After a little bit of internal issue sorting back in my room I finally managed to calm down from my delusions of power and decided to go visit the now senior acolytes. To go with this little promotion I gave them all new armoured robes and various bits of talismans and staves, I remember feeling proud as I oversaw them practicing and exploring what I gave them. I expect them to progress well in the future, the more senior Zanna and a few other necromancers have done well themselves. I gave them some trinkets as well since they have not committed to me mind and soul but it should be enough to ensure loyalty. Everyone has grown stronger over time and I expect good things from this little corp but of course drama ensues which is something I should expect having thought about it and it occurs.

While walking through the castle I head to one of the practising fields and I can see a group of the acolytes standing in opposition to one of the newest necromancers. This fellow had joined just recently and obviously still did not understand how things ran, I gave everyone a copy of the rules. Basically no killing, attempted killing, stealing important objects etc and this certainly breaks a rule judging by the amount of spells being hurled. I check over my link to the acolytes and find a little aggression but not enough to show that this group attacked first, and of course the necromancer is not silent.

“You lot think you can face ME!, I have spent as long as you have been alive learning the arts yet you think that will stop ME!. Such talismans are undeserving of younglings to have, I have spent decades labouring to learn the craft so I am the one who should have such artifacts!”

Hmm he is not technically being disloyal by cutting and leaving which is why the contract is not going into punishment mode. Regardless he would have killed the acolytes if they did not have the shielding talismans I gave them as part of a set, willing attempts to kill are not tolerated towards my loyal disciples. Willing Or’tharn to come standby I walk forward towards the skirmish, I cloud the air with misama to block any sight or magic sense from working and strike. This one is too distracted to be any sort of resistance especially blinded from anything outside the battle. I had one of the alchemical silver swords melted down and turned into a dagger which I enchanted to sever magical defenses with ease. While alchemical silver could originally be used against the undead in it’s normal form a few sigils can easily channel it’s properties to other uses.

I can see that the lot are still busy and do not notice me as I walk behind the necromancer and slit his throat, his defenses do not resist as they are ignored. He dies on his own blood as his body convulses in my hold, my hand restraining his hand and head is shifting somewhat as he makes jerking motions but it matters not for he will die regardless of leaving my hold. After a few moments he slows down and stills, I cannot see his eyes but if he realized what happened then the will likely be very resentful, all the more use for me then. Watching the blood flow from his slit throat onto his clothes I eventually let go and watch the corpse flop over onto the ground and a little blood sloshes over from the pile which I sidestep form getting on my clothes. But to the acolytes it would be as if I simply appeared and slew their attacker. I reach out my other hand and seize his exiting soul, a soundless scream echoes out. A scream that only those who know of souls can hear, these acolytes only get a small thrumming in the air due to inexperience.

I put it away for now and clean the blade on a scrap of cloth I have and resheathe the blade before turning to the disciples. I feel like some people would complain about gender bias looking at the disciples but considering that the ratio is 6-4 male to female among the living necromancers/acolytes I think this is fair, I do not discriminate when killing people. Obviously the undead do not truly count with no sentience and those souls I created are genderless to begin with though I use the pronouns of the body sometimes.

“I do not tolerate any who break the rules so easily, nor do I condone waste. Go gather the others, all of them and then come back”

“YES”

“Yes my master”

A few chorused acknowledgements and they scatter to the winds to do my bidding. I look over to Or’tharn who has arrived and start my preparations, I could use a better second in command. I start arranging a magic array on the ground, a rather large one with two circles as the main focus. I shift the body onto one circle of the completed array and have Or’tharn stand in the other, by this time everyone has gathered. I see some fear in the eyes of those gathered and anticipation from those more knowledgeable including Zanna who has realized a part of what I am about to do.

“All of you should know the rules I have placed as creed for those that joined. I enforce those rules personally, judge, jury, and...executioner. Do you understand what I mean?”

They nod and do not dare to speak.

“I do not set these rules without reason, they are rather fair rules with appropriate punishments. Of course what is left after such an act can always be used as you can see. Some of you will know exactly what I do and also know that service to me may allow such an act for you in the future.”

I turn back to the array and start to activate it, the array starts shining brightly. The body in one circle of the array raises up as if dragged by marionette strings. The flesh and blood visibly starts to wither and vanish, the clothes whip in an unfelt wind. Meanwhile the soulfire in Or’tharn’s eyes start to move and flow across the array. Soon an empty skeleton held aloft in the air is no longer empty, new soulfire blazes stronger than ever and a fire lights in the torso of the skeleton. Now a frightful pressure is released from the newly born lich as the air seems to darken around it as the soulfire is ignited in true form unlike the pseudo soul it was before.

To the inexperienced the eyes seem to burn of terrible indifference to life, as if everything is beneath it and they should simply keel over or else worst will happen. Those more experienced feel a heavy pressure that slowly crushes them down as if the air itself grows heavy, for me however I feel none of that. I feel pride at watching what is essentially a child grow up, I feel satisfaction at my creation growing up and truly becoming it’s own being. While this was going on I had a worker bring over my gifts for the ascension of Or’tharn, a new set of equipment fit for a lich.

There is a set of black robes that is shrouded in miasma that covers the entire body and leather reinforcing straps with brooches that offer magical and physical protection. There are many talismans attached to offer things from storage of minions to containers for souls and casting elemental magic. Finally a staff and shortsword are prepared, both enchanted to allow greater manipulation of miasma in a variety of ways. He wears his equipment and kneels to me his creator soul deep. I feel happy that this did not fail badly as I have to admit this is the first time I actually tried that out for real, a few localized experiments on sections to ensure that the parts work but everything together well... I think something to faze over this is good the giddiness from seeing my work succeed is almost overwhelming me. Bidding him rise I turn to the rest.

“There has been much hardship along our path so far but I think a celebration is in accord for all the accomplishments to this day. I announce a feast a week from today and invite everyone to attend if possible, all who have been a part of this undertaking including those we have saved will be allowed. I hope that you can attend for I will offer wisdom to all, times have been hard but we work to survive what is ahead of us and prosper afterwards as we have before”

I think some general tips and tricks to manipulating miasma will be of use and I doubt any of them have learned them, it is a good thing those priests and the leader had a good stash of wine and of I course I checked to see if there was anything bad with them. There was no holy water in the wine though as I checked earlier. Ahhhh the euphoria is still here best not let it cause trouble, time to see what groundwork for another of my projects can be laid for I feel inspired after that event...