No! I don't want to be a Super Necromancer!

"Oh, without question." Lyrisa said lightly. "He's never been good at letting go."

"Charming." Damien muttered.

"With me around," she said with a smirk, "you won't need to worry about dying. And besides... didn't you say death is your friend?"

"She can wait a little longer," Damien replied.

Lyrisa's smile widened. "Good. Because I have plans for you."

Damien turned toward the luminous lake, curiosity evident in his eyes. "What exactly are we doing here, Lyrisa?"

She pointed toward the glowing water, her voice suddenly serious. "Beneath this lake lies an ancient drow inheritance site. I need its power, and you'll help me obtain it."

"An inheritance site? Here, amidst the battlefield?" Damien questioned skeptically, his gaze narrowing thoughtfully.

Lyrisa nodded solemnly. "The battles here spanned centuries, Damien. Countless warriors, from numerous races, had ample time to create hidden vaults and leave behind legacies. Beneath these waters is one such legacy, the inheritance of JerAxle the Dark."

Damien raised an intrigued eyebrow. "JerAxle the Dark? Who was he exactly?"

Lyrisa's gaze grew distant, respectful. "He was one of the most formidable drows ever to live. Leader of the Darkness Apostles, servants of the Darkness Sovereign himself."

Interest sparked fiercely within Damien, his pulse quickening. "The Darkness Sovereign…didn't the dragons serve him?"

"Indeed," she confirmed, turning to regard him seriously. "The dragons were but one faction under the Sovereign's dominion. The drow were another. Each served in their own way, as pawns in his vast, shadowy chessboard."

Damien frowned thoughtfully, absorbing her words. "What power did JerAxle wield exactly?"

She took a deep breath, her voice lowered reverently. "Among many other strange powers, he mastered darkness itself, manipulation of shadows, illusions, and soul-binding magic. Few dared challenge him, fewer survived to tell of it. His inheritance is potent enough to alter destinies."

A heavy silence settled momentarily between them, broken only by the soft lapping of the lake's glowing waters against the shore. Damien felt an odd thrill at the potential laid before them.

Lyrisa watched him carefully, her voice softening. "If we succeed, our combined strength will be unmatched, Damien. The benefits for us both are undeniable."

Damien's lips curled into a determined smile, eyes glittering sharply. "Then let's not keep JerAxle waiting," he murmured.

Lyrisa's answering grin was fierce and beautiful, her eagerness matching his own. Together, they stepped closer to the edge of the lake, the radiant glow illuminating their determined faces.

Power, secrets, and the promise of further intimacy danced enticingly before them, fueling their shared resolve.

As the other drow watched warily from a distance, whispering amongst themselves, Damien and Lyrisa stood poised, ready to plunge into the depths.

In that moment, despite the lurking dangers and treacherous alliances around them, they shared a quiet, knowing glance, a silent agreement forged in passion, trust, and mutual ambition.

"Stay close," she whispered softly, squeezing his arm reassuringly. "Once we enter, the challenges will begin immediately."

Damien nodded, feeling his pulse quicken with anticipation.

"It should start very soon. Be ready." Lyrisa whispered again, her needless nagging betraying the nervousness she was feeling.

Damien chuckled and leaned casually against a moss-covered boulder, gaze drifting over the shimmering, luminescent surface of the subterranean lake. Around them, the air buzzed with hushed anticipation.

Twelve distinct groups of drow stood scattered around the water's edge, each cluster clearly defined by unique banners, markings, and attire. They watched one another warily, careful not to provoke conflict prematurely, each fully aware of the tenuous peace that hung between them.

Lyrisa stood comfortably beside Damien, her expression relaxed yet vigilant, eyes flicking subtly from one group to another. Damien noted how her slender fingers never strayed far from the hilts of her twin scimitars, each weapon radiating quiet, lethal grace.

He leaned slightly toward her, voice low and curious. "I gather each of these groups represents a different house of your world?"

Lyrisa nodded slightly, her voice equally quiet yet confident. "Correct. You're looking at the representatives of the twelve ruling houses of the drow realm. Each house holds considerable influence, wealth, and prestige, though the balance of power constantly shifts."

Damien lifted an eyebrow thoughtfully, motioning subtly toward the group led by Vathrian. "Where does your friend Vathrian stand in that hierarchy?"

"House Nocturna," she replied smoothly, a faint, disdainful smirk playing upon her lips. "Second-ranked house of our realm. Renowned for their mastery of magic, particularly darkness magic. Their spells are powerful, complex, and devastating. House Nocturna is feared widely, and rightly so. Their contributions to the Darkness Sovereign's campaigns have earned them lavish rewards."

Damien nodded slowly, gaze narrowing slightly. "And yours?"

Lyrisa lifted her chin slightly, pride evident but controlled. "House Xarvith. Third-ranked in our world. We may lack the pure magical prowess of House Nocturna, but we more than compensate through our unparalleled skills with the scimitar. Pure physical combat, lethality honed to perfection. Our warriors are unmatched in single combat and devastatingly effective in large-scale battles."

Damien glanced appreciatively toward the elegant weapons at her waist, and at her waist itself. "I've seen firsthand how… flexible you are. I believe it."

Lyrisa gave a faint chuckle before continuing softly, "Yet even our two houses combined would never dare openly challenge the first-ranked house. House Umbra."

Her gaze drifted toward a single figure who stood quietly by the water's edge, solitary yet commanding immense respect.

Damien followed her gaze, eyes settling upon the lone female drow. She wore no banner, no obvious insignia, but every other house instinctively gave her considerable space, maintaining a wide berth.

"House Umbra?" Damien murmured thoughtfully. "Simple yet striking."

"Exactly," Lyrisa agreed, her tone subdued and reverent. "They represent absolute mastery in all aspects favored by the Darkness Sovereign. Shadows, illusions, soul manipulation, they have it all.

The Sovereign rewards those who serve him best, and no house serves him more faithfully or more effectively than Umbra. They wield power beyond comprehension. And that lone woman represents them, she is their most gifted prodigy, perhaps the strongest drow to have emerged from our realm in centuries."