It took a couple of days before Fafnir allowed Morgianna to leave the castle. Everyone could see how impatient she was as she paced a trail in the garden. On the day of their departure, Felix was at the gate waving them off just as he had done the years prior. The difference was the smile on his face. He had always felt like she was leaving him before, but he would not fear it anymore. She loved him and had strong guards, she would definitely return.
They pulled away in a plain carriage, her excuse to her parents was that it was safer if she was not recognized. While that was true, the main reason definitely fell on her not wanting to be recognized more so out of liking a quiet life instead of being worried about her safety.
The trip to the guild was quiet, almost too quiet. They encountered no bandits, saw no other carriages and heard no wildlife. "This feels wrong." Myra sat across from Morgianna her eyes turned into yellow slits as she listened to their surroundings.
Fafnir was driving the carriage and had long since put his guard up. Even with his dragon hearing, he heard nothing, not even the random scurry of a wild animal.
They couldn't stop, their only choice was to keep moving forward. Hours passed with more of the same until they crested a hill and smoke could be seen rising over the trees.
Slowing the carriage to a stop several hundred feet from the tree line Fafnir was cursing internally. "Up ahead is trouble, I can feel several strong magical presences and smell blood and decay."
"Shall we proceed forward then? After all they are in between us and our destination. Everyone change your outfits into your guild attire." Morgianna spoke with finality already seeing the battle-ready maniacs she called her guards sitting on the edge of their seats.
Fafnir just sighed, it was no surprise that Morgianna would order them to move forward. She liked a good battle just as much as them.
After everyone had changed into their new attire, they masked their carriage so that they could pull closer before being noticed. They made it almost to the tree line before movement could be heard. Fafnir drove the carriage at a leisurely pace, pretending to be unaware of the eyes that were trained on their every move. He counted 7 beings surrounding them, but the strongest presence did not move an inch.
"Well, well, well what do we have here?" A dry scratchy voice sounded from the trees. "More lambs fit for the slaughter. Stupid nobles, too fat for their own good." As the man finished speaking a chorus of laughter rang out from all around them.
An arrow whizzed through the air heading straight for Fafnirs neck, but the man only slightly moved to it looked like a miss. He wanted them to show themselves before he put forth any real fight or else they may run away.
Morgianna sat still in the carriage with Myra and Alnwick waiting for the signal to begin their own assault. They used this same attack what felt like 100s of times on bandits.
"Naughty, did you dodge my arrow? Here have some more!" This time arrows flew in from all directions planning to turn Fafnir into a pincushion. Still, Fafnir only conjured some wind to shift the arrows away from him.
Silence, the beings that surrounded them were quiet as if awaiting orders. Then slowly without speaking aloud they walked forward as one. When the first "body" became visible Fafnir wanted to vomit. He had seen dead bodies before, even been the reason most of them were dead, but the thing in front of him was beyond grotesque.
How he did not smell it was a miracle, but he would thank the gods and goddesses anyway.
Ambling into the daylight we're the remains of several men, and judging by their clothes they were once nobles. One was missing its eyes, but it looked at him as if it could see. Another had a broken spear impaled through its chest, a black sludge-like substance leaking from the wound. A caved-in head here or a torn limb there, they were all hideous.
"Tsk, you are troublesome, but you will make a fine addition to my lovelies. So die without damaging your body too badly, kay?" The voice sounded from the one in front of him, yet it's mouth never opened.
Fafnir leaped from the carriage to stand between it and them. "Necromancer." That one word perked the ears of those still in the carriage. They had not seen the beings yet but were itching to get out. "If I have my way, my mistress will never have to lay her sight on your abominations."
That last word set his hidden target off just as he hoped. "Abominations? You know nothing. Each of my babies is special, retaining all their magic from before. I wanted to make you lovely too, but now I just want you to die!" The beings rushed forward throwing magical attacks meant to kill, yet none of them aimed for the carriage.
Myra was on the edge of her seat practically bouncing at the chance to open the door and join the fray. Alnwick had pulled out a dagger and was cleaning it calmly as if he was at home and not in a carriage in the middle of a zombie battle. Then there was Morgianna, she was frowning with her arms crossed over her chest. She had been conversing with Fafnir since the fight had begun.
'What do you mean I cannot join?' Morgianna replied to Fafnir in her mind.
Even though he was fighting Fafnir smirked. 'I told you didn't I, I said you would not be able to do anything dangerous if we went on a mission.'
"But this isn't a mission!" She forgot to speak in her mind, startling Myra and Alnwick from their own thoughts. It also earned the attention of the necromancer's league of zombies. It was as if they had forgotten their existence when their master had gotten mad at Fafnir.
Fafnir cursed as their attention turned from him to focus on the carriage.
"You really are naughty, trying to distract me from the jewel in the carriage. What noble family is the one who screamed from? Do you think they will love her more when she becomes one of my lovelies?" This time the voice came from the zombie closest to the carriage. The other 6 teamed up to keep Fafnir away and it descended on the door. It's missing eyes not hindering it in finding the handle.
The moment it's decaying flesh tried to pull the door was busted out from the inside. Myra pushed it back and Alnwick went behind it ripping its head off and throwing it towards the woods.
"NOOOOOOOO!!!!" The remaining 6 screamed in unison watching as their comrade fell to the ground. One stepped forward pulling the broken spear from its chest. "You shouldn't have killed my pretty, you would have had eternal life with me if you hadn't." A sinister smile played on the decaying face.
Morgianna was still sitting in the carriage but now she had a view of her friends battling zombies instead of 4 walls. She was still pouting that Fafnir wouldn't let her get out.
The battle was now in full swing, her three guards against the 6 undead. She was focused on the fight not noticing a presence sneaking up behind her. She had been sitting with her back to the window so she could watch the open door.
A hand snaked out and caught her by the throat. "A pleasure to meet you, I am Necro."