Chereads / Tales of Apocrypha / Chapter 36 - The Beast of Sorcery

Chapter 36 - The Beast of Sorcery

It was at that moment in time that Lagertha became ready to fight against the creature with dark magic. Greg studied the Wolf Queen for who she is and what she is capable of as she walked the earth. Obviously, she was far different from the others who agreed to fight this magical creature. Lagertha looked out the window and knew her time was prepared to fight this new demon. Greg could feel the ground shake a bit, yet the palace would not crumble before the night ended.

"You need to be going now, Greg. This place isn't safe for you," Lagertha said.

"Yes. Mundis. He is bold, after all. It's my father's shame," he said.

"It's not a shame. It's a curse. A curse laid on your people and a troublesome sight to gaze at when he tears you to shreds," she said.

"No. It's a shame. My father keeps blaming everything on himself because he believes he brought that mighty creature to punish us all."

Lagertha looked at Greg and gazed outside at the same time and had this plan she had in herself. She refused to share it with Greg because he might feel traumatized if he hears of it. Then, Greg watches Lagertha cast her belongings aside, and she takes her armor off. She looks at the teen backing up a bit as she took off what she probably might need during the onslaught. She walks up to him to make him look at her in her dark cloak, long-sleeve shirt, pants, and her boots.

"Wolf Queen, what are you doing?" Greg asked.

Lagertha answered and replied, "This creature has no armor. Sorcery protects this beast from the pits of Hell. The magic of King Mephiles dominates this demon. They call him the lord of the earth and the conqueror of worlds. He will torture any man who tries to cut him down from head to toe. His power and existence are inevitable, even for a human. I'm fighting this creature with my bare hands since he is doing the same. You may not know this, but inside me is power made from an elder wolf. Power that is just as strong as a demon king's power. Me and this creature… we shall fight as equals and fate shall decide."

Then, Lagertha slowly lifts her dark cloak in front of the earl's son with one hand, and she watches Greg's cheek become red. This was too much for the son of Earl Argon, and he started taking a few steps back. He saw the Wolf Queen in only her brown long-sleeve shirt and her black pants; most people believe he should feel lucky. Then Brant walked inside the bedroom and saw both Lagertha and Greg speak to each other. This was no problem for Brant because he has already been with her for such a short while, yet he was lucky enough to see her without her armor.

Then, Greg rushed out of his bedroom, and he was going back into the main hall where the knights were guarding the front door. Brant walks towards Lagertha as she turns around and looks outside in the night. The night was not merciful, as a powerful demon with dark magic was getting ready to terrorize the people of Clegane. The young hunter stands behind her back and observes her to see if she showed Greg something he should not be seeing. She was silent for a moment, but she was determined to go with this plan she made to herself.

"You're mad, you know that?" Brant asked.

"Yeah," she answered. Brant slowly wraps his arms around Lagertha from behind and lays his chin on her shoulder.

She understood how much he loved her and how far he would go into protecting her from anything. Then, he kisses her on the cheek and warms her up from the night. And she was feeling better. However, she could tell he was thinking about something that she might want to know. She places her hand on his cheek as he continued hugging her from behind and felt like he wanted to tell her what might haunt from the palace. There were too many knights in the palace who were completely unprepared for the dangers that Mundis will bring.

"Something troubles you, Brant," Lagertha said.

He answered her, saying, "Everyone downstairs is unprepared. Some too many knights are fearful of this creature. Knights who don't have the strength to get out there and kill other creatures. You and I already saw how doubtful the earl's council can be. We both know what happens when someone disagrees with them."

"Why aren't you down there with them? Why put yourself at risk when I am out there?" She asked.

"I told you before. I will do anything to protect you. Besides, the priest is some idiot who doesn't know how to keep his mouth shut. The earl's advisor wouldn't be convinced about what I had to say. He doesn't believe you or me, and you've seen how much he despises you because of how often you're outside at night. And the earl himself isn't right in his head. He would let his own knights watch their own home be stained with blood and have all of this be for nothing. My father would laugh at their folly. A knight's mind must always be on his sword and his people. A demon hunter lives by the sword and dies by the sword."

"Brant, I want you to stay here. This demon is too much for you. You're just a human. You've already seen that I'm more than that. If anyone comes knocking, tell them to go elsewhere. I will see that this monster does not lay its claws on these people any longer."

"I don't like the smell of this one. That creature might hurt you. He might do something unthinkable to you."

Brant heard by everyone in the palace that Mundis is not some demon to be taken lightly. He is a creature from Hell that can conjure up sorcery to protect his skin from every weapon. It would take more than brute strength to put down the creature and restore the land. Then Brant and Lagertha hear the men sing a song; they sing praises to God and not songs people would hear in taverns. Brant was very confused as Lagertha simply listened to their song, yet they were not expecting any sound to come from a human at night.

"The men are… singing? I wonder why. The time of blood is already upon us. Lagertha, your armor. Your sword… you need it," Brant said.

"I already told the earl's son that the demon and I are fighting as equals. A logical choice if you ask me," Lagertha said. Then Brant releases her as she walks over to her longsword to pick it up. Yet she was not trusting herself to wield it.

She was told that a sword could not stab Mundis's body, yet Lagertha believed she could do the honor herself. If what they say is true, her sword would be on the verge to crack and the people would know her for who she truly is. Then, Lagertha walks back to Brant with her longsword in her hands; he becomes confused by what she was about to do with it.

"You're giving me your sword, Lagertha?" Brant asked.

"It's not a gift. I'm letting you hold my sword. I want you to guard it with your very life," she answered.

"I'm not sure this is preferable. You really think you can take down a creature like that with your bare hands?" He asked.

"Brant, you're about to find out."

Lagertha and Brant continue hearing men singing their hymns and making sure everything is in expert hands. That may have been one of the earl's plans for the demon and the opponent to fight each other. Others say that would endanger the palace much more than allow them to restore the peace. Suddenly, the palace shook and a lot of knights were guarding every door and protecting the earl from a great danger. Earl Argon was alerting all of his advisors to stay out of the main hall and go someplace where the demon would never find them.

"I must go now. Brant, if demons crawl into this room, use my blade and kill them. Kill anything that stands in your way," Lagertha said.

"You sure about this? Is that beast really going to summon something to come in here?" He asked.

"The king of Midland is controlling this beast. I can feel it. He knows if one of his most trusted generals sent this demon after me. I'll be out here and you'll be in here making sure the place is intact. Stay right here until I kill this beast," she answered.