end of the spear. Connor saw the creature’s exposed shoulder bone fracture and the arm break away. The half-elf looked down in surprise to see that he was now the only one holding the spear giving him two weapons.

Finish this! he demanded of himself, pulling every ounce of experience he’d had previously, remembering how to fight in groups. His extensive game hacking experience had taught him that the best way to prevail against superior numbers was to keep moving. Use the enemies numbers against themselves.

Don’t try and fight three at once! No one can do that. Only fight one . . . He gritted his teeth, wincing as his spear-wound in his side flared with pain.

He kept moving, though, dancing around the attacks coming at him fast and furious.

Skeleton Warrior attacks Connor with Scimitar. Attack dodged; no damage done.

His technique was starting to work. He kept on dodging and parrying, and almost entirely gave up on any idea of attacking. He danced around the three Skeletons, letting their slower, awkward movements tangle each other up.

Until he saw his chance to strike.

Now!

The first Skeleton he had faced was in front of him, the other two stalking around to get a shot. This one was already injured. It was the easiest target to take out.

He lashed out, ducking at the same time so that he struck the Skeleton’s thigh with his mace.

Connor attacks Skeleton Warrior with Mace for 7 Health points damage. Blunt-edge weapon increases damage by 100% against Skeleton. Total damage: 14 Health points.

Bones shattered and the Skeleton toppled to the ground in a heap of unmoving bones.

Skeleton Warrior has been killed.

You have been awarded 200 Experience Points for slaying Skeleton Warrior.

Two more . . .

Connor skittered back as the other two undead creatures lurched toward him. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw that Olanna had already taken out one of her own and was faster than the second.

She’ll take it out. She knows what to do, he assured himself.

The two Skeleton Warriors he was facing lurched forward, leaving the mass of captured caravanners behind them in their single-minded bloodlust.

“Go! Run!” Connor shouted to the captives, seeing their hollow eyes and pale faces stare at him for a moment. His words shocked them into action and they jump to their feet, grabbing their friends and fellows as they made a dash for the way out.

“Just keep ’em occupied!” Connor shouted, dodging an attack.

Skeleton Warrior attacks Connor with Shortsword. Attack dodged; no damage done.

“I’m trying!” Connor heard Olanna shouting, trading blows with one Skeleton as another newly resurrected monster joined the battle against the elf.

And there were still more coming, too, Connor saw. At least four or five more were climbing out of the alcoves in the wall, carrying the rusted weapons that they had been buried with.

“There’s too many!” Olanna hissed, and Connor knew that she was right. Most of the caravanners were out now, with just the last couple hesitantly making a dash behind the Undead that attacked Connor.

“Dargan!?” he called, trading another parry.

“Holy. Damn. Wizards!” He heard the dwarf’s grunt as he hammered the magical shell that protected Boudazz, striking so as to not give him a chance to get up from where he was sprawled against the crypt.

“Any moment now!” the dwarf shouted.

Connor saw an opening and struck out at the Skeleton that had lost a limb to the other Skeleton.

Connor attacks Skeleton Warrior with Mace for 8 Health points damage. Blunt-edge weapon increases damage by 100% against Skeleton. Total damage: 16 Health points. Skeleton Warrior has been killed.

You have been awarded 200 Experience Points for slaying Skeleton Warrior.

The Skeleton crumbled, but there was already another lurching toward the half-elf. He had already been pushed back as far as he could, away from Olanna and at the other side of the room from Dargan.

We’re gonna die in here, Connor was thinking. We should never have attempted this without a spellcaster . . .

“Oh, wait . . .” He suddenly remembered that he was a spellcaster. Sort of.

Connor pulled out the Grimoire of Hebspeth and flipped to the Lesser Radiance spell.

Spell: Lesser Radiance

Effect:

Creates a zone of protection. Damages any creatures or servants of the UnderWorld.

Cost: 10 Vitality points

“Are these servants of the UnderWorld!?” Connor gasped, jumping back to one side to avoid a strike from one of the Skeletons doing their best to kill him. Fortunately, it was fairly easy to keep out of their way since they were far slower than he was.

“I don’t know. They crawled out of holes under ground!” Dargan yelled before there was a sudden, greenish flash from between him and the Necromancer.

Dargan was thrown backward, his stocky barrel form smashing through the legs of one of the newly raised Skeletons as he skidded across the floor.

“Dargan!” Both Connor and Olanna yelled, jumping back from their opponents as they looked toward the source of the explosion.

They saw Boudazz, blood running down his head, pushing himself up from the crypt.

“I still have some magic in me yet, shorty!” the would-be Necromancer crowed . . . before making a suddenly pained face, lifting his hand to his head, and looking at the red. The Necromancer set his bloody hand down on the crypt behind them.

Connor shuddered as he saw the blood flash then sink into the stone crypt of this Sleeper King without leaving a trace?

Now, Connor, now! Connor reprimanded himself. He chanted the words in Hebspeth’s Grimoire, wishing the spell was as powerful as the spell they had seen the Witch cast against the horde of Goblins. It was all he had, though, so it would have to suffice.

Before his eyes, the words of the spell coalesced in shimmering orange and gold, swirling together ever faster as they came together and melded into one brilliant ball of light.

“Now, Dargan!” Connor shouted. The dwarf was already pushing himself up on his war hammer and looked toward Boudazz.

The magical ball of light was not as bright or as dazzling as the one that the Witch of Mourn had cast, but when it exploded, it shed a golden-laced, white Radiance out in a circle, blasting over the Skeletons before Connor, Olanna, and even reaching as far as Boudazz.

There were scratchy hisses and shrieks from the Skeletons whom the spell touched. Although it didn’t burn and scorch as her Hebspeth’s spell had, it flung them back like a powerful hand, buffeting all foul creatures, leaving Connor, Dargan, and Olanna clear of any attackers.

Skeleton Warrior receives 15 points of damage. Skeleton Warrior receives 13 points of damage. Skeleton Warrior receives 11 points of damage. Skeleton Warrior receives 9 points of damage. Boudazz receives 7 points of damage.

When the light struck Boudazz, there was a green flash, and he was slammed onto the crypt with a heavy thump—not strong enough to break bones but enough to keep him occupied for a moment.

“Rargh!” Dargan roared as he leaped forward, covering the space cleared by the Lesser Radiance spell in a moment. The dwarf brought his war hammer down in a mighty overhead blow to finish the Necromancer—and crack the crypt that he lay on.

There was a green flash of light as the amulet shattered, and the Skeletons around them stopped and began to shake as if they were marionettes and their strings had been cut. The one closest to Connor took a step and then collapsed to the floor . . . and then the one beside it, and the next, and the next . . .

“Dargan! You beautiful diminutive warrior! You did it!” Connor said as exhaustion rapidly flooded through his body.

It was over.

“We did it, you mean,” Dargan said, staggering back toward Connor and Olanna with a wide grin on his face—even if he was now missing a tooth after his battle with the Necromancer.

Your group has been awarded 3000 Experience Points for slaying Boudazz.

Experience points will be divided among all participants.

The end of battle experience message was followed by one that was even better.

Congratulations! You have advanced to Level 4. You have been awarded two attribute points and one skill level advancement to be allocated as you choose.

“Hey, I just leveled up.” Connor breathed, suddenly wheezing as he noticed the effects of that Lesser Radiance spell.

“True.” Dargan wearily fist-punched the air.

“Same here,” Olanna said with a grin. “Two levels, in fact, since I was starting from Level 1.”

“I know we’re locked in here and everything, but who says this has to be hard, right?” Connor said cockily, knowing that he was badly injured and almost ready to collapse but still unable to contain his enthusiasm.

An ominous creak cut through their mirth. They looked around, puzzled because none of their enemies were standing up any more.

“Uh, guys?” Dargan whispered.

“Excuse me?” Olanna grumbled. “I’m an elf, not a ‘guy’ . . .”

A sound of hissing followed by the scrape of stone on stone sounded once again, and this time, all of the adventurers turned as one to face the source.

The crypt of the Sleeper King.

“People?” Connor said as his feet started to shuffle backward of their own accord.

The body of Boudazz tumbled from the crypt, landing in a withered heap. The body of the Necromancer was suddenly appeared a hundred years older, emaciated, and wrinkled—like every ounce of moisture had been sucked out of him.

“He’s been sucked dry,” Dargan, the nearest, was saying in horrified awe.

No blood, Connor thought, remembering the way the blood from the Necromancer’s hand had been sucked into the crypt. “Just like he was going to give the captured blood to his spell,” he murmured.

Hssss . . . There was another sound of hissing and the scraping of stone on stone.

“The Sleeper King he was raving about?” Olanna said, her voice sounding worried.

Thump.

Suddenly, the two cracked pieces of the crypt top fell to either side, crashing on the floor. Bandage-wrapped hands reached out to grab the edge of the sarcophagus.

A huge figure pulled itself upright. The creature was wrapped in strips of cloth and was easily eight feet tall. The giant Mummy glared at them, hate radiating from glowing red eyes.

“Hells!” Dargan burst out, jumping backward.

Connor and Olanna froze.

The Mummy opened its mouth in a silent scream, revealing cracked and rotten teeth. The stench of centuries of decay wafted toward them in an almost palpable wave. In horror, Connor noticed that there was movement around them. The creatures on the ground, the previously inanimate Skeletons, were starting to revive and push themselves up again—even the ones that Connor and Olanna had smashed to pieces. In less than a minute, they would be surrounded by an undead horde easily numbering fifteen, twenty, or more, not to mention the Sleeper King himself.

“Guys?” Dargan whispered, and this time, Olanna didn’t correct him.

“Run!”