Heather the Necromancer

Book 7: Chapter 3

Heather looked over the roof's edge, peering into the street below. The guild quest said they needed somebody to tail a man in a gray cloak and see where he took a package. The package was picked up at a shop in the goblin district where Heather had been waiting, using her shapeshifting powers to appear to be a dark-haired elf woman. She pretended to be browsing a shop as the man collected his package and headed off.

Webster was hidden nearby, invisible and on a wall where he wouldn't be seen. She waited until the man passed him to spread her wings and take to the sky. Now they leapfrogged each other, with her watching from the high rooftops while he jumped along behind, tailing him at street level.

He doesn't seem to be doing anything to worry about, Heather relayed to her spider. She heard his chirping voice reply and smiled as he suggested they web him and steal the package. She reminded him that the quest goal was to find out where he was taking it, and it was bound to get harder at some point.

Just as she said it, the man suddenly turned down an alley, and she lost sight of him. She alerted Webster and flew to a roof over the alley, looking down to see the alley was empty.

I lost him! Heather said over her telepathic bind. Do you see him? He replied that he was at the alley and didn't see the strange man. Heather growled and flew to the other end of the alley, assuming the man must have dashed through it and run out the far side. The street had several dozen players and NPCs but none in a gray cloak. Suddenly she felt frustrated that she had lost her target when Webster chirped that he had found something.

Heather flew back and into the tight space, dropping to the street to see what the spider was looking at. It was a small metal vial with a tiny amount of silver liquid in it. She picked up the container and sniffed the contents before swirling it in her hand.

Invisibility potion? she asked her spider, who chirped that he didn't know. She thought of bringing the vial to Chandice to have her analyze it, but that would take over an hour. On the other hand, if he was invisible, he could still be in the alley. Heather looked around carefully, trying to see anything that looked out of place, then recalled that she was married to Frank and called on her life sight.

Webster glowed faintly, as did a small rat scurrying along the wall. She stood to walk down the alley, carefully watching for any sign of the light of life. As she passed a small doorway, she saw a glow on the other side. Somebody was leaning against the door, trying to remain unseen, but his life gave him away.

Well, I guess he got away, Heather said, then silently communicated to Webster what she saw. We may as well go home. He chirped in reply, and she headed off, walking down the street as if defeated. Once they were around the corner, she picked up Webster and flew back to the roof, using their invisibility to hide and wait. It was ten minutes before the door opened, and the man stepped out, moving faster than she expected. His speed was amazing as he raced to the end of the alley and peered around the corner. Then he looked up and right at them, then along the roof edges as if he had seen nothing.

Hes using a speed potion, Heather said as the man headed into the street, walking at a pace that was near a full run. His rapid pace drew some attention from random people as Heather flew high, carrying Webster as they tailed him.

Webster chirped, and she nodded. The man did indeed know he was being followed, but how had he known? They were so careful, and she changed her appearance several times, so when he did see her, it was a different person. How he knew to run and hide was a mystery, but now she didn't care. He was on the move, heading for the Elvish district and the gardens along the canal.

Heather flew as fast as she could to keep him in sight but lost him twice when he rounded corners. She always found him quickly because his speed made him stand out, but his path became a meandering course.

What is this quest supposed to prove? Heather asked the spider slung over her arm. All I have to do is tell the guild master where he went? Webster chirped, and she shook her head. He still wanted to ambush the man and steal the package. She pondered the idea a moment, wondering what would happen if she altered the course. If this was a quest, wouldn't it just reset, and the man reappear later for somebody else to follow? She wasn't even sure if this was a player quest or a randomly generated one, but it was the most interesting one on the board. She put the thought away and focused on her target, who reached the first canal and, to her surprise, jumped across it.

How did he do that? Heather asked in alarm. Webster chirped that his speed was enhanced, and so was his momentum, carrying him farther in a jump. Heather agreed that maybe a few more feet, but this man just cleared thirty easily. She swooped lower as he went down another alley and started to slow down.

I think his potion is wearing off, Heather said as she landed on a roof to look over the side. She watched the man run to the middle of the alley, then turned into mist and seeped into an open grate.

Oh, now thats cheating! Heather grumbled and used her teleport power to blink to the grate that was an entrance to the sewer system. She and Webster peered through the grate to see a dark, dank sewer tunnel with a trickle of water. Oh, why did we put sewers in our city? Webster replied that every good fantasy city had to have huge sewers that an ogre could walk around inside. Heather shook her head and grabbed the grate, easily pulling it open with her Lilim strength. As much as she didn't want to enter that damp tunnel, she had come too far to give up now. Webster happily jumped down as she dropped in with a splash. The tunnel was large enough for Frank to walk in his ghoul form with all the girls at his side. It was made of gray bricks stained by water, moss, and the general refuse of the city. The smell was musty, and she thanked her lucky stars that this world didn't have sanitary sewers, or she would not even consider following him.

Alright, which way? Heather asked as she considered her route. The tunnel behind her went down a shallow slope to the canal, so she reasoned he hadn't gone in that direction. That left only the broad tunnel before her, and she headed off with Webster leading the way. A few minutes down the tunnel, she reached a round chamber that acted as a reservoir with a tunnel to her left and right. She stood on a wooden plank walkway that ran around a central pool of dark liquid and floating trash. The man was nowhere to be seen, and she was left with having to guess which way.

Oh, we lost him again, she sighed and lifted a bare foot from the slimy water. And I am sick of walking in this goo.

Webster hopped to a sidewall and crawled into the tunnel, chirping that it was this way. Heather asked how he knew that, and he said there were tracks in the mud beyond. Heather made her way around a wooden walkway to the far ledge when something disturbed the murky pool. She paused to study the dark fluid that roiled as if something were moving beneath the surface. A chirp from Webster turned her back to the tunnel when the water suddenly surged up. She looked back to see a mottled tube of flesh with a long snapping jaw reaching her way.

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Aaaagh! Heather cried in panic as the green gem on her forehead glowed brightly. She was gone in a flash as those jaws snapped over the walkway, then tore it from the wall with a crunch. Heather arrived in the opposite tunnel to Webster, looking across as the spider let her know she was going the wrong way.

The worm-like creature spat out the debris that once was the walkway and turned to look where its prey had gone. Heather stepped back as the beast seemed to lurch her way, hoping the tunnel would offer some protection. Her first thought was to use necromancy, but Frank had ordered her to forget she even had the class. She was left with her flower singer powers and her Lilim skills, but trying to seduce the horrid creature didn't seem appealing just now.

Why did Frank put this thing in here? Heather growled as the beast lowered its head to look down the tunnel. She couldn't see eyes on the body of garrish white flesh, but somehow the monster sensed where she was. She realized it was more than capable of reaching into the tunnel and snapping her up, so she vanished in another puff of green.

Her feet hit the stone next to Webster, and she quickly scooped him up, running down the tunnel blindly. She knew there might be danger ahead, but anything was better than that worm creature. The tunnel turned and entered a round chamber lit by a shaft of light from a grate above. She faced three possible exits as the room made an intersection of tunnels.

Great, Heather growled as she spun around, then put Webster down. See if you can find more tracks. He bounced away, leaping to the nearest tunnel to scurry about, looking for signs of recent passage. Heather went the opposite way and immediately found tracks, only these were not booted feet. They looked like long toes in a spread shape, like she would see on a small animal. Only these were much bigger, and as she bent down to examine them, something flew out of the darkness at her.

Hey! she shouted as a spear hit the wall behind her. Looking up, she saw three shapes hunched over as they scurried down the tunnel at her. They walked on two legs but dragged hairless tails and had long rodent-like faces. They wore armor made from old planks, metal scraps, and whatever else was washed into the sewers. She heard them chittering in an unfamiliar language as they raised improvised weapons of clubs and sharpened sticks.

Oh, rat people, Heather groaned. I really need to talk to Frank about what he's doing with the sewers. She threw out her hand as black smoke formed, and a moment later, she held a long slender blue shaft topped by a slowly curving blade as long as her arm. The top was crowned by a silver flower whose stem and roots spread down the shaft.

Webster leaped to her side as she readied her scythe, meeting the rat men head-on. She used her skill in heavy weapons to slice and parry, dancing about them with careless ease. One scored a lucky hit with a club, but her bare skin hardly stung, the naked defense skill acting like armor.

Now, this is fun, Heather laughed as she leveled her weapon at a nearby rat man. The less I wear, the better my armor. She let loose with a cloud of pink and purple smoke, spraying the poor creature with perfume. It flailed and choked, blinded by the cloud as Heather smiled and swung hard.

That's what you get for stinking, she said as she buried her blade in its chest. The creature fell limp, sliding to the floor as the other two quickly turned and ran. She let them go as she was wasting time when she should be stalking her prey. Webster resumed his search and found a booted track in the middle tunnel, and together they rushed after him.

The next room had a zombie shuffling about, but she quickly dispatched it and pressed on until they reached a wider tunnel. She recalled Frank telling her the sewers had three master tunnels running from the parks to the lake. This was to drain excess water from the fountains and other magical pools filled with waterfalls that tumbled from her floating palace.

Now, where? Heather sighed as she looked down the tunnel. To her amazement, the man they were following was there, not a hundred steps away, going up a ladder as fast as he could. Webster chirped, and Heather ducked back around the corner, letting him know she had seen the man. She waited until he was out of sight, then dashed for the ladder and looked up to see a long narrow shaft into a dark room.

Scout that for me, Heather said to her companion, and Webster obliged, rushing up the shaft and into what appeared to be a cellar. There were barrels, crates, and what appeared to be meats wrapped in cloth hanging from rafters. She followed him up and looked about the space, whose only exit was a narrow stone staircase.

How long do we have to chase this guy? Heather asked as they headed for the steps. The reward for this quest was only ten gold and a map to a hidden stash. Webster chirped that maybe the stash was worth much more, but Heather doubted it. This wasn't a particularly high-level quest, but it perked her interest because it was just a follow-the-target mission.

At the top of the steps was a wooden door that was slightly open. She burst through to discover they were in a house decorated like it belonged to a hunter. Skins covered the floor, and a few mounted heads of various beasts decorated the walls. A small fire burned in a nearby hearth that had a comfy-looking chair placed before it. She felt as if she were intruding on somebodies home and turned about when she heard a door slam. She ran from room to room until she found a stout door and opened it to discover a busy street with passing players.

Oh, look! It's Princess Hannah! a woman with blue skin and red eyes said.

Heather smiled and waved as a group of five turned and began to approach her. She suddenly felt trapped as she looked up and down the street, catching a glimpse of her target as he dashed into another alley.

Quickly, follow him, Heather told Webster, who chirped that she could count on him. He blinked past the players and jumped to the nearby wall as the group descended on Heather with smiles and flattering comments.

Youre so pretty, a woman said. And that outfit is sexy.

Is it true that youre a slave girl? a man asked as he looked at her collar.

Everybody knows that, another man said as he rolled his eyes. She told the entire city at her speech.

Hey, Heather cut in as her tail lashed behind her head. Umm, its lovely to meet you, but I was actually doing a quest.

Youre doing a quest? the woman asked. Why would you bother?

Because it's fun, Heather insisted. And, um, I am kind of pressed for time.

Oh, a timed quest, one of the men nodded. Well, can we help?

No, I just need to fly, she said. But, I will try to spend some time in the guild tonight if you want to meet properly.

I heard you dance at that Jade inn, a man said. Do you really do that?

What? Heather asked in surprise. No, I mean, not yet, anyway. That's up to my masters to decide. She reminded them she was in a hurry, but they were so excited to meet her that they kept asking questions. She used her mental link to Webster to see he was dutifully following the target that was now heading into the inner wall area where the larger houses were. She did her best to be polite and answered a few questions about herself and if she had really been a necromancer. She told them yes and that she was happy to be rid of it because it had been nothing but a burden. One woman commented that it must have been hard on Frank to kill her repeatedly, to force the reset. Heather agreed it had been terrible for him, but he was in love with her and knew she would never find peace until the class was gone. She was glad he did it and glad people knew the truth. Then she excused herself again, flaring her wings to remind them she was on the clock.

I am sure we will talk again, Heather said, flying into the air. Thank you for playing in my city! She flew off before she heard their answer and headed straight for where Webster was following the man down a backstreet. She thanked her good fortune that she had the perfect pet for such a task, as Webster could cling to walls and turn invisible, making him the perfect scout.

She spotted her target from well above and kept to the sky as she thanked Webster for keeping track of him. He chirped a happy reply to see if they had asked for her autograph.

No, they did not, and how do you know what an autograph is? Heather asked as she flew low. He said he knew lots of things that she knew as part of the link they shared. Wait, you can learn things from me even if I don't tell them to you? Heather asked. He chirped an answer of yes, and Heather wondered if he knew parts of her past she had forgotten. Just as the thought came to mind, a voice called out, and she looked up to see a man in red and blue flying beside her on what appeared to be a giant chicken.

Hey, are you Princess Hannah? he asked with a smile.

Umm, yes, she replied and made a mental note to change her form the next time she went out in public.

Are you really a succubus? he asked. I mean, do you need to feed?

Let me stop you right there, Heather stated and waved a finger at him. I am a Lilim, a more advanced version of the succubus, and no, I do not need to feed. I belong to the jade harem and have plenty of women to feed on if I need to. Not to mention I am married and have a willing husband who has more stamina than half the city combined.

Oh, the man said as his smile vanished. Umm, but do you ever need more?

Will you go to the Lovewood instead of bothering me, Heather insisted. The place is crawling with girls.

But none of them are you, the man said sadly.

Heather blushed as he made it clear he was infatuated with her and wanted her above all the others. She shook her head and promised him that she would be stalking the forest sometime in the future, and if their paths crossed, he would get his wish. He nearly fell off his chicken and profusely thanked her for being so nice. Heather bid him farewell and dived away, determined to keep track of her target.

I lost him, Heather said over her telepathic link. She was instantly scolded by Webster, who wanted to know how she kept losing him. I can't help it, Heather complained. People keep approaching me, wanting to meet me. I had no idea I was this popular. They never approach when I am with Frank and the others.

Webster replied, pointing out that she always looked protected when she traveled with the others as if they were there to guard her. Since she was out alone, people saw an opportunity to get close without fear of being turned away. Now that she thought about it, several people had approached her in the adventurer's guild and on the street outside when she landed to go in. She realized she had a measure of celebrity, and people would want to meet her if they could.

I suppose it isn't so bad, Heather said aloud as she flew over a rooftop and spotted her mark, heading for an archway in a wall around a large house. Heather landed on the roof and peeked over the side as Webster crawled up to the wall. The man looked around before heading around the side of the house where a brick chimney jutted out. She watched as he pushed a brick, opening a door in the wall, then slipped inside, vanishing from sight as it closed.

Thank goodness! Heather cried. We finally found the delivery location. Webster chirped and asked what now, as Heather smiled, her pointed teeth making a wicked grin. Well, we completed the goal of the quest, she giggled in her mind using her telepathy to talk to her spider. So now I want to follow your idea. Lets kill him and find out whats in the package!

She spread her wings and swooped down, landing in the yard as Webster stood at her side. She didn't bother with the secret door. Instead, she went to the front door and casually kicked it in. It tore from the hinges, crashing to the ground and startling two dwarves inside. Both turned on her with axes in hand and made threatening faces as they looked her up and down.

Here now, looks like we are going to have some fun tonight, one said as he took her in.

Seems like I know this one, the other said as she glared at her with one eye. A princess or something.

Oh, now Im insulted, Heather growled with hands on her hips. Just hand the package over, and I won't kill all of you.

Hey, isnt she the, you know? one dwarf asked the other.

Aye, I think she be, the other laughed. Maybe that statue is magic.

I have no idea what you're talking about, and I probably don't want to, Heather said as she curled her hands, causing them to burst into flames. But I hope you have fire insurance.

The house exploded into flames as Heather ran wild, using her powers to their full potential. Before she was done, both dwarves were dead, as were the three others that came to help. She wondered why the house was full of dwarves as she made her way into the back rooms, ignoring the fact that the front was on fire. Webster chirped to remind her that the house was burning, but Heather knew the city's magic would prevent it from spreading, and the house would reset eventually.

Unless it's a player's home, Heather said as she reached a solid wooden door. Oh, I hope I haven't trashed somebodies house. She tried the handle and jumped back when something sharp pierced her skin. She looked down to see a tiny drop of blood, and a quick look at the lock revealed a needle on a spring. Did I just trigger a trap?

Webster chirped that she had and that the needle was probably poisoned. Heather held up her hand and watched the droplet grow, waiting for something to happen. Webster chirped again a minute later, and she shrugged.

What? I am resistant to poison, Heather said in response to his remark and tried kicking the door in again. It also came off the hinges, her enhanced strength making it of little consequence.

Sheesh, I bet I can open jars by myself now, Heather laughed as she entered a room lined with empty shelves. The man in the gray cloak stood at the far end as he stepped to the side to reveal the wrapped package on a desk.

What are you doing here? he demanded as a wand appeared in his hand.

I got tired of following you, Heather said as she reached a hand out, calling her scythe. She brandished the weapon as the two faced off in a final battle over the package. Now, what have you been carrying all this time? He moved fast, his wand waving as a trail of glowing lights streaked out. Heather blinked away but discovered the lights turned and hit her in the back when she wasn't looking.

Ow, that hurt! Heather growled and then screeched as she ducked under a spinning disc of steel that resembled a saw blade. It shattered on the shelves behind her as she rolled to her feet and vanished in a flash of green. The man was a clever spell caster, but he was no match for her ability to teleport. She cut him once, then twice, then he drank a potion, and suddenly he was racing at high speed again.

You can blink, but I can run! he laughed and hurried across the room until he suddenly tripped. What!? he cried as he toppled over, his feet stuck to silken strands laid over the floor.

That would be my spiders doing, Heather said just before she blinked to him and stomped a foot on his back. And we are done playing. He managed to yell an insult before she finished him off, then casually dismissed her weapon as Webster leaped off a nearby wall.

We make a good team, Heather said as she finally approached the prize. Now, what was so important that it had to be delivered here? She used a long nail to cut the cords around the package and tore the thick paper open. Inside was an ornately detailed statue about two feet tall made of polished brass. She held it up to see a smiling, naked woman in a rather provocative pose.

Wait, a minute! Heather snapped as she noticed the horns and tail. This is me!

Webster let out a series of chirps as he laughed at her discovery. Heather slapped a hand over her face in embarrassment, not wanting to turn in the quest now.

Oh, stop laughing at me, Heather insisted as she thought about smashing the statue. After a long moment of contemplation, she decided to keep it and give it to Frank.

Lets go home, Heather said to her companion. I will turn the quest in later.

He chirped, and she used her tail to pick him up and place him on her shoulder. You're right, she said as she looked at the statue. This has one of my wife's names all over it. Remind me to ask Quinny if she's added any quests to the guild house.

He chirped, and she walked through the burning house, the flames not so much as singing her hair. Outside, she spread her wings and took to the sky with the statue in hand, heading for the palace above and a long talk with her family.