A low hum reverberated through the cistern. It bounced off the torchlit walls as its intensity slowly increased. Drago looked around, but saw nothing as of yet. From one of the tunnels leading off the room, footfalls began to sound. The grew louder as whoever was approaching got closer.

Perhaps they are attempting to mask their steps with this strange sound? A shame illusions such as this only work on living tissue, eh? the omnipresent voice in his head quipped as the being slipped through the open archway, though no body was visible.

"Sonic vibrations to cover up the sound of approach and invisibility to conceal your presence from prying eyes," he muttered under his breath. In answer he felt a sharp edged blade dig into his back and cross his spine. Without even a thought he reached back with one arm and caught the blade in his palm. The blade dug in deep, drawing blood from the recently regenerated flesh. Unfortunately for his assailant, the dracolich no longer felt physical pain, and as such could hold onto that blade indefinitely.

"Reveal yourself, assassin."

"A shame. I swear I hit your spinal cord. You should be paralyzed," the invisible man said as he stepped forward from thin air.

"It's not that easy to paralyze someone whose body moves by magic and not biological functions," the larger creature said with chuckle. He dropped the sword and bared his claws at the stranger. The man staggered back a few steps as he looked at the dagger-like protrusions sticking out of his target's hands.

"So it's you. No wonder you weren't surprised by my attack, Black Paladin."

"I'll admit, your approach has improved. If I were still alive and relied on equilibrium to maintain my balance, you'd have had no trouble at all severing my head. As it is," the former paladin removed his hood and allowed his would-be killer to see the rotted flesh peeking out under his dull silver scales.

"You died in that tomb, didn't you?"

"Yes... but a terrible hatred filled me and awakened a dormant power in me. It took a decade, but I revived myself as an undead and learned to move my body under force of magic. Not that it should really matter to you, though. I just felt like bragging a bit." The lich sniffed the air and scratched his chin with a claw.

"You... never became a full Cult member, even after a decade, did you?" Drago asked.

"Would you believe me if I told you I was betrayed like you, only I managed to get away and find a new life?"

"It wouldn't surprise me. You always were better at sweet talking the common folk. Why attack me, then?"

"I thought you were an enforcer come to put me down. I killed everyone down here already, but I had a sneaking suspicion that there might be another..."

"Not that I'm aware. I haven't sensed any of N'Jal's soul rotting power since I killed that priest up on the ground floor. It's likely anyone who was left up there fled... or was down here when you attacked."

Drago turned away from the assassin and began his trek back toward the stairs he had descended.

"Whatever the case, if there are none left down here, I must seek out whoever else is left in this region. I suppose I should thank you, Gerald. You saved me some time here."