The Necromancer's Stone; Hal's Plan

"Nice of you to come."
Thalia spun around as she felt a hand on her shoulder.  She'd made it to the Fuzzy Librarian in record time and, being uncertain where to search, had taken a seat at the bar.  Luckily Hal, the handsome young man who had invited her for dinner today, had good enough reflexes to catch her hand before she could release the frigid bolt she'd reflexively formed as she had spun around.  He spun her back towards the bar and sat down next to her, motioning to the bartender for a drink.
"I'm sorry I fell asleep last night."
"Funny thing to apologize for, falling asleep during an hours long silence in what wasn't even really a conversation.  You're forgiven."
"Thanks.  Would you like to get a table?  Somewhere more private?"
"Remind me again, how many of the candles around here have you bugged?"
How did he know that?
"Right, I thought so.  That's why we're eating at the bar."
The barmaid set a bottle of red wine and a pair of glasses down in front of them, smiled at Hal, and walked off.  Thalia stared at her back for a moment and then turned to flash Hal a smile of her own.
"So tell me, how is it that you know so much about me and the candles I may or may not have bugged?"
"Besides the fact that I've had your surveillance system tapped?  I come here a lot and eavesdrop."  Before she could make the accusation, he waved his hand.  "I know, its creepy.  I'm sorry I've been tracking you like this.  But considering how much power and influence you have, I'd wager that I'm not the only one who's been keeping an eye on your activity.  I've already spotted a Secloran agent, a Ga-Vok espionage team, and a very attentive Jaguan in this bar alone."
"No one from the Daniellandish?  I'm insulted."
"You see the Vampire in the corner?"
Thalia nodded, still facing the bar.
"The woman he's making out with is an Imperial Guard's daughter.  They don't send spies because most of the people here would willingly tell them whatever they needed to know anyways."
"So they're just lazy?"
"Try frugal, experienced, and understanding; The Empire has seen the potential threat you pose, and would rather wait until you become an actual threat before acting."
"That seems foolish to me.  If they were smart they'd be ready to stop me at the first sign of a rise to power."
"Why would they do that?  Just because you have potential doesn't mean you'll use it against them.  The universe has bigger problems then a young necromancer with a penchant for extortion and drama; The Seclorans certainly do, and everyone else is gearing up to join them in the war effort against the Harakai.  But none of them are perfectly focused on it, they're all still trying to guard their flanks against any new threats.  The Daniellandish have faced enough threats to know better.  They'll cut you slack, give you a chance, and wait for you to make your move.  If you're a threat, they'll deal with it; if not, then they won't waste their time."
"Maybe I want to be seen as a threat."
"I don't really believe that.  I think what you really want is to be the center of attention."
"Oh?"
"I've met your father, icy doesn't just describe his job.  I don't hold that against you.  What I'd like to do is offer you a chance to make something better of yourself than just a two-bit villain with a castle and a scheme."
"I'm listening."  She wasn't sure why she was listening.  The conversation was hardly flattering.
"I can help you be a sixty-four bit villain, with a volcano lair, a castle, and a moon base.  The sort of villain they send real heroes after, not just little nobodies with a wooden sword and a vague prophecy."
"How do you propose to do that?"
"Well, you already have the business acumen to finance it all, and you're a talented enough commander to defeat armies in battle.  You even have the genius to come up with the schemes.  What you don't have is a rival; someone to fight you, to bring people to your moon base or to storm your castle."
"And what, you think if someone just starts attacking me then people will actually pay attention to me?"
"Come out of the shadows; stop extorting caterers and local bands and start extorting governments and major corporations.  Not at first obviously, they'd just have you killed.  We'd start small; you try to destroy a town and I come along to stop you.  Maybe you terrorize a village until I come along and fight you off."
"And what does that accomplish?  So we get rich, if I wanted money I'd already have it."
"Yes, but you could target corporations that were corrupt, and you'd need to have dark government secrets to extort them, right?  Because you'd done it, and they'd had no choice but to call in a hero, their secrets and corruption would be exposed and purged by the hero while he chased after you.  The world would be a better place."
"Like at the bar yesterday; I draw them out into the open, then you expose their immorality to the world and between the two of us the cancer upon society is removed."  Thalia liked it, a lot.  She'd always tried to target the corrupt and cruel anyways, but she'd never tried to do it on a scale like he was proposing.  It was ambitious, no doubt about that.  But with him as the hero, and her as the villain, most of the personal risk was removed for both of them.  It wasn't perfect though, there were two flaws in the plan.  "I'll need an army though; or at least some very loyal minions.  And I'll need you to show me how to defend myself better, in case they don't go straight to you to fight me.  If someone sent an assassin or a hero of their own I wouldn't stand much of a chance."
"Don't sell yourself so short, you're actually quite good.  I'll still help you train, but I think you need less help than you realize.  The army though, that one's going to have to be on you."  Thalia had been working on that for some time though, and worst come to worst, she always had skeletons.  Still, since he'd been so clever this far, maybe he could help her with her longstanding project as well.
"I might be able to make an army actually.  I've been working with golems and necromancy; experimenting with the classical and periodic elements to try and create an effective, independent soldier.  I'm close, I know it.  I can give it endurance, skill, and strength, but I can't seem to make anything with enough free will to solve problems as they're encountered, or plan ahead.  And I don't want to make something that will just stand around aimlessly when not in use; I want something that can contribute to society when I don't need it.  Something that can create as well as destroy."
"You want to create a person?"
Thalia considered it for a moment.  When it came down to it, that was what she wanted really.  Someone who could follow orders, but also interpret them; do as told, but didn't always need to be told.  But she wanted something stronger than a person, a superhuman being that could take punishment like a glacier and was as unstoppable as a wall of fire.
"Sort of, I guess."
"Have you talked to Professor Zinksfeld, the enchantress?"
"She abhors necromancy.  She'd probably have me expelled if she knew about this."
Now it was Hal's turn to consider the situation.  Thalia watched him think; you could tell by the way he drummed his fingers on the counter, while stroking his chin absentmindedly with his other hand.
"There is said to be an immortal, older than any other.  The Gardener of Apeni, The Eldest Sage, and Tender of the Henge; If anyone knew, it would be her.  I can take you to her, if you'd like?"
"I barely even know you.  I'm not sure if I want to go and spend a week in space with you.  Besides, school starts back up in a month, I should really be studying."
"What shall I do to prove that you can trust me?"
"Bring me a patch of fur from four giant rats, and the bell that the largest rat wears."
Hal laughed, then reached into his pocket and pulled out a necklace.  It was a crystal, like blue tinted ice with a small red flame burning within it, suspended on a fine gold thread.
"Not quite the chief rat's bell, but smells better."  He lowered it over her head, brushing her hair back over the thread as the crystal settled just bellow the nape of her neck.  "It was my Mother's.  Nothing too fancy, enhances your spells a bit, keeps your temperature steady in any climate, and won't break.  I want you to keep it.  If nothing else, take it as a sign that I trust you.  I'll leave for Apeni on Friday, if you want to come, meet me by the Gardens outside the spaceport.  If not, I'll bring back anything the sage will share about your problem."