Evolution: A Warlock’s Rise To Power

Lucan and Silent teleported to Vertsahdow and entered the palace.  After waiting for a few minutes, they were granted and audience with Raze.

Entering his study, they found the false god sitting at his desk scribbling on a piece of parchment. He motioned that he would be finished shortly.

Lucan walked to the counter at the side of the room and uncorked a bottle of liquor and poured himself a glass before taking a bottle of clear spirits and pouring a bit in a second glass.  He then took some fruit juice from his bag and mixed it together before passing it to Silent.

Lucan sipped the whiskey while taking a seat across from Raze's desk.  When his patron finished, he looked up to see Lucan and Silent enjoying his alcohol.

"Making yourselves right at home I see."  Raze said while slightly shaking his head.

"I have come here for a bit of business."  Lucan said, ignoring his patron's snarky comment.

"Oh, what business might that be."

"Are you able to replace my arm?"  Lucan asked while raising his stump.

"If you were to provide a proper replacement it could be done… for a cost."

"How about this?"  Lucan said while setting the demon's arm on the desk.

"Hmm, not bad, not bad at all.  This is very good.  Where did you get this?"  He asked.

"Are you aware of what's located under my mountain fortress?"

"I knew there was void in space that my sense could not reach, presumably it is one of those dungeons that you travelers love to raid."

"Indeed, but it is a special dungeon."

"Oh, how so?"

"It is an abyssal prison.  Besides housing many different types of people and creatures, it was the prison of a demon emperor.  The same demon emperor who gave up this arm after dying."

"You have my full attention now."  Raze said with a sparkle in his eye.

Lucan wasn't worried about letting Raze no what he had because the first thing he did after gaining the dungeon was setting it to private.  He wouldn't be able to gather any dungeon points from it, but no one else would be able to enter either.

"After we defeated the demon and the general who guarded the portal between the abyssal realm and the dungeon, I decided to make it my own prison.  But enough about that, our current business is deciding a price for replacing my arm."

Lucan also wanted to get some high strength guards but he had learned enough from negotiating with Raze to not reveal all his desires at once or else it was very likely that he would get fleeced.

"Not so fast, do you mind if I take a look at this place?  I will make it worth your while and give you a slight break in the price."

Lucan rolled his eyes.  Raze hadn't even mentioned a price yet, Lucan had no way of knowing if Raze would actually give him a price break or not, but since his patron was interested, it wouldn't hurt to have him in a good mood for the negotiations.

"Okay, okay. Let's head to my fortress."

It didn't take long for them to reach the fortress dungeons.  Commander Gear had already instructed his men to start building a proper pathway down to the tunnel that lead to the prison.

"Supreme Leader."  Said Commander Gear while bowing.

Raze waved him off while descending into the pit.  Lucan motioned for a few of the shadow elf workers to follow him down.

When they arrived at the entrance to the prison, there were already boxes of fresh food and barrels of water waiting.  The shadow elves began to bring them in while they followed behind Lucan and the others.

After twenty minutes the group reached the large cavern.

"Impressive, very impressive.  Is that ethereal mana I sense."

"Indeed."  Lucan said.  "There is an ethereal lock surrounding this place so no one can teleport in or out, and there are even stronger restraints on each of the prison cells.  They full damped magic and most abilities.  They also drain stamina and holy powers.  The whole prison is quite secure."

Lucan and Raze chatted a bit longer before getting down to business while Silent went to talk to the warden about what he had learned from the prisoners so far.

"You have done well in gaining a large number of acolytes recently and the experience you have stored has also reached a satisfying amount, but knowing you, I feel that you have something else you want to offer.  Am I correct?"

Lucan nodded with a slight smile.  "I have gained information on a formation that is able to create stable portals between realms.  Are you interested?"  Lucan didn't miss the momentary excitement in his patron's eyes when he spoke.

"I think that would be a fair trade."  Raze said nodding quickly.

"I don't."  Lucan said.  "Not only do I want you to replace my arm, but I need high level guards to keep this place under control.  At least level 190 and I want them to be Elites.  And there needs to be one hundred of them."

"One hundred elites!  That is ridiculous.  Are you trying to have a guard for each prisoner here. Don't be foolish.  I can give you ten."

"Ten, are you crazy!  I am talking about a formation that will let you operate a stable portal.  Think about the profits if you commercialize the portal and charge a toll.  Ten, ha, do you take me for a fool.  I need at least eighty."

"Hmpf, I have seen the formation schematics, but I am guessing it needs a huge number of resources to operate and then you will likely need the same setup on the other side of the portal. That right there doubles the investment. Take twenty-four level 190 elites and I will through in a named elite to round it to twenty-five.  Don't try extorting this old man of everything he has.  Do you think elites at that level are easy to come by?  I am truly giving you a great deal by offering this many already."

"Pah, what have I told you about your humble old man routine?  I am not buying it.  I need at least -."

"Ah, Supreme Leader?  Is that you?"  A horse voice echoed throughout the cavern.

Both Lucan and Raze looked up towards the third row of prison cells that were imbedded into the wall of the cavern.

"Penumbra?  Is that you?"  Asked Raze with a slightly disturbed voice.  Disregarding Lucan, Raze warped to the prison cell and appeared before the shadowy figure that was locked inside.  "My word, Penumbra, how did you end up here?"

"Its was the Demon Queen Ilocaren.  She captured me five hundred years ago.  Since she wasn't able to destroy me she had me imprisoned in here."

"Everyone told me you died, but I knew it couldn't be.  My old friend I am so glad that you are alive.  Let me get you out."

Raze reached for the bars trying to crush them, but even after he activated his magic and all his strength they didn't budge.

"I think you will need the key."  Lucan said as he walked up the platform.  A huge smile was plastered on the warlock's face.

"Fine, I will give you fifty level 190 elites and two level 190 named elites for a total of fifty-two and I will replace you left arm with the one you retrieved from the demon emperor, but you must release Penumbra immediately."

Lucan knew he wasn't going to get a better offered so he took it.  "Deal."  He said, stretching out his hand.

Raze shook it and activated pact magic.

Lucan retrieved a key from his pocket.  He currently had the master key.  Once he built up some more dungeon points he planned to copy it and leave the copy with Warden.  But for now, he held onto the key.

Lucan stuck it into the lock and opened the cell.

The shadowy figure walked out and Raze immediately gave Penumbra a quick hug before slapping the shadow on the back.

Raze then turned to Lucan.  "Penumbra is a shadow spirit and a long time friend.  He used to be one of my hands but after he disappeared his followers left or died off and eventually, I had to replace him.  Pen, if you want even though I already have six hands I can get rid of my newest and let you retake your old position."

"Don't do that.  I have been in here so long that I am not sure what I want to do now that I am out.  For now just let me accompany you from time to time while I get reacclimated."

"Sure, sure, no problem.  Your room in my palace is just the same as when you left it… well almost. When you didn't return, I rooted through your things looking for any clue as to where you might have gone but I didn't find anything."

"Ha, ha, thank you for all your effort."  Penumbra said.  The shadow then turned towards Lucan. "And thank you young man.  I witness your whole fight.  I am impressed with your ability to control the shadows and created illusions.  I especially like those ones that exploded.  He, he, he.  I feel so giddy after being freed from my confinement.  Here, let me give you a gift."

Penumbra reached into his chest and pulled out five small objects that looked like little black beads.

"Here, these are for you and your friends.  They are shadow seeds.  They will enhance shadow abilities but as for their exact effects. That can only be discovered with time, they react differently to different individuals."

"He, he, thank you very much."

"Hey, what are you giving this punk gifts?  This is one of my newer hands and he extorts me more than any of my other hands have combined together."

"Ha, ha, ha, the mighty Supreme Leader is getting extorted by his own hand.  It seems I really have been gone for a long time."  Then Penumbra looked to Lucan again.  "Remember this kid, in the entire world's history, Raze had never taken a bad deal."

Lucan kept grinning while storing the shadow seeds.  He wasn't stupid, he knew Raze would never let him actually extort him.  That would just be crazy.

"Thank you again for the gift sir.  My name is Lucan Quilldrake by the way.  And if you ever decided to get back into the MLM game again, just think my name three times and ask for power.  I may not be as strong as the other hands, but i have ethereal powers.  So if you are ever interested, i have plenty of wares for sale."

"Ha, ha, ha.  I will remember that kid."

"What are you doing you punk?  Watch your mouth."  Raze said before slapping Lucan in the back of the head.

He wasn't really angry, the slap was light and not even strong enough to take away a single health point but he was embarrassed by his hand who tried to sell to his previous hand who just turned down his old position.