Chereads / The Necromancer's End / Chapter 13 - Chapter 13: The Rise of Vengeance...

Chapter 13 - Chapter 13: The Rise of Vengeance...

Gerald jumped, using some magic, to the top of the watchtower as the skeletons began their descent upon the guards below. Their skeletal bodies climbed over the wooden gate and stone walls not caring for the pebbles and showing no mercy to the men down below who then landed on or next to. The fall was 9 meters, which would have hurt a normal person, but these were the skeletons, and their strength was stronger than a mere mortal's... With the stars veiled, thanks to Gerald's magic, only the torchlight illuminated the way for the living soldiers who used their magics just as much as their spears and arrows. Such limitations may have held sway for the living, but the dead, and the Necromancers who commanded them, had no such problems.

However, no alarm bells sung into the night. The skeletal task force had done its job and done it well. Gerald, himself, stood next to the other alarm bell for that south western gate. 'Guess I better get changed.' He thought. He reached into the old coat pocket and pulled out a long, black cape. It was unusually adorned with silver and gold, with a blue tulip that caught the eye when light caught it. His magically changed his clothes as well and he quickly saw himself in a small set of leather armor that was dyed as black as the night above him. Below him, the Skeletons pushed the guards away from the gates, moving as silently as the night, save for the screams and shouts of the guards. The guard chief shouted for the warning bells to be rung, but nothing came of it. His runners were dead, and he was soon to follow. A small group of skeletons lifted the bar from the gate, which was now freed from enemy control. They then pushed upwards, attempting to lift the long wooden bar that held the gate shut. Gerald leaped from the tower, slowing his descent at the last minute to avoid injury, and then made his way to them to help them. Soon the gate was opened, and the Zombies began pouring in. The moans of the undead were silent. They sniffed and could smell the living, but their orders were clear from their commanders. Anyone in their houses, who wasn't a magi, was to be left alone. Gerald smiled as they passed him. One sniffing near him, but it passed without incident. Silence now reigned, as the last of the few guards over the non-magi gate (the one closest to their area and therefore the least defended) fell silent. The men on the stone walls, in that part of the wall, fell silent. Gerald felt very lucky. The ivory horns, which had hung on most of the guard's belts, had never been rung. Now, silence reigned. The Zombies soon began to sniff by the doors, but none came out. The undead horde moved forward, up the street and further and further into the town. The few guards that wandered the streets were quickly dispatched by the skeletons, and the few magi houses that they passed soon turned into new recruits for the Zombie horde. The silence of the night was absolute. It caught Gerald off guard... 'There should be more than just a token force...' He marched with his horde, the cape flowing as he led them, and his sword held at the ready. He soon found the reason for the silence.

"My Lord, there is a large party of Magi just a ways up the road." One of the skeleton commanders reported. "It looks as though all of the city guard has been gathered there. The Ravens report that they are planning on marching towards us." The Ravens. Such intelligent birds. They truly understood that their feast in the morning would be legendary for the side that won. With the appearance of a Necromancer, that meant greeting an old friend almost. As Gerald pondered what to do, the narrow streets and alleys that surrounded them seemed to beckon him.

"Into the alleys, and blend in." He ordered. The Skeleton relayed the message, in only the magical way that a skeletal commander can, and the Zombies immediately began to enter the alleys. Gerald stayed and watched the operation unfold, but stayed in the middle of the street. 'Maybe they updated their time of attack.' He wondered. It was then that he sensed something... It passed by him in the shadows, but didn't stick around, though he thought he could smell a light scent of blood...

Gerald turned and walked back the way he came, until he was at the entrance to the non-magi quarter of the city. Gerald looked at the squalor, and his hate of the town council deepend. 'This is where the children play...' There he waited, and after a minute, decided to sit with his legs crossed in the middle of the dirt road. After only a half hour, he could see the torch lights coming down the winding road. He just sat, and acknowledged their haste and quiet demeanor. Leading the host of guards, all armed with both magic pulsing and their non-magic weapons at the ready, was the Wizard who had spoken to Gerald and Lydia just that afternoon. His smile was proud, haughty, and smug even as the torches lit up the man sitting in the road. The Wizard held a hand for the collum to halt, and he walked ahead, peering down at the man in front of him.

"What are you doing here?" He questioned, rhetorically. "You should be sitting in the dungeons-"

"Your fool of a guard didn't know what he was dealing with." Gerald interrupted, glaring at the Wizard with extreme anger. The glint of the torchlight on his grey eyes made the man take a step back but he quickly recovered.

"Then I won't make the same mistake." The magic flashed around him and fire encircled the sitting man. Gerald felt the heat, and welcomed the warmth, but the spell of fire resistance extended even to his clothes. The flames receded, but Gerald just smoked as the flames died, with the heat, and kept his harsh stare on the Wizard in front of him. The Wizard clasped his staff hard, and in obvious shock.

"If you lose a duel, will you and your men leave?" Gerald raised a hand.

Another plume of fire raised around the Necromancer in answer. This one was hotter than the other, and even the flames turned a light, but beautiful, shade of blue. Gerald, after sitting in the flame for another couple of seconds, finally rose from his sitting position. He walked out of the flame, like a shadow, and walked directly to the Wizard. "Fine." A low moan echoed through the entire town that didn't come from the Necromancer. There was sudden screaming and the guards behind the Wizard were suddenly beset by an onslaught of Zombies. The magical power of the place was almost legendary. The druids pulled for their plants and ground magic, the Wizards pulled on the power of their flames, and the Sorcerers called on the power of the spirits. Many Zombies fell, but many more took their place and marched forward in their ambush. Gerald had no time for this. He grabbed the member of the city council by the hand, and immediately cut off his flow of magic. The Wizard gasped and tried to pull away, but the Necromancer held him fast. "You will never hold magic again." The man suddenly began to change under the Necromancer's grip. His skin grew darker and, if the night had allowed it to be seen, a shade of grey. The Wizard's eyes gripped with fear. His screams of agony wrung through the night, and he grew to twice his normal height. Elongated bones bucked against his skin, and his face looked like it was boiling in the inside. In the Necromancer's rage, he was creating the first abomination in a long time...

A guard tried to swing his sword at Gerald, and Gerald countered with his own sword. A quick flick and the man was gurgling and grasping at the blood that was flowing from his neck. The Zombies that had been hidden behind Gerald now passed the man and engaged the column of guards with haste. Calls for retreat soon rang amongst the living, and what order had been present completely broke. Gerald looked at the blood and chaos around him. 'Focus.' his brain reminded him, and he turned his attention back to his work. About three minutes later, it was done. The Wizard was no longer a wizard anymore... It stood over 3 meters tall, and had long white teeth. It's feet were the size to match, and it's arms were strong, long, and with powerful long fingers and nails.

The abomination bowed to its Master. "Lord." It stated, "Forgive me..."

"Not while the moon lasts." The Necromancer responded. "Tonight you will punish those you once called friends, create a family, and it will shake the world to its foundations." The harshness of the man's tone wasn't lost on the creature.

"And where are the women?" it asked, it's face turning into a grimace.

"Come and see..."

Lydia paced the length of her room at the inn. The anxiety getting to her as she heard the screams from outside. Overall, it had amazed her how silent the undead could be, but the battle was now in full swing. Battles are always louder than they should have been. The silence that fell after the initial sounds of battle were almost more terrifying than the battle itself. Then came the feeling... that horrible feeling that she wasn't alone. The feeling of the haunted rush at the same time that the Zombies poured into the city. A heaviness hung over her, and she worried if she had done the right thing. Her mind raced as she paced around the room. 'Did I do the right thing? I mean... I just allowed a Necromancer to...' She slapped herself to bring her back to reality. 'No... He said that there was a plot... something about a purge of the non-magi.' She groaned and sat on the mattress of the bed. "There must be something I can do... I mean... to protect the people of this town..."

"There's nothing more you can do, miss."

"Well, I don't know..." Lydia looked around and, almost as if by magic (which it was) there was Hermina Dor, standing in front of her. Lydia screeched in shock and jumped on the bed, pulling on her magic, but the Vampress just chuckled and held her hands up. "What the..."

"We've come." The Vampress replied, her smile wide. "True, I only have about twenty of my brethren of my house with me, but it is honestly a miracle I could get that many." It was as though a mist filled the room, and a group of large, very attractive to Lydia's eyes, men stood at the ready. They all bowed to her, respectfully. "Gerald has warded you very well in here." The Vampress commented.

Lydia looked in shock. "He... he what?"

"Warded you." Hermina said, looking over the woman in front of her. "Druidess, no more than 30 or 40 I'd imagine. Probably has only left the Green via teleport. Am I right?" The look of surprise said all that Hermina needed. "You look about 18 or 19 if you were a non-magi." She smiled and turned to the boys around her. "Better find a commander and get up to speed. If it were me, I'd have you all go on the walls. Especially with the limitations of our kind." They bowed deep and opened the window before, almost at once, merging through it. "Just us girls then... lovely." The pale woman sat on the floor, near the edge of the room. "Better not push it. Gerald's wards, while lovely, won't hold forever if you have allowed an undead in the room."

"He... he left magic with me?"

The Vampress nodded. "Old magic, but good magic I assure you. I could barely detect you, and he had purposefully left you within my knowledge just to get here." She sniffed. "Non-magi nearby. Most of old bloods. Good bloods. But they are off limits, and my brood is already large enough."

"What do you mean?"

"Gerald gave instructions. Left them imprinted on this ward. We're not to touch the non-magi, or you." She looked at the Druidess with a questioning look on her face. "What are you to our dearest Gerald? Obviously, he values you and places you in high respect..."

A poignant pause followed. "I... I don't know."

The Vampress closed her eyes. "Strangely, I believe you. Something I haven't done with a Druidess since I walked amongst the living." She smiled and opened her eyes. "But I fear that I am needed tonight. I hope that we may talk again, my dear Druidess. Lintra, right?"

"Lydia."

"Lydia... I'll do my best not to forget it. The others will be coming behind me. At least two other families are waiting for me to leave before they come through the portal. Goodnight. I suggest you get some sleep while you can. You are the safest you could possibly be in this room, as long as you don't leave this room." Her eyes flitted to the window. "But for now... Goodnight!" With that, she was gone.

There was a moment of silence before a man's voice said from behind Lydia, "About time... I thought that woman would never leave..." Another Vampiric group had arrived, and the man at the front bowed and they soon followed after the other Vampires out of the window.