Path of the Necromancer Ch. 03

The Tiandihui master gritted out, "There won't be a vampire problem. I'll take care of them just as soon as their territory falls into my hands." He turned to Solomon. "Production will not suffer, I assure you."

Ian examined his nails. "You seem mighty confident of that," he observed. "Hmm, northeast... That's right along the border of the International District, isn't it? Funny that you haven't mentioned having any problems with them, and now you're saying you can get rid of them at the drop of a hat? Well, that almost sounds like you had something to do with engineering this problem..." The master seemed to visibly withdraw at that, trying to distance himself from the issue as the other gangs perked up at the idea of foul play.

Attacking one's enemies was all well and good. Sabotaging their shipments and then ransoming it back was frowned upon, but accepted. Deliberately destroying production lines and restructuring the established order to get a bigger piece of the pie at the sponsors' expense? That was a good way to get Central to declare open season on your ass and watch all the other gangs form a temporary truce, swarming together until you were dissolved.

He glared at Ian and demanded, "Are you accusing me of something?"

Ian grinned back unimpressed. "You gunna sic your pink butterfly on me if I am?" he drawled. Even Solomon cracked a grin at that, which he quickly hid as the Chinese master turned to him.

"It doesn't matter," the leader declared. "I demand compensation and hereby issue a challenge."

"Now hold on," Forrester said, holding a hand up with a crafty gleam in his eye. "They still have three days to deliver and Industrial can produce Dragonfire just fine." He turned to the woman leading the Kin and accepted her look of gratefulness with a nod. "I'm sure we'll be able to come to an arrangement." Ashley watched in awe as she saw Ian accomplish something that had never been done before among the gangs as far as she knew: collaboration.

Solomon saw it too and let out a small savage smile. He'd been a key player in getting the sponsors to... overlook the fact that Ian was a necromancer. The seeds were now starting to sprout and he was proving to be a valuable asset. Competition was good for business, but not if they wanted to compete with the European leagues as a single entity. If they could actually join together and dominate the western market, they'd be the biggest trading enterprise in the world. Oh, yes, he thought. The winds were changing now.

Master Long was ready to explode. He looked around feverishly as his carefully laid plans began disintegrating before him. How could they do this? Surely the others wouldn't stand for this... But as he observed those present, it became clear that they were all onboard. Not only was there a chance that Industrial would lose their champion in this venture, but it stopped him from becoming too powerful.

He saw that little cunt beside him smirking as he suffered. He didn't care what her mother advised, she would be losing her cherry soon. Maybe he should have her challenge this young upstart, he thought. 'No, she's already lost to him once.' Finally, he decided to use his last resort and glanced across the table to the mage that ran the Georgetown Syndicate and jerked his head. He'd originally helped the little shit start his own group just so he could divide and conquer Industrial, but that didn't mean he wasn't still bought and paid for.

Lance started in realization and a flicker of unease showed in his eyes as he faced an unknown enemy. Then confidence flooded his frame as he scoffed at the idea of someone his age being stronger than him. He sneered at Ian and mockingly said the formal words, "I hereby take offense at your accusation and challenge you to the death so as to settle my grievance."

The room quieted down as they heard his words. Forrester muttered to Ian, "That's got to be the flimsiest challenge I've ever heard. You can probably just turn it down if you want with no penalty."

Ian tilted his head and asked, "Do I get all of his stuff after I kill him?" The mage's face reddened and he shot to his feet.

Forrester chuckled, "Aye, lad. We'll get back a good portion of Industrial with him gone."

"Sweet," Ian remarked. Glancing at his challenger as if it was more of an afterthought, he answered, "Alright then. I accept. When and where?"

Things happened quickly after that. Everyone got up and the room seemed to transform as the lights were turned up and the center of the wall on the opposite side of where the crafting guilds sat gaped open, revealing an honest-to-God coliseum submerged into the ground beyond about fifty meters in length, surrounded by bleachers. "Now," Solomon answered, smiling, "here. We used to do the whole at sunrise the next day thing, but we found there's much less chance of interference if we do it on the spot."

Ian simply shrugged and got up. "Works for me," he said. As the occupants of the meeting room filed around the coliseum, a side door opened and admitted upwards of sixty people as the guards for those attending the meeting that had been waiting in the lobby were allowed to enter and watch. Ian spotted Scraps and Val walking towards him.

"Just couldn't stay out of trouble, could you?" Grim's annoyed voice reached them from beneath the revenant's hood. "I know that fucking look. Those sisters look like the type to stick your dick in a meat grinder for fun and your first instinct is to get closer to them. It's a goddamn miracle you're still alive and I take all the credit for it."

Val had a slightly worried expression on her face. "Lance is a lightning wizard. His strikes are incredibly powerful, but he has to create a static field and negatively charge electrons wherever the bolt is supposed to land, which means there's a window to dodge." Ian raised his eyebrows. "Well, he was part of our group for awhile," she mumbled. "He was an asshole. Still is, by all accounts. You make sure it's him that comes out extra crispy." With that, she grabbed hold of his head and kissed him soundly.

Grim let out a groan. "Well, there's nothing quite like advertising your Achilles heel," he muttered darkly.

Ember stretched leisurely. The energy in the room seemed to increase as the observers saw the confidence in the combatants, one party looking cocky and the other simply unworried. Ian told Scraps to stay in the stands and approached the edge of the arena with Ember. Lance frowned and said, "Only one champion may answer a challenge."

Ian waved a hand dismissively as he dropped the twelve feet to the sandy floor, using his power to steady himself. He pointed out, "I read the rule book on the way over. Summoned companions, magical constructs, and illusions are all allowed." There was some muttering in the stands and finally Solomon nodded, allowing it.

Master Long reached into an open brief case a henchman held for him. He turned and slipped a vial of glowing, electric blue liquid to the young wizard. Ember hissed angrily, "Demonbane. Burns like hell and would probably be enough to do in a lesser demon."

Ian hummed curiously at the thought. "Who would've known you'd have your own kryptonite. Could be fun to use in the bedroom..." His light humor pulled her up short and she choked out a laugh, loosening up.

"Oh you're so not getting any sleep tonight," she growled at him lustily, her eyes blazing.

His eyes danced in the light of the magical torches floating overhead. "You were the one that wanted to use hot sauce to-" he started to say before he was cut off as Lance, who'd entered the arena with a bit more difficulty, shouted at him.

"I see you've gotten pretty close to Bobby's stuck-up bitch of a sister," he taunted. "She always turned me down, but after I take control of the Night Watch that won't be much of a problem, will it?"

"When Hell freezes over, you little shit!" Val retorted venomously from the edge of the raised tier made of black marble. Those in the stands chuckled at her words and the two Kin sisters took notice of the furious latina, shooting her appreciative glances.

Ian yawned, ignoring the mage, and sat cross-legged in the sand, concentrating on shielding and waiting for things to start. Ember shifted to demon form and there were a few 'oohs' and 'aahs' from the crowd as they saw her long black wings splay out. Solomon walked up to a loud gong and, without any ceremony, hit it, starting the duel.

Ian looked up to see a bolt of lightning streaking towards him. It crashed against his shield in a blinding white flash of energy, scouring the arena floor around him of sand. Electric aftershocks pulsed around the invisible barrier in the wake of its resistance. The observers appeared stunned to see Ian hadn't even tried to dodge and that he'd actually managed to take the brunt of the force and maintain his concentration.

Pure energy versus maintaining a definitive cover would always favor the attacker. Of course, most of them didn't know that Ian was able to draw on more energy than that which resided inside himself. Then Lance was put on the defensive as Ember bombarded him with Hellfire, flying towards him while evading his bolts of lightning.

Ian had to give him credit. While it looked as if he was simply missing his target, he was also directing where the succubus was going to be. Just as she neared, a bolt of lightning hit her from behind, launching her towards the mage in an uncontrolled tumble. Lance drew back his arm and chucked the vial straight into her... and watched it crash against the shield Ian had constructed for his companion. A murmur went through the crowd as they were impressed anew at what this 'warlock' could do.

Lance had a split second to realize just how badly he'd miscalculated before a long, deadly claw ripped through his shield and opened up a long gash in his side as she flew past. He screamed in agony before shakily recovering and going on the offensive again. This time, Ember didn't even try to dodge as every bolt of energy fizzled on the shield Ian had created around her.

He would have liked to say defeating the wizard was a challenge, but the rest of the match just went downhill from there for the outmatched opponent. Like most magicians, he only practiced the one type of magic he had an affinity for and was thus left helpless when it failed him.

Towards the end, Ember actually started to draw it out, not wanting to end her fun too quickly. Some of the people in the stands got sick and left early. Ian knew she was making a statement that Forrester could build upon in his negotiations, but he also knew she was just as happy to make an enemy suffer than end it quickly.

Finally, Ian got up and called out, " Alright. Quit playing with your food..." With a flick of his wrist, he lifted the unfortunate mage into the air. He had ignored Ian for the last few minutes as he struggled to stay alive, leaving him utterly defenseless towards a new kind of attack. A wildly flailing Lance plummeted to the arena floor in an uncontrolled fall.

Before the hapless challenger could hit the ground, Ember combusted the air around the tumbling body and Lance exploded in gory bits and red mist. Ian put a hand on his stomach as some of the observers screamed. "Oh, that's nasty," he muttered. He was glad he'd still maintained his shield as it began raining chunks. Looking around, he commented to no one in particular, "Well that's one hell of a 'what if' for our potential enemies to worry about."

He raised an arm skyward and Ember swooped down and plucked him from the arena floor, carrying him out of the fighting area. A short, stocky man who led one of the crafting guilds came up to Ian and congratulated him on his 'effective strategy.' "You two make quite a team," he continued. "I hope to see more of your work." With that, he walked off cheerfully as Ian stared at his back, unsure of how to feel about being complimented for such a grisly performance.

Ember beamed and commented, "This is my kind of crowd." Ian gave a snort of amusement at that. Apparently his vocation of 'criminal' suited her tastes. He thought back to his trip through the underground market to get this place. He couldn't exactly say he didn't fit in with the city's alternative nightlife. He shrugged off his concern. When it came down to it, the underworld had accepted him when everyone else had started sharpening their stakes and pitchforks at the very mention of his kind.

Solomon announced that the challenge had been answered and that the meeting was adjourned. People began a mass exodus at those words, casting wary glances back towards the bloodstained floor. Ashley came up to Ian and he fidgeted nervously when he saw her, knowing he hadn't left her on the best of terms and that she probably hated him.

He was relieved to see her smiling as she congratulated him. She chuckled, "I don't think anyone noticed when you tinged her talons with Spiritfire to eat through his shield either." He raised his eyebrows in surprise and she felt a small thrill at impressing him. "I wanted to let you know that we just received confirmation that the Kin's trucks have entered the state, so your efforts here weren't all for naught. The FBI will be escorting the parts to the factories personally and making sure nothing happens to them during assembly. The finished product is a government order."

She paused and Ian didn't press. Still, she felt she owed him something and admitted, "We're going to start mass producing the restraining collars..." Ian's eyes widened, but more from being taken aback that she'd tell him than anything else. She looked at him carefully. "You're not surprised?" she wondered.

He shrugged. "They're effective tools. It would be a mistake not to." He grimaced and said, "If you'd all started out restraining necromancers who'd gone insane instead of killing them all outright in the first place, maybe I wouldn't have this kill order hanging over my head."

She bowed her head at that and told him about the government's change in policy. Ian gritted his teeth and fought down a few scathing 'too little, too late' remarks. Finally, he recovered enough to ask in a relatively calm voice, "What about the vampires? Isn't it your job to make sure stuff like this doesn't happen?"

She pursed her lips and shook her head. "We've been watching them," she admitted, "but we can't do anything until we have evidence of them feeding without the consent of the individual. It doesn't matter that their customers are addicted. Still, there is a report of a cop going missing around their neighborhood and we'd like to have some eyes in there. If you're going... I was wondering if you'd allow us to send along an observer."

Ian didn't like the idea, especially since he still didn't trust the Inquisition by any means. Still, he and Grim had worked up a suitable workaround to the restraining collars and he'd been practicing keeping a shield up around himself at all times. The risk wasn't so great that he dismissed it outright.

As he saw Ashley standing there biting her bottom lip in anticipation, azure blue hair framing her cute face, his reasoning jumped out the window. He snuck a glance at Ember and confirmed that she was just as eager to build a, uh, 'working' relationship with this woman. Shaking his head in amusement, he looked up and asked, "How about a trade."

Ashley instantly looked wary and Ian continued in an attempt to reassure her, "There's someone I'd like to protect. She's likely being hunted at the moment and I think your compulsions would be a great help. Do you think you might be able to take a trip tonight to go see her?"

Ashley stamped down on the flood of relief that rushed through her, willing herself to remember her training. His intentions 'sounded' noble and she admitted to herself that she 'wanted' Ian to be one of the good guys. Well, she amended with a glance towards the arena floor, at least not a power-hungry sadist who only looked out for himself.

She sighed as she thought of all the department violations she'd be committing by going off alone with a dangerous person of interest. Then she remembered all the ones she was already violating by just talking to Ian. 'And he did say there was a life at stake,' she reminded herself.

That was why she'd joined in the first place, not to play political games and keep her nose clean. The final point that convinced her was that if Ian had wanted her dead or in thrall to him, he could have done so when she'd been possessed by him that morning. She turned to Lily who'd been standing a ways away trying to look innocent; like she hadn't been paying attention to them. Ashley tossed her the keys and told her, "Take the car. I'll check in after I'm done and see you tomorrow."

Lily looked unsure, but finally nodded and walked away. Forrester had left in a hurry once the duel had been completed, rushing to get someplace above ground with enough signal to make some calls. There was a lot of work to be done to start reintegrating the Georgetown businesses into Industrial and he had to work fast before Delridge or Beacon Hill could mobilize.

On the way out, Ian stopped as he caught sight of one of the Kin sisters in front of him. Her leather vest revealed a considerable amount of cleavage, a black studded belt hung low on her waist, and her eyes were completely white. Suddenly, one of the nearby twenty foot columns of stone that held up the underground facility began to transform.

Ian looked up into the imposing rock visage of an enormous golem crouching down to glare at him, one hand continuing to hold up the ceiling with an ease that would put Atlas to shame. "I don't know what game you're playing," the girl told him, "but it won't work. If you try to double-cross us tomorrow, I'll ground your bones into dust." Her mother called her reproachfully from a distance and the tough-as-nails she-bitch seemed to flinch in admonishment. She shot them a last glare, her eyes going back to their normal amber color, and stalked off.

He looked up and saw the column was back to normal. Ashley chuckled and remarked, "The Castille women have always been a willful bunch, but those sisters are a real piece of work."

"What are they?" Ian asked, eyes locked onto the retreating girl's leather-clad ass.

Ashley smirked as she followed his gaze. "Animists. No one's quite sure how they make inanimate objects come alive. There's a lot of scholarship that says perhaps they use spirits like necromancers do, but..." she trailed off, not wanting to point out that they'd killed them all off before they could ask. Well, all of them but those of the main bloodlines and 'no one' was about to go knocking on their doors.

Ian just shook his head, denying that theory. He hadn't sensed a thing that could be construed as spirit magic. Ashley shrugged and they continued their ascent to the surface. The small party walked through the underground streets and passed stalls and cracked storefronts, assaulted by the myriad of scents and sounds.

Val reveled in it, loving the atmosphere, and Ember snaked an arm around the captivated girl's waist, hugging her to her as they walked. Ian stopped a few times as he heard things being called out, such as x-ray glasses, a potion to increase potency, and an invisibility choker. The group smiled at his curiosity and humored him, though it never turned out to be quite what he'd expected.

They entered the parking garage and he grumbled, "Just what the hell is the point of having a vanishing necklace that leaves the wearer visible?"

Ashley smiled at his antics and then let out a moan of appreciation as she caught sight of the Lamborghini. Her breathing picked up as she noticed they were heading towards it. Her head whipped back and forth between those she was with and the car as she desperately tried to will her hope into a reality. They paused in front of it and she threw her arms in the air and shouted, "Yes!"