The OP Lich is a Returnee, Chapter 27 (Patreon)

I will be going to DragonCon next week. That means that I will most likely not write anything from Wed to Tues. Regular content will resume after that.

Also, if you're going to be at DragonCon, I'll be hanging around the Newbie Tours and Q&A on Thursday, and will be at the Fantasy Gather with other authors later in the weekend. You may also catch me in the Anime/Manga track room. At least part of the weekend, I'll be dressed as an Elvis/Wolverine mashup.

Chapter 27 – Presentation

With a slight bow of my head, I stretched out one hand, sticking it into my dimensional storage. From it, I drew the sheathed sword, and held it in both hands for the granddaughter to see. “Your grandfather commissioned me to forge you a blade worthy of a king. I can say, without false pride or exaggeration, that this blade is a gift that even the shoguns and emperors of old would weep in joy to receive.”

Holding the sword at an angle to show off the saya and the hilt of the blade, I said, “This blade is Named. In time, it will become a blade of legend, like the Honjō Masamune or Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi. I say this without embellishment, because it is fact. This blade, Chionomu Sakura, is unlike any sword in the world.”

I extended my hands, offering the sword to Tatsumi. “No blood shall stain this blade, nor its fittings, even if you wade through rivers of your enemies’ blood. Any nick, any scratch that the blade suffers will be healed as it drinks in blood. Indeed, even should the blade shatter, it will be remade if fed enough blood. But this is just the beginning of what I have made.”

With due reverence, the granddaughter took the sword in both hands. As she drew the blade, on one side was engraved my mark, and the Name of the blade, and the other held the message her grandfather requested be added to the blade. Resting the back of the blade against her arm, she admired the polish, nodding slowly. “I’ve only seen blades like this in museums, or in anime.”

A small smile graced my face. “An anime would be more true to the reality of the blade you hold. As I said, the blood-drinking is only part of what the blade can do. But before I get into everything the blade can do, first, you must bind it to yourself.”

“Bind it? How?”

“Give this sword the first taste of blood it has known since its forging. Your blood. Offer your blood to the blade, and its full power will respond to you, and you alone. It will respond to your will, and your mana, but for any other, it will be no more or less than a finely crafted steel sword, that just so happens to heal itself with blood. Only upon your death will the blade be able to bond to another.”

The woman nodded. No sign of unease or disquiet at the blade needing blood to bind itself to her. She was a warrior, that much was certain. “How much blood will it need?”

“Not much. Simply cutting your hand will suffice.”

She nodded again, and reached up to grab the blade’s edge with her left-hand, her off-hand, and squeezed. The only sign of pain or discomfort she allowed herself was a slight gritting of the teeth as blood began to seep through her fingers, before getting drawn in by the blade. The next moment, an aura of blood-red light shone around her, and her hair blew back as if she were standing in a maelstrom that existed for her, and her alone.

In truth, the power was like a maelstrom, but it soon began to settle, as the binding went about its work. I nodded slowly as I watched the magic flow through her. What was happening to her, now, was not unlike the mana strengthening I had shown off to some students, just after my return, though with a slightly more controlled effect.

Slowly, the light faded away, and Tatsumi brought her hand away from the blade, and looked at it. There was no wound, as I knew there wouldn’t be, and not even the trace of a scar. “Well done, young one. The blade is yours, and, now, you can already feel the first effects.”

“I feel, strong. Stronger than I’ve ever been!”

“That is because you are. The saya is enchanted so that it cannot be harmed by normal means, but it will also grant you an oni’s strength and vitality. You will find your strength grow to twice its current level, and anything you do to improve the base, will further improve this enhancement. Also, no nonmagical disease can touch you, and though your flesh will still feel like normal, it shall be as hard as iron.”

Tatsumi goggled at the thought. “All this from the saya alone?” I understood her amazement. After all, that alone would be something any warrior would prize above all measure. Being able to hit harder was straightforward enough, but immunity to all natural diseases? That was far from normal!

“Yes, that is the enchantment on the saya, courtesy of an oni summoned and sent against me by your rivals. After I defeated the oni, I used the ashes from his bones mixed with diamond dust to make the enchantment. Even in the other world, such enchantments were rare, due to the fact that it would require reducing a demon to dust without contaminating the dust with aspected mana. As you can imagine, such a feat is not easy to accomplish, especially as demons are particularly unamused by the procurement process, and are not at all cooperative with it.”

That won a grin from Tatsumi, so I continued. “The blade itself is enchanted with the essence of necromancy, using the souls of those who accompanied the oni. By channeling your mana into the blade, you can make it so that, for a short time, it cuts not physical matter, but the soul. No armor or shield will defend against the attack, unless they have been specially enchanted to guard against incorporeal foes.”

By now, the entire room was hanging on my every word. “But the most interesting power this blade has is that it is vampiric. Every living soul it cuts, it transfers a portion of their life essence to the wielder, healing them of their wounds. If you slay someone with the blade, you will add their life force to your own, extending your life. If you kill enough, then you will remain young and beautiful and strong forever, making you effectively immortal.”

The oyabun bowed his head to me, as did his lieutenant. They had the good sense to know the implications of what I had bestowed upon Tatsumi, and the way that it would tie the organization to me. It was more, far more, than the commission had been, and it would put the Inagawa-kai heavily in my debt. However, they could not refuse the gift, not without losing face.

Tatsumi, on the other hand, looked as though she had been turned to stone. I doubted whether she was even aware at how her jaw was hanging open. No, her mind was probably far more occupied with attempting to process everything I’d just told her.

That was not unusual. In fact, it was the common reaction to those mortals who had the prospect of immortality not just offered, but literally given to them before they even knew what it was. There were some similarities when talking about the various sentient undead, but, really, only vampires were truly similar, and even then, only those who were turned in their sleep. Simply put, dying, and then being brought back as an immortal undead was different from a living, mortal being getting blessed, or cursed, with immortality.

And yes, immortality could be a curse. I was only a few decades old, but even so, I had already faced the prospect of those I knew growing old and dying around me, while I remained the same. Forty years in the other world was a long time. By the time I left, there was not a single ruler on the continent who had been on the throne when I was summoned. Some of them had not even been born, yet!

When I returned, I saw my mother and father had grown older. My brother had already had children, and I had a younger sister who had not even been born when I was summoned away. But, as an immortal undead, I knew that, unless someone managed to kill me, I would still be around when even their bones had worn away to dust.

Actually, my ‘curse’ was less serious than the curse of immortality would be for Tatsumi. As an undead, I could not have children. Tatsumi was different. She was still human, still mortal. She could have children. And she would outlive them, every last one. She would outlive her children, and her children’s children, and her children’s children’s children.

That kind of knowledge was academic, now, but she would come to learn it truly, in time. And time is what Immortals had in abundance. The only way she could avoid this fate was if she gave up on immortality, severing her connection to the blade, and allowing an heir to take it up, and gain the curse in turn.

That sounded simple enough, right? But things were never so simple or clean. Life was like a drug. There’s a reason why, when someone looked for people to fight and die, they looked for the young, the dumb, and those too desperate to have a choice. It was human nature to scrap and scrabble as fast and as hard as they you can to get even the slimmest chance of survival.

Turning your back on all of that, and embracing death? That was not something a normal, well-adjusted person could do. Someone who was young (at least in body), and healthy, and lacking for nothing? You would have a better chance of finding a politician who was as noble and pure as they portrayed to the public.

No, this gift I had given her would be a double-edged sword. Eventually, as a mortal dragging life on to an immortal scale, without the mental and soul changes that happened with becoming an undead or a similar type of creature, she would be forced to change, or become twisted. The risk of losing touch with what made her human was very real.

Fortunately for her, she would have someone who could help guide her through the pitfalls of immortality. Someone who could give her a primer on how immortality actually worked, and give her a clue on how to change and still keep her core self intact. Someone who could advise her on when it was time to let go, and embrace the end. Someone like me.

Tatsumi met my gaze, and bowed, clutching the sword to her breast. I ignored the fact that she was trying to fight back tears at the size of the gift. When she opened her mouth to speak, I simply shook my head. “Your grandfather commissioned me to forge a sword unlike any in this world, fit for one who would use it as intended. You should give your thanks to him, and to the rivals who sent raw materials to finalize the enchantments.”

Finally, the oyabun spoke up. “Indeed, I asked for a sword unlike any other, and you have gone over and above what I had expected. Beyond paying for the work of a master craftswoman, I thought only of the sentimental value of a gift to my favorite granddaughter. Instead, you have furnished a blade worthy of an empress. As leader of the Inagawa-kai, I welcome you as a friend of the clan.”

I bowed, and was about to respond, but was cut off by the building shaking. An earthquake? No. That was an explosion! Someone was attacking the building!

Instantly, the atmosphere changed. Guards rushed into the room. Tatsumi slid the saya into her belt, and held her sword in hand. And more than a few firearms were produced, despite this not being America.

Not wishing to be outdone, I reached into my pocket dimension, and retrieved my staff. With one hand, I shifted my outfit so that I was now dressed in my royal regalia again, as the Lich Queen of Risen Athelia. Looking to the oyabun, I said, “My lord, as a friend, perhaps you will allow me the honor to throw out these unwelcome visitors, along with your granddaughter, to show your enemies what our friendship means?”

The oyabun just nodded, once, and said, “Just ensure that there is nothing too damning that the police might see when they come to take the bodies away, yes?”