Spires of white and gray flooded the entirety of the lich's sight. He had never seen such a thing before and never thought it would be possible. In the past, he knew that many creatures had attempted to erect large structures, usually attempted with all manner of crisscrossing supports and counterweights, but they all eventually collapsed under their own mass. The materials just couldn't handle the pressure. How did it all work? Who came up with the idea? Try as he might, the lich could scarcely feel any magic from the buildings outside of some errant wisp attached to the materials themselves. He found his curiosities peak to their absolute zenith as to the construction of everything that made the city what it was.
"That's odd," Ruby said. "There's no one at the docks."
The ship's engine had quieted, and now the vessel was drifting towards a vacant stone pier covered in crates meant for a much more massive transport vessel. The crew hurriedly dropped anchor and wrapped rope around metal fixation points bolted into the gray stone. Being completely infatuated, the lich became unaware of everything around and flew off the paddleboat to the protest of the three. It took mere seconds for the four to be rushed by several dozens of guards armed with muskets and more utilizing magical instruments akin to spears. These spears were made of a variety of metals colored red, white, or gold, and were fitted with a multitude of colorful crystals along the surface of their bodies and crowned with one the size of a diamond dog's fist.
"Oh, I remember those!" the lich said. "Oh, that takes me way back." He looked to the three as though they were his friends. "You know, I perfected the fourth iteration of those things." He sighed and pressed a fist against his lower jaw. "Then some geniuses came by and kept iterating on it, though the core concept never changed, it seems."
"Lock it down!" a pony encased in plate ordered.
Ponies, kirin, and minotaurs bearing the staffs pointed them at the lich. Tendrils of magic flowed out and around the undead. Some restrained his limbs and locked him backwards while the rest of the spells produced multiple interlocking layers of the best restraining spells the magical academies and research bureaus could develop. When the cage was finished and the lich didn't seem to be escaping, everyone sighed in relief and many almost collapsed from the exhaustion brought about by stress.
"Ha!" Sneezy Pollen declared. She hopped forward, much to the surprise of the soldiers, and started hitting the cage with her hoof. "Can't get out of this one, can you?!"
She laughed proudly, disturbing the plated soldier. "Is she okay?" the soldier asked Ruby and Cobalt.
"If she's able to rest, then yes. She'll be fine," Ruby reassured. He watched her dance around the cage, laughing maniacally all the while. "It's a lot to take in that the undead monster you wanted to kill to become a hero and free the world is now a lazy guy who spends his time sitting on his porch drinking coffee."
The soldier looked at Ruby, baffled. "It has coffee?"
The cage trembled, making Sneezy pale. "No! Stay in there you--"
But her anger amounted to nothing. The cage dissolved and the lich was left there with the permanent smile granted by a lack of flesh.
"Eugh. You could do better than this," he mocked. The giant shook his hand, chasing away errant magic. "This is old magic. I thought it was new. What, it's almost two millennia old, I think?" He walked next to Sneezy and patted her on the head. "Let's go explore and find that 'judgment' you wanted me to go through."
"Sneezy, don't--" Cobalt tried to calm her friend down in advance, but the unicorn was already having a temper tantrum. "Ugh..."
The armored guard approached the lich as it moved forward, scaring away everyone else into the labyrinthian streets beyond the undead's view.
Doing her best, the armored pony tried to keep her trembling under control. "So you really did come here for your judgment?" the guard asked skeptically.
"That I did, tiny pony wrapped in metal," the lich teased.
"And you were going to the Grand Hall of Laws?" the pony asked.
The lich stared at her silently for a brief moment. "The what of where?"
Ruby hurried over. "I thought we were going to the old palace first."
The armored pony shook her head. "No. He's been deemed too dangerous for that place. He's going to the hall. More security there." She looked at the lich and deflated a bit. "Although seeing how he seems to play with our magic spells, I'm unsure if that will change anything."
"Come then!" the lich commanded. "Guide me to my place of judgment!" He took a step forward then froze. "And bring some coffee," he added.
The mare took off her helmet and hooked and strapped it onto her side to prevent it falling and banging around during movement. The three 'heroes' flinched in shock, something the soldier realized but did her best to ignore.
"Wow. She was right. You're a really bizarre creature."
The lich shrugged. "Live three thousand or so years and you learn to just sit back and enjoy the little things."
The soldier's eyes darted between both empty sockets of the lich before acknowledging his resolve. "Come on, let's go," she told the three ponies. "The hall should be ready. They're just waiting for us now."
Sneezy galloped ahead of the group, spun around, and pointed her hoof threateningly at the undead giant. "No funny business, or else!" she growled.
"Yes yes," the lich said dismissively.
As the new group of five started walking along the cobblestone streets, they realized that everyone was doing their best to avoid them, while many screamed about the lich's presence. Wagons were left bare, crates were dropped, stalls ignored, and creatures ran like they were on fire. With no face, it was impossible to tell what the creature was thinking about the 'welcome' he got. On the other hand...
"Wagons?" he pondered aloud. "Not very innovative on that front yet," he noted with disappointment. He smiled internally when he realized the armored pony next to him was growing despondent. "Why remove your helmet if you're so averse to their reactions?" the lich asked. "They're not directed towards you," he added with a hint of pride.
The soldier grunted. "I removed my helmet so everypony knows I'm still me and not some weird zombie of yours."
The group passed the stall of a seamstress store, but the owner, an elderly mare with her graying mane in a bun, found it difficult to pull down the blinds of her door. This only served to bring the attention of the lich to her. The pony immediately froze. It seemed like the undead shared no interest in any of her suits, boots, or pillows on display until he did a triple take. He carefully grasped a pillow like one would a glass statue and carefully admired it.
"These seams are so clean," he noted. "Not perfect, but a far cry from what this kind of needlework was two hundred-odd years ago." The giant put a hand on the base of the wooden blinds and pushed up, pulling the elderly mare with it. "Tell me, how did you manage such a unique form of sewing?"
"Hey!" Cobalt shouted. "You're scaring her!"
The elder shook her head rapidly while staring at Cobalt before turning to the lich and smiling as widely as she could. "I-it's b-b-by a mmmachine! I still have to g-guide it though."
"May I see it?" the undead asked.
The elder gulped and let go of the blinds, landing on her hind legs. While the lich made the excited tour of the store, the ponies were left to their own devices.
"He's destroying the city!" Sneezy complained. "Just by being here he's making everypony panic"
"Yes, but he isn't harming anypony," Ruby said. "I think this is the best outcome than what could have happened."
The lich popped back out of the door before Sneezy could add anything. He waved goodbye to the terrified old pony and pulled the blinds down himself. "You made technology for sewing, and it's so meticulous!" the lich exclaimed.
"Y-yes..." the soldier exhaled.
The trip had resumed, but, as they expected, the lich stopped by a candy store and had fun with a roller. It was odd enough to see an undead making candy but also be fascinated by the process. Next he stopped by an art supply store and admired the replicas of historical works of art hung around the store. The fact that he showed no risk of aggression and only displayed interest in the passion of the shop owners did nothing to assuage anyone's fears. A minotaur and griffin blacksmithing duo passed out after the lich passed by their shop, breaking the illusion brought on by their massive bodies.
This went on for several hours, causing the lich's escorts to become increasingly exhausted. However, after stopping by at least twenty-two stores and workshops, the group didn't stop at any upcoming points of interest. Sighed from the brief moment of reprieve, the group walked silently through empty streets caked in mud and rainwater.
"What happened to you?" the lich asked the soldier.
It felt like hours had passed in comfortable silence when his question hit the soldier hard. She took a moment to compose herself.
"Would-be necromancers taking after you," she hissed. "We caught them in the city and eventually executed them, but a lot of us weren't so lucky to get out of there with just a scar to share a story. I got hit by a curse. My armor was still mostly intact so it took the brunt of it, but my fellows weren't so lucky." She passed a hoof along the side of her face. "Ponies know me well enough, but, without my helmet, the common folk mistake me for an undead." The mare stared at her hoof and the brown flakes that stuck to it, clinging on even as the wind pushed against them. The mare jumped back when she saw the lich's face directly in front of hers. "Hey-!"
"Minor zombification curse. Undead manipulation to affect the living," the lich muttered. "I take it your comrades looked like they had laid out in the desert for too long? Desiccated fruit, as it were."
The soldier's face paled. "Y-yes. How did you--"
"I've had many a necromancer come to me, wanting to learn from the originator of the craft." He laughed. "I'm not the originator, but I did improve on it." He grabbed his chin and leaned in further. "I can fix that easily, but the fur won't ever be the same color."
"I don't want to--"
"You will be alive," the undead sighed. "I'm not going to start anything."
"And why would you help me?" the pony asked apprehensively.
"Because I feel like it. I'm sure you don't like being doused in purification water every few weeks, am I right?" He smiled internally when he saw her muscles clench in her neck.
"Fine," the mare said. "Not like I have anything left going for me anyways. It'll eat me eventually."
"Wait, you don't know--" Cobalt tried to call out.
It was too late. The lich pulled out his orb, and with deft hands pulled out multiple wispy strands of purple magic that he planted into the side of the mare's face. He started to mutter quietly as he moved and reshaped the threads, weaving them through the mare's body. She tensed up from the sensation and felt like her frozen body had just been immersed in hot water, defrosting her joints. She felt the vision in her right eye fade followed by a 'tac' noise which itself was followed by her vision slowly returning. It took a minute, but the lich stood up and chased errant strands away.
"There we go. All done. Boorish curses with a sloppy structure. Let's go," the lich said.
The guard rushed over to the nearest window and looked at her face. The whole right side had taken on a crispy brown hue contrasting with her white coat. Bringing a trembling hoof up to her face, the pony realized that she no longer needed a false eye in the place of the previous one that had rotted and fallen out. She was free of the curse.
"Th-thank you. Thank you so much," the mare weeped.
Even Sneezy kept quiet through the ordeal. The lich passing it off as insignificant was shocking to the three. After she recovered, the soldier no longer walked with a stiff gait typical of armyponies. She trotted excitedly, showing her face off to everyone around. When finally they reached the 'hall', everyone was in awe, save the soldier.
The Grand Hall was made with white marble chiseled by only the most skilled of diamond dogs and minotaurs and topped with a pyramidal roof meant to reflect light off in every potential direction. It spanned the size of three dock warehouses and housed an uncountable amount of vital documents from every species in its armored confines. What was huge above was truly massive beneath. In front of its main entrance sat six columns, each wider than a house and seven storeys tall had been chiseled to depict a creature holding a sword downwards. From the right angle, the lich discovered that it had been done to have all six swords cross over an archway filled with massive doors of polished, sanded oak. Other, smaller carvings were made around the wall, mostly in celebrations of whatever had happened against him and a stark reminder of what the undead had caused.
A multitude of armed guards and mages came out in swarms, descending the many rows of stairs to surround the five. Spells, enchanted spears, and muskets all pointed at the undead creature before escorting him into what they hoped would be the last place he would ever see.
The lich found himself in the courtroom designed specifically for him. The area was devoid of any fancy marks or sculptures, and the natural light outside was somehow drowned out by the light of the hundreds of containment spell runes etched and glowing throughout the entirety of the area. In front of the undead was a semi-circle of representatives from most races: Pony, kirin, minotaur, griffin, saddal arabian equines, and dragon. The rest of the room had been kept clear of any decorations, furniture, or anything not being used to reinforce the binding spells etched in every nook and cranny of the room. To the side sat the three 'heroes' that had followed behind and the armored soldier standing proudly at the entrance of the chamber, prompting the others to look at her sideways in trying to figure out who she was.
"So, you've finally been caught," the kirin said as he laid back in his seat. "Now you can't go anywhere."
The lich playfully waved a hand. "Pshaw. Give me a few minutes and I can undo all these spells of yours."
The kirin's proud expression turned sour and his deep blue coat paled. "What?"
He bounced when the minotaur smashed his large fist against the curved table, cracking its surface. "Liar! You're just trying to unnerve us!"
"If that's what you want to believe," the lich said dismissively. He looked around the room and nodded to himself. "It's quite impressive how many binding spells you managed to weave together." The undead paused a moment. "I'd say there's over a hundred here. Even I have only ever managed to bind around fifty-two together." He noticed the judges starting to sparkle with pride and grinned internally. "Of course, these required dozens, perhaps maybe a few hundred to do well, and who knows how long it took."
"Is that your idea of a back-handed compliment?" the unicorn standee spat. "You!" he yelled at Cobalt. "Has this been his behavior this whole time or is this a psychological tactic?"
The pegasus cleared her throat and stood up as straight as she could manage. "He's been like that since we found him on Arkom. That, and he drinks gallons of coffee."
"Kill him! Do it now!" Sneezy blurted furiously.
The chamber stared at her and Ruby pulled her back, a nervous smile slowly growing on his face.
"Look," the lich started. "We all know what will happen. You'll mention everything I've done, I'll probably add some quip and you get very angry, and this will go for hours. Instead, I have a proposal." He gestured to the armored soldier to approach. She looked to the judges conceded despite their confusion. "Your pony here was cursed by would-be necromancers trying to imitate me," the lich explained with a hand to his chest. "I solved the issue. You're welcome."
"We have several soldiers that have been cursed by necromancers," the dragon stated. She pushed herself up using the table and leaned forward. "What is any of this supposed to change?"
"Because I was forced to undergo monthly procedures to not rot away into a zombie," the soldier declared.
The judges' eyes widened. "Then you're--" the dragon attempted to speak.
"Yes. I'm certain the lich did this to endear me to it, but ask yourselves why? it had no reason to aid me," the guard said. "It could have easily killed all of us. It has demonstrated the ability in the past."
The griffin's talons clenched. "Very well, but there will be no forgiveness."
"I don't ask for forgiveness," the lich stated. "Simplyyy...give me a teaching role. I will perform the role so long as I am entertained by every passing generation, and rest assured: I will do no harm to the students. Unless they're being unruly."
"What was that last part?" the unicorn asked.
"Do we have a deal?"
The six started muttering to each other. The idea that the very thing that tormented them for generations suddenly wanted to teach was suspicious enough, but the opportunity to learn of its work and all that horrific genius entailed was almost too good to pass up.
"Very well. We will deliberate what to do with you first," the minotaur said. He pointed a finger at the undead. "But there will be many rules and systems in place should we come to a positive consensus."
"Grand!" the lich cheered. It pulled its orb out from beneath its robe and, with a flash from its core, caused all the runes to dissolve instantly. "Alright then! I'll be exploring more of the city. Feel free to send guards to watch me. I don't much care."
The judges, completely defeated, had slumped in their seats and watched the undead casually jaunt out of the chamber with a hop in his step. The three 'heroes' were just as defeated, with Sneezy just letting her head bump against the wooden railing in front of her seat.