Even as Lydia closed the window after the last Vampire left, Gerald moved forward with the large creature in tow. The Zombies had done much of the bloody work, and many of their bodies lay strewn around the battlefield. While the ambush had been a success, most of the living would be a match for a Zombie, if they were trained in spear, bow, or sword anyways. Many, more armored, Zombies now followed the Necromancer and his cohort. The shouts to battle followed, and another warning bell filled the night air. The non-magi behind them didn't answer, but the magi did. The undead flooded the streets, eating all that came out of their homes.
Gerald couldn't help but grimace at the blood as it flooded the cobblestones that had, just hours before, reflected moonlight and starlight. The stench was disturbing, but sadly necessary. As were the mutilated corpses that lay strewn on the ground that he stepped over. The steady walk only reminded him of the size of the horde he had summoned. The torchlight stood firm, just a ways away. Many homes behind him fell into flames as well as Magi fired misdirected spells. Children and Women screamed in terror, running for the perceived safety of the city ahead of them. Most would never make it. All it took was a bite...
Gerald was about to charge when he saw the shadows ripple in front of him. He smiled, despite the horrors of the battle. "Hermina Dor."
The Vampress bowed before her lord as she materialized in front of him. The low cut of her dress showing off more than she meant to in the act. "My Master..." She whispered in reverence. "Is this the true Rise?"
"I do not know." The Necromancer replied. He held his hand aloft, the back of his hand held up towards the Vampress. She took it and kissed it lovingly.
"I have missed you." She muttered, her voice seductive.
"It has been too long." The Necromancer responded, lifting her up from her curtsey.
She looked behind him. "You raised an abomination." She noted.
The Necromancer nodded. "Maybe not the smartest of moves, but one that could pay off dividends in the long run."
"Perhaps." She agreed, grabbing the Necromancer by the arm. "I'm following the Skeletal commander's in the placement of my boys."
"You actually brought some with you?"
"Of course." She replied, snuggling into him. "You didn't think I would come prepared after your little servant told me that you needed me?" She chuckled at the absurdity. "Pity you didn't call on us first. I could have brought the whole brood after about a month."
"And the whole brood would have eaten everything in the town, without mercy." The Necromancer stated. "You and I both know that." She shrugged, not caring, and he continued. "Could have used you in taking the wall. Lost some good skeletons doing that."
"You should have waited for us." Hermina replied with a frown. "Another day and I could have gathered more and we could have had a much more bloodless takeover."
"Another day, and there would have been nobody left to claim this area after we left." He stated. The blood stench seemed to accent exactly what he meant, and the Vampress nodded her assent. "Besides, this way we had both the element of surprise, and less adversaries." He looked into her eyes and smiled. "Want to join me in trying to talk to the next contingent?"
She rolled her eyes. "My men have already taken the walls. War is what we came prepared for, but I'm ready to have some fun if you are."
"I wouldn't exactly call this fun, but that's up to you." He grimaced, held his sword at the ready, and marched towards the torchlight. The Zombies and the abomination following, and the Vampress moving closely behind him in his wake.
********
Marvin stood at the front of the contingent, proud of his placement. The only person in front of him was the commander. He held his sword and staff proudly at his side. True, he wasn't strong in his magical power, but he was an excellent swordsman, and even the garrison commander had commended him several times. He pulled the power into his staff, and waited. 'Oooh... the moment that one of those Zombies comes out...' He thought, his mind excited. The opening that led into the central plaza was directly in front of him, though it surprised him that the men on the walls weren't doing much extra, outside their normal duties. The torches range was expanded magically, and he felt proud of the location. 'I hope some of the non-magi were able to get out.' He thought. 'I'm still not sure about what the Council has said about them...'
Fog filled his vision. It felt unnatural, but he just tried to relax. It would be hard enough when the fight began. 'Zombies are weak to fire after all.' He shifted on his feet, uncomfortable in the armor, but kept his focus. It was then that he saw the first outlines against the fog. The man in front stood not much shorter than him as he pushed forward passed the fog and into the light. His grey eyes disturbed Marvin, but he pushed passed it. Behind the man came a woman with a pale complexion. She smiled at the commander, her dress shifting as she moved and the low cut of the blouse definitely drew attention from a majority of the men. Suddenly... it appeared. The creature was gigantic, with long horrible fingers and nails, a face that only a mother could love complete with horribly elongated teeth, and a stench of death. The men behind him shuddered and there was a shout of surprise, but the commander held his men in check. A shouted word and the men quieted. 'Wish I could be like that.' He thought to himself, sizing up the three people/things that had just come into his view.
It was then that the man spoke, his voice magically amplified. "Greetings, sons and daughters of Portal. You do not know me, nor would you like it if you knew the name I last went by here." He paused as the woman had let out a small chuckle, but he shot her a look and she quieted quickly. "I am now here to discuss the surrender of the town, and the expulsion of all those who dwell within it."
"Go to Geez!" Shouted his commander.
"Perhaps, you would like a demonstration of the power I command?" The massive creature took only two steps to reach the commander, who tried to set it on fire. The flames sputtered and died before they reached its darkened skin. Then with one oversized hand, it smashed into the helmet of the commander. The man stood for half a second longer before he crumpled to the ground, blood pouring out of his ears. It then turned its eyes on him and gave a sickening smile. He felt his resolve weaken, and something warm seemed to be dripping down his pants. Not that he had time for that. "No need to fear if you simply wish to leave. All magi, however, have a price to pay for your plans."
'All Magi?' Marvin asked himself. A general rumble behind him told him that he wasn't alone in thinking of that.
"I, earlier today, had a conversation with David, one of the captains of the guard..." He trailed off, allowing the silence to hold the audience captive. "He confessed, under Delve, to being a part of a plot to destroy the non-magi of this town." More rumbling. "Are there any who-"
"Impossible!" Marvin shouted, surprising even himself. The man quieted, and looked at Marvin. Marvin found himself, turning red.
"Master..." The woman finally spoke, her voice beautiful, even in its wrath. "Let me have that one-"
"No." The man stated, shooting the woman a look before focussing on Marvin. "Why is it impossible?"
Marvin swallowed and stepped forward. "We'd have heard of something that stupid-"
"Just kill them!" Came the shout of a man behind Marvin. A few others in the crowd echoed his remark. "The non-magi are just slaves polluting our blood anyways!"
"That bastard you can have." The man said, turning to the woman. She nodded with a wide smile that hid her teeth. Then she was gone, melded into the shadows. Marvin felt a pressure on his shoulder, almost like someone had patted him on the back, and then there was a scream. The woman had materialized behind him and had grabbed ahold of the man who had shouted first. His face which was normally plump suddenly went taught and strained, and after a second, the man crumpled to the ground, his skin now clinging to his bones and turning a shade of deadly black. Nobody near him even made a move, except in shock away from them. The woman pulled away from him and walked, in full view, passed Marvin and back to the man. Only Marvin saw the trickle of blood that flitted between her teeth as she grinned. "Racism is pointless. If you want to worship Geez, go ahead and leave and create your own town somewhere else and be as stupid as you like." He glared at the crowd before him. "I know what I saw when I used Delve on the captain. His plan was for the extermination, rape, and utter destruction of all of the non-magi of Portal." Rumbling amongst the crowd.
"How do we know you aren't lying?" Came Marvin's question. He surprised himself again with just the fact that he was talking.
The man looked at him. "That has to be the best question. If you knew me, and what I stand for, you wouldn't ever question. Unfortunately, I'm commanding an army of the dead and attacking. Why not give a false justification for this invasion?" The whispers came quickly. "Well, you can always meld memories. I'm not sure if you have the power for it my good sir, but you always could to see what I have seen. You could trust me, but I doubt that many of you would be willing to do that. You could also decide to just attempt to kill me. OR" and he shouted this one, and in the magically magnified voice it caused Marvin's ears to hurt, "you can listen to the council yourself."
The Abomination stepped forward and spoke with a harsh voice. "Before! I was Althabeus Forbe!" The voice was harsh, cruel, and it made a person want a drink just be listening to it. But having heard Councilman Forbe before, Marvin heard some of the man's voice in that... thing. "I plan... killing... no magics..." It breathed hard between each set of words and Marvin found the entire creation of this thing as a horrible thing. "I make... plan... with all... captains... council... guild masters... more people... coming..."
"LIAR!" Came a shout from behind Marvin, but he didn't pay it much mind until it continued. "I wasn't a part of any-"
"Then perhaps you would like to make a pact?" The man's voice was curt and cut off the talking man, who Marvin recognized as one of the heads of the trader's guild. The creature looked furious at the man, but was quieted by a gentle touch of the woman.
The man suddenly looked uncomfortable. "Why should I do that when you're clearly lying?" He asked loudly, his voice wavering.
"Because I'm not lying, Root, son of Birch, of the Greater Flag trading guild." The man took a step back in surprise. "I performed Delve on that captain. I saw you saying a great many horrible things. These include-"
"LIAR!" Another man shouted. "There's no way you-"
"You were there too, Horatio." The man replied, turning his ire on the other interrupting man. "But that is enough. I wish to make things clear. If you have no intention of hurting the non-magi, then you have nothing to fear from me tonight unless you want to fight. I will let you go in peace if you leave everything behind."
"Define everything." Marvin asked, his eyebrow raised.
"I mean everything. I will allow you to leave with your lives, the clothes on your back, or you will all die before alarms blare again." The man was calm, his voice mellow, but the tension in it was very real.
Marvin stepped forward again. "I propose a compromise."
"I don't compromise with Magic supremacists."
Marvin gulped. "Then, perhaps a delay may be arranged. Allow us to get the women and children out of-"
"No." Marvin gulped. "Besides, as well intentioned as you appear to be, you have no authority to treat with me."
"I'll see what you've seen." Marvin said, desperately. "I'll... I'll meld memories... if it will help..."
The man stood in shock, then frowned deeply. "Expect pain from this." He walked forward, and the two gripped wrists. The memories began to flow...
Marvin gasped, his brain hating what he was seeing... what he was experiencing... It took a few minutes for Marvin to finally pull his hand away. "You're..." His eyes were wide when the man nodded with a finger placed on his lips. 'A Necromancer! I thought they were all extinct... but then why is he here? And why is he fighting for the non-magi? Why doesn't he look like they told us at the academy? Why isn't he just killing everybody because he feels like it?' These questions and more poured through the man's mind, but the man finally helped him to his feet. Marvin hadn't even noticed that he had sunk to his knees on the cobblestone. Marvin stood and turned back to the guards and other citizens. Some of whom, he now saw for what they were...
He pulled on his magic and sent a fireball at the head of the trading guild, who burned to a crisp in the blue flamed heat. Even the necromancer at his side took a step back in surprise.
"I saw... I KNOW!" He roared. He pulled on the magic more, but the Necromancer put a hand on his and he felt the magic slip from his grasp. "Interesting trick."
"I can teach you later." The necromancer whispered. "This is your final warning." He said, his voice amplified again. "Leave or die." He turned to Marvin, who was breathing hard. "Don't use magic again for a while. You used too much with the Meld and that fantastic fireball."
"Should I leave?"
"I would. It's going to be messy in a little bit." The Necromancer then turned to the crowd. "You have half an hour. Do not delay for the sake of those you hold dear." With that, the fog rolled out, and the man, the abomination, and the vampire were gone. The only reminder was the line of Zombies that filled the street and continued until it was lost by the site of the houses and the other street that led to the western quarter.
Marvin stood tall and began to walk away from the horde of Zombies. They made no move to chase him. Immediately, the crowd pressed in on him. "Is it true?" "What WAS that?" "What in the hells is going on?" "Should we leave?" "I got a wife and kids..."
"Flee if you value your lives." Marvin told the men who questioned them. He just continued to walk through the crowd until another commander came up to him.
"GET BACK IN LINE!" She ordered, "WE'LL DEAL WITH THIS-" Her final orders were cut short as Marvin plunged his sword up through the bottom of her jaw and into her mouth.
"Shut up and die Geez worshipper." Marvin said, his face cold. He pulled his sword out with minimal difficulty and then quickly stabbed the woman through the throat. 'A nicer death than she deserves.' He thought as he walked over her still twitching body and towards his home, his pregnant wife, and then, with his love in tow, towards the gates...