Tsukiko was dutifully deciphering scrolls to add to her expansive spell knowledge and assist in her research into the one spell she really wanted. The one spell that would grant her what even wish couldn’t give her. The spell to unlock the truth of the undead and…
There was a sudden ‘SLAM’ as the door burst inward, hitting the wall. Tsukiko growls in frustration as Redcloak One-Eye starts harassing her with orders, “Have you deciphered those new scrolls yet? We don’t have all millennium you know. Xykon needs anything that will help us take that gate. Now tell me what you’ve gotten done so far before our leader decides there’s more Idiot Tax in this for the both of us.”
Tsukiko sighed, it was so unfair. Here Redcloak had just interrupted her, and she had been just a round away from Deciphering this particularly pesky specimen. Cutting in before Redcloak started on his rant about her ‘attitude problem’, Tsukiko droned, “The city hasn’t been a complete waste, there’s nearly a seventh level wizard’s spellbook of things to speed up our movement. It’s these complex ones I’m still working on! You know, this would go so much faster if you I had help.”
Redcloak put the Power Word: Death to that idea, “Right, and if I had more help I wouldn’t exhaust all my spell slots in a day expediting things to keep Xykon from deciding we’re not worth the five-foot squares we’re standing on. The boss will be around to order minions to move the stock along since I have to go raise more cannon fodder…”
Tsukiko snickered surreptitiously, before returning to the tiring drudgery. Someday that great, powerful lich would appreciate her work…
The door burst open again, and Tsukiko snapped up eagerly. Sure enough, her lord and master Xykon had come to her as Redcloak had promised! Tsukiko gleefully held up her latest accomplishment, a real Scroll of Wish. Before Xykon could say a thing, she volunteered everything, “Xykon baby, that whole stock is right by the door for the minions, but THIS is a full wish I slaved over just for my favorite anatomical study!”
Xykon’s red eyes shot up in surprise, “Really? You can never get enough XP-cost exempt wishes…an uppity paladin was hiding in the ruins and managed a smite evil before I freed him of all his XP.”
Tsukiko didn’t think, she just cast Inflict Critical Wounds and rubbed Xykon’s shoulder. She immediately realized her multitude of errors in the action, but she had meant the best. Really! Xykon shivered, and Tsukiko feared the worst as Xykon spoke with dangerous and deliberate slowness, “If you do that again without permission, I will make sure O’Chul’s torment looks kind in comparison. Now do that again with more shoulder rub. My left blade is digging into the ball-and-socket.”
Tsukiko suppressed a squeal of glee and obeyed Xykon expediently, shivering as Xykon’s bones popped back into alignment and her master shivered again with a little ‘ooo, you’re my new chiropractor.’ Tsukiko was glad she was wearing her bedroom clothes and pressed up against Xykon’s back. She spoke softly, “Is there any other new way I can serve you, my lord?”
Xykon cracked his neck and waved a hand dismissively, “Just make sure that scroll is in my personal scroll rack tonight, and make sure the minions don’t harm the stock.”
Sweeping away rudely, Xykon swept off muttering something about how ‘Redcloak better not be incurring more taxes…’
Tsukiko sighed in disappointment before brightening in hope, but couldn’t ignore the tingling running through her body. His personal scroll-rack, eh? After she got the minions taken care of she could take care of herself…