Snippet #2647813

"So... You are the meddlesome wizard that has erected himself in Death's path..." a voice whispered into Bigsby's mind. "No matter. Your efforts merely delay the inevitable."

KRA-FROOOM!

An explosion of fire erupted from the nearby trees. The canopy ignited like matches and quickly formed a circle of inferno around the small village. Smoke quickly blotted out the sun and choked the air. Suddenly, a section of the flames parted to reveal two glowing blue eyes that glared at Bigsby with a hatred that could shatter mountains.

Gro'chal stepped through the flames unhindered. A path of blighted desolation followed him as he approached the clearing. His staff hit the ground with a haunting rhythm as his tail swayed in the shriveling grass. The creature - the lich - towered above the wizard as he surveyed the remains of his troops.

"Most impressive." Gro'chal's voice echoed in the wizard's mind while his mandibles resonated with a guttural clicking. "Why do you slaughter my brothers and sisters? We merely seek to liberate these poor souls from the shackles of Life - to put an end to their pain, their hunger, and their sorrow. This shall be the pinnacle of my new empire, and I will not allow you to disrupt it."

Gro'chal slammed the butt of his staff on the blighted ground with a thunderous crack. A wave of necrotic magic surged forth from the staff's skull - intending to engulf both the villagers and Bigsby in a field of desiccating energy. Meanwhile, Gro'chal's eyes flashed with power, and he launched several lances of psionic energy at the villagers in an attempt to turn their hearts into pulp.