Markus watched her with interest as she spoke, idly sipping his wine. It was something he was very curious on, to know the plans and motives of people in power that were...outside of his family. An unbiased point of view, so to speak. She was also just simply beautiful to look at, but Markus had learned long ago to keep such things at arms length unless there was something to gain from such an observation. Her plan also seemed concrete, and he realized that if things had not turned out in such a way, she might have unwittingly hired him to raid the coastlines of the Arad Luin as a nameless soldier in her conquest. [i]“Funny thing about power,” she mused, “the more you have, the more you want.” It must have been her imagination but she could have sworn she felt the amulet at her breast pulse in agreement with the sentiment[/i]. "I could not agree more." A voice spoke. At first Markus had thought it Sron behind him, so deep and gravely was the voice. But it had an air of culture and supreme narcissism to it that the Gnoll lacked. That, and the voice seemed to echoe all around them, from within the very walls of the keep. The Captain was up in the blink of an eye, and even more impressive his sword was leveled and drawn as he spun at the threat he believed was behind him. But it was all for naught. Calliope could suddenly see tendrils of greenish energy emanating from the agate ring Markus had placed upon his finger, enveloping him in a tight embrace as fast and powerful as a constrictor serpent. The breath was knocked out of him and he was suddenly whisked away in the air, his sword dropping from his nerveless fingers as he struggled to breathe. "So polite of you to keep guard over my Phylactery, good Captain." the voice spoke. The room's dull lighting had not shifted, but it suddenly seemed dark and far more foreboding than the comfortable reading area it had been moments before. The breathe out of Calliope's full lips would be visible through some unknown means of the temperature dropping. Her amulet would pulsate with heat, bringing a note of savagery from within. A ghastly figure transpired from within one of the bookshelves, becoming corporeal and landing lightly on the carpeted floor. In life, the figure would no doubt be stately, perhaps even handsome. But what he had been as a mortal was no more, and in his stead was a Lich. A crown of gold sat atop the monster's rotted head, with only the slightest bit of skin clinging to the otherwise bare skull that served as the Undead Archmages face, empty sockets glowing blue with power. Somehow, his mouth bones seemed to be curved into a smile. The doors to the library suddenly shut, the locks clicking as they were all activated one after the other. "I can tell this seems very sudden, judging by your reaction, Lady Calliope." the Lich said, standing in an effete poise, examining his body hands for anything that might have stuck on there. He did manage to tear off a bit of limply hanging skin as if it were cobweb that had landed upon his person. Aside of the Lich, Markus did his best to break free from the foul magics that enwrapped him, but he hadn't the concentration necessary to perform a basic counterspell, and even then it would likely not have been enough. "Your Captain here is strong willed." he said. "I had been probing his mind for some time once he had donned the ring, for information and for possession. But he had placed up mental walls even without thinking. I could have pried my way in there, but that would have given myself away, and I do so love surprises." He stepped forward, making his way over to the edge of the circle where Markus and Calliope had sat. "But I did gather what I could, and your predicament intrigued me most of all." Suddenly, they could hear Sron banging upon the door outside of the library room, his great strength trying to wedge open a door that was now mystically protected from nearly all physical harm. The Gnoll even howled in frustration, savagely attacking the wall. The Lich ignored him. "Your Captain also reasoned that the trolls were here for a purpose, and that was also true. After I had sacrificed my comrades in arms within the keep, I needed guardians as I delved into my work and they sufficed, until you rudely slew them. And then I wondered, what was I to do about this?" He chuckled, his laughter far more amplified than his regular voice. The musty stench of old bones wafted into Calliope's nose at this range, along with the sound of fingerbones clittering together as he tapped them against one another in what was to no doubt be a considering posture. "I would have simply killed you all...until I saw you. A very talented sorceress that had just fallen into my hands. I couldn't allow such talent and brutality go to waste, you see?" He smiled at her questioning eyebrow. "I am in need of an apprentice. Someone to visit the living world for me, to help me in my magical experiments and to aid me in continuing to prolong my extended life. I believe one such as yourself would aid me greatly in that position. In turn I shall give you the gift I gave myself, when you are near death. [i]Immortality[/i]." The word had a tone of command and compulsion to it, though it would not work on someone as sharp as Calliope. Still, the power was there. "Think of it, my dark beauty. What do you have to gain traveling with such vagabonds, eh?" He asked, waving his hand to drag Markus closer and then pinching his neck, drawing a hint of blood from the sharpened bones. "I see he has saved your life various times. But you are above such sentimentality and the abstract notion of a debt, are you not? Why not be free of such things?" His eyes pulsed, glowing brightly. "Join me." [@Penny]