《Lord of the Scarlet Spire》


 Chapter 1

    Chapter 1


    For the first time in weeks, the dark mass of clouds dropped water instead of ash. The soft rain created a rhythmic tapping on rock, soil, and cloth, filling the otherwise quiet scenery. Rolling hills that had created a picturesque landscape of vibrant green grass were now well churned, leaving a sea of mud in its place. And the odd spattering of once tall pine trees were now chopped down to stumps. Their wood, harvested for palisades and homes in this remote countryside.


    On the top of one of the many hills was a stretch of grass and a tree that had snapped in half long ago but had managed to avoid man¡¯s ever-searching hands. Its wild spray of branches and withered trunk were saturated by a black rot that would keep any woodsman at bay. Its wood was twisted but the verdant red sap that had once leaked from it was long gone. Tied to the tree and two long poles pushed into the ground close by, was a stretch of cloth that made a makeshift shelter. Beneath the cloth sat a man, his back pressed against the stump, a smoldering fire just to the side, and a long-handled blade stabbed point first into the ground. Saddle bags were piled across from him, just under the tarp¡¯s protection, and down the slope a pale gray horse cropped the grass that still grew.


    The man wore plain clothes, mostly of wool and cotton. His pants were dyed brown, his loose white shirt was stained by mud and blood, and his boots, far sturdier, were made of thick leather. Laid out in what space was left was a chainmail shirt and a leather garment his people called a turterk, which was made of thick, hardened leather and studded with iron. It was sleeveless and covered the chest and back before turning into a battle skirt that had a cutout on the front for more movement.


    It was simple armaments and the man who bore them was much the same. He was young, in his mid-twenties, with tanned skin and light brown hair that hung down just past his shoulders. A scraggly beard was growing along his jawline but was a rather pitiful attempt at it, especially for his people who prized long thick beards. Or they did before everything fell apart and there were more important things to worry about.


    The man¡¯s eyes were closed but he wasn¡¯t sleeping. He simply sat and relished his moment of peace, doing his best not to think about anything while keeping watch with his ears. It wasn¡¯t hard to hear the sounds of an approaching rider through the light rainfall. He cracked an eye to see a man in soldier''s livery, a deep blue with a black bull''s head, which was relatively clean. He sighed and closed his eyes, more than likely the man wasn¡¯t a threat, just another messenger with a job.


    There was a rustling of paper as the rider dismounted then silence as he stood waiting. Cracking the eye again, he saw the man shifting nervously, scroll in hand. From the looks of him, the newcomer was younger than he was and didn¡¯t seem all that comfortable outside the safety of a settlement. With a sigh he opened his eyes and lifted his gaze, giving the stranger his full attention. It took the rider a moment to notice he was being watched as his eyes were constantly flicking side to side scanning the horizon.


    Once the realization came he snapped into straight-backed attention and proffered the rolled paper in his hand. ¡°I was sent to deliver an offer to the Easterner they call Aguerus Marus, are you him?¡±


    Ag, only his mother and a few of the sellswords he used to run with called him Aguerus gave him a long look before replying. ¡°Aye, though I doubt it matters that I¡¯m from the East anymore. Haven¡¯t you heard? the world ended.¡±


    The younger man frowned, slightly confused. ¡°Umm, yes, well, I¡¯m supposed to give this to you.¡±


    Ag contemplated staying where he was but he took pity on the poor boy and stood. ¡°Alright hand it over, let¡¯s see what you¡¯ve brought me.¡±


    He stood with a groan as he remembered the stiff back he¡¯d had all day and took the rolled paper. It was short and to the point which Ag was glad for. Whatever lords were left were overly fond of waffling on about the years before everything had ended and their claims to whatever power they had just to make their jobs seem more legitimate. If only they¡¯d realize no one cared who they were so long as they paid in food and steel.


    The letter read:


    Aguerus Marus, your services are required on a matter most urgent.


    Your skills come highly recommended by a member of the Black Guild.


    You are summoned to appear before his Lordship Andelmar Andel in Perouth.


    Rewards for the job as well as the job details shall be provided on arrival.


    ¡°Andelmar Andel.¡± Ag mused. ¡°Which high and mighty pain in the ass is this?¡±


    The messenger bristled at the comment, his pale face flushing with anger on behalf of his lord. ¡°His Lordship Andel is the finest lord to grace our land.¡± He snapped. ¡°The First Hand of the King and Ruler of the Western March.¡±


    Ag grunted. ¡°Sounds insufferable.¡± He tossed the letter back to the boy and spun on his heel. He snatched up the chainmail shirt and put it on before buckling his belt and going for his turterk. ¡°Well, mount up lad, you¡¯d best show me where Perouth is in this god''s forsaken land.¡±


    The man hesitated a moment, his eyes locking onto the diseased trunk Ag had been leaning against. ¡°What about that?¡± He asked.


    Ag looked at it then back at the messenger. ¡°What about it?¡±


    ¡°You could¡¯ve gotten sick from it. If the sap touched you¡­¡±


    Ag scoffed. ¡°There¡¯s no sap left in the thing. Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know how to stay away from the plague after I¡¯ve lived this long. Now mount up.¡±


    The man hesitated still but Ag shot him an angry and suspicious look, a common reaction to anyone seen near signs of the plague. Nevertheless, the younger man climbed into the saddle.


    __________


    It was hard to tell what time of day it was through all the clouds but if Ag had to guess he¡¯d assume it was near midday. A slight wind had picked up, making what sparse grass there was sway in the breeze. Strapped to Ags¡¯ back was Huk, from the hoop at the base of its nearly three-foot-long leather-bound hilt to the leather strap across his chest that kept its scabbard in place. The blade was a bit over two feet, slightly curved, and far thicker than most swords. Over the years Huk had become adorned with a few trinkets. Teeth from various animals, colorful feathers, a pair of bone dice he¡¯d punched holes through for a string, and a myriad of other items he¡¯d gathered from his travels.


    As they rode they had a good view of the vast stretches of what had once been thick grass but had, over the past decade, been trampled to mud by passing hordes. Off in the distance were the corpses of buildings and men, ripped apart. A parenting gift left by the world''s new masters Just a few more signs of the world''s new masters. The messenger was looking at all of it with wide-eyed horror.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°Have you not seen all this before?¡± Ag asked


    The man replied with a silent shake of the head and Ag nodded in confirmation. ¡°Everything falls to the plague.¡± He muttered darkly. ¡°The few that aren¡¯t ripped apart are twisted and deformed, like that tree back there. Watch out for yourself, and you may avoid that fate, at least for a bit longer.¡±


    The rain still fell, soft and light, but just enough to work its way through any opening in Ag¡¯s clothes so within a few hours he was soaked to the skin. The weather only served to sour his mood and he hoped the lute strapped to the back of his saddle would be alright in its leather case. Any other part of his equipment he could replace but the lute? Every settlement had a dozen swordsmiths or armorers but it seemed the end of the world made for a poor selection of instrument makers.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re from the East?¡±


    The question almost made Ag jump. The soldier beside him had been silent since they¡¯d left and he¡¯d felt no urge to break it. ¡°Yeah.¡± He replied after a moment. ¡°Not far east but still East.¡±


    ¡°Your name doesn¡¯t sound Eastern.¡±


    Ag snorted. ¡°It¡¯s not. You can blame my da for that.¡± He chuckled to himself. ¡°He was a Southerner, a fine upstanding citizen of the Empire.¡± He chuckled to himself. No one who¡¯d ever met his da would have ever described him as a fine example of an imperial citizen. To the Easterners, he was a very cultured man, but to the Empire, he had been nearly a savage. Perhaps that was why he¡¯d run off east and married his mom. He''d been as much an Easterner as anyone born there but he¡¯d never quite left his roots behind. Ag wasn¡¯t sorry about his name not being Eastern, he liked it well enough, and if his da had chosen an Easterner''s name, it would¡¯ve just been another set of grunts to add to his mother¡¯s lineage.


    ¡°So what¡¯s your name?¡± Ag asked, not because he really cared but just to have something to do on the long ride.


    ¡°Martine.¡±


    Ag smiled. ¡°Now that¡¯s a Western name for sure.¡±


    His horse snorted as if in agreement and he patted the animal''s neck. That snort seemed only the beginning though as both horses began fidgeting and snorting nervously. Ag¡¯s gaze immediately snapped up to scan the area around. Humans didn¡¯t make the horses act like this even if they weren¡¯t familiar, but the plague-ridden¡­that was another story.


    ¡°Eyes up.¡± Ag barked and instinctively reached for his weapon.


    Martine looked around wildly, his fear rising with the struggle to keep his horse in check. ¡°What is it?¡± He asked. To his credit, his voice didn¡¯t have any tremble in it, which at least meant he probably wasn¡¯t completely useless.


    Ag didn¡¯t reply; he instead spurred his horse to the top of the next rise and found the source of the animal''s fear. Below them was the corpse of a deer, at least it looked like a deer. It was hard to tell with all the flesh that had been ripped off and the blood soaking what was left. The thing that had killed it was still there, crouching over the corpse, shoveling handfuls of raw meat into its mouth. The dull light and rain made it hard to see clearly but made its eyes pop out starkly as it turned to look at them.


    ¡°Gods above.¡± Martine hissed as he rode up beside Ag. ¡°It¡¯s one of them.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Ag grumbled as he slipped off his horse and drew his weapon.


    The plague-ridden creature stood, its body a twisted and deformed shadow of a man. What skin was unmarred by red veins and the creeping layer of black, stoney growths was pale gray. Its eyes shone with a red manic light, its hair had long ago fallen out and was being replaced by growths of what looked like stone. Through its tattered remnants of clothes, he could see more patches of it along with the new layer of skin. That was how they¡¯d gotten the name Stone Skin, he guessed it was also because plague-ridden was too hard to say for some people.


    The thing stared at him, a clicking coming from deep in its throat, its talon-like fingers clenching and unclenching. It stiffened for a moment, becoming, perfectly, unnaturally still then it screamed. It was a guttural sound and the act of doing it seemed to spur the creature forward. It charged him, its hand swiping horizontally in a wild strike.


    Ag ducked the blow swiping his blade across its stomach as he did. An overly bright red stream oozed from it, too thick for blood. The beast screamed and twisted around seemingly unaffected by the gushing red liquid spilling out of it. It charged again and Ag had to backpedal quickly to avoid the swipes from its claws. It managed to scrape the front of his leather armor but the strike left it exposed and he took the opportunity to jab his blade into its neck. He twisted around behind it and grabbed the stoney growths on its head, pulling back as he ripped the blade out, leaving a gash down to the spine.


    It stumbled on, still flailing, as its head sagged and lolled from either side with no muscles to support it. A gurgling sound came from it as it twisted around to face him. Ag didn¡¯t give it the chance at a last charge, gripping the hilt of his blade with both hands he swung a powerful blow that took the thing''s head off. It fell backward, hitting the ground with a spray of blood from the stump of its neck.


    Ag looked down on the creature dispassionately before turning on his heel and walking back to the horse. Martine had sat motionless on his horse through the short fight and finally stirred as Ag joined him.


    ¡°Thanks for the help.¡± He said.


    ¡°Sorry.¡± He muttered. ¡°You seemed to have it handled. I didn¡¯t want to get in your way.¡±


    Ag sighed. ¡°No matter. Let''s move off, where there¡¯s one there¡¯s more and I¡¯m not keen to meet his friends.¡± He looked down at himself, noting the spray of already drying blood that coated the front of his armor. ¡°And now I''ve got to wash this again.¡± He spat at the corpse as they rode past then laughed. ¡°What a way to start the day.¡±


    __________


    Two days of riding had brought them across the hills towards the coast. The sky had cleared somewhat but the rainy season had only just started and there¡¯d be more to come. The wind had picked up the closer they got to the inland sea. Most called it the Teardrop Lake but it was far too large to be a lake in Ag¡¯s opinion. It was at least shaped roughly like a teardrop and there were legends aplenty as to why it was called that, most so far-fetched it was impossible to even begin to believe them.


    On the shores of the sea was a decent-sized town surrounded by a wooden wall with a dirt embankment behind it and a short but fairly thick-looking keep near the center. ¡°Is that it?¡± Ag asked. ¡°Perouth or whatever it was called.¡±


    ¡°Aye,¡± Martine replied. The boy¡¯s spirits seemed to have lifted the closer they¡¯d gotten and he was nearly giddy with excitement to return to the safety of a walled town.


    ¡°Well, we best get a move on. From my experience, the high and mighty don¡¯t like to be kept waiting.¡± With that, Ag spurred his horse forward and Martine was not long in following.


    The approach to the town was more empty than the hills save for the bodies. The mud must have stretched for nearly a mile around and hundreds of feet had turned the ground into an uneven mess. Craters were marked from either a sort of catapult or rock-throwing ballista and the nearer you got to the walls the thicker the corpses littered the ground. A great many were old and decaying yet their stone markings betrayed what they were. The newer ones were far fewer and most were piled by the wooden wall. A path had been cleared to the gate with piles of corpses walling it in nearly as high as their horses.


    ¡°Your countrymen don¡¯t seem to be too kind to their neighbors,¡± Ag remarked, scanning the many bodies.


    Martine shot him a look as if to check if he was serious. ¡°No, we don¡¯t and I doubt yours are any more kindly.¡± He didn¡¯t speak for a long moment then said, ¡°There shouldn¡¯t be this many. The burn piles would have already started.¡±


    ¡°Seems your little slice of paradise is becoming more and more popular with the locals. Some of these fellas don¡¯t look more than a day old.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve been seeing more of late,¡± Martine whispered, riding close to Ag as if he were imparting a great secret. ¡°The hordes, I mean. We used to see them once a month if that, and they weren¡¯t usually very large. Now it''s twice a month and they just keep coming with more.¡±


    ¡°Fascinating,¡± Ag replied, leaning closer to Martine. ¡°Why are we whispering?¡±


    The younger man glanced up at the guards at the gate before replying. ¡°His Lordship doesn¡¯t want the soldiers talking about it. Bad for morale, the officers say.¡±


    Ag nodded as the gates creaked open, the thick, solid wood doors pulled from behind by two men each. Ag kicked his horse forward, mulling over what Martine had said. More and more every month. That wasn¡¯t good for anyone. It seemed the West might not be as safe as he¡¯d thought.


    ¡°Where¡¯s this lord of yours.¡± He asked. ¡°I wouldn''t mind getting through with this job as quickly as I can.¡±

 Chapter 2

    Chapter 2


    The town of Perouth was at least busy upon first look. The earthen mound piled behind the wall meant there were no houses crowded against it and set back from the gateway was an open market area of some kind. Folk from all around pedaled what wares they had their voices loud and welcoming if their eyes had the dark haunted look everyone¡¯s seemed to. Ag took the time to look over what they were selling from a distance as he rode through. Whether or not he stayed in the West, he could at least have one go at trading from the rewards he got from the job.


    There was an array of varied items from scraps of steel, iron, and leather armor. Leather was the most common seeing as it didn¡¯t take nearly as much effort to obtain the materials. The large cattle that roamed the western hills provided the merchants with furs and leathers, milk, cheese, butter, and beef to sell. Vegetables could be seen though bread was scarce as the area needed for a good crop of wheat was hard to come by. Fish was by far the most prevalent item for sale to no one''s surprise. Ag reckoned fish and boats were the only things he could buy for cheap here although the distinct lack of trees in the surrounding area might make the boat market somewhat more pricey.


    Ag and his guide passed through the market, catching the eye of almost everyone around. Outsiders were rare anywhere and a stranger riding into town was always worth noticing if only to hear the stories of the wider world. The path they followed wound up a low hill towards the squat keep, houses crowded the sides of the lane and the common folk had to press against the walls of houses to avoid their horse''s hooves. The keep itself, though small, was rather sturdy looking. Thick stones had been used to build it and even with the clinging patches of moss that grew on it there was an air of stubborn long life to the building as if it was saying that small though it was it could stand the test of time. The area around it was clear of houses as it was given sole ownership of the hill''s peak and the churned muddy area around it had nearly as much motion going on as the market.


    Soldiers tramped around on their routes, stablehands were brushing and feeding horses in a small paddock, and large armored wagons were being pushed aside from the entrance of the keep. The wagons were Ag¡¯s first clue as to who had recommended him. From the front of one hung a banner of scarlet with a black hand crushing a skull, a rather artful banner as they went, most folk, even lords, tended to keep the design simple. It was the sign of the Black Hand, a clan of mercenaries and stone skin hunters, or human hunters if you paid enough.


    ¡°How many of those fools from the company did your lord hire?¡± Ag asked as he and Martine reigned their horses in and dismounted.


    Martine allowed a stable hand to take his horse before turning to face Ag. ¡°You¡¯ll find that out soon enough. And weren¡¯t you a member of the company yourself?¡±


    Ag chuckled. ¡°I was then I wised up enough to see their leader was a crackpot looking to make a kingdom for himself off of our backs. I may be a fool but I¡¯m not that foolish. How¡¯d you know I was with them anyway?¡±


    ¡°I was sent to find you, they told me some about you. Not much but some.¡±


    ¡°All good I hope,¡± Ag replied, striking what he hoped was a dashing pose. ¡°All tales of a brave and noble soldier I¡¯m sure.¡±


    ¡°Hardly,¡± Martine replied with a sniff. ¡°I heard you were good enough at swinging the pigsticker on your back but lousy at most anything else required of a soldier.¡±


    Ag deflated under Martines¡¯ haughty expression in an over-dramatic show of disappointment. ¡°Well, at least they didn¡¯t lie to you.¡± He slapped the younger man¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Come on then, let''s not keep the lordship and his hired crew of morons waiting.¡±


    Ag started towards the doors of the keep, Martine following after a moment''s hesitation. The doors were pulled open to reveal a grand if somewhat cramped dining hall. Its stone walls were decently high and thick wooden pillars and rafters supported the stone roof. Torches and candles were in brackets or alcoves and provided decent light along with the fire in the large fireplace. That seemed to be the one spot in the keep that had gotten a bit of special attention. The stone mantle and the stone all around it were carved into swirling depictions of great battles and duels although if they were from history, myth, or religious texts, he wasn¡¯t sure. The hall was crowded, mostly with servants and soldiers but there were also more than a few stranger types crowding around the table, and from the sounds, it seemed like they had found some particularly good mead.


    At the head of the table sat a man who had to be Lord Andelmar Andel. He looked at the men and women before him with an air of clear superiority, his green eyes tracking any who moved. Raven black hair was swept back over his head and a short beard only served to highlight his pale skin. He was dressed in subdued finery, a simple open-fronted jacket, and a shirt made of very fine material without the excess of years before. This was a man who knew his status but also knew the world they lived in. His eyes locked on Ag as soon as he entered and he felt suddenly uncomfortable under the scrutiny.


    The lord stood and made his way around the table and waved Ag and Martine to approach as he did. Martine immediately sprang into motion, his eagerness to do as his lord commanded was almost amusing. Ag took his time, following just behind Martine but taking the time to scan the men crowding the table. These Western men seemed to all have either blonde or light brown hair, although they were more neatly trimmed than Ag¡¯s kin in the East were. Most seemed natives of the land but a few stood out to him.


    One was a woman, that was surprising enough in this company, but she was not the boisterous warrior you¡¯d expect to see. Slim framed and dressed in travelers garb, her small size was a stark contrast to the large men surrounding her although her long, braided blonde hair marked her as a local. She laughed with a few of the men and Ag was surprised to recognize one. Torvun Urg, a suitably Eastern name for a very Eastern man. His hair was gray, which wasn¡¯t uncommon for easterners, and as wild as any from Ag¡¯s homeland. That, paired with his shaggy beard, made him very clearly stand out from the rest. He laughed louder than the rest and seemed to outdrink them as well.


    To Torvun¡¯s right sat the woman and beside her sat a shifty-eyed man with the same black hair as the lord. Ag doubted they were related in any way other than the fact they were both Southerners. His eyes roamed as much as the lords had and they quickly found Ag and Martine making their way around the large table. His expression never changed but he was appraising Ag as much as he appraised the shifty man. There was no more time for sightseeing as they met the lord at the side of the table.


    ¡°Ah.¡± The Lord said as he neared the two. ¡°From your dress, I assume you are the easterner the captain of the company told us about?¡±


    ¡°Aye, m¡¯lord,¡± Ag said, knuckling his brow. It wasn¡¯t a proper greeting for a noble but it was as much as the lord of this manor would get. Ag had no love for nobles, he¡¯d heard much from his father¡¯s time in the empire and after the world fell apart he¡¯d seen more than one highborn leave the common folk to die while they cowered behind walls.


    ¡°Quite a town you¡¯ve got here and a fancy keep to boot.¡±


    Lord Andelmar smiled graciously at the comment but it wasn¡¯t hard to miss the fact that it never reached his eyes. ¡°Indeed, though I do hope to change where I reside shortly. I understand you have questions regarding the task I have for you but that will all come in time. For now, enjoy the food and the company. I¡¯m sure your kinsman would like to catch up.¡±


    With that, the lord of Perouth gave another smile and made his way back to his seat. Ag glanced in the direction he¡¯d seen Torvun sitting and found the man right where he¡¯d been. Torvun had noticed Ag and his face broke into a huge and familiar smile as their eyes met. Ag couldn¡¯t help but smile back and make his way around the crowded table as Torvun waved at him.


    The man who sat beside Torvun, a local by the looks of him, was swaying slightly where he sat, his eyes closed, hand just barely holding on to his mug of ale. Torvun gave him a hearty shove which made him pitch backwards off the bench and crash onto the floor. The sudden fall was met with a chorus of laughs, Torvun loudest among them. The drunk did little in the way of retaliation other than weakly reach for the back of his head which must have whacked against the wooden floor. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    Ag took the now open space and Torvun shoved a mug into his hand. ¡°Aguerus my boy!¡± the huge man shouted. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you¡¯re still alive and kicking. I was nearly sure you¡¯d wound up a snack for the stone skins or worse, a fetching young lass who made you settle down in your prime.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to disappoint you on both counts, old man. I wasn¡¯t worried about you in the slightest, you¡¯re too stubborn to die and with that face, any young lass would run for the hills.¡± Ag replied with a laugh. ¡°But who knows, mayhaps a stone-skinned woman will find you a worthy husband.¡±


    Torvund let out a bellowing laugh that would have sounded fake coming from anyone else but the big man¡¯s laughs were never anything other than completely genuine. ¡°If you find me a stone skin with a good body and most of her hair, maybe I¡¯ll take the opportunity to settle down. Say hello to my new compatriots, the distinguished Lady Genine and the not-so-distinguished Marus.¡±


    Ag gave them both courteous nods which were returned. The man, Marus, more than likely wouldn¡¯t have given anything more and the woman seemed far too flustered by the crowded room to manage anything else.


    ¡°Anyone here know what the job¡¯s all about?¡± Ag asked. ¡°I had to wake up from a rather pleasant nap to be here and I¡¯d like to know why.¡±


    Torvund shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ve heard as much as you but whatever it is there was enough reward promised to get the First Sword of the clan interested. Who can say with these noble types; sometimes it¡¯s a big payout for petty grudges, sometimes it¡¯s killing more stone skins than you can count.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯d you get these two to sign up for your crackpot clan anyway?¡± Ag asked before taking a swig of ale and looking for something mostly intact to eat.


    ¡°Crackpots are we?¡± Torvund laughed. ¡°If we are, you¡¯re included in that since you did run with us for nearly a year. Or have you forgotten?¡±


    ¡°No, I remember alright but at least I was smart enough to leave when the first sword started going mad.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not mad, Ag.¡± His smile lessened somewhat. ¡°He¡¯s just got big ideas. And yes I do think they might be too big for him to handle but I trust the man to steer us clear of anything bad.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Ag drawled. ¡°I trust him when he¡¯s rational but from what I¡¯ve heard he gets worse by the day. I mean all his talk about making an empire like the one from a century ago and all this being the wrath of the gods like those crazies that broke from the church when all hell broke loose. Even you have to admit it''s pretty crazy.¡±


    ¡°Aye, I¡¯ll admit he¡¯s getting worse and some of his ideas ain¡¯t the best,¡± Torvund mumbled, looking uncharacteristically uncomfortable. ¡°But I keep clear of all that. They give me a job and I do it then I get paid, simple as that.¡±


    Ag shifted, Torvund¡¯s awkwardness making him feel guilty. ¡°So your two friends?¡± He asked again, steering the conversation to a less testy subject.


    ¡°Three, actually,¡± Torvund said, patting Ag on the shoulder in thanks. ¡°The third doesn¡¯t come to these sorts of things but you¡¯ll see him later. As for these two, Marus joined up after his clan got ripped apart by stone skins. Genine, well, I¡¯m not too sure when she joined. She keeps herself to herself and I¡¯m all good with that.¡±


    Ag nodded and looked the two over again. Genine was fiddling with something in her lap and whatever it was had her attention fully. Marus was looking right back at him, his lanky black hair shadowing his eyes to mere pinpricks of reflected candlelight.


    ¡°What was your clan?¡±


    ¡°Crows.¡± The man¡¯s voice was rather raspy as if it was little used.


    Ag waited for anything else to be said then hefted his mug and downed the rest of the ale. ¡°Well, this will be fun.¡± He muttered and Torvund clapped him on the back with enough force to shove him forward onto the table.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have a wonderful time, lad.¡± He bellowed. ¡°Now, drink up so we can finally find out what it is we¡¯re doing and get a good night''s rest.¡±


    Ag did just that, finding a pitcher of ale and refilling his mug before pilfering the more desirable bits of food off platters and plates.


    __________


    The sun was quickly approaching the horizon, its glowing bulk sinking behind the waters of the inland sea. The orange light cut through the haze that had been present throughout the day, the clouds and mist catching the light and turning the sky above the sea into a burning expanse. Ag watched the sun sing through a slit window, the best there was in this stubby tower. The other two windows allowed for thin vertical beams of light to illuminate the room before the candles and fireplace of the lord''s office would be left as the only source of light.


    The Lord himself sat at a great wooden desk with large bookshelves lining the curve of the wall behind him. A plush rug of what looked like bear fur covered the room''s center and along the sides were a few scattered chairs and small tables as well as more bookshelves. Joining Ag and Lord Andelmar was Torvund, who was perched on one of the chairs although he was so large he barely fit. The big man¡¯s companions had followed him, Genine scanned the many shelves of books while Marus leaned against the wall away from the light. The wooden doors of the office swung open and a fourth man walked in. He was quite different from all the others in the room both in appearance and bearing. The dirty blonde hair of most Westerners was pulled back in a small ponytail while his beard was cut short and neatly trimmed. His eyes had none of the suspicion of Marus or Andelmar or the hidden danger of Torvund. Everything about him, from the way he walked to the small smile on his face exuded an air of openness that most men of these times had long lost.


    ¡°Ah,¡± Torvund said, making to rise then stopping himself. ¡°This is the man I brought with me, Ag. Meet Esker Delmon, our on-hand scholar, and unwelcome preacher.¡±


    Esker proffered a hand to Ag who took it. ¡°Good to meet you. I can¡¯t help but wonder what a preacher is doing with this crowd. I assumed all the religious folk were killed off by stone skins and the like when all this went down.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately that is largely true,¡± Esker replied, his expression turning somber. ¡°A great many noblemen and women died when the world was consumed by this madness. Very few are left of true faith.¡±


    Ag nodded, unsure how to respond to that so he said nothing, a safe bet in his experience. He¡¯d never been one for religion. He supposed he believed but hadn¡¯t given it much thought and in recent years just staying alive had taken most of his attention.


    Lord Andelmar cleared his throat, saving Ag from having to say anything else to Esker, and stood. ¡°Gentlemen and lady Genine, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re all very curious as to why I¡¯ve summoned you here. The job I have planned for you is a matter of great secrecy and to keep the secret I was obliged to keep my proposal to you all rather vague. Now I can tell you what it is that needs doing plainly.¡±


    He picked up a large, rolled-up parchment that had been leaning on the desk and unrolled it, beckoning them forward. It was a rather detailed map of the local area and near its southeastern edge was a location marked in red ink.


    ¡°This,¡± The lord began, pointing at the marked spot. ¡°Is your job. Castle Toulon, most of you may know it as the Scarlet Spire was my family''s great fortress. This plague on our lands has been going for nearly two decades but when it first began our stronghold withstood any attack until we were betrayed. Our court wizard, Balasar, turned on us. I learned later what he was, one of the Red Captains, but at the time we had no knowledge they even existed. Most of my family was slaughtered and the keep was overrun by stone skin under his control. You are going to take it back for me.¡±


    Silence greeted the proclamation. Ag nearly laughed but Torvund actually did. The sheer incredulity of the request made it seem unreal. ¡°Take back a castle,¡± Torvund said when he had stopped laughing. ¡°I have four with me, including Ag, and you promised ten men. How do you suggest we do that?¡±


    ¡°Why would you even want the castle back?¡± Ag asked. ¡°You already have a fortified town. A castle just means more protection for a few.¡±


    Andelmar didn¡¯t respond until he was sure no one else was laughing or asking questions. ¡°To address the first question, I only need a few for my plan. You are not meant to storm the castle, just kill Balasar. I know a secret way in, through the buried crypts, From there you will kill the traitor which will leave his stone skin weak and confused. When I arrive with my full force we will sweep them aside and take the castle.¡±


    ¡°And my question? Why do you suddenly want a castle?¡± Ag asked.


    The lord flipped the map. It showed the same area but was covered in lines of red from the south, east, and north. ¡°The hordes are becoming worse. When this all began, we saw one maybe once in a year then a few in a year. They have begun coming once a month and even more recently within a few weeks of each other. I don¡¯t know the reason why but what I do know is that our walls are not all that high, our gate is not all that strong, and all it would take is one Red Captain to break a hole in our defenses and leave us at the mercy of the hordes.¡± He looked at them, one by one. ¡°We need better defenses if we are to weather the coming storm.¡±


    Again, silence greeted him, but this time no one broke it with a laugh.


    ¡°So, all we need to do is travel down there, dodging hordes, sneak into a castle infested with stone skins, and kill a Red Captain,¡± Ag said. He looked at Torvund. ¡°Whatever the reward was, I say you push for a little more.¡±


    ¡°Take some time,¡± Andelmar said, rolling up the map. ¡°Think about it. And tell me your answer in the morning.¡± With that the door opened and the group left.

 Chapter 3

    Chapter 3


    Morning came once again and it was as dreary and cloudy as the day before. The wet season had come to the west, a time for planting and growing crops, a time of life and regrowth. Little regrowth would happen, at least not in the fields. Ag remembered a far off hilltown that was nearly perfectly defended with fields dug into high hills guarded on all sides by cliffs and rock walls. He¡¯d nearly stayed there. His mother was there, alone. There was no home for him, that was what he¡¯d told himself. Not after his father, his friends, and the woman he¡¯d loved more than anything in the world had all been taken from him.


    He remembered a night that had been black and starless, as black as black could be, save for the fires. He¡¯d stood, holding his mother tight, as everyone and everything had been ripped to pieces below him. That was nearly four years ago, now he was older, stronger, and knew how to kill.


    He sighed, pulling his mind away from memories he¡¯d rather let be. Their small company had ridden out from Perouth at first light, assumed first light at least, it had been hard to tell if the sun had actually risen. Of course they¡¯d ridden out, the preacher man Esker had been filled with a zealous drive to save any he could from the coming swarms. Torvund had been taken by the challenge and Ag had to admit he had been too. Killing a Red Captain was a feat few had achieved and if they pulled it off the tales they could tell would be legendary. For Ag the chance to kill a Red Captain also meant vengeance for him.


    The Red Captains were also the reason there weren¡¯t many mages left in the world. When the plague had spread everyone feared death but those with the gift of magic had found that though their new enemy was a ravenous beast it could be tamed. Any mage with enough power suddenly had an army at their fingertips and most found their new, even greater power, led down a path of conquest and slaughter. Mages of all casts became targets, the mere existence of their power a threat to anyone without.


    Ag looked across their train of riders, some fifteen including the company from the Black Hands he had apparently joined. Torvund led them, Marus close behind, while Ag, Esker, and Genine led the soldiers from the lord. Torvund seemed in good spirits, whistling a jolly riding tune while Marus watched the surrounding area from beneath his hood. Esker was writing, which was apparently normal for him. He had a small wooden writing stand that was tied to the front of his saddle and a small leather bound notebook was held to it by strips of cord. Genine didn¡¯t seem to do much of anything as they rode, other than occasionally pulling something from beneath her cloak to fiddle with. Ag swore she kept shooting sideways glances at him but he could never catch her doing it. Something was off about the woman, but he couldn¡¯t quite decide what.


    ¡°What are you writing, preacher?¡± Ag asked.


    Esker didn¡¯t respond for a moment, his quill scratching away at the paper for long enough that Ag wasn¡¯t sure if he was being ignored or if the man just hadn¡¯t heard him. He¡¯d very nearly gone back to staring ahead aimlessly when the response came.


    ¡°Notes, my thoughts it guess you could say, on the world as it was and how it is now. All I''ve done and seen and everyone I¡¯ve met.¡±


    ¡°Ah I see.¡± He very nearly left it at that then a thought occurred to him. ¡°Does that mean I¡¯ll be in your little book?¡±


    ¡°Yes. The less crucial parts but most likely.¡±


    ¡°Ouch.¡± Ag replied with a chuckle. ¡°Good to know I¡¯m not all that important.¡±


    Esker finally looked up at him, a confused expression on his face until he¡¯d realized what he¡¯d said. ¡°Oh. No no, not like that. It¡¯s just that the people, places, and events I see are only the first half of my work. The greater whole is dedicated to faith and how we all fit into the plan.¡±


    ¡°Plan?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the plan of the gods.¡±


    ¡°You think all this is part of some plan?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps. That¡¯s why I¡¯m writing it down for later research.¡±


    Ag nodded. He¡¯d not had much interest in matters of faith. He¡¯d had two sets of gods when he was a child, his fathers imperial gods, personifications of human acts and personalities given the power of all creation and he¡¯d had his mothers gods. There had been far fewer of those since they had been representations of nature itself. They had far less to do with mankind than the imperial pantheon but they were ever present.


    The thought of all of this, the death and destruction, being part of a plan made him wonder just what gods Esker worshiped. ¡°So why are you here?¡± He asked.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I mean why are you here? What¡¯s a preacher man doing with a clan of sellswords hired to kill men and monsters? Shouldn¡¯t you be in some monastery pondering the stuff in your book?¡±


    ¡°I suppose.¡± Esker replied, laying his pen sideways on the notepad. ¡°But if I was in a monastery I wouldn¡¯t have a book to ponder would I?¡±Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    ¡°I suppose not.¡±


    ¡°To answer your question, I would have to say I am here to study the world, and its new inhabitants. A company of sellswords seemed the safest and easiest way to do that and I have to say it is. I have studied the effect of the plague on man, beast, and even on the plants and animals around us. I have learned much so I will continue to learn until I feel I am done.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough I suppose.¡± Ag replied.


    ¡°Let me ask you this.¡± Esker said, twisting in his saddle to face Ag. ¡°What has brought an easterner, born of a southern father, to the west?¡±


    ¡°Same thing as what brought every other traveler this way.¡± The image of the burning village flashed through his mind, the screams of the dying ringing in his ears. ¡°Everyone I ever knew died.¡±


    He twisted in his saddle, looking back at the rest of the column and noticed the young soldier, Martine, riding behind Genine. ¡°What have you got to say lad?¡± He asked, raising his voice so the younger man would hear over the sound of horses hooves.


    Martine started, surprised to be included in the conversation. ¡°Sir?¡±


    Ag laughed, ¡°I¡¯m no sir. Not by a long stretch.¡± He hefted his lute. ¡°What did you think of my song last night?¡±


    A sideways glance to Genine showed how nervous the boy was, looking for help even from another member of the outsiders. ¡°Its good.¡± His face got very red after that.


    ¡°Not a music man I take it.¡± Ag muttered. ¡°Well then tell us something else, What brings a fresh faced boy out on a job like this? Wouldn¡¯t you have rathered stay behind the walls?¡±


    ¡°I will not hide behind walls.¡± Martine proclaimed, sitting up straight in his saddle. ¡°Not after what they did to my father.¡±


    ¡°What did they do to your da?¡± Ag asked, though he knew the answer, there was really only one thing stone skin ever did to you.


    Martine shrank down in his saddle and for a moment Ag thought he wouldn¡¯t respond. It seemed he¡¯d just needed a moment to get his emotions in check because he eventually replied. ¡°Pulled him off the wall, while he was on watch a few months back. Ripped him to bits. There wasn¡¯t enough left to even bury.¡± His voice faltered at the end, his sorrow catching up with his words.


    ¡°When did you join the guard?¡± Ag asked, his tone softening.


    ¡°A few months back.¡±


    Ag nodded, ¡°Sorry for your loss.¡± He twisted back around, giving the boy a break. ¡°Well that got dark quick.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m curious as to what you thought would be the reason.¡± Esker replied. ¡°He¡¯s here for the same reason as any of them. Duty or vengeance, they both lead to the same road.¡±


    ¡°So what¡¯s it for you?¡±


    Esker sat a moment, taking a long breath of the cool air. ¡°Duty.¡± He glanced at Ag.


    ¡°Vengance.¡±


    __________


    Far off to the southeast, over the rainy hills of the west and through the shadows of the Umber Forest stood the Scarlet Spire. A curved slope of land had crawled up the side of a mountain and at its peak stood the ancient castle. It was an imposing sight, with high walls of dark stone set high above the deep green peaks of the pines all around but it was nothing out of the ordinary for castles until you saw the spire. It wasn¡¯t made of the same dark stone as the walls but some other type colored a stark red that had only faded lightly over the many centuries it had stood.


    Near its towering peak was a balcony that jutted out into the open air. A figure stood at its top, a red cloak swirling about his shoulders, black armor beneath gleaming dully in the clouded sunlight. His hair was long as was his beard and was now more gray than brown, the untidy mess of both was swept back by the wind rising from the land below. Far below the man was the castle that had sprung up around the tower and in its courtyard were the faint figures of soldiers training. These were the few real men he still had, two dozen at most though they were quite skilled. His true army was in the forest beyond the heights the castle rested on.


    He could see them, even now with the faint fog that was steadily growing and the canopy of pines. His eyes were not those of normal men, they pierced the obstructions and found the legion that was at his beck and call. A writhing mass twisted below the trees, their disfigured bodies clambering over one another in endless overlapping circles. That was what he had told them to do, he didn¡¯t remember why, perhaps he¡¯d thought it funny.


    As he watched the plague ridden beasts move below he heard the voice whispering in his mind. It spoke to him night and day, sometimes it made sense, gave him orders to follow or wisdom to use, most of the time the inane ramblings meant nothing and were often in other languages. He hated it and loved it. It had guided him to the power he¡¯d craved yet now shackled him to this tower until his work was done. The tower was a structure made in the mists of time and now most men saw only the wonder of its height and the strength of the slightly less ancient castle around it. The tower was a capstone that held back the festering power in the world''s heart and he had been tasked with managing it, guiding the power to the world again. The plague had come from it, not from the tower itself but some other location and he had also been tasked with refining it.


    He twisted around, a sudden sense of someone watching him putting him on edge. No one else was in the sparsely decorated chambers at the tower''s peak. Still he felt the eyes on him. A knock on the door took his attention and a moment later he¡¯d swung the heavy wooden door open and found his lieutenant standing outside. Gomon was a tall man with pale skin and blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail. He was clad in similar black armor as Balasar but unlike his captain, Gomon was a man whose mind was enslaved. He stared not quite at Balasar but just to the side.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Balasar asked, his voice harsh with irritation at the disturbance.


    ¡°My captain, the prisoner is awake.¡± Gomon replied, his voice was flat and unaffected by any emotion.


    ¡°Very good. Come lieutenant, let us see what our guest has to say for himself.¡±


    The two marched the long climb down in silence. The spiraled down the tower, passing floor after unoccupied floor until they reached the base then went further down. Deep beneath the tower was a fast chamber that seemed to echo ceaselessly with the terrible sounds of another world. They did not enter the great chamber but instead went down a side passage to a row of cells.


    All were empty save one. Within its confined space huddled a lone figure. ¡°So my friend.¡± Balasar intoned and his voice made the man shrink back. ¡°What do you have to tell us today?¡±

 Chapter 4

    Chapter 4


    Fires lit the night as Ag scrambled up the slope. He glanced back, down the rocky hill and out over the stoney landscape of his homeland to where his village burned. Eyes filled with a bloody red light followed him and the rest of those that had escaped, their chittering sounds floated up to him on the wind, spurring him to move faster. Onward he scrambled, his left arm flaring with pain with every move, the long gash on it still leaking blood. He clung desperately to the long handled weapon his father had pushed into his hands, its blade already stained by the creature''s blood. Down below he could still hear the screams and heard the crack of magical power as the Red Captain laid waist to what was left of his tribe.


    His mother scrambled beside him, her breath coming in shallow gasps. She was by no means old but the struggle of the fight just to escape the confines of the village had been a hard one and she had more than one injury to deal with. She held an ax that had once been used for chopping wood but had been repurposed for killing. His father was not with them, the last Ag had seen of him was in the village square, in full imperial armor, facing down a swarm led by a Red Captain. He¡¯d bought them time and had probably died to do it. Ag had no time to mourn his fathers death or the deaths of any of the others he¡¯d come to know in his sixteen years of living. Murda was down there, he knew she was dead, he¡¯d held her mangled corpse before his father had pulled him away.


    They reached the hill''s peak and looked out over the village, a small cluster of houses creating a light that illuminated most of the valley they¡¯d called home. There were a dozen of them on the hill, mostly women but all were armed and ready to fight if they had to and they all had to. The eyes had scaled the hill far quicker then they had, Ag saw the first rise over the edge, a guttural, chittering snarl coming from beneath them. The light caught the ridges of its twisted body and the long claws that had replaced its fingers as they flexed open and close before it charged at them. He could see it bearing down on him, a thing of nightmares that wished only to kill. Its clawed hangs opened, ready to dig into him, to rip him apart when he woke.


    Darkness still surrounded him but it was another land and another time. He¡¯d thought the dreams had passed but something about their job to kill a Red Captain had brought them back. He scanned the area around him, the smoldering remnants of the fire, the many still bodies of the soldiers and the vague figures of those on watch. One of the many bodies was not so still though, the lone woman, Genine, was tossing and turning. She sat up suddenly, with a gasp, her hand falling to the sword that lay beside her.


    She seemed to come to then, looking around and realizing she wasn¡¯t where she¡¯d thought she was. She shifted so she was sitting cross legged and stared into the remnants of the fire. He watched her until she seemed to notice and looked back, her eyes roaming over the arrayed bodies of sleeping men until she found him, his back against a rock.


    ¡°Bad dreams?¡± he asked, his voice low enough for her to hear but not to wake the others.


    ¡°Sort of.¡± She replied, turning back to look into the embers. ¡°Just seeing things I¡¯d rather not.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Ag said, shifting to grab his waterskin. ¡°You¡¯re in good company on that end.¡±


    She was silent for a bit but he could see her arm moving to grab something beneath her jacket. ¡°What is that?¡± He asked, never one for subtlety.


    She froze, her head twitching back briefly to look at him. ¡°What¡¯s what?¡±


    ¡°The thing you¡¯re always holding, like you can¡¯t bear the thought of losing it. I¡¯m guessing it''s a memento of some kind from before. I¡¯ve got one though it''s a bit bigger than yours.¡± She looked back at him again and he hefted his long handled weapon. ¡°It was my da¡¯s not that he used it much but every man is supposed to forge his own and since my da married my mum and made himself part of the clan he had to make his.¡±


    He ran his hand along the well worn leather of the handle, the many trinkets he¡¯d attached to it snaking along his leg down to the ground. He¡¯d maintained it as well as he knew how and made sure it was sharp and well oiled and the leather was replaced when needed but it still felt like it wasn¡¯t his to keep.


    ¡°Did you make one?¡±


    His gaze flicked from the weapon to her then back. ¡°No. I was meant to by the end of the year but, well, that didn¡¯t end up happening.¡±


    She shuffled to the side and beckoned him over. He sighed, not really wanting to move, but did so anyway. As he made his way over she prodded the embers, coaxing some light out of them and threw on a few twigs they had lying around. By the faint light he could make out what she was holding, a medallion of some sort, or perhaps a large coin.


    The chunk of silver was covered in intricate carvings, on one side a great tree surrounded by animals of all sorts, on the other a strange swirling pattern. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my husband¡¯s, his keeper medallion.¡± She flipped it back and forth, to tree then swirl then back again. ¡°He gave it to me when he left our home as a token so I¡¯d know he¡¯d come back. I¡¯ve yet to see him again.¡±Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    Ag considered that a moment. ¡°You¡¯re looking for him. That¡¯s why you joined the company.¡±


    She nodded in answer and clutched the medallion to her chest. ¡°He¡¯s out here, somewhere, I just need to find the right place to look.¡±


    ¡°Well what¡¯s he look like?¡± Ag asked, leaning back. ¡°Who knows, maybe I¡¯ve seen him wandering around out here.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s Skirita.¡±


    Ag froze, wondering if she was serious. Skirita were a race of very nearly human people but they differed from man in a few ways. Most males had two bone ridges running from their foreheads to the base of their skulls while the women had only one row in the center. Their skin was scaled, mostly small scales that were almost indistinguishable from skin unless you looked close but some had thicker armored plates on their chests and backs as well as legs and arms on occasion.


    ¡°Can¡¯t say that I have seen him then.¡± Ag said and stood. ¡°I¡¯d also suggest you keep that to yourself.¡±


    She nodded and he thought he saw tears fighting to fall. He felt bad for her, Skirita weren¡¯t well liked in the south or west. They and the humans had bad blood and more than a few wars had been fought between them. After the plague swept through, animosity brewed further as some blamed the Skirita for spreading it. Ag had never found that to be very plausible but some people just needed someone to blame.


    He settled back down in his spot but knew he wouldn¡¯t be doing much sleeping. He wished he hadn¡¯t asked about her memento, he didn¡¯t much like knowing secrets as it meant keeping them. He kept his own and dealing with other peoples just made life more complicated than he wanted. ¡°Just get through the job.¡± He muttered to himself. ¡°Then you can forget all about it.¡±


    __________


    The troop was up and ready by early sunrise, the clouds were still present but the drizzling rain had stopped at least for the moment, giving them some small respite. Their breakfast was brief and they were on their horses and riding before the sun had cleared the horizon. It was a silent company that day, they were nearing the areas where more people had once lived, areas that had once been farms appeared along with signs of burned or abandoned houses.


    Ag plucked at the strings of his lute as they rode, the silence agitating him. He tuned it quickly, the strings falling into harmony one after the other. Esker twisted in his saddle to look at him, a smile on his face.


    ¡°Ah, a musician, I don¡¯t suppose you know how to sing as well?¡±


    Ag finished his tuning before looking up at the other man. ¡°I¡¯m no bard.¡± He said. ¡°I can give you a tune but I¡¯m afraid my voice leaves quite a bit to be desired. If he hears me play Torvund usually provides the singing voice.¡±


    ¡°Ah shame.¡± Esker sighed. ¡°I remember the last time I rode through here before it all ended. I heard the most beautiful song in a teahouse of all places.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know anyone sang in teahouses.¡± Ag muttered. ¡°Though, now that I think of it, I didn¡¯t know there were such things as teahouses. Was it just a tavern but without the ale?¡±


    Esker smiled and looked out ahead as Ag began a simple tune. ¡°Aye, that¡¯s the basics of it. A holdover from when the south ruled these areas. They had teahouses, wineries, all sorts of things they preferred over ale and mead.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like a lot less fun but I wager they had a lot less damage from fights in a teahouse.¡±


    ¡°Oh most certainly.¡± Esker laughed. ¡°No drunken brawls in sight. Instead they substituted it for many who had a fondness for intellectual debate or at least thought they were smart enough to take part in it. Still no brawls but the arguments they had in those places. Questions of religion, governance, science, anything and everything were discussed there to the point you might have thought it was a university from the empire.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s a university?¡± Ag asked. Strangely, he was learning more of the south from Esker than he had from his own da. It wasn¡¯t all that surprising, his da had never wanted to talk about life there, he never knew if it was bad memories or a longing for his home.


    ¡°A university is like a school just very large and dedicated to understanding more than most men ever care to think about. A place of peace and quiet where so many went to learn.¡± Esker sounded almost wistful as he talked about it, his gaze wandering without seeing as his mind wandered.


    ¡°Did you go to one?¡±


    ¡°For a short time.¡± He murmured. ¡°But it was a wonderful time.¡±


    ¡°Why¡¯d you leave?¡±


    Eskers eyes snapped back to reality at the question and he glanced back at Ag, a somber expression on his face. ¡°I found another calling I guess you could say.¡±


    Ag knew he wouldn¡¯t get more out of him so he let the conversation fall and concentrated on his music. He became so engrossed in playing his lute that he nearly missed the group stopping. With a quick tug of the reins he narrowly avoided ramming his horse into Torvund¡¯s. He looked past the man to see what had stopped them and realized why they¡¯d stopped.


    The land fell away before them, revealing their path more clearly. The land was flat before rising again as they neared the mountains. There was a clear gap in the wall of peaks which they intended to make for but between them and that was the ruined husk of a rather decently sized town.


    ¡°Vuillais.¡± Torvund said. ¡°Two days of riding and here we are. Now¡¯s the time to decide, do we go through it or around.¡±


    It was a simple enough question but what to do was a little harder to figure out. Within the town could be a lurking swarm of stone skin that had been lying dormant since they¡¯d sacked the town. Ag had seen it before, Swarms devouring a large enough settlement then finding a place to sleep for months or even years. If they went around there seemed a good chance company of a more human nature would be waiting for them. Vuillais nestled close to the mountains on one side while the other had a dense forest of pines, a not too bad hiding spot for an ambush on any that wanted to avoid the town.


    ¡°I¡¯d rather go through than around.¡± Ag said. ¡°I¡¯d wager the chances of a swarm still being there are pretty slim compared to the chances of an ambush.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m inclined to agree.¡± Torvund replied, scratching his chin. ¡°Spread the word, we go through. I want everyone to be as quiet as they can be. No talking, no loose equipment.¡± The rest nodded and moved off to do as they were told before starting down the slope towards the dead town.

 Chapter 5

    Chapter 5


    The town was silent as the grave, save for the faint sounds of their horses'' hooves scraping the dirt path that cut through it. The houses were in bad shape, most destroyed beyond recognition. The telltale signs of magic marked the area, craters marred the area and many of the buildings showed signs of being blown apart. Ag took it all in, the sight familiar yet foreign. He¡¯d only seen the aftermath of his village from afar, never this close.


    The air still carried the scent of ash which was confusing as this appeared to have happened quite a while ago. As they moved farther in the smell only grew stronger until they rounded a corner and saw the source. A building that was far larger than the rest stood in ruined glory, its timber still smoking from its destruction. Bodies lay around it, some men but most stone skin, their corpses had been cut to pieces by blades but it seemed they had gotten their revenge for it. The bodies of the men, thieves and highway men from the looks of their clothes, had been ripped apart to the point that there were only chunks of most of them.


    All around the house were footprints. Either a few had come through and walked round and round the building or it had been a massive swarm of them. Torvund stopped his horse in front of the house and dismounted. He picked his way through the array of corpses then up to the steps of the great house.


    He turned and pointed to Ag, Marus, and Genine. ¡°You three, with me, the rest of you, check the area, I don¡¯t want a swarm creeping up on us unawares.¡±


    After a moment''s hesitation the men did as they were told. Ag and the other members of Torvund¡¯s picked group dismounted and headed for the house. The smell was bad though perhaps not as bad as it could have been with so little sun. The bodies had begun to rot and their foul odor mixed with the scent of blood and smoke to create a sickening concoction.


    ¡°What¡¯s the point of this?¡±Ag asked as he shouldered the charred door aside. ¡°They all look pretty dead to me.¡±


    ¡°Maybe not all of them.¡± Torvund replied.


    The interior of the house was a mess, beams from the roof had fallen along with most of the roof itself. The debris made walking through the house rather challenging along with the added problem of staying quiet. Flies filled the space, seemingly thousands of them buzzing in hordes around more corpses. They were mangled beyond recognition but you could always tell the stone skins from the men even if they hadn¡¯t been able to, the flies would have made it clear. They avoided the bodies of stone skins as much as men did, their swarming mass enveloping the bodies of regular men and leaving the stone skins as bare as the rock that grew from them.


    Ag let Marus sweep the right side of the building while he moved left. From the looks of the men it seemed they were bandits, what clothes and weapons could be found was roughly made seemed in poor condition even where it wasn¡¯t shredded or broken. Some scattered belongings were strewn across the room but nothing stood out as unusual or valuable to Ag at least not until they reached the back wall.


    Slumped against the wall was a mangled corpse in armor far more sturdy than the rest. It was made of iron as far as he could tell with inlays of what might have been silver on the chest. A helmet covered the face, a closed face helm with a tattered blue plume on the top. It didn¡¯t look like any Ag had ever seen, the quality was impressive even through the dirt and blood. Genine froze when she saw it but Marus moved forward on silent feet. He reached under the helmet and unfastened the strap, pulling the helmet free a moment later.


    The face was in rough shape, shrunken and yellow with its eyes missing, probably eaten by insects. Even so Ag could tell there was something off about it. Twin bone ridges protruded from the forehead to the back of the skull which was the most obvious difference but the features themselves were too thin for most men. If the man had been alive he might have been handsome in a more refined manner than most men, all gently curving lines of bone that kept his face thin and slightly taller than normal. Genine sank to her knees at the sight of the face and when Ag looked back at her he saw tears in the corners of her eyes that she quickly blinked away.


    ¡°What is that?¡± Ag asked as Torvund approached.


    ¡°Looks like a Therudi.¡± The big man replied, squatting down by the corpse. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen one of them in a while. I thought they were dead a long time ago.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Ag asked, his attention flitting from the body to Genine who continued staring at the gaunt corpse.


    Torvund took the helmet from Marus and examined it. ¡°Well from what I heard the plague seemed to hit them harder, more turned which meant more got ripped apart. When the hordes started coming up from the south they went right through their homeland which probably didn¡¯t help.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a shame.¡± Marus said, which was more of a surprise than the strange corpse. ¡°I heard they had the best weapon smiths anywhere.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Torvund said, standing. ¡°Best armor smiths too.¡± He stuffed the helmet under his arm and looked around. ¡°I¡¯d guess the bandits tried to rob this guy for all he had and either woke up the local stone skins or attracted a passing group. Either way it looks like they all died painful deaths.¡±


    ¡°Great.¡± Ag sighed, folding his arms. ¡°Can we leave now? This place doesn¡¯t feel right.¡±This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    Just then a man came running through the door, a wild look in his eyes. ¡°Stone skins!¡± The man shouted. ¡°They¡¯re coming from the forest, hundreds of them!¡±


    A moment of shocked silence followed before Torvund sprang into action. ¡°Have they seen us?¡± He asked, making his way out of the hall with swift strides.


    The man shook his head, fear making him jittery. ¡°No, but they¡¯re nearly on us.¡±


    The group froze as a smell carried to them. Now that he was looking for it Ag could smell them, a foul odor of rot and burned flesh that cut through the death around them.


    ¡°Hide!¡± Torvund hissed. ¡°And let the horses loose.¡±


    The men scrambled to obey some, unhitching the horses and giving them a slap on the rump to send them on their way while the rest scrambled for cover within the burned wreckage of the buildings.


    Ag darted down a side street, Genine and Marus following. He found a particularly burned house and scrambled inside. He kicked up ash and grabbed a charred piece of timber, with the wood in one hand and his knife in the other he began scraping ash off, showering himself in black flecks that would, hopefully, cover up enough of his scent. Marus followed suit but Genine simply watched in confusion.


    ¡°Cover yourself!¡± Ag barked. ¡°They¡¯ll smell you otherwise.¡±


    She jumped to and in moments they were covered in smears of black and smelled like a chimney. Ag crouched low beside a wall, a crack giving him a view of the side street. Sound faded once again as they crouched, hidden from view. It seemed to last an eternity but slowly, noises broke the stillness.


    Gutterall chitters heralded the arrival of the horde and the smell grew to be nearly unbearable. Shuffling steps sounded on the many dirt paths and dust began to cloud Ag¡¯s view. A series of meaty clicks sounded as a stone skin shambled into view and Ag held his breath as the first of many of the creatures began to shuffle past. His weapon was clutched in his hand without him even remembering pulling it out. His white knuckled grip made the leather creak slightly and his heart skipped a beat but none of the monsters seemed to notice.


    Onward they shambled and for a moment everything seemed like it would work out without a fight. The stone skins continued on, their rhythm and sounds unchanged until a scream broke through the monotony. A high pitched chittering sounded then a scream seemed to roll through each of the creatures from the high street. They flew into a frenzy charging down side streets to reach where the call had come from. Over their chittering calls Ag heard men shouting, someone had been spotted and now they were all dead. Once the creatures had frenzied they would rip the whole town apart until they finally moved off in search of new prey.


    A cloud of dust was kicked up from the street outside their hiding spot and one of the stone skins slammed into the broken wall as another shoved it aside. Genine gasped but just as quickly clamped a hand over her mouth. It was only a momentary sound but that seemed enough for the stone skins outside to begin ripping their way through the wall in search of the sound''s origin.


    Ag swore and stood tall, his blade up and ready. Genine and Marus followed suit, a sword and twin short blades rasping against sheaths as they prepared to fight. The first of the stone skins shoved its way in and Ag took its head. There was a spray of viscous blood far brighter than human blood before the body was pulled away and another tried to shove through. Genine jumped forward and stabbed it in the neck, her blade sinking deep between stone growths and the creature writhed in pain as it tried to pull free. Marus rushed to another section as hands began ripping away wood and buts of stone.


    Genine pulled her weapon free and slashed at the creature again nearly cutting its head free. It spasmed, its head still attached by bits of meat jittering as it before more stone skins pulled it aside. More gaps appeared in the wall and Ag immediately lept into action, cutting hands, arms, and heads, anything that poked through. A larger beast smashed into the wall, cratering the wood inward and sending splinters flying. Ag felt the small cuts on any part of exposed skin before a greater shower exploded out at them as the stone skin breached the wall and fell to the floor in a flailing mass of body and wood..


    He leapt onto it, hacking away at limbs and neck until the beast stopped moving but it was too late. More started charging the newly made hole in the wall but their press of bodies slowed them from entering. Marus yelled something and Ag turned to see him holding some kind of glass vial filled with a dark substance. A small rag was pressed into the bottle''s opening and flickered with a sputtering flame. Ag didn¡¯t know where the bottle had come from or when Marus had had time to light it but he didn¡¯t think about it long. Marus threw the bottle as hard as he could at the mass of bodies and it exploded on impact before igniting. The screams of the stone skins reached a crescendo as they burned, flailing madly at each other and the opening.


    One fell through, its body encased in a shell of fire. It stumbled to its feet and charged blindly forward before Ag cut one of its legs out from under it. It crashed to the floor, trying in vain to find the one that had attacked it.


    ¡°Get out the back!¡± Ag shouted. ¡°There¡¯s got to be a door or a window!¡±


    The three turned away from the fire that had now begun burning the house as well. They stumbled through the wreckage and into a back room where there were no doors but there was a window. Marus pushed the wooden shutters aside and poked his head out to scan the street. A moment later he leaned back and gestured for them to follow before clambering through the small opening. They followed as fast as they could, desperation lending them a careless speed.


    They found themselves on the side of the village, a slope of grass before them that led to the forest. They hesitated a moment, unsure of where to go until Torvund came charging around a corner followed by Esker and Martine. Torvund had a streak of blood running down the side of his face and Eskers¡¯ left arm was noticeably limp at his side.


    ¡°We need to go, Now!¡± Torvund shouted.


    ¡°Which way?¡± Genine asked.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter!¡± Ag snapped and took off at a dead sprint down the slope towards the forest. Trees were better than open planes and would give them ample cover for a few miles at least. The others followed with a rhythmic thumping of feet but theirs were the only steps he heard following him through the wild hammering of his heart.


    The town behind was a mess of dying screams and chittering calls as the stone skins feasted on their comrades. All they had left was to flee, no horses, no supplies, less than two days out and they had already hit a wall. Ag would have laughed at the foolhardiness of their job if he wasn¡¯t running for his life. They were dead, they were just waiting for the blow to fall. The six of them ran, shadows moving down the knee deep grass slope off towards the line of trees that stood tall and dark. It was safe but how safe none of them knew. The sun was setting and night would aid them in their flight, already the shadows were long as if the trees were casting out dark tendrils towards them, welcoming them into its depths.

 Chapter 6

    Chapter 6


    Thunder rumbled through the black sky as the storm rolled down from the eastern hills. Lightning gave light to the forest in fitful flashes and rain fell in torrents, not the light drizzle of the past few days. Underbrush and pine needles were swept away as the rain ran down the hills in small rivers and left the ground a slippery, muddy mess. The trees provided little shelter against the deluge as the storm let loose its fury in a falling tide of water that cut through the canopy of pines.


    The six that remained from the party scrambled through the trees, their vision clouded by water as the forest seemed to press in around them, its oppressive blackness playing tricks on their minds. Ag stumbled along, unaware of how long they¡¯d run only knowing he had to keep moving. Torvund and Martine were beside him, that he only knew from the larger man''s ragged breathing and the small whimpers of fear from the younger. They pressed on, heedless of the branches that barred their path and cut their faces, arms, and legs.


    Ag didn¡¯t know how long they would have gone if Esker hadn¡¯t stopped in front of him. Ag was too tired to notice until it was too late and he barreled right into the man¡¯s back. They fell forward onto the sloping ground and it was only Torvunds¡¯ quick reaction that stopped them from sliding back the way they had come. Ag used a tree to pull himself to his feet and rounded on Esker.


    ¡°What¡¯d you stop for?¡±


    Esker gasped for breath for a minute before he¡¯d filled his lungs enough to respond. ¡°There¡¯s a cave over there, I¡¯m sure of it. We can¡¯t go on like this much longer and my arm needs a bandage.¡±


    They all turned to where he was pointing but saw nothing more than the blackness of the rest of the forest.


    ¡°Your eyes are playing tricks on you.¡± Torvund rumbled. ¡°I don¡¯t see anything.¡±


    Esker marched forward, resolute even with his arm limp at his side and shoulders sagging from exhaustion. They followed, there wasn¡¯t much else they could do and sure enough, as they reached the top of the slope they¡¯d been climbing for who knew how long, there was a cave. The opening wasn¡¯t especially wide but ran at least twelve feet up a rock face.


    ¡°I told you.¡± Esker said before squeezing through the gap.


    They all fit, though Torvund had to suck his gut in to make it, and the inside seemed wide enough that they could all fit comfortably. Ag collapsed onto the dirt floor that was blessedly dry. The others followed suit, finding their own wall and sliding down, too exhausted to examine the space any further. Esker, the only one with a pack besides Ag though his only held his lute, began rummaging around through the canvas bag until he found a roll of cloth. He struggled for a while with unrolling the cloth and bandaging his arm until Genine crawled over to help.


    ¡°Thank you?¡± He groaned as she wrapped his upper arm tightly and tied it off.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡± She replied before moving back to her spot.


    They all sat there awhile, no one speaking although they all knew they had to make some sort of plan. One by one they drifted off to sleep and the cave fell back into silence.


    __________


    The storm swirled around the tower, the black clouds a swirling mass that concealed its peak. Deep beneath it, the pit stirred as Balasar extracted more of the black matter at its heart. One of the stone skins rested on a table nearby, still as death, as he had ordered Stone skin was the common man¡¯s word for it but the true name was Kisuk, the lowest of the corrupted forms. A man, a slave, pumped the machine that pulled the viscous substance up through a series of metal tubes and into a vat suspended over a great fire. Balasar watched the flames curl and the substance bubble, an acrid smell of death and rot escaping with each pop. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    The voice still whispered in his mind, urging him on but for a moment he resisted. His mind was far off, seeing, vaguely, through the eyes of Gomon. His lieutenant had marched off with his pack in search of the intruder. It was one of the Spears, he was sure of it. The damned Therudi clan in service to their twin headed god had plagued him for months but their most recent strike had nearly killed him on the road. The few that survived had fled and were either eaten by stone skins or vanished into the mists of the mountains. One had been caught, Gnomon, the starving retch they held in the dungeons, but he had little of use to tell them. His time on the table would come in due time but for the moment refining the beast before him was the task.


    Balasar dipped a cup into the black stew, his hand not feeling the burns that appeared upon contact with the boiling mass. He withdrew the cup, his burned skin healing as more black matter seeped from his pores, repairing what was broken. He had been given the gift beneath the earth but it had not taken his mind, the voice needed him to think to advance its plans.


    He stepped up beside the Kisuk and mentally ordered it to open its mouth which it did without hesitation. He poured the still hot liquid into its mouth and watched it slowly swallow what it had been given. He¡¯d strapped it down, which wasn¡¯t required until now. As the last of the liquid drained down its gullet the creature began to spasm, its body feeling the effects of the transformation.


    Black ooze appeared wherever the stone was not and the red in its twisted chest and eyes burned brighter than it had before. A chittering wail escaped the thing as it continued to twist in what seemed intense pain. Its body grew, the skin rippling and the stone expanding as layers of the black substance rolled over it. Even as it grew its body became more twisted and deformed, the swirl in its chest expanding and seeming to pull the rest of the body into it. This was only one stage in what would be the long transformation. Eventually the substance would be refined to the point that all Kisuk would transform as Balasar released more of his new breeds. More men might succumb to the new strain of the plague as well, their resistance burning away beneath the strength of Balasars¡¯ experiments.


    The voice would have its creatures perfected, what it needed beyond that Balasar could not say but, at the very least, he would have some place among them. He left the Kisuk to writhe in pain and instead sat on a chair by his experiment table, his eyes looking once again through Gomons¡¯.


    Which of the group had been part of the Spears he wondered. He had seen the bodies the Kisuk had mangled but they had all born marks of fealty to the fool he¡¯d once served. The few survivors had been seen running off into the distance, they had not been Andelmars¡¯ dogs, he was sure of that. He had not seen any of them close enough to tell, but Gomon would find them and at that point it didn¡¯t matter which was a member of the Spears, they¡¯d all be dead.


    He reached for a glass and a bottle of wine he kept close by. He poured himself a glass then took a long swig, relishing the taste. A fine stock, very old. Andelmars¡¯ father had kept it hidden away in the cellar along with a few other bottles of the same vintage and a barrel of even older stock. Doubtless they had been for his own use on special occasions but now that the old man was long dead there wasn¡¯t much sense in letting it go to waste.


    He noticed his test subject had stopped moving so he stood to examine it. He loosed the straps and ordered it to stand which it did. He stepped back and surveyed his work, a smile of satisfaction breaking his dour expression. The creature stood nearly a foot taller than it had and though its body twisted, giving it a hunch backed look he knew it would move with lightning speed when attacking. He was getting closer, just a bit farther and he might reach whatever the voice was pushing him towards.


    The whisper laughed in his mind as he looked at the newest form he had made. It was an insane sound, a cackling chorus of madness ringing in his mind. It cheered him on, spat insults at someone he did not know, and ranted in a garbled tongue he could not understand. All these sounds came sometimes alone, sometimes ringing together like a symphony he could not follow. He trembled at the sound, the rippling voices rising in volume as they spoke until it was nearly unbearable.


    Balasar clutched at his head, trying to stop the sound, to calm them in some way but nothing he said halted their chorus. Suddenly, all at once, they were silent, and he had his head to himself for a while. This dance had been going on since the plague had begun in the south. He assumed someone there had found something like this pit, the voice whispered of others between mad ramblings.


    This place had been walled off hidden deep beneath the spire and the pit itself had been capped with a massive plate of metal that still hung above the opening. Whoever had built the spire had made it as a prison for this, somewhere in the shadows of time that no one alive remembered.


    Balasar realized he had fallen to his knees and stood, calling for another Kisuk. His work continued, it would be done, and he would have his place in the new world. He hoped.

 Chapter 7

    Chapter 7


    The rain had slowed its deluge as night turned into the gray light of a clouded dawn. Silence filled the forest save for the pattering of raindrops on the leaves. The firs and pines stood tall and proud, their sharp peaks reaching for the clouds. Oak and ash trees spread their branches wide, offering some small cover against new rain though the ground below was already soaked.


    Three figures crawled through the underbrush, their dark cloaks offering them some cover against the dark green of the ferns and moss that filled the forest floor. They reached a jutting piece of rock that offered some vantage over the town below. It had gone silent as well, the screams from the night before faded to nothing as day arrived. The light dawn offered was meager to say the least, the clouds above still dark and heavy with rain blotting out any real rays of sunlight.


    Marus shifted beside Ag on the rock, pulling out a spyglass that he used to scan the town and land below. Ag and Genine waited with baited breath as marus took his time to cover all he could see with the glass.


    ¡°How¡¯s it looking?¡± Ag hissed, his voice a strained whisper. ¡°Any sign of the horde?¡±


    Marus didn¡¯t answer immediately, instead lowering his spyglass and chewing his lip. ¡°No sign of them.¡± He finally replied. ¡°At least not in the town. I can¡¯t vouch for what''s in the forest below but it¡¯s silent enough.¡±


    ¡°Where do you think they¡¯ve gone?¡± Genine asked.


    Marus brushed a few strands of soaked hair out of his eyes and thought about it. ¡°Not sure, I can¡¯t see much of a trail leading out of the town. The whole area looks trampled down pretty well and the rain¡¯s turned all that to chewed up mud.¡±


    He hefted the spyglass again and took another look. ¡°They might have gone after the horses. They might smell them easier than us.¡±


    ¡°If they touch my girl.¡± Ag snarled. ¡°I¡¯ll kill every last one of them.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what you¡¯d be mad about?¡± Genine asked, a note of incredulity in her voice. ¡°All the men they killed last night weren''t a reason?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know them.¡± Ag replied. ¡°I know my horse.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a heartless man.¡± She said in derision.


    Ag ignored the comment. Once she¡¯d been out in the world long enough she¡¯d see. The only thing anyone looked out for was themselves, that was what kept you alive. Men died every day, there wasn¡¯t much use shedding a tear over them or throwing your life away to save them.


    ¡°We should head back.¡± Marus said, pocketing his spyglass. ¡°See if Torvund wants to head for the horses or not.¡±


    ¡°We won¡¯t make it far without them.¡± Ag replied. ¡°Traveling aside they have all of our food and my lute.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t give a damn about your lute.¡± Marus snorted. ¡°You could barely play the thing anyway.¡±


    ¡°I could play it better than anyone I know.¡± Ag replied defensively.


    ¡°Yeah? And how many people do you know that can play the lute?¡±


    ¡°One.¡±


    Marus nodded. ¡°My point exactly.¡± He moved to rise but froze when a twig snapped, the sound echoing through the silent woods.


    Ags¡¯ head snapped up, his eyes scanning every inch of the forest around them. The smell hit them a moment later, the stench of rotting meat and a strange sort of wrongness. Another twig snapped then another, all from behind, up the slope.


    ¡°Behind the rock.¡± Ag hissed.


    They scrambled around the sides as swiftly as they could manage while still being quiet. Ag didn¡¯t have the room to pull his weapon off his back but he pulled his belt knife out of its leather sheath as Marus followed suit. They huddled together, pressed close to keep under the rock. It wasn¡¯t narrow but three people using it for shelter meant there wasn¡¯t any excess space.


    The sounds of movement came closer as it did the smell grew stronger. Ag felt his stomach churn as the nauseating stench filled his nose. Mud squelched as feet began trampling the slope above them and a chorus of chitters drifted around them. Ag didn¡¯t even breathe, they were so close. All three of them had a layer of mud coating their clothes from the night before and their trek through the forest they had just taken. He hoped it was enough to hide their scent among the general smells of a rain soaked forest. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Horses'' hooves caught his attention, a marked departure from the erratic shuffle of stone skin feet. The urge to look filled him and after a moment''s hesitation, a mental curse against his own stupidity, he leaned out from cover to take a peek.


    A rider sat high on his horse amid the swell of stone skins, their twisted ruin seeming to elevate his well kept armor and horse to perfection. His face was pale as was his hair as if he was a pale corpse in fine armor of black metal. He scanned the woods up the slope, hiding his face from further scrutiny but Ag had seen the dead black eyes. A shiver crawled up his spine, this wasn¡¯t a red captain, or a mage by his dress, he wasn¡¯t sure how he was still alive.


    Another man approached, dressed in chainmail that glinted dully in the feeble light as well as a surcoat of red and a peaked helmet of the same black metal.


    ¡°Any sign of them?¡± The mounted man asked, his voice low and gravelly.


    ¡°No, lieutenant.¡± The second replied. ¡°The creatures follow a trail but it''s not one we can see and from their movement they seem to have lost the scent.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re out here.¡± The officer growled. ¡°We didn¡¯t get all of the Spears and any fools traveling this way are in league with them. I have no doubt.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll find them.¡± The soldier said.


    ¡°See that you do.¡± The officer barked. ¡°It¡¯s our heads that will roll if the captain doesn¡¯t get what he wants. Any disruption to the experiment will not be tolerated, in any form.¡±


    ¡°What makes him think they¡¯re headed for the tower?¡± The soldier inquired.


    ¡°Where else would they be going?¡± The officer sneered. ¡°South leads only to the empire and that is a death sentence for any of them.¡± He hesitated a moment, as if considering if he should say more then leaned closer to the man. Ag just heard what he said over the shuffling feet. ¡°He felt one, in his chamber. There¡¯s a witch among them, a caster most likely, a woman too, if his senses are correct.¡±


    The soldier hesitated a moment, digesting the gravity of the information then nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll find them. Have no fear lord.¡±


    With that he marched off and the officer kicked his horse into a trot after casting a glance to either side. Ag froze as the man¡¯s deathly pale face and dead eyes rolled over the rock they hid behind but he didn¡¯t seem to notice.


    They hid under that rock for what felt like hours but was only a few minutes as the last of the stone skins shuffled their way off into the forest. Ag found himself praying silently, something he hadn¡¯t done in a long time, and wished he still had the hunters eye charm his mother had given him.


    Without meaning to, his gaze slid to the side, finding Genine huddled by Marus. Something had been off about her from the start, and that feeling was only increasing. They waited longer until their hearts weren¡¯t beating out of their chests then made their way towards the cave. The trail the stone skins left was obvious, a wide swath of forest was trampled into mud and any tree in the way was stripped of branches up to about head height. It followed theirs for a way but swung higher up the slope before it reached their camp in the crevice.


    Ag stopped behind a tree, eyeing the small open area before the rock face for any signs of stoneskin movement. There was nothing and the slope above seemed clear as well. He stalked forward, followed by Marus, the imperial''s feet fell silently as he crept forward. Genine followed closely, her movement careful but not as quiet as the two that had spent years in the wasteland that had once been home.


    They tapped on the rock blocking the entrance and Ag hissed their hastily made passcode. They shoved the rock and someone inside, most likely Torvan by the grunts, pulled. When it was open enough they scrambled inside and closed the entrance again.


    ¡°What happened out there?¡± Torvund asked, his voice a low rumble. ¡°You all look like you¡¯ve seen a ghost.¡±


    ¡°Worse.¡± Marus replied. ¡°Stone skins.¡±


    ¡°And soldiers.¡± Genine chimed in. ¡°Soldiers riding along with them.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Esker sounded shocked. ¡°They don¡¯t ally with any men that aren¡¯t mages leashing them to their will.¡±


    ¡°Well these ones do.¡± Ag snapped. ¡°They¡¯re in service to a red captain and they¡¯re looking for someone.¡± he swiveled to face Genine. ¡°A witch, they said. And a member of something called the Spears.¡±


    Genine stiffened but Torvund stepped up. ¡°Don¡¯t start getting paranoid after hearing something a slave to a red captain said.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not paranoid. They¡¯re looking for a caster and some group called the Spears. The dead man in the village looked awfully well dressed to be some common thug and she clearly knew him.¡± He hesitated a moment, loathe the call on Marus but he needed him to help hammer the point home. ¡°Marus saw it. You saw how she looked at him, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Marus shot him a glance but nodded. ¡°Aye, I saw it. She knew him, or she got really worked up about an anonymous corpse.¡±


    Torvund eyed her then sighed. ¡°I guess the game¡¯s up then.¡±


    She nodded and Ag cast a confused look at Esker. The man shrugged in similar confusion and from Marus¡¯ face he didn¡¯t know what was happening either. Martine didn¡¯t seem to fully grasp what was happening, the boy seemed completely out of it after the night''s affair and paid little heed to what happened around him.


    ¡°Just what is going on?¡± Ag asked, his temper rising. ¡°Did you know she was a witch?¡±


    Torvund nodded then sat down. ¡°Take a seat lads, there¡¯s more to this than you think.¡±


    The three looked at each other but Esker sat, hastily pulling his journal from within his jacket and haphazardly stabilizing it on his leg with his injured arm. Marus followed suit and Ag soon after. He¡¯d known Torvund for a long while and trusted the big man with his life. He¡¯d hear him out at least. After that, he wasn¡¯t really sure what he¡¯d do, it all depended on how good the explanation was.

 Chapter 8

    Chapter 8


    The six of them huddled in a rough circle, there was no fire to keep close to as they didn¡¯t dare light one. Even if the light wasn¡¯t seen, the smell carried far and anything that might attract attention was never mentioned.


    With no fire to stare into, Torvund instead looked at his weathered hands, running a finger over all the lines and scars of time. Everyone seemed to be so close in the cave, it wasn¡¯t cramped but there was only just enough room for everyone to stretch without bumping into someone else. Marus hunched forward, his eyes swinging from Torvund to Genine with a focused intensity. Ag occupied himself with sharpening his belt knife, running the small whetstone he carried over its edge until it was wickedly thin.


    Torvund took a breath before looking up at Ag, Marus, and Esker. Martine was present but seemed to out of it he hardly warranted attention. ¡°It¡¯s been decades since all this started.¡± Torvund began in a rumbling murmur, his face dully lit by the pale light seeping through the gaps between stone and entrance. ¡°Long enough for all of us to have changed to deal with the new world and long enough for a lot of folk to die. We all know how the game goes, we¡¯re all united until everything falls apart then it''s every man or woman for themselves.¡±


    He paused and looked back at his hands. ¡°That¡¯s how it''s been for a long time. But someone had a thought. What if it wasn¡¯t how it should be.¡±


    Ags¡¯ eyes moved from his blade to Torvund at the vague statement. ¡°You¡¯ll need more than that to convince me we shouldn¡¯t just off the girl and be done with it.¡± He snapped.


    Genine opened her mouth but Torvund raised a hand to silence her. ¡°You¡¯ll get to say your piece, lass, but let him hear it from me first.¡± He locked eyes with Ag and continued. ¡°The Therudi, they ain¡¯t as dead as most think. True, a good number got eaten or turned, they seemed more susceptible to the plague than any but more than a few survived. Bits of every tribe banded together to make the Spears of Analada.¡±


    ¡°Analada, he is a god?¡± Esker asked, writing furiously in his notebook.


    ¡°She is.¡± Torvund corrected. ¡°The goddess of the Purifying Hunt. One of their prime four deities and they give her great reverence. Any hunt leader is always a woman as are a great many of their shamans. Anyway, the Spears were their answer to the stone skins, a plague had gripped the land and to them it could only be purified by a hunt that would purge the world of any and all infected.¡±


    He chuckled, his hands falling into his lap. ¡°Let¡¯s just say it didn¡¯t go so well. The hunt failed but they found something else, the source.¡±


    Everyone perked up at that, even Martine seemed to almost come out of his stupor to pay some small amount of attention. ¡°What was it?¡± Ag asked, hsi anger replaced with curiosity.


    ¡°A rot.¡± Torvund spat. ¡°A deathly growth hidden beneath the surface of the world and away from the eyes of all that walk it. A few places hold openings to it; we''re not sure how many there are or who built them but they¡¯re there, and the Scarlet Spire is one of them.¡±


    ¡°We?¡± Marus asked.


    ¡°Aye, we.¡± Torvund sighed. ¡°I joined them, at least a decade ago. Genine was with them when I got there but was still a child.¡±


    ¡°So where does that leave us? Stranded out here trying to finish a job that shouldn¡¯t have been ours in the first place.¡± Ag snapped. ¡°They got themselves killed and we¡¯re left to pick up the pieces and deal with a Red Captain, his gang of thralls and a horde of stone skins.¡±


    ¡°They aren¡¯t all dead!¡± Genine shot back, her face flushed with anger. ¡°You heard the officer, not all of them are dead.¡±


    ¡°So what?¡± Ag sneered. ¡°One or two lived. That doesn¡¯t help us.¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Genine hissed. Her fists were clenched on her thighs with the effort of restraining herself. ¡°They died for a noble cause and any left would gladly help us; give their lives for us if necessary.But you wouldn¡¯t know anything about that, would you? You¡¯re a self serving man who doesn¡¯t care for anyone or anything. You¡¯re as bad as the red Captains.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Ags¡¯ eyes narrowed at the barb but didn''t rise. ¡°Listen girl, I¡¯ve cared for more people than I care to remember. Do you know what happened to all of them? They died, horrible, painful deaths. If you¡¯re spears want to sacrifice themselves for folk who won¡¯t do it in return let them. They¡¯ll join the thousands of fools who came before.¡±


    He locked eyes with the furious woman and saw the hate she had for him written plainly across her face. Let her hate. He¡¯d seen his father, siblings, friends, all of them, die beneath the claws of stone skins. He¡¯d seen the noble and self sacrificing die over and over, their screams of agony ringing in his ears. Let her hate. He hated himself too but he did what had to be done to survive.


    They might have continued their argument had a knocking on the rock not silenced them. All eyes turned to the sealed entrance, the air thick with dread.


    ¡°Anyone alive in there?¡± A strangely accented voice called.


    ¡°Well I¡¯ll be.¡± Torvund sighed. ¡°I guess you were right, Genine, some did survive. Or a stone skin learned to talk like Nuramerd.¡±


    He heaved himself up and threw his shoulder against the rock as hands reached into the gaps to pull. The rock fell away with a dull thud on the pine needle strewn ground and a strange sight revealed itself.


    Two figures stood tall and proud, their heads were helmetless but the rest of their bodies were clad in the same ornate armor as the corpse from the village while three others wearing sleek leather vests, bracers, and greaves stood watch. The two armored figures and one of the watchers had the same bone ridges as the corpse while the other two had smaller ridges in the center of their foreheads. Therudi, three men, two women, all armed with swords and, for the three leather clad figures, fine bows.


    ¡°Hello there you old dog.¡± One of the armored figures laughed. When we saw your cavalcade march into that death trap I thought for sure you¡¯d have died first.¡± The Therudi¡¯s face broke into a smile as he stepped forward, his arms outstretched.


    Torvund bear hugged the newcomer and laughed heartily. ¡°You wish. It takes more than a pack of stone skin to kill me.¡± He let go and turned to face the rest of his group still in the cave. ¡°Come, meet what¡¯s left of the company.¡±


    One of the leather clad females swiveled on her heel and approached the entrance to the cave, her eyes narrowed at the people inside. ¡°Can we trust them?¡±


    Torvund ducked his head as she stepped forward. ¡°Yes, Huntress. Though some may be short tempered.¡± He shot a look at Ag. ¡°They are all reliable.¡±


    She looked them over and they, her. Ag found she seemed mostly human, despite a paleness to her skin and perhaps a slight green hue and of course the bone ridge. Otherwise she could have been any woman, not too tall, well built yet lean and agile. A dangerous one to fight with a bow or a knife, he was sure of that.


    She seemed satisfied with her viewing of them but her eyes lingered on Martine. He had come out of his stupor mostly but was still huddled on the ground. ¡°Very well, I suppose I can¡¯t be too picky right now can I? Your horses are not far off, at least the ones we could catch.¡±


    ¡°So what exactly is the plan?¡± Ag asked. ¡°I¡¯m grateful for my horse if she¡¯s alive but I¡¯m not too keen on getting myself killed over something I don¡¯t really understand. There¡¯s eleven of us now, less than what we¡¯d had before. I¡¯m just wondering if you¡¯ve got an idea of what we¡¯re going to do.¡±


    ¡°If you wish to leave by all means¡­¡± The Huntress began but Torvund stepped between them.


    ¡°With all due respect Nacine, let me.¡¯¡¯ He turned on Ag, not angry, but resolute nonetheless. ¡°We¡¯ve still got the sewer entrance Lord Andel told us of and while they¡¯re out looking for us they aren¡¯t in the Spire fortifying.¡±


    ¡°And we have another way to get to the Spire.¡± The jovial Therudi chimed in. ¡°A secret path through the mountains that few know of.¡±


    ¡°And we have that.¡± Torvund finished.


    Ag looked from Torvund to the Huntress, Nacine. ¡°Did one of the horses you nabbed have a lute tied to the saddle?¡±


    Nacine looked back at the other two hunters and one of them nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± She replied.


    Ag sighed. ¡°Then I guess I¡¯m still in. But I call the first pick of whatever is offered when we get back.¡±


    Torvund nodded and laughed. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure you get the very best service and supplies that are on offer.¡±


    With that Nacine seemed to think the conversation was over and turned to march back to the horses. The rest of her band followed, minus the happy one, and Torvund and Genine followed.


    Esker waved Ag over to where he knelt by Martine. ¡°Help me get him up. The boy needs fresh air.¡±


    Ag did as he was bid and together they hoisted Martine to his feet. The boy was trembling ever so slightly with each step towards the cave entrance, his nerves shot. As they passed the Therudi, Martine gasped.


    ¡°I thought you were dead!¡±


    The Therudi laughed again. ¡°Not yet my friend and neither are you. Come now, stop that shaking and let''s get you something to eat that isn¡¯t jerky.¡±


    Ag let the Therudi take the arm he¡¯d been holding and watched the three totter off. As they passed the horses were brought up, Nacine leading the way and Torvund and Genine on either side speaking to her. Ag saw his horse and ran to greet her. The beast seemed no worse for wear after her mad flight from the village.


    ¡°How are you doing girl?¡± He asked and the horse nuzzled him gently. ¡°Better than me, I expect.¡± Ag chuckled. He looked out at their now larger band, making preparations to leave. ¡°We¡¯ll see if we can keep it that way.¡±

 Chapter 9

    Chapter 9


    Ag had no doubts the path they took was secret, they very nearly lost their way a few times themselves. It was a winding gutter for most of the trek, a path carved by water and animals through canyons of black cliffs. Trees bowed their heads above them, as if watching the strangers pass below. Small bits of debris would fall as what might have been squirrels or something a bit more hefty clambered through their branches.


    The company rode in a single file line, when they could ride, and were silent for much of it. Some areas the path traversed were steep slopes down the side of the mountain others were hemmed in by tall pines that guarded the recesses of the mountains even in the day. Things watched them, Ag was sure of it. Whether it was animals or men he didn¡¯t know but the eyes were on him.


    The cheery Therudi rode behind him, he¡¯d learned his name was Tatsum, which seemed strange enough to fit. ¡°Can you play?¡±


    Ag twisted in his saddle to look back at Tatsum. He gestured to the lute and the Therudi nodded. ¡°It¡¯s been a good while since I¡¯ve heard a good tune.¡±


    ¡°What about giving ourselves away?¡± Ag asked, his eyes going to the tree line that pressed in close.


    ¡°No point in caring about that.¡± Tatsum replied with a wave of his hand. ¡°If anything in those trees had a problem with us they would have let us know already, which means no stone skins. We¡¯re a day away from the spire still so no fear of that.¡±


    Ag considered, unsure whether it was wise. ¡°Might as well.¡± Esker called back. ¡°I say if one is to go out let it be with a song or prayer.¡±


    ¡°Easy for you to say holy man.¡± Ag shot back with a smile. ¡°You¡¯ve got a god waiting for you on the other end.¡±


    Even so, he pulled his lute from its protective leather wrap. After a minute of tuning he plucked the strings and found it to his liking. ¡°What kind of song are we in the mood for?¡±


    ¡°Something cheery, but not a song to dance to, otherwise I¡¯ll leap from my saddle and dance beside you until I collapse from exhaustion.¡± Tatsum laughed.


    Ag spared him a confused look but began to play a cheery tune. He¡¯d played it when he was young, around the fire. When the eating and dancing was done and all were content to sing along together.


    His mind wandered back to those days as he played. Life was never wonderful in the hills of the east. It was cold and wet and miserable but folk were nice enough if you were nice in return and he¡¯d had a home and a family. He pictured his father singing along, his wild mop of black hair highlighted by the fire, his face still cleanly shaven as if he was still in the empire. His mother was beside him, her red hair glowing in the light, her face radiant with a smile that you couldn¡¯t help but smile back at.


    He sang the song, a silly tune about a man on a quest to find the greatest horde of treasure anyone had ever seen and all the strange and fanciful creatures and things he did. No one sang along, whether it was because they didn¡¯t know the words or because they too were far off in their minds. Ag found he had begun to cry silent tears by the end. Happy though the song was, he wept for all he¡¯d lost and the boy he¡¯d once been. The song came to an end and the troop was silent for a good while.


    ¡°I guess you aren¡¯t so bad after all.¡± Marus called from behind. Ag smiled and raised a hand in thanks, not trusting his voice.


    They stopped hours later on a high ridge, cold wind whipping at them. Below was darkness but strange calls drifted up, stone skins talking, if they could. They didn¡¯t light a fire for fear of being spotted so they were left to find whatever shelter they could from the wind and huddle in their cloaks and sleeping rolls.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    Genine had jammed herself into a gap in the rocks near Ag but even that wasn¡¯t enough to keep her from shivering every so often. Her eyes were locked on the now clear sky above and Ag looked on with her.


    ¡°You¡¯re magic, right?¡± He asked. ¡°They saying anything?¡±


    ¡°I''m not that kind of magic.¡± She replied. Her tone was cold, not hostile but not friendly.


    ¡°Then what kind are you?¡±


    She didn¡¯t say anything for a while, just kept her eyes locked on the sky. ¡°I dream and my dreams show me places and people that I need to see.¡±


    He nodded, more to himself because she couldn¡¯t see him. ¡°What did you dream about that other night? You seemed rather shaken.¡±


    ¡°I saw someone that mattered.¡±


    ¡°A Therudi?¡±


    She shot him a glance. ¡°Yes.¡±


    He nodded again. ¡°Makes sense. Torvund said you¡¯d been there before him. I assumed there¡¯d be one you cared about a lot more than anyone else. Why else would you come on this mission?¡±


    She snorted. ¡°Why¡¯d you even come? It seems like there isn¡¯t a high chance we will survive and all you care about is staying alive a few days longer.¡±


    ¡°I needed the supplies.¡± He replied. ¡°Besides, the scale of this, I reckon I can get some pretty good bits out of the old lord.¡±


    ¡°A fat lot of good it¡¯ll do for just you.¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t just be for me.¡± He huddled farther into his cloak, a fresh guts pilling at his hair. ¡°Anyway.¡± He sighed. ¡°Maybe you should dream again. See what¡¯s coming.¡± With that he put his back to the rock huddled in on himself, catching as much warmth as he could.


    __________


    Balasar woke with a start, his whole body stiff from sleeping in a cramped wooden chair. He groaned as he stood, casting his eyes around the unchanged vault below the spire. The pit lay before him and his table to the right. Chains moved slightly, high above, in an unseen breeze. He stood and stretched, his aging body creaking and groaning.


    He was getting too old to be sleeping in small chairs in damp vaults. He shook himself and strode for the stairs, casting a sidelong glance at his experiment. It had grown, far more than he would have thought possible. It was nearly too large for the table and its strange growths jutted far beyond the confines of its bed. Its body was a twisted mass of muscle and sinew, its head barely had eyes from all the new growths but its mouth was very much still free.


    When it was finished the dosage could be calculated and given to as many as he could, his new breed of children ready to slaughter the living. ¡°My children.¡± The voice was a sibilant hiss, a brief moment of individuality from the cacophony in his head.


    ¡°Your children.¡± He agreed but in his heart he hated the thing or things. It was his work, his creation. The impotent chorus did nothing but push him to further research, its advice was so strange and often contradictory he could make no sense of it.


    It had shown him how to control the stone skin, a rather ironic gift from something that had no control itself, but that was all. He climbed the vast height of the spire two steps at a time, a nagging feeling of eyes on him the whole way. As he climbed he caught glimpses of the fortress below. Though it was huddled between a mountain side and a cliff it was quite large. On the side next to the mountain the builders had carved large residences into the rock and the side on the cliff had a now decrepit series of pulleys and elevators to the valley below which had once been lush farmland.


    He cared little for the size, it was what he had found below that was all that interested him. He reached the pinnacle and covered the ground to the balcony in seconds with his long stride. He looked out towards the gate. He felt his servant approach, close every moment. Gomon was a loyal dog and had even been smart enough to learn a rudimentary control of the stone skins. He saw him riding towards the gate, his black armor and black steed a smudge on the gray landscape. Dawn was fast approaching, its light seeping into the dead land around.


    Balasar¡¯s gaze whipped to the right, towards the mountains. Those eyes on his back now felt as if they came from there as well as behind him. He whipped around and saw the faintest hint of wispy smoke in the shape of a woman. It was gone a moment later. Someone was watching him, or he was going mad. He threw open a chest and pulled out a sword and a vial of the most purified of the black substance from the pit. If anyone was watching, or was fool enough to challenge him, they would find he was not ill prepared.


    He strapped the sword around his waist and pocketed the vial. He was close, so close there would be no stopping him. He made for the door, he had rested enough. His experiment was ready to be completed.

 Chapter 10

    Chapter 10


    The sun made its slow climb up into the sky, steadily giving life to the dead rock around the camp. Cloud cover had thinned finally but everything still had a layer of moisture on it that made it extra uncomfortable to sleep. Ag had been awake for an hour at least, watching the area around them slowly become more and more illuminated. He hadn¡¯t moved since he¡¯d woken. It wasn¡¯t his watch that night but he¡¯d remained awake despite the fact that there was no need to.


    He¡¯d simply lay there and contemplated. Death was a good chance if he continued on this venture. It was possible, highly possible they all ended up as new corpses within the spire or just a few more additions to the red captain''s army. Still he¡¯d continued on with the group. A cynic in the midst of idealists and hopefuls, yet he continued on. He couldn¡¯t figure out why.


    There was the reward to be sure but no reward was worth dying. There was friendship here he supposed. Torvund at least was his friend and while the others weren''t, Esker and Martine were at least decent men. Marus could live or die, he didn¡¯t care much there. Imperials were better left six feet under than walking the land causing the same problems they¡¯d been making for years. Then there was Genine, she didn¡¯t like him one bit but she was a good lass with a good heart, which was more than could be said for him.


    He sighed and rolled onto his side. She was still in the same spot as the night before, huddled in her little crack in the rock that gave her better protection than his spot. She shifted in her sleep, her face a mask of concentration and fear. Wherever she was it wasn¡¯t a good dream which boded ill for them, or it meant nothing.


    ¡°Magic.¡± He muttered. The stupid ability had only led to problems for them all.


    ¡°Aye, magic.¡±


    Ag twisted to find Torvund huddled near him. The big man was sharpening the head of his ax while still layered in his cloak and sleeping roll.


    ¡°And dream magic at that. Strange and complicated stuff.¡± The big man murmured.


    ¡°I could do without it.¡± Ag muttered. ¡°I¡¯m inclined to believe all this is their fault. Not just our situation but the state of the world in general.¡±


    Torvund nodded, eyeing the edge he¡¯d been refining then going back to work with his whetstone. ¡°You may be right there lad. But it wasn¡¯t none of her magic nor her personally. All she does is look. Look and see what¡¯s happening with the world. No harm there.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, until she¡¯s looking at you for the benefit of someone that wants your head.¡± Ag shot back.


    Torvund gave a low chuckle. ¡°You¡¯re right on that.¡± Then he put his ax down and locked eyes with Ag. ¡°You don¡¯t much like magic, not surprising seeing as what it''s done. You don¡¯t like imperials, both for what they did to your da and for the state of everything.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your point?¡±


    ¡°My point is you don¡¯t like what¡¯s going on here, or the people involved in it. But, you¡¯re still here. Why?¡±


    Ag was silent for a long while, long enough for the rest of the camp to stir. He finally looked at Torvund and said. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    With that their conversation was finished and Ag reluctantly rose and began packing up his gear. The camp was cleared quickly, They had all been traveling light and with many of the men and horses they¡¯d started out with dead or missing there was little in excess. They began the treacherous climb down a winding path that hugged the mountainside, all of them on foot with their horses following behind. Below, through the thick coniferous trees, a few glimpses of a mist shrouded land could be seen.


    It wasn¡¯t until nearly midday that the canopy between them and their destination was thin enough to get a good view. Below was the valley the spire had been built in. On one side the large slope pushed up against the cliffs all around it was still covered in a thinning fog. The spire jutted out, its red sides gleaming like a bloody knife in the sunlight that had only just cleared the mountain tops. Whoever had built the spire and later the fortress around it had stumbled upon a perfect point to defend. Only one path led easily into the valley floor while one side was a sheer cliff and the other a treacherous slope that no large force could descend quickly.


    As the spire and the area around become more and more visible, conversation slowly died down. A sense of foreboding settled over the party, a knowledge that they were descending straight into the belly of the beast. Sounds drifted up to them from far below, carried on the wind came the wavering calls that ebbed and grew. Chittering and screeching, signals that stone skin were below, a lot by the sounds of it. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    Ag felt his skin prickle at the noise. This was it. If he turned back now he might make it back up the slope without slipping but then he had little supplies and a possible horde between him and the nearest safe haven. Better to go on, at least then he wouldn¡¯t have to wonder if he¡¯d die.


    The trail began to lead in one direction, towards the bordering cliffs on the valley¡¯s back end. After hours of arduous trekking they reached a flat section of rock. Behind them was the mountains and looking back it was a shock they¡¯d even made it down. Before them was a thin path cut into the rock that led off into the growing dusk. They were nearly to the spire, it had grown in size steadily and this last stretch was supposed to lead to a secret entrance. From what the Therudi had said it was an actual entrance not the sewer grate and tubes Andelmar had told them about. His path would have taken them through the valley, not a good idea now that they could see what was there.


    Even with the setting sun Ag could still just see the valley floor. Where there had once been fields and irrigation ditches was a massive spread of mud and bodies. The churned ground, soaked by the rain, had become a bog, and stone skins stalked its depths. Twisted trees had somehow managed to grow but even from this distance one could see the red sap leaking from their decrepit frames.


    ¡°We can camp here for a while.¡± Nacine announced. ¡°I''d like to make the final approach while we still have darkness on our side.¡±


    ¡°You sure?¡± Torvund asked. ¡°That little path seems treacherous enough as is.¡±


    ¡°We go when it''s dark.¡± The finality with which the huntress spoke the phrase told them there would be no argument.


    They settled in for another cold camp, no fire, no music, no talking, not when they were this close to death.


    __________


    Again Balasar felt those eyes upon him, closer than they ever had been. It was not madness, there was a seer looking at him and they were close. ¡°Gomon!¡± He bellowed.


    His ever loyal servant ran into the room, his armor clattering, one hand on his sword. ¡°My lord?¡±


    ¡°You are sure no one has been seen on the road since the village?¡± His lieutenant nodded, his confusion evident. ¡°They are near, a seer is with them.¡±


    Where were they? Lost once they headed into the mountains. They couldn¡¯t know of the path, no one did. But the Spears had been persistent and going bolder and more well informed every year. They knew of the path, they had to.


    ¡°I have a task for you, my trusted lieutenant.¡± He hissed. ¡°They know of the path on the cliffs. You will show them the way off.¡±


    His lieutenant nodded and turned to leave but Balasar raised a hand to forestall him. ¡°One more thing. You will take my new creation with you.¡±


    They both turned to look at the table in unison. At a silent command the beast sat up then climbed off the table. It stood at nearly eight feet tall, its body a mass of muscle and spikes, its eyes sunken under a stone brow burned with a red fire. The clicks it made were deep and guttural, sending shivers down the backs of Gomon and even Balasar.


    ¡°He is ready to taste his first flesh.¡±


    __________


    Genine woke with a start, her face deathly pale. Ag jumped as she sat up, dropping the wet stone he¡¯d been using on his weapon¡¯s blade. ¡°There coming.¡± She whispered.


    ¡°Who?¡± Ag asked but his question was ignored as Torvund and Nacine both rose in unison and moved to Genines¡¯ side.


    ¡°What did you see?¡± The big man asked.


    ¡°The man in black armor is coming, with something new, something terrible.¡± Genine¡¯s voice shook with fear and already the Therudi were rising and seizing weapons.


    Just then a guttural howl echoed out, bouncing off the cliff beside them and into the valley where it was answered by a chorus of other shrieks. A glimmer of red showed in the blackness before them, twin points of light that shone with a malevolent glow. A chitter sounded, deep and wet, a challenge. Someone struck a flint and steel, brief sparks of light that showed a shape, huge and hulking for brief moments until whatever they were lighting caught and a steady flame lit the shelf of rock.


    An ululating howl rang off the rocks as whatever stalked them from the darkness propelled itself forward. Two bows twanged and arrows whipped out hitting whatever it was before it landed before them. In the fluttering light of the torch they saw a massive hulk, like a stone skin but twisted and bulked up to an extent none had ever seen. Even with its massive size it was lightning fast. With the barest twitch of warning it had seized one of the hunters and thrown them off the edge into the valley below.


    That seemed to break the spell that had been on them as all at once they charged the thing. Torvund bellowed his own challenge and rushed forward, managing to sink his ax into the things leg before it bashed him against the rock wall. The four Therudi harried the creature, the armored two with their swords, dancing in and out of range while the other two pelted it with arrows. Ag and Marus joined in, jabbing at the thing''s arms as it swung.


    The creature twisted suddenly and caught one of the armored Therudi, bashing him against the rock floor again and again until his body was a broken mass held together by his armor. The thing threw the bloody mass that had been a living being a moment ago into Marus sending him sprawling. For a moment Ag was left staring the creature down alone until Esker and more surprisingly Martine appeared at his side. Together they charged, slashing at anything they got close to.


    The creature bellowed in rage and swung wildly, clipping Esker and sending him spinning dangerously close to the edge. Martine yelled in anger and jumped forward, his sword sinking into the thing¡¯s chest and lodging there. In a moment of adrenaline fueled stupidity Ag followed suit, his impact against the monster sending it stumbling back. It thrashed wildly, trying to shake its passengers but it only served to move itself closer to the lip of the rock shelf.


    Marus seemed to realize the inevitable before they did. He regained his feet and grabbed onto Ag. ¡°Let go or you¡¯re both dead!¡± He shouted but it was too late.


    With a final roar the monster pitched over the edge, taking Martine, Ag, and Marus along with it.

 Chapter 11

    Chapter 11


    The fall was not as fatal as one would have thought from looking down in the dark. Next to the rock shelf was steep but not sheer which meant a hard landing and a wild tumble down the slope. Unfortunately it was rocky and rough to the point that each impact felt like a dozen thick, dull knives were jabbing into flesh. Ag rolled briefly before leaving the ground, the moment of weightlessness lasted only as long as the roll before he hit the ground and repeated the process.


    His blade had pulled free and he clutched it to himself in a death grip, maybe not the wisest thing as a bad impact might jam it into him but he wasn¡¯t thinking that clearly. He heard the others falling, rolling and impacting around him, their grunts and yells drowned out by the intermittent chitters and screams of the monster they had fallen with. At some point it must have hit a larger rock and gone diagonally from them as the sounds faded somewhat before their final hard impact with the ground.


    Ag hit a rock and was sure he¡¯d at least bruised his ribs as the breath was knocked out of him. He heard two wet splats as the others landed in the mire that was the valley floor. When he¡¯d managed to gasp enough air into his lungs to stop panicking, Ag hauled himself to his feet. As he did his booted foot slipped off the rock and into the stinking mud that surrounded him.


    He looked around, too dazed to really understand what he was seeing. Someone called his name, or he thought he heard that, he wasn¡¯t sure. ¡°Aguerus!¡± The shout and someone shaking him snapped his mind free of the haze and his gaze snapped onto Marus.


    The man was already splattered with black mud and the wild look in his eyes told him the danger was far from over and the man was hurting from the fall. ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± He managed to stammer out.


    He made to push Marus¡¯s arms away but the man pulled them back. ¡°Careful with that.¡± He snapped and Ag realized he was still holding his weapon.


    ¡°Sorry, sorry.¡± He muttered, then, more clearly. ¡°Where¡¯s Martine?¡±


    They both looked around and for the first time took in their surroundings. Stretching before them was a sea of mud and pools of brackish water. A few skeletons of trees jutted out of the mire and a heavy fog seemed to shroud the area. A patch of mud shifted and they both rushed over to find Martine struggling to pull himself free. They each hooked an arm and hauled him to his feet, giving him a shake to dislodge some of the mud.


    ¡°You madman.¡± Ag said with a faltering laugh. ¡°What in the hells were you thinking jumping at that monster like that?¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t.¡± The younger man replied, wiping mud from his eyes. ¡°Thinking that is. It just seemed like the right thing to do.¡±


    Marus gave him a pat on the back. ¡°Badly planned but bravely executed.¡± He said then they all took a moment to catch their breath.


    A deep, clicking call rose up a few dozen yards to their left and it was answered from deeper in the fog shrouded bog. ¡°Looks like the big one isn¡¯t dead yet.¡± Ag growled.


    ¡°That means we need to make ourselves scarce while we can.¡± Marus chimed in. ¡°If I¡¯m remembering right, that sewer entrance is close to the path we were taking.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if you noticed but that thing is between us and it.¡± Ag replied.


    ¡°So we¡¯ll give him a wide berth.¡± Marus snapped. ¡°Whether we have to go through him or not I¡¯m not waiting down here for a pack of stone skins to rip me limb from limb.¡±


    ¡°A fair point.¡± Ag conceded. ¡°Are you well enough to walk?¡± This was directed at Martine who nodded shakily.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    They let him go and set off at a squelching trot through the mud. They did their best to be quiet but the mud and pools of still water seemed bent on giving away their position. As they moved into the fog shrouded bag a smell greeted them of rotten flesh and festering pools. Ag nearly gagged as it hit, almost overwhelming in its potency. They slogged on, doggedly making their way towards where they hoped their salvation lay.


    Without realizing when it had happened, they became aware that all sound had ceased, the chorus of chitters and clicks that had surrounded them had faded to nothing. They froze, the sound of them pulling their feet from the sucking mud suddenly loud in their ears with nothing to hide it. Ag¡¯s grip on his weapon tightened, his eyes scanning the swirling mist that surrounded them. What was a stone skin stalking them and what was the fog drifting as hard to tell. Though there was no sound, Ag was sure something was waiting, just beyond their field of view, it was just a question of whether or not it knew they were there.


    Martine, stupid, well meaning boy that he was, took a step. The sucking sound of his boot coming free of the mud and the splat as it landed again seemed deafening. For the barest moment there was nothing, no retaliation, no call, and Ag thought they might have just avoided death. The pause was nothing more than breath before a stone skin lept from the fog and tackled Martine to the ground. Ag was on it in a second, his blade punching through its throat, cutting off the wet, clicking scream it let loose in Martine¡¯s face. The creature gagged as its too red blood spilling out onto Martine.


    Ag had only just begun to haul the boy to his feet when another hit him in the side. He went sprawling, the creature''s claws digging into his arm as they slipped to the side in the mud. Momentum carried them to a rotting tree that nearly gave way as they hit it. Ag got his right arm free and stabbed the thing in the side. It answered by clawing at the leather over his mail, scoring grooves in the mud covered armor. He pushed it away before coming to one knee and with a mighty swing taking the things head off.


    Another had jumped out, its snapping jaws held back by Marus¡¯s knife in its mouth. He jabbed it again and again in the stomach before cutting its throat. Others were chittering all around them, a chorus that had gone silent just long enough to find its prey.


    ¡°Move!¡± Marus bellowed. ¡°We need to find that sewer!¡±


    Neither Ag nor Martine needed to be told twice. In a moment they were off, slipping and sliding and sinking in the mud. Shapes moved all around them, hunters closing in on their prey. Another stone skin lept out but it was ill timed. Ag slipped, falling to one knee and it missed him, only carving a small groove on the side of his face. A mightier call echoed out, spurring them to run even faster.


    The cliff wall was coming into view, at least it looked like it and Ag pushed harder. A yell from behind made him spin on his heel. Martine had been grabbed, a stone skin buried to its chest in the black mud had latched onto his leg and was pulling him closer. Ag ran back, not thinking about what was the smart decision and behind him he heard Marus turn as well.


    A massive shape emerged from the fog, its large foot stamping down on the head of the stone skin in the mud. The huge stone skin from the cliff had arrived and it reached down and plucked Martine from the mud before sinking its teeth into his shoulder. The boy yelled in pain but his right arm was free and he was conscious enough to pull his belt knife and began stabbing at the things neck. It roared in anger, dropping him just as Ag came sliding in, his blade cutting through the back of its knee.


    The creature''s leg gave out and it fell to one knee. Marus came flying in, somehow finding enough grip to jump at the monster, his knife sinking into its eye. Another roar sounded and it flung Marus off its face. Ag ducked as the man went flying by but didn¡¯t slow his charge. It reached for him, too quick for anything that size but Ag had been trained by the wilds. He sidestepped the grab and cut three fingers from the meaty hand before speeding down the length of its arm to stab it in the armpit.


    Hot red blood gushed out, making the already slick mud even worse. The monster fell onto its back, throwing Ag off but Martine was there to finish it. The boy came out of nowhere, his still bloody knife in hand. He went for the throat once more, punching the knife in one side before bracing against the things head and pulling. From one end of the monster''s throat to the other was split and spurts and waves of blood fountained out. The thing tried to scream but all that escaped was a gurgle as its life blood drained from it.


    It spasmed, its body losing control of itself. Arms flailed out wildly, its legs kicked before it finally went still. Marus squelched up beside Ag, one side of his face covered in mud.


    ¡°The sewer is over there.¡± He said into the silence. ¡°I nearly got thrown in.¡±


    Ag nodded but didn''t move. ¡°Are you alright Martine?¡±


    The boy nodded, holding his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine, let¡¯s just get to that damn sewer.¡±


    With that they were off, the calls of the smaller stone skin echoing behind them the whole way there.

 Chapter 12

    Chapter 12


    The sewer smelled as bad as the bog, a fetid aroma of rot and decay that filled the nose and stuck to the tongue. The opening was a wide circle with the rusted remains of what might have been a grate covering the entrance but had been pulled away long ago. The rock of the tunnel was smooth, the only lines in it spaced along its length going around the entire circumference. To get stone so smooth and perfectly circular was a great feat only made greater by the fact it had somehow survived the long passage of time.


    They stopped a ways down the tunnel, leaning against the curved walls to catch their breath. Marus pulled a strip of cloth from his belt pouch which had remained mostly waterproof and proceeded to bandage Martine¡¯s shoulder. The bite looked bad, the jagged teeth of the brute had sunk deep and the mud from the bog and blood from said brute had been slathered over the holes. If they didn¡¯t treat it properly soon the boy would surely get an infection. Marus did his best to wash it off before bandaging it but the area around the bite was already an inflamed red.


    ¡°Are you good to keep going?¡± Marus asked.


    Martine gritted his teeth but nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. So long as the stone skins get close I¡¯m sure I can stab just as well with my left hand.¡±


    Marus gave him a pat on the uninjured shoulder. ¡°Good lad.¡± He turned to face Ag. ¡°We need a way out of here.¡±


    The calls from beyond were growing louder but the monsters beyond in the mist seemed hesitant to get close now that the biggest of them was dead. ¡°We follow this down.¡± Ag began, doing his best to remember what they¡¯d been told in Perouth. ¡°There should be a ladder that leads up to the fort. From there we can make it into the spire with little resistance if any.¡±


    Marus nodded then stepped closer. ¡°I don¡¯t know if Martine will make that climb.¡± He said in a hushed whisper.


    ¡°He¡¯ll make it.¡± Ag replied. ¡°He has to.¡±


    They delayed only a few minutes, just enough time to get some water in them and catch their breath. Marus still had his pack which was lucky and it still had two torches inside, their tips soaked in pitch. After a bit of work with a flint and steel they had one burning, keeping the other as a backup.


    They marched into the blackness of the tunnel, Marus in the lead, torch held high, Martine behind him and Ag bringing up the rear. The sounds from the bog faded as they moved deeper into the ancient sewer. It was straight as an arrow and seemed to go on forever. A few breakaways appeared, either collapsed or emitting a smell so foul they couldn¡¯t bear it.


    ¡°How long do you think this has been here?¡± Martine asked.


    The break from the silence seemed off, like there should be no noise here. The question hung in the air for a long while before anyone answered.


    ¡°A long time.¡± Marus replied. ¡°So long even your grandparents wouldn¡¯t know who made it.¡±


    ¡°How would you know?¡± Ag asked, his voice echoing in the long tunnel.


    ¡°There are a lot of ruins like these in the empire. You get to knowing things about them without really trying. Every scholar and mage in the empire loved them. ¡®Fountains of knowledge¡¯ they¡¯d always say.¡±


    ¡°And here we are with a fountain of smells, none of them good.¡± Ag grumbled.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take that over being ripped apart.¡± Marus chuckled.


    Ag conceded the point. The smell was awful but it wouldn¡¯t rip his organs out. They walked on for what seemed like hours before they found the way up. The tunnel ended and turned into a tube that ran straight up into darkness. Metal bars, covered in slime and rust were evenly spaced in the new passage leading to gods knew where.


    They stared up into the never ending dark, their one torch flickering and spitting. ¡°Have that other torch handy.¡± Ag said. ¡°I¡¯d hate to be stuck halfway up without a light.¡±


    Marus pulled the torch from his pack and pushed it through the back of his belt before beginning the climb. Ag let Martine go second and he followed after. It was a hard climb, the rungs were old and several gave worrying creaks as they put weight on them but none broke. There was little talk, everything they had was put into climbing and trying not to slip and fall.


    Martine was panting heavily above Ag, his movements slowing ever so slightly as time went on. The boy made no comment, only continuing through the pain he was surely experiencing. They stopped suddenly and Ag¡¯s head went into Martine¡¯s ass before he had a chance to stop. They both nearly fell, which would have surely been fatal from this height.


    ¡°Why did we stop?¡± Ag asked, his voice a hushed whisper.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    ¡°I think we¡¯ve reached the top.¡± Marus replied. There followed a series of grunts and metal scraping against metal.


    The torch dropped past, whether on purpose or accident Ag wasn¡¯t sure, either way they were left in total blackness. Ag watched the torch fall, its small light growing smaller and smaller. The height to which they¡¯d climbed was finally realized in his mind when it finally hit the bottom far, far below.


    Marus gave a final grunt and whatever was in their way came loose. It didn¡¯t get much brighter, either the moon wasn¡¯t up or the clouds were coming back. Marus climbed out and after a few moments of tense waiting he called for them to follow. Martine struggled up and Ag followed, reaching a circular opening in the courtyard of the castle.


    Shadowy buildings loomed over them but behind them was the spire, the faintest red glow emanating from it. The low roll of far off thunder sounded, making them all tense in anticipation.


    ¡°Get to the spire.¡± Ag whispered, leaning in close to the other two so they could hear. ¡°If the others survive, they¡¯ll be heading for it.¡±


    They nodded and made off at a crouched run. Though there was no light, Ag couldn¡¯t shake the feeling of eyes watching him from the spire¡¯s peak. The fort was eerily empty, no sound or signs of life greeted them as they made their way past huge stone buildings, it was as empty as the grave. With no one to stop them they easily made their way to the spire¡¯s base. The glow gave them some light to see by even if it gave the world a bloody hue. Twin doors at least twelve feet tall greeted them, their massive bulk was covered in strange carvings of creatures and places Ag did not know. They were open slightly, giving them a window into the interior which seemed to be lit by candle light.


    Ag crept in close, his weapon clutched in his right hand. He peered through the opening, a small gap for the doors size but one that was large enough to see most of the entryway. Stands holding dripping candles dotted the walls but the vastness of the room made their dozens of lights seem small. A few carpets and tapestries marked the floors and walls and a few pieces of now broken and ruined furniture were dotted around.


    The walls were what caught his attention or more accurately the pillars before the walls. The room seemed to be separated into two parts, a thinner circle set between the curved wall and the circle of pillars and the central room. The pillars were layered in carvings so fine and delicate they seemed impossible for any man to make.


    ¡°It¡¯s clear.¡± He whispered, pushing the door farther inward and stepping into the vaulted space.


    The scale with which the spire had been made was unreal, in this first room alone the ceiling was so far up it was covered by darkness. The pillars stretched up before becoming arches that connected each pillar to the others in a ring.


    ¡°By the gods.¡± Martine gasped. ¡°No man could have made this. Not even giants could have reached so far into the clouds.¡±


    Ag stepped closer to one of the pillars, observing the masterful work before his eyes were caught by the wall beyond. He grabbed a candle from one of the many sconces and moved closer, his small light bringing fragments of the true art out of the blackness. At first it seemed to be too much to comprehend and too little light to reveal it before Marus and Martine, both with candles of their own, arrived.


    ¡°A war.¡± Ag guessed. ¡°Or at least, a battle.¡±


    He was pretty sure he was right on that. The wall had layer upon layer of figures in all stages of combat. Men in armor of a sort he¡¯d never seen slaughtered each other with weapons that seemed to be carved in a way that made you think they were on fire. Great hulks could be seen, some in the foreground others set far back. They seemed too square to be animals, same with the strange carvings in the sky above the slaughter.


    ¡°Who won, I wonder?¡± Martine mused, his voice raspy.


    ¡°Hard to tell.¡± Marus replied. ¡°But see here, those spikes on these look familiar don¡¯t they.¡± He pointed at a line of armored warriors, their armor seemed to be pierced by strange spikes that looked all too familiar.


    ¡°My guess is they ended up where we are now.¡± Ag mused. ¡°They must have won, or we wouldn¡¯t be here but there might not have been many of them left after the fact.¡±


    Marus nodded then hesitated. Ag became aware of something he felt he¡¯d been hearing for a while. They both turned and looked at Martine, whose eyes were locked on the mural. His breathing was raspy and harsh, sounding much like a stone skins when they weren¡¯t chittering or screaming. Now with light to show him more clearly and with time to observe, he looked off. His skin was gray, his eyes bloodshot. He was sweating profusely and the veins leading to and from his shoulder were dark against the pale skin of his neck.


    ¡°Martine?¡± Marus began.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be turning.¡± Ag interrupted. ¡°Everyone who¡¯s still alive is supposed to be safe from the plague.¡±


    Martine coughed and shook his head. ¡°New stone skin, new plague I guess.¡± His tone was regretful rather than fearful. ¡°Or I¡¯m just unlucky.¡±


    Ag and Marus looked at each other, uncertainty in both their eyes. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Martine continued. ¡°I know what needs to be done.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have to.¡± Marus said, raising a hand to comfort the boy then hesitating. Just touching someone infected didn¡¯t spread it, at least they didn¡¯t think so but it¡¯s hard to make someone touch any kind of sick man.


    ¡°You do.¡± Martine sighed, his eyes still roving the intricate mural. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I know what happens if you don¡¯t and I¡¯d rather die a man than a beast.¡± He coughed, black flecks spattering the wall and his lips.


    Marus reached for his shortsword but Ag stopped him. ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± He hefted his blade and moved to stand behind the boy. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Martine.¡± He said, his voice nearly breaking with emotion he didn¡¯t realize had bubbled up. Another man might have been hesitant, too filled with guilt at the act but Ag knew better. He¡¯d hesitated before and it never ended well.


    Martine sniffed but stayed standing straight and proud. ¡°A good day to die, I suppose.¡± He muttered. ¡°Killed the biggest stone skin who ever walked, saw a tower so old anyone who saw it built is dust.¡±


    ¡°Aye.¡± Ag said. ¡°A good day to die on.¡± With that he swung with all his might. The blade that had tasted both man and stone skin bit again, separating Martine¡¯s head from his body in an instant. A quick death, a merciful death.


    Ag and Marus stood there, a few silent tears falling for the boy who would have been a fine man.


    ¡°When I find that wizard.¡± Ag growled. ¡°I¡¯ll rip him apart with my bare hands.¡±


    Marus nodded grimly. ¡°On that, we agree.¡±

 Chapter 13

    Chapter 13


    The clash of steel rang through the hollow space, bouncing from wall to wall making the melee seem far greater than it was. A bolt sprang from a crossbow, hitting a Therudi in the shoulder between his pauldron and chest plate. An arrow hit the man who¡¯d fired the bolt in quick retaliation, taking him in the neck. Torvund¡¯s ax sank into the shield of a black armored soldier and stuck, the steel biting deep into the wood. The two began a pulling match to rest control from the other. Esker, for his part, fought with an arming sword pulled from one of the fallen soldiers, his injury hampered him but he had enough skill to stave off death.


    Twin beacons of light shone in the cavernous room. A man, clad in black armor and scarlet cape threw arcs of bloody light that hammered a shimmering wall of power that surrounded the Therudi Huntress. She stood, her hands clasped, silently whispering as sweat beaded on her forehead. Genine stood by her side, a long knife in hand, taking swipes at what looked to be the officer on the horse from before. Tatsum stood with her, trading blows with the man, his long sword against an arming sword and shield.


    Ag and Marus surveyed the room from the stairwell leading down to it. The room made the entryway chamber look small, a vaulted space that only seemed half finished. Countless chains and hooks hung from the darkness above. Many of the thickest holding a massive circle of some sort of bronze metal. In the room¡¯s center was a massive pit, as black as pure night and an evil air emanating from it.


    At least a dozen black armored soldiers fought the seven that remained of their company, soon to be six by the looks of the Therudi that had taken the bolt.


    ¡°Come on.¡± Ag growled. ¡°Payback time.¡±


    Marus¡¯s face twisted with an evil smile and drew his sword. ¡°About damn time.¡±


    They raced down the stairs and lept into combat, each picking their opponent. Ag charged towards a second soldier trying to get behind Torvund, his long handled blade out and ready to strike. The man saw him coming and twisted to face him, his sword coming up to block. Sparks flew but Ag pulled his blade in and made a horizontal slash at the man¡¯s midriff. He danced back, avoiding the blow but stepping forward immediately to make an overhead swing.


    Ag slapped the strike aside and jabbed, letting his back hand carry it farther. He had reach


    on the man but this soldier was no new recruit. With an ease that spoke volumes of his experience, he batted Ag¡¯s strike aside with his armored gauntlet and hopped forward to make his own lunge. Ag wheeled back, the unexpected retaliation setting him off balance. His opponent pushed the advantage, launching two more swings, one at his head the other at his thigh.


    Ag deflected the head strike but caught the swing at his leg just a hair too late. The sword sliced through his pants and into his leg just above the knee, not a deep cut or a fatal one but a painful distraction nonetheless. He rammed the but of his weapon''s long handle into the man¡¯s face. The soldier fell back, blood spurting from his nose and probably wishing he¡¯d not gone with a kettle helm which didn¡¯t protect his face.


    With a yell of anger he charged forward, his sword swinging wildly. He managed to cut across Ag¡¯s chest, slicing through leather but bouncing off his chainmail. Ag pushed in close to the man, grabbing his weapon just below the blade and jabbing into the man¡¯s gut. The soldier''s chainmail did a good job of keeping the blade from spilling his organs onto the floor but couldn¡¯t keep the tip of the blade from giving him superficial stab wounds.


    The man¡¯s sword arm was pinned between them so he resorted to punching Ag in the face. He got a few solid hits in, making stars appear in Ag¡¯s eyes before Ag managed to get his blade up and stab through the man¡¯s neck into his skull. The soldier¡¯s eyes glazed over and he fell back, blood spurting from his neck. Ag let him fall, turning to look for another opponent. The second man who¡¯d faced off with Torvund was dead at his feet but the big man seemed in bad shape. His side was soaked in blood and a nasty gash on his forehead was leaking blood into one of his eyes.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Ag trusted the big man enough to let him go on his own, choosing instead to help Esker. The man, while a decent fighter, was obviously outmatched with one arm out of commission. Ag bowled into Esker¡¯s opponent from behind knocking him to the ground in a clatter of armor and weapon. He stabbed down but the man rolled aside, swinging awkwardly up at him and missing. Esker kicked him in the face, sending the man rolling farther in a daze. Ag was on top of him, pressing his blade lengthwise into the man¡¯s neck. They pushed, one against the other, but Ag had the weight and leverage on the soldier and his blade slowly made its way to the man¡¯s neck. When it pressed in he jerked it sideways, slitting the man¡¯s throat.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Esker gasped.


    Ag nodded and turned once more to scan the melee. Most of the combatants were either dead or wounded, the black armored soldier mostly left bleeding out on the stone floor. The lieutenant was losing to Genine and Tatsum, backed to the edge of the pit he made a wild charge, a last-ditch effort to break free. Tatsum managed to bash him on the side of his head with the pommel of his sword sending the man stumbling to the side. Genine came in, her thin knife stabbing under his arm between breastplate and pauldron. The lieutenant went rolling, coming to a stop in a heap of black armor and blood. Tatsum had his blade at his neck before he could rise.


    ¡°Surrender!¡± The Therudi bellowed.


    The man snarled and lunged forward, pulling a belt knife free but Tatsum had killed him before he¡¯d had a chance to retaliate. The man¡¯s head rolled across the floor and into the pit, a trail of blood all that was left of it.


    All grew still and Ag suddenly realized the sorcerer was gone. ¡°Quickly!¡± Nacine barked. ¡°He¡¯s gone up, whoever is fit to fight, follow me.¡± She had sunk to one knee, obviously, her fight with the mage had cost a lot.


    Esker began to move forward but Ag stopped him. ¡°You aren¡¯t fit to fight.¡±


    The holy man frowned. ¡°Sure I am, I survived that fight didn¡¯t I?¡±


    Ag smiled. ¡°Sure, with my help.¡± He gestured to the pit. ¡°See if you can get that closed. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s down there but it''s got an evil air and makes my skin crawl.¡±


    Esker nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll help the wounded then see what I can do.¡±


    All told there were only four that began the chase up the stairs, Ag, Marus, Nacine, and Genine. Esker got to work treating Torvund and the fallen Therudi warrior. The huntress and Tatsum stayed with them, watching the doorway for any new arrivals.


    They crept up the stairs, as quickly as they could without making too much noise. The carved stone was well worn from years of use but no fault could be seen, no crack or chip that foretold the tower''s fall. They reached a landing just below the tower''s base and Genine paused, staring down a long shadowed hallway.


    ¡°Nacine.¡± She whispered and the Therudi huntress stopped, turning to face her. Genine pointed down the hallway. ¡°Tentso.¡± She said, ¡°He¡¯s in a cell down there.¡±


    They all turned to look at her. ¡°Who?¡± Ag asked.


    ¡°Tatsum¡¯s brother.¡± She replied and began moving quickly down the hallway.


    There were indeed cells along the hallway, their iron gates closed but not locked or hanging open. All were empty and cold save one¡ªa pale form huddled within one, chains around the wrists attached to hoops in the wall.


    ¡°Marus, get the door,¡± Ag said.


    The dark-haired man eyed him. ¡°What makes you think I can pick a lock?¡±


    Ag gave him a sardonic look. ¡°Look at you.¡±


    Marus scoffed but moved to open the cell. He produced a set of picks and quickly had the door open. Genine rushed in, cradling the Therudi who lay in a crumpled heap.


    ¡°Is he even alive?¡± Ag asked.


    His question was answered when the emaciated body heaved a shuddering breath and his dark eyes snapped open. Genine sobbed in relief and held him closer. ¡°Imperial.¡± Nacine snapped. Pick his manacles then help Genine get him to the others. You and I will finish this.¡± The last was spoken to Ag.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we have at least one more?¡± Ag asked. ¡°I don¡¯t much like our chances with just the two of us against a red captain.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll be fine,¡± Nacine replied, her tone impatient. He¡¯s likely exhausted from our duel below and I¡¯d rather get to him before he manages to call more stone skin to his side.¡±


    With that, she turned on her heel and headed for the stairwell. ¡°I guess this is it.¡± Ag sighed. ¡°Tell Esker to say a prayer for me.¡± He took a firmer grip on his weapon and followed the huntress. This was it, the end of the job or the end of it all, what a way to end it.

 Chapter 14

    Chapter 14


    Take a stroll up the stairs and kill a man, that was what Ag told himself as he took the steps two at a time. That was all they had to do, that was all that was left at the end of this botched job, except this man could throw lighting. He¡¯d never backed out of a job, even near the end of his tour of sorts with the Black Hand and now didn¡¯t seem like the time to start. All that talk of survival and here he was, ready to take on a red captain with a Therudi. The world really had gone to hell.


    Nacine had drawn a long, single edged sword with a sweeping crossguard on the blade side. It was polished steel with inlays and symbols masterfully cut into its length. This was a sword very clearly not made by men. From its style and structure it was not a sword made for war but for one on one dueling. It was a far cry from Huk, in both style and make. A pinnacle of one¡¯s craft made with elegance, while Ag¡¯s weapon was made for function and adorned with the spoils of combat.


    The stairwell was illuminated with a pale light that emanated from Nacine. Her eyes glowed a ghostly white blue and even her skin seemed suffused with power. Her face was set with determination, revenge, Ag guessed, was what drove her on. Vengeance for her fallen kin.


    They climbed flight after flight, Flat stretches that marked floors blurred together until Ag didn¡¯t know how high they¡¯d climbed, only that his legs burned and air seemed very hard to get. The tower shuddered, almost imperceptibly. Power hummed through the walls filling the air with an eerie vibrating song. It wasn¡¯t a good song, that much was obvious.


    Calls echoed up the stairs, stone skins, just what they needed. If Nacine heard them she didn¡¯t even flinch, her pace stayed the same resolute stride. They were nearing the top, the humming was louder and cracks of thunder resounded through the stairwell. Red light bounced off the walls, fighting with the blue and white of Nacine. The calls were growing louder, footsteps sounded and scrapes against the stone of the spire.


    A door appeared as they followed the curve of the tower. The door was double wide, made of hardened oak and bound with iron. The end of the climb. The calls were louder than ever, the wretched servants of the red captain heeding their masters'' call.


    ¡°Guard the door.¡± Nacine ordered. She stood before the mighty doors, small in comparison to their height and width. ¡°I¡¯ll handle the red captain.¡±


    Ag nodded, and together they pushed on the doors. With a creak of ill tended hinges they opened and revealed their final challenge. The room was wide and well decorated, a huge bed and dresser on one side with a solid desk on the other. Beyond was a balcony that overlooked the mountains and fortress surrounding the spire and stood upon it was their quarry. The sky roiled with lightning, the deafening thunder that followed rang throughout the room. Nacine stepped forward, her glow burning twice as bright as before, as Ag turned to face the door and the creatures that followed them.


    __________


    Balasar Stood atop the Scarlet Spire, his cloak whipped by the wind, his hands clutching the railing. The sky boiled with thunder and lightning and the rain was whipped by the wind. A storm had gathered, summoned to aid him, or so the voices whispered. The lighting had a bloody tinge to it as it crept ever closer to the spire.The wretched huntress had held against him, Balasar, lord of the spire, undone by a Therudi and her vindictive god. If he¡¯d had more time, more information, he might have made a new race of stone skins, or elevated himself nearly to the level of a god. Time had run out.


    The door behind him was thrown open and that cursed huntress stepped in, bristling with power. A ripple of light appeared between them, another shield to ward off his blows in drain his strength but he had strength to spare. In a flash his arms were up and red lightning crackled from his hands hitting the shield and arcing off. Furniture, rugs, and anything not made of stone caught and burned.


    Thunder boomed again and the lighting that preceded it lit up the room with a mighty flash. Balasar felt it strike the tower''s peak, its energy transferring to the tower. He could feel it seeping from the walls and with a thought he pulled it free, threads of blood seeping from stone to fuel him.


    He felt the energy surging inside him, a maelstrom of power ready to be called on. He lashed out again and again, his strikes weakening the barrier between him and his prey. The huntress sank to one knee, the strain of holding him back taking everything she had. A wicked smile crossed his face. This was not the end, not for him or the experiments he was performing. Another round of lighting flew from his fingers as the world seemed to slow. Above, another strike was preparing to fall and he reached for it, his outstretched hand crackling with power.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    The lightning strike flashed but before it could impact the tower he pulled it down letting it strike him directly. It swirled around him like a crackling tornado as he leveled his hands and channeled everything into a final strike. Again time seemed to slow as if to give him a good view of his enemies demise. The torrent of power he unleashed surged forward, shattering the shield the huntress had erected as if it was nothing but smoke in the air. Incredibly she dove to the side before she could be incinerated, holding her blessed blade between her and the crackling storm.


    Behind her was a man who turned to see his death approach. Balasar had no idea where he¡¯d been nor what he¡¯d been doing but at least someone would die.


    __________


    Ag saw a tidal wave of bodies surged up the stairs towards him, their glowing eyes growing larger by the second. ¡°Watch the door.¡± He laughed to himself before slamming the double doors shut. He threw the latch just in time. A wall of bodies slammed into the hardened wood pushing them inward and bending the metal bar that secured them shut. Hand reached for him but he slashed as many as he could. The metal creaked under the strain of the pushing horde, threatening to break beneath their weight.


    Ag took hold of Huk in both hands and began stabbing through the gap, using his weapon as a spear. Screams echoed in the stairwell, a chorus of voices raised with the mad rage that only stone skins could call upon.


    He didn¡¯t know long he stayed at the door, stabbing and slashing anything he could. It might have been only a few minutes or hours he couldn¡¯t tell. At some point during his futile defense of the door he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end and a deafening crack filled the air. This wasn¡¯t the smoke and fire of the burning furniture but the destructive crackle of electricity. He turned, almost without thinking and saw his death speeding towards him, a funnel of red, roiling lightning careening towards him at impossible speeds.


    He moved, not by conscious thought or even his own volition, but he did move. Diving into a roll as the door behind him was thrown open by the mass of stone skin beyond. He saw it happen almost like in a dream.


    The lightning summoned from the red captain slammed into the charging horde, incinerating any that got in the way. Their stone growths seemed to act as focal points for the red tide, catching bolts and sending electricity through their entire bodies before it lept to the next. Faster than Ag would have thought possible the surge of power had careened down the stairs, using the stone skins as a bridge to continue its mad dash. The tower shook as if its very foundations were shaken by the massive burst of power that had been unleashed.


    All noise had faded from the world, muffled under the greatest crack of thunder ever heard. Ag stood, shakily, his legs like jelly beneath him. He could see Nacine across from him, it looked like she¡¯d been thrown against the far wall and lay in a heap, her clothes smoking. With eyes still stamped with the red glow of whatever had been thrown at him, Ag saw the red captain on one knee, clutching his right arm. Through the haze of smoke and his own poor vision Ag could make out the blackened remains of what had been the man¡¯s arm, charred to the bone, as had part of his chest.


    With what little strength he had left, Ag stepped forward, then again and again, slowly making his way towards the sorcerer. He wasn¡¯t holding Huk, he didn¡¯t know when he¡¯d dropped his weapon but it was nowhere to be seen. With shaking fingers he pulled his belt knife, a simple weapon he¡¯d used to kill or craft for years.


    The man on the balcony saw him coming and struggled to rise, his left hand beginning to glow red. The thunder and lightning had ceased, all that remained was black clouds and sheeting rain. With a final effort Ag threw himself towards the red captain, knocking him over.


    __________


    Balasar fell back onto the smooth stone of the balcony, a bolt of pain from his arm bringing him out of his stupor. It had been too much all at once and his body had paid the price and this man, this strange man from nowhere was still standing.


    He swore and lashed out with what little power was left sending a weak strand of lightning off in a wild direction. His attacker rolled away and that gave Balasar enough time to stand but that was all. He was on him again, pushing him back against the railing and another pain shot through him, this time from his gut. The pain was immense, his whole body seeming to contract around the knife inside him.


    ¡°Just die already.¡± The man hissed and stabbed again, this time between his ribs.


    The voices were becoming quieter, the insane cacophony retreating from his mind. Just like that, he was alone, abandoned by the whispers that had promised him glory beyond measure and the chance to form new life as he saw fit. The knife went deep in his throat and he knew it was the end. He couldn¡¯t breath with the blood gushing down his throat, his heart pumping without thought, all the blood from his veins out through the holes the knife had carved.


    He pitched back over the railing, his body losing all weight, his mind all sense of self. The fall was far longer than it should have been, even if he never noticed when he hit the bottom. His mind spun visions of everything he¡¯d done, all the things he might have done. All of it, for nothing.

 Chapter 15

    Chapter 15


    They reached the underground cavern the fight had taken place in after who knew how long. Everything had been a blur after he¡¯d thrown the red captain off the balcony and watched him fall that very long way down towards the ground. It was over, it hadn¡¯t really been that long of a job but it had felt like months. They were all still there, huddled beside the pit but now it had a massive metal cover over it made of what looked like bronze.


    That hadn¡¯t been there, he was pretty sure of that but now it was and the place felt wholly less evil for it. With an effort, Ag guided Nacine towards the group, she leaned on him heavily, her fight having taken more out of her than his. They slumped down beside the group, all eyes on them, expectant.


    ¡°All finished?¡± Torvund asked with a groan.


    ¡°Aye, all done. We had a nice long chat. Turns out he¡¯s not so bad once you get to know him.¡± Ag sighed, laying back on the cold stone.


    ¡°Is that right?¡± Torvund chuckled. ¡°Well maybe we should have skipped sneaking through mountains and fighting stone skin and just sent him a letter.¡±


    ¡°So where¡¯s this reformed red captain now?¡± Tatsum asked.


    ¡°Unfortunately he took a bit of a tumble in all that rain. He¡¯s at the bottom of the tower now, he found the fast way down.¡±


    They nodded and went quiet. It took them awhile to move but in time they did, when all were bandaged and had been given a chance to catch their breaths. The dead they left, even if Ag had wanted to bring Martine¡¯s body they had little enough supplies and any delay and extra weight might cost them. He didn¡¯t relish trying to carry a corpse on that narrow walkway above the bog.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    The bog itself, while still fogged and stinking, was quiet. The horde that had rushed up the stairs must have come from the feted marsh and all areas around. Whoever Andelmar sent to scout the spire would have an easier time of it than they.


    The march back to their horse was uneventful, and their ride through the mountains even more so. Whispers followed them through the mighty pines, not evil as you would expect from the tower, more curious. They didn¡¯t stop to investigate what might cause the sounds in those untouched peaks.


    Down the ridge they went, the village that had cost them so many men was still a ruin in the distance. They gave it a wide berth. Genine seemed in far greater spirits and the Therudi they¡¯d pulled out of the cell recovered quickly. He was very similar to his brother, if a bit more reserved, and a decent fellow by all accounts.


    When they¡¯d reached the mountain''s base and were into the valley and the highway they¡¯d followed, the Therudi left them. Genine went with them, not wanting to be separated from her love. With them off to the woods they called home it was a small company that made the trek back to Perouth. Ag, Marus, Torvund, and Esker, the last four to ride on, not for home but hopefully to rest and a reward.


    The town seemed very much the same, which was to be expected, it hadn¡¯t been more than a week. The gates swung open and they were given an open path to the house of the lord. He was waiting for them as they arrived, his face as dour as ever.


    ¡°We bring good news, lord.¡± Torvund called. ¡°A red captain dead and all his stone skin turned to ash.¡±


    ¡°A remarkable feat.¡± Andelmar intoned. ¡°How did you manage to burn all those creatures without being caught yourselves?¡±


    ¡°A bit of luck.¡± Ag replied as he dismounted. ¡°Now, about the reward.¡±


    ¡°All you are owed will be given.¡± The lord said, the faintest hint of a smile on his face. ¡°But for now, rest, and recover your strength.¡±


    Ag didn¡¯t argue, he let himself be guided to a bed and collapsed as soon as the door shut, not bothering to remove his weapons or armor. What a week, and he was glad to be done. The next job had better be something a lot simpler than this one. He was getting sick of lords sending him on insane death quests.


    With that final thought he closed his eyes and slept for a long time. He just hoped no one would steal his lute.