Graig and Mortana objected to Ni joining us, but in the end decision was Milligan's, and he did not have a choice.

  After talking to hero and getting his approval, I met with Ni and high-priestess Sahana in the Aphrodite's temple.

  - So, what have you decided? - asked Sahana.

  - My employer has agreed to your terms. What about you Ni? Have you decided to join us?

  - Yes. Priestess has expined me everything. I will join your party.

  - I am gd. It will be good to have another experienced adventurer on this journey. Also we never had a chance to talk. Our first meeting did not go as good as it could have been. I wanted to use opportunity and apologize for my behavior. I hope that you can forgive me and perhaps this journey could improve your justified bad opinion about me.

  Ni raised her head and looked at me. She probably did not expect to hear such words from me.

  - I was also at fault back them. I should have talked to high-priestess, instead of running away.

  - You were a child. Your behavior was understandable. I cked empathy and I am sorry for that. I regretted the way I treated you many times.

  - Forget it. I did.

  She averted her eyes, and I nodded.

  - As you wish. We will leave in three days. After sunrise, from the south gate.

  - I will meet you there then.

  * * *

  Three days ter we left Tyco and journeyed south to the Iron Mountains. We still had our horses from previous journey, but had to buy enough supplies for a journey through the mountains. We all were riding on horses, including Milligan. Heroe's horse was smaller, to fit someone his size. We had to adjust our speed to Milligan's horse and traveled slower than we could have been.

  According to the map that we got from high-priestess Sahana, king's castle was called Bcksmith cave. It was located south-east from Northern gremlin kingdom. There were several roads that we could take. We could go to Rakshasar town Opidium and then travel south from it. Or we could go south from Tyco and then travel south-east through the mountains.

  Milligan decide to go straight to the south, reach Long river that flowed from the Iron mountains through the Gremlin kingdom and entered Middle ocean. According to our maps, we would need around a month to reach Long river, then we could travel alongside river's shore for seven or eight days to reach Iron Mountains and then go south-east through the mountains, to reach Bcksmith cave. Journey to Bcksmith cave alone would take us two month or more. That was a long journey but the reward for me was more than worth it.

  We were camping in a grassnds and preparing for a night sleep. While most of us were busy with cooking, taking care of horses and other tasks, I noticed that Milligan, Graig and Mortana were scking off.

  Graig was barking orders at Alfred and Al, while Mortana was hanging around Milligan. She whispered something in his ear and the boy blushed. Maybe Trevor's guess that her father wanted his daughter to marry a future hero wasn't very far from the truth. Not that it was my business, and we were hired to accompany him, so it was his right to let others do menial jobs.

  Ni tried to stay away from Milligan. She probably figured out that he was reincarnated, but she hid well the fact that she was reincarnated as well and pyed the role of ordinary adventurer. Milligan few times tried to ask her some questions that would reveal that she was reincarnated, but Ni pretended not to understand.

  I risked and casted my Appraisal spell on my new companions. Spell did not work on Graig, probably because he had Magic resistance skill. Ni was level nineteen spellsword and had seven skills: Wisdom, Swordsmanship, Intelligence, Gdiator, Armorer, Air magic, Light magic. All of them at basic or advance levels. Since she had Light magic skill, she still had four more skills that she could get. Mortana was level five mage and had bunch of magic reted skills. Since her original job was apprentice mage that would make her level twenty five. I already knew about Milligan's skills, so I did not use my spell on him.

  Alfred was level sixteen Rider and had some warrior skills, alongside Cooking, Horse riding and Oratory. And Al was level fourteen Baron, and, alongside Swordsmanship, she also had Wisdom, Water magic, Oratory, Sewing, Cooking and Maid skills.

  Their equipment complimented their skills. Graig had set of heavy armor, shield and a sword. Alfred wore light armor and a sword, while Mortana and Al had staffs. Al also had a short sword. Among my party members Luara had new shield named Iron bat shield that she bought from Gremlock.

  Ni was wearing her chainmail skirt and breastpte. She also had a small shield and shirt sword that was wider than usual swords of that size were.

  It was not the worst party, but clearly also not the best one either. Since Milligan spend several years helping Alfred and Al to increase their levels, it was clear that he was not very good at it. On his pce I would have hired an adventurer party, to help them increase their levels, but he probably did everything by himself.

  Satisfied that no one noticed my Appraisal spell, or at least I thought that no one did, I tried to remember their abilities, so I could use their strengths during possible future battles.

  Our journey continued uneventful. We reached long river and rode near it shores until we got closer to Iron Mountains. We had to leave our horses in one of the vilges, and walk too days on foot, until we reached the mountains. Mountains had no roads, and it was impossible to pass through them on horses. We negotiated with vilge elder and paid him to take care of our horses, until our return.

  Iron Mountains were difficult to pass through. There were no human settlements and no roads. Mountains were infested with monsters and were also home of Simurghs - giant birds with dog heads. We had to climb steep mountains and walk narrow passages to get ahead. There were some remnants of roads, but they were mostly destroyed by time and rockslides.

  On the third day we were attacked by flying monsters. They looked like wolves, with bat wings and scorpion tales. They caught us during our descend from one of the mountains, and we had to fight them off in a worst position possible. I used my bow, and rest of our party members except Graig and Alfred used their attack spells. One of the monsters almost threw Al from the mountain, and she only survived, because Trevor cached her and hold her long enough for Al to find footing.

  We were able to fought of monsters, but after that we had to fight of monsters almost every second day.

  During our journey through the mountains we saw animal packs, but they were far away, and in month I was able to hunt down only a single deer. Animals were scarce, and our supply of food dwindled.

  Fifty days ter we found ruins of an ancient fort. According to map it was nor very far away from the castle, but journey through mountains increased or travel time. Judging from the distance that we traveled we will need at least ten more days to reach the Iron Mountain king castle.

  We were approaching ruins, when Nelly stopped me.

  - There is someone inside. A single monster, but strong one.

  - Everyone prepare for a fight. Trevor, Graig take the front line.

  - Why do I have to fight alongside some adventurer, - grumbled Graig. He was compining a lot during our journey, mostly about working alongside Trevor.

  - Do it Graig, - ordered Milligan: - Such formation makes most sense.

  Our knights took the lead, and we carefully approached ruins.

  Someone roared from inside the ruins and giant with six arms jumped out of them. He attacked both knights with his fists. They covered themselves with shields, but monsters attack threw them back.

  Graig fell on Al, and Trevor knocked Luara from her feet. Next moment three lightnings struck the monster, and he fell on the ground. He was covered with burns and heavily wounded, but still tried to get up. Nelly, me and Mortana used our lightning spell several more times, before monster finally died. Luara and me cut out monster's magic stone, and we searched the ruins. All we found were walls and a floor, damaged by time, and some animal bones in one of the corners of the former outpost. We lighted a fire using firewood that we gathered during our passage, and Al prepared soup. I used my Life magic to fill pot so Al could use it for cooking, and then we gathered to discuss our pns. Between all of us we had food supplies that would st for three months of our journey through the mountains, but our journey took longer than expected and we had not enough food for our return trip.

  - We cannot stop now that we are so close, - insisted Milligan.

  - At least ten days there and ten days back will prolong our journey considerably, - I reminded him: - Hunting is out of the question. Animals in the mountains are small, and will not sustain our group for long. We could waste more time hunting, than food would st.

  - We can ration our food supplies, - mentioned Trevor.

  - That could work. Assuming that we will not spend a lot of time in the castle. If we can get in and out inside a day, then, without any surprises, we will be able to leave the mountains, before we die from hunger. We would be hungry, but nothing new to adventurers.

  - Then it is settled, - decided Milligan: - We will ration and everyone will get smaller portions of food.

  - Should not commoners portions be smaller than yours and those of noble birth, - objected Graig.Ni gred at him and squeezed the hilt of her sword. He insulted her several times before, and I was worried that one day it could end up in a fight between then. At least she hated Graig more than me.

  - No, - said Milligan: - We all will get equal portions, even me. We all are equals here, and we all will share the hardships and rewards equally.

  - As you wish lord, - bowed Graig. He usually sucked up to Milligan, just like his sister, who also flirted with the boy at every opportunity. Their behavior was as expected, but Mortana's magic skills and Graig's abilities with the sword at least partially compensated it. Without them this journey would have been much harder.

  Next day we continued our journey. Diminished amount of food left me feeling hungry, and everyone's mood worsened. Arguments between our party members became more frequent, and Milligan had to interfere several times to prevent fights between our party members. But our monster encounters became rarer, the closer we got to the castle.

  When we got closer to the king's castle, I noticed some remnants of powerful spells, that were still noticeable even after centuries. Battles between king's followers that destroyed the kingdom were not exaggerated.

  Ten days after we found outpost's ruins, we cimed up on the hill and saw the Bcksmith cave. The castle was one giant circur building with round roof. It was surrounded by a wall and ground that surrounded it was ft, overgrown with trees and grass. Around the castle I saw some remnants of ruins, which probably belonged to houses that in the past surrounded the castle. From afar castle itself looked whole, but the closer we got the more we saw how damaged it was. Parts of the wall surrounding it were broken, and castles walls had cracks in it. Castle gave me chills, and I got strong urge to turn around an leave this pce.

  The gates of the wall that surrounded the castle were closed, and we entered castle grounds through the one of the broken parts of the wall. Wall itself was five meters wide and four meters tall, and was impressive defensive structure. I still felt mana from the spells that were casted on it, to increase the defenses.

  It was the same with the castle. Even centuries ter I still could feel some of the spells that were casted on its walls. We approached the entrance and stopped in front of it. Above castle gates were runes with the warning:

  "One shall enter, and one shall die"

  - Look likes we are not welcome, - I joked.

  - What does it mean? - asked Milligan.

  - Should be obvious my lord, - I answered him: - Only one of us at a time may enter the castle. I feel the spells that were casted on it. We should not risk entering all together. One of us should enter the castle, and probably face the trials inside it.

  - Who will go? - asked Ni. She looked around, not willing to enter herself.

  - What about you Graig? - I looked at royal knight: - You kept telling us that you are the best swordsman among us.

  - My duty is to protect baron Milligan. Besides the use of magic could be required.

  - He may be right, - supported her brother Mortana: - Someone who could use both magic and sword should go.

  - What, you mean Milligan?

  - Of course not. He is too valuable.

  - I will go, - Trevor stepped forward: - I can use both the sword and some magic spells.

  - No, - I sighed: - I will go first and scout the pce. Once I return, we decide what to do next. Nelly cast all support and defense spells on me that you know. Trevor cast on me your Armor of light spell and use Light aura on my sword.

  I handed Trevor my orichalcum sword and turned to Milligan.

  - Give me the key to the treasury. I may need it to pass those trials. Also how do I need to use it?

  - Are you sure about it? - asked Milligan: - We could try all to enter.

  - No. Let us not ignore the warning, at least not yet. If things go bad, I will just run away, - I took out an elixir from my magic purse and pced it inside my pocket: - I will be fine. And as a party leader, I should take the risk.

  - Fine, - he sighed and took out King Gorragod sword from his magic bag: - In order to open secret chamber you will need to cast Primordial magic spell that makes artifacts temporary useless and then pce it inside the hole, shaped like this sword.

  - Got it. Nelly do not forget to cast Conceal on me. You know this spell?

  - Yes, - Nelly needed some time to cast all spells that she knew. By the end I was glowing a little from Nelly's spells and Trevor's Armor of light spell. Trevor returned me my sword covered with holy light, and I took it with my right arm, holding King Gorragod sword in my left.

  - Good luck, - said Milligan, and I went inside.

  Door was not locked and easily opened in front of me. I left it open, but, as soon as I went inside, it shut down behind me. I jumped up from unexpected noise and cursed. I tried to open the door, but it did not budge. Well, there were open windows, in case if I will need to leave.

  Castle was dark, but it did not bother me thanks to my Night vision skill. I searched several rooms, but did not find anything. Rooms were empty, with some remnants of furniture that used to be inside them. No monsters attacked me, but sense of danger and discomfort did not leave. It was even worse than chills, which dungeons usually gave me. From outside, I counted four floors that castle had. I was searching the third and started to think that I will have to go down to the basement, which I wanted to avoid, when I heard someone's voice.

  - You should not have come here Light magic user. Now you will die.

  One of the shadows separated from the wall, and draugr stood before me. I shivered. I felt power and threat, coming off from him.

  - Who are you?

  - I am, no used to be, king Gorragod. I served King of the Iron Mountains. After his death and mine, his mage turned me into draugr and ordered me to guard king's treasures. He also allowed me to use one of the king's properties. King of the Iron Mountains had a barrel with wasp honey. Honey, which I consumed and then used to lure here monsters, whom I spend thousand years killing, allowed me to evolve into ancient draugr. That is the reason why I can talk to you. For more than thousand years, I protected king's treasures, and I will continue to do that, long after your bones will turn to dust.

  Ancient draugr - highest evolution path for most of monsters and creatures, was to get ancient as in their species name. No wonder he felt so dangerous.

  - So the stories that monster wasp honey can grant monsters great power and even allow them to evolve are true?

  - Yes, they are, - he looked at King Gorragod sword: - I see that you have my former weapon. Is that the reason why you came here. To steal king's secret treasures?

  - Steal is the wrong word. Your king died long ago. These treasures do not have a master now, and they could help people, who live in this age.

  - Perhaps so, but I was ordered to protect them, and protect them I will.

  - I see, - I sighed: - You said that this sword belonged to you? - I pced the sword in front of me.

  - Yes. It is also the key to king's secret treasure room, if you can use it. But it will not help you to survive.

  - I can use it. I can use Primordial magic. But if you insist that the treasure must stay here, then I should give the sword back to you and leave.

  I threw him the sword and, when he captured it, I disappeared. He captured the sword, and looked at it. Next moment his hand with the sword fell on the floor.

  Draugr hissed and jumped aside. He turned around and bared his teeth at me.

  - Holy word!

  Magic energy hit him and Gorragod was thrown back.

  He jumped up and hissed again.

  - How did you do that?

  - Holy word!

  He tried to avoid my attack by jumping aside, but magic energy hit his shoulder and turned draugr around. He used his movement to turn around and run to the side. Circling around me, he made sure that my magic attacks would not reach him and got closer to fight me up close.

  My first attack that I used after casting Teleport allowed me to cut off his arm, but my time was limited. I needed to finish him before Nelly's spells and Trevor's Armor of light would stop working.

  Gorragod was fast and very strong, but loss of one arm left him with only cws on his left arm, which he could use to attack me.

  He tried to cut my throat, but I bended back and used my sword to cut his leg. With the same move I sshed from above and cut his chest. Gorragod jumped back, and I again used my Life magic spell.

  - Holy word! - Gorragod was thrown back and fell on the ground. He almost immediately jumped up and again attacked.

  I avoided his attacks and attacked myself. But I had to come up with a different pn. If he used wasp honey to evolve, then his life force would be enormous, and my Life magic attacks would cause him pain and some damage, but he would be able to fight for a long time. Also I noticed that his wounds were slowly healing. I will have to risk more dangerous tactic, as long as I have time. I used wide attack. Gorragod avoided it, and my attack left vulnerable my right shoulder. He stabbed it, and I released my sword. Even my protection spells did not completely protected me, and his cws went deep into my shoulder.

  Gorragod sadly smiled, but next moment I grabbed his face with my left arm, covering his eyes.

  - Sun ray! - light beam burned both his face and my arm. Pain from the burn was almost unbearable, but I kept holding ancient draugr as long as I could. He screamed in pain and jumped back. His eyes were burned out. He touched them with his remaining arm and screamed in anger. Draugr jumped at me, but was thrown back by my magic attack.

  - Holy word!

  Again he fell on the ground, and I jumped aside. I took out vial with elixir and swallowed the potion. Draugr again roared in anger and run towards me. I kicked my sword, and it hit the wall.

  Gorragod turned around and run towards the sound. In his anger he lost caution and hit the wall. Angry monster hit the wall, and cracks formed around fist sized hole. I had to risk, but it paid off. Even with Gorragod regeneration power, his eyes will not restore themselves for a while. He was angry and his anger clouded his judgment. On his pce, I would run away and keep dodging me, until my eyes would regenerate.

  I used the distraction and took out my Barrier destroyer sword. I casted Holy aura on it and prepared another Holy word spell. Draugr run towards my voice. I waited till st moment, and then dodged his attack and cut his leg. Wound was deep, and Gorragod tripped and fell on one knee.

  - Holy word! - magic energy hit his back, and Gorragod fell on the floor. He used his left arm to help himself to get up, but damaged leg slowed him down. My sword left deep wound on his back. He hissed, but jumped up and turned around. Gorragod hit the air in front of him, probably expecting attack, but I did not move. Instead I again used my spell, this time directing magic energy towards his damaged eyes.

  Gorragod hissed in pain and again roared in anger. That was too mach wasted time for my taste.

  - Holy word! - again Gorragod was thrown down on the ground. I was winning, but spells, that were casted on me, started slowly to wear off. I prepared another Sun ray spell. And then stepped aside luring Gorragod towards me. He acted predictable and run towards the sound with outstretched arm. My sword cut his palm, and Gorragod jumped back and squeezed his damaged fist.

  - Sun ray!

  Draugr bended his body as soon as he heard my words, but I aimed light beam at his wounded leg. It burned flesh on draugr's leg, and he again screamed in pain.

  Gorragod staggered back, and I again used Holy word to threw him on the ground.

  He got up, but I silently got closer and again used Holy word. Draugr again got up and released his loudest roar. He lost all reason and run towards me. But his wounds slowed him down, and anger could not compensate damage on his leg. I sshed his leg and my sword went as deep and his bone. I felt his bone cracking, but draugr ignored the wound and tried to hit me with his arm. I had to leave my sword inside his leg and jump back, to avoid his attack.

  - Holy word! - my spell again nded him on the ground. Gorragod grabbed my sword and pulled it out of his wound, damaging his bone even more. He threw the sword towards me, and I had to bend down to avoid it. Draugr tried to get up, but wounded leg failed him and he fell back on the floor. I used my Holy word and Sun ray spells until all Nelly's spells wore off. The I casted Haste spell on myself and picked up my Dark cw sword. Draugr was crawling towards me.

  I used Holy aura on my sword and cut off his remaining arm. Then I kicked his face and sshed one of his legs, until I cut if off. Draugr was still trying to attack me by bending his body and trying to bite me. I sighed and casted Exorcism spell on him. It allowed Gorragod to regain some of his mind, and he moved around his head. Realizing the state he was in, former king bitterly ughed.

  - You won. I do not understand how, but you did. Why am I still alive?

  - You said that you used monster wasp honey to attract the monsters. Where is it?

  - Is that the reason? Third room on the left side. You will find it there. He blinked several times and looked at me. One of his eyes had almost regenerated, and he partially regained his sight.

  - Time to die, old king.

  I put up my sword, but Gorragod stopped me.

  - Please wait. Before you kill me I wish to reveal you some of the secrets of this castle.

  - Why?

  - Because I was protecting these nds as good as I could, and I wish for you to know the reason why King of the Iron Mountains build this castle here. Look behind me on the wall, with the lion on it.

  Not completely trusting draugr, I first casted Anti-magic on myself and stepped back, before looking at the wall. It indeed had a lion, chiseled on it.

  - You said that you can use Primordial magic. Cast the spell on the wall that renders artifacts useless, on it and it will open the passageway. It will lead you to the ancient dungeon, located in the mountains. King of the Iron Mountains for decades tried to conquer it. He build secret passageway to the dungeon, and only his closest allies, who sometimes accompanied him, knew about it. Most monster, that pgue these mountains and also go to other nds that surround the former kingdom of my master, came from that dungeon. I could not leave this castle, but I used the wasp honey to attract and kill as many of these monsters as I could. That was the only thing that I could do to help the humans, after I evolved and regained some of my memories.

  - How do I close this passage after I open it?

  - Just cast Dispel or Anti-magic spells. It will close the passage.

  - Thank you for telling me that.

  I recasted Holy aura on my sword, and Gorragod nodded. He put up his chin and exposed his neck. I killed the former king by cutting off his head. It fell on the ground, and I fell his Life force entering my body. Pain forced me on my knees, but then euphoria from the received life forced washed it away. I exhaled and got up. This battle was even harder than I thought it would be. Without my first surprise attack, I would not stand a chance against ancient draugr.

  After ancient draugr died, the bad feeling that followed me ever since I approached the castle disappeared, and I was able to breathe more freely. I could hardly believe that single monster released the aura, that covered all castle and its surroundings.