Necromancers, Demons & Kings Read online

Harrison stretched while Tyler unhooked him from the table, and he stepped to the side of his computer station. “Well, Jimmy was nearly seduced by a siren.”

  “Come on, man, do you have to tell him too?”

  Dennis laughed and patted Jimmy warmly on the shoulder. “Happens to the best of us.”

  “Did you want me to join you for lunch?” Harrison asked.

  “Unless your guild has need of you?”

  “Please, take him,” Jimmy mused, and he gave Harrison a helpful shove. “We could use an hour without our fearless leader and his deranged thoughts.”

  Harrison’s lips pursed as Jimmy grinned widely and waved as he ran off.

  “Deranged thoughts?” Dennis asked as they too left the computer lab. They turned right at the end of the hall to enjoy a private lunch in his apartments upstairs. “Do these thoughts have anything to do with Valenastrious?”

  “They have everything to do with her, but they were just nightmares.”

  “Yes, nightmares.”

  Harrison nearly missed a step, staring at Dennis so hard and wondering why he said it the way he did. “What was it you wanted to tell me earlier before I logged in?”

  “We observed a few irregularities in the game servers last night. I merely wanted to see if you noticed anything strange since logging in today.”

  “Irregularities?”

  “Yes, but nothing to concern yourself with. I was worried about glitches affecting gameplay.”

  “Nothing happened today except for the siren, but I’m assuming that was intentional.”

  Dennis laughed and Harrison’s worries abated. “Yes, that it was. Now then, I shall like to hear all about it over lunch.”

  ***

  Bishop paced around the Crossroads as he waited for the sun to set. They tried to explore the last unseen part of the map for this territory, but when they headed south, figuring they had time before they had to meet with the King’s advisor, they found a stone wall they could not go around with a solid iron gate barring their way. Even when he pressed on the gate, there was no indication of what lay beyond, so they trudged back through the forest to wait at the road.

  Jimmy and a few of the others were anxious to keep pushing for Hillside. However, barely a few yards into the next territory, and they were running back, yelling at the top of their lungs in a panic. Giles had managed to pull an entire swarm of these nasty, giant wasps, and it took several minutes to finish them all. Of course, the critters were level 19 and nearly successfully killed four players completely caught off guard by the attack. Maverick sat her beast form on top of Jimmy to hold him still while they waited. She hadn’t moved since, and it looked as though Jimmy had finally given up and fallen asleep in the grass.

  When the sunlight began to fade and the bright bold colors of a Samar sunset filled the sky, Bishop glanced up at the sound of a creaky old wagon approaching. It came from the same direction as the massive stone wall, and his excitement bubbled to see if that’s where their next quest would lead them to. He nudged Maverick who, with an annoyed growl, lifted herself off Jimmy. The healer cursed and grunted while she shifted back and then hoisted him to his feet.

  “Did we learn our lesson?” she teased, giving him a hefty smack on his rear.

  The others laughed as Jimmy winced until he kissed her with a loud smack. “Never.”

  “Right everyone, show time,” Bishop said. He leaned against a tree growing close to the road, Willy sitting by his side, and waited as the carriage came to a rickety stop a few yards away. The door was thrown open and a man, Horace, decked out in all the fineries of an aristocrat, climbed out. Bishop moved forward and the man’s upper lip curled in disgust. “We’ve been sent by the King.”

  “You?” Horace sniffed rudely and tossed his cloak of fine silk over his shoulder. “I will not speak with a half-breed, not even one sent by our King.” His eyes narrowed as he said it and Bishop sensed this advisor, one the King said he trusted, did not in fact like King Godfrey too well.

  “Then who will you speak with?” Trajan asked, as he stepped forward.

  “A dwarf,” Horace scoffed. “You will do, I suppose.”

  Trajan’s hand fiddled with the handle of his great axe as he casually swung it down to lean on. The aristocrat’s eyes widened and Trajan spat at the ground near his fancy slippers. “Good, then speak. We have come from the King. What do you require of us, my Lord?”

  Bishop stifled a laugh at the dwarf’s smirk as the lord glowered at them all.

  “I offer coin to those who can bring me the head of the one who controls the beasts that have taken over what lies beyond the South Sea Wall,” he said, pointing south back along the road. “They have infested the waters around these parts.”

  “What lies beyond the wall?” Trajan asked.

  “Do not concern yourselves with what has already come to pass,” the lord replied. “All I require is the head of their leader, though I will offer bounties for weapons and other useful items you retrieve.”

  A quest window appeared in front of Trajan and he accepted it, then immediately shared it with Bishop so his guild could have it as well. There wasn’t much detail given about the place, except the beings who had taken up residence inside the walls were called necromancers and part of a group of humans and elves called the Blood Sea Cult.

  “Sounds fun,” Jimmy said, cringing. “And it’s going to be night when we get there. Oh joy.”

  “Blood Sea Cult, could be interesting,” Bishop said, ruffling his friend’s hair. “Let’s go check it out.”

  “You’re way too excited to be facing possible death,” Jimmy pointed out.

  Trajan and Bishop created one massive group between their two guilds, and then trudged back into the trees and towards the South Sea Wall. The closer they grew, the less everyone spoke until they neared the gate and silence fell over the group.

  “How do you want to do this?” Trajan whispered, staring at the great iron gate.

  “Guess we won’t really know until we get inside.”

  Bishop rested his hand on the gate and waited until everyone nodded they were ready. Holding his breath, he pushed the gate inward, which swung silently on its rusted hinges. He stepped aside and let Trajan, Maverick, and Arthur step through first, along with two other tanks from the LongBeards.

  “What the hell is this place?” Bishop heard Trajan whisper. “Bishop, you have to see this.”

  Bow in hands and fingers on the strings, he stepped up beside Trajan and stared around. “This looks exactly like the palace courtyard at Weston,” he mused. “Down to the last stone.” The stairs stretched out before them and beyond the main entrance to the castle. Torches lined the entire area.

  They hadn’t been able to make out the towering structure on the other side of the wall, even though it clearly reached up high into the suddenly stormy night sky. Lightning flashed overhead and Bishop expected to see a demon portal appear as it had on his first visit to the palace. Thus far, the courtyard remained surprisingly empty. “Where are they?”

  “I don’t know, but it doesn’t feel right,” Jimmy whispered, holding out his hand, feeling the air.

  Benji nodded, a frown furrowing his brow. “There’s magic here, dark magic. It’s everywhere.”

  “So where are the necromancers then?” Bishop asked, cautiously moving further into the courtyard. When the last player of their group was through, the iron gate suddenly slammed shut behind them. Sorgon at the rear of the group tried to open it, but the darn thing wouldn’t budge. “And now we’re locked inside. That’s great. Just great.”

  “What do you want to do?” Trajan asked. “I’m thinking we split up. I’ll take my group right and you go left? We’ll meet at the palace doors?”

  “Sounds like a good idea to me.” Bishop motioned for his guild to head to the left.

  Willy, Maverick, and Arthur moved out in front, leading the way while the rest kept their heads on a swivel, moving through the ghostly still courtyard. Thun
der rumbled in the distance, rolling steadily towards them with each step they took. Bishop narrowed his eyes as he peered around, searching for a clue of where they were supposed to go. A loud crunch echoed from under his boot and he paused. With a curse, he leapt back into Giles and nearly sent them tumbling to the ground. A crushed skull rested where his foot had been. More skeletons scattered around them. How they hadn’t noticed them before was beyond him, but bodies littered the ground everywhere he looked.

  “Keep moving,” Maverick hissed. “I don’t like it in here.”

  Willy growled in agreement, his hackles raised and teeth bared as Maverick shifted before moving forward with the wolf. Arthur gripped the handle of his Warhammer tighter and moved to the exposed right side of the group in case of an attack. Bishop’s fingers tugged gently on the string of his bow, ready to fire the second something attacked their group. A thick smoke appeared in the center of the courtyard and they quickly lost sight of Trajan and the rest of his guild.

  “Damn, I can’t see a thing,” Jimmy whispered beside him.

  “Same. Can you cast a light spell at all?”

  Jimmy held up his staff. The stone at the top glowed a vibrant blue, and he aimed it towards the smoky haze surrounding them. The courtyard steadily grew brighter, and the darkness that crept in around them was forced back. He held the light as they moved forward.

  The closer they grew to the steps, the more bodies appeared at their feet, pinned to the stone walls by swords or spears. Arthur reached over and ran his fingers over the hilt of one such weapon, examining it closely.

  “It’s a demon blade,” he informed the others.

  “Demons attacked here? I thought we were fighting a cult,” Jimmy muttered. “What is going on?” The light faltered and he cursed as he redid the spell. He shook his staff angrily, but the light never came back to its full strength. A chill wind gusted across their faces and they could see their breaths puffing out before them. “Benji? Little help here.”

  Benji cast the same spell. Unfortunately, his staff couldn’t hold it either, and soon the darkness surrounded them again. One by one, the torches they passed were snuffed out.

  “Close ranks!” Bishop yelled, and his group huddled closely together just as the last bit of firelight disappeared. The rest of the torches quickly followed. The only light now came from the dim glow of Benji and Jimmy’s staves, and the lightning flashing every few seconds over their heads. “Keep your ears open,” he whispered.

  A rustling reached his ears and he whipped his head to the right, squinting desperately into the shadows. They played with his mind. He swore he saw someone approaching. But when he raised his bow and fired an Instant Shot, nothing made a sound as if struck. More shuffling and the horrible creaking of bones echoed through the courtyard, and the hair on the back of his neck stood on end. Something shifted beneath his boot and he stepped to the side, trying to get off the bones unbalancing him. He nearly fell when they moved all on their own and a skeletal hand grabbed hold of his ankle. He yelped as the others cursed and screamed around him.

  “The skeletons! They’re alive!” Jimmy yelled.

  Bishop couldn’t see them, but he heard the bones clacking together and the sucking in of air as if they tried to fill their empty ribcage with oxygen. He drew his dagger and, using Slash, swiped down at the skeletal grip. He felt around him and attacked the one holding whoever was to his right and then to his left.

  “Move!”

  “Where?” Jimmy called back. “We can’t see!”

  A scream sounded from across the courtyard. Trajan and his group were in trouble as well. They needed light and they needed it fast. Bishop had nothing in his bags that could help.

  But he did have an endless supply of Fiery Arrows, at least until he ran out of mana.

  “Maverick, take point,” he yelled, as he fumbled his way towards her beastly body.

  Once his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he aimed over her shoulder and fired Fiery Arrow. The arrow lit up a few yards ahead of them… and what he saw was a scene straight from a nightmare. Skeletons struggled to their feet, half built with missing jaws or arms, some even missing a leg. They were dragging themselves forward to try and reach the heroes. Swallowing his fear, Bishop aimed his Rain of Thorns AOE and pinned the skeletons in place, at least for five seconds.

  “Grab hold of each other and move, quick!” he ordered.

  They did as he said and reached a point just past the pinned skeletons before the fire dimmed. He aimed another Fiery Arrow, followed by Rain of Thorns again. His group pushed forward as Arthur and Sorgon took up their flanks, attacking anything that came too close. More screams spurred Bishop on, firing Fiery Shot after Fiery Shot, until Maverick reached the stairs and they left the mass of skeletons behind them. They braced for an all-out attack. Yet, when they turned to face the monstrous beings, they stopped dead—literally—right at the bottom stair.

  “They can’t come up here,” Jimmy said. “Why?”

  “Don’t know, but we have to help the others.” Bishop sprinted to the other end of the stairs, ignoring the skeletons that followed him, hissing and cracking as they tried to keep up. “Trajan!”

  “Bishop! Where the hell are you?” he called back. Curses followed and the sound of fighting intensified. “Can’t see a damn thing out here!”

  Bishop drew back the string on his bow and shot Fiery Arrow up into the air. “Follow the fire!”

  “Right! Zoe, do what Bishop’s doing! Push forward!”

  More Fiery Arrows joined Bishop and Giles as they guided the other group to the stairs. Finally, they all collapsed on the last few stairs, catching their breaths and looking a little worse for wear. The skeletons crowded around, but could do nothing else.

  “Who were they, you think?” Trajan asked, after checking on his guildies and giving everyone a chance to regain their health and mana.

  A shiver shot down Bishop’s spine as he stared down the monsters. “No idea, but they were slaughtered by demons. We found a few with swords still in their bodies.”

  “Demons? This place doesn’t look that old.”

  “What do you mean?” Benji asked.

  “I mean, according to our dear King Godfrey, no demons have stepped foot in Samar in centuries if not in forever, or so he claims.”

  Bishop frowned. “You’re right. And this place, why would it be a mirror of the palace in Weston?”

  “Something’s jacked up about all of this.” Trajan stared around shaking his head. “You think the King set us up? Maybe he’s really a villain.”

  Would Dennis go that far? Make the main hero they were supposed to keep safe out to be the bad guy they would face in the end. But then what about Valen? There were too many ways this story could turn out and, with no real way of knowing where they were headed, he hesitated to make such a rash accusation.

  “Maybe. Let’s get inside. I guess that’s where the cultists are hiding out,” he said, and he turned to the front doors, the exact same as the ones back in Weston. “Let’s stick together this time, just in case.”

  “Good idea,” Trajan agreed.

  He and Bishop moved towards the doors, pushing them slowly. They opened without a sound and the group filed in quietly, crowding in the grand hall. The tanks took point and they walked as one large group into the castle. At the entrance to the west wing, they paused and Trajan peered around the corner. He held up his hand with five fingers and told the others to stay back while he, Maverick, Arthur, and one other from his guild crept down the corridor. A few seconds later, the clashing of weapons and a few screams could be heard. Bishop poked his head around and saw Trajan tugging his ax out of a body at his feet.

  “Clear,” he said, and Bishop waved everyone forward. “We might have to split up after all.”

  Bishop grimaced as he stared at the many doorways leading off the room. “Damn. This place is bigger than I thought.”

  “You know, the main guy is probably in the throne room,” Jimmy
pointed out. “We could just head there.”

  “And risk the chance of missing something? Nah,” Benji said. “I’m with splitting up and searching the whole place. Besides, we need to level up if we’re going to take on Helenex, right?”

  Bishop glanced at his XP bar. “He’s got a point.”

  “Calling it now, I’m going to be the first one dead,” Jimmy muttered.

  Bishop sighed as he pulled up his map. “On the bright side, we can see the whole castle.”

  “And the downside?” Jimmy asked, cringing.

  “I doubt we’ll cover the whole place unless we split up into groups of two or three.”

  “I call Bishop and Maverick,” Jimmy announced, and he looped his arm around Bishop’s.

  The others split off into groups and they made a plan to meet up at the throne room to dispose of the one person they were here to kill. Bishop glanced at the bodies of the dead cultists. Their clothes were odd, blood red rags mostly with very few pieces of actual armor. Broken staves lay at their sides. Magic users. Their ears were pointed and they had tattoos on their faces, appearing as blood dripping from their eyes, noses, and mouths. If they were a cult, who did they worship? Valen? He searched the room for any sign of a Demon Lord or the Demon Queen, but there was none there.

  “Bishop, ready?” Jimmy asked, tugging on his arm. “Maverick’s picked her doorway.”

  “Yeah, yeah I’m coming,” he mused, and he stepped away from the bodies and the unanswered questions piling up at their feet.

  Willy snorted as if he agreed with Bishop’s concerns. And, the second Maverick started attacking necromancers down the hall, the wolf happily bounded after her.

  ***

  Bishop pulled back on the string and let loose Silent Arrow, shutting up the wailing necromancer as she tried to cast another spell on Maverick to slow her attack speed. The beast roared in fury and slammed the enemy into the nearby wall, swiping her massive paw across her face to silence her for good. The second her body hit the floor, the dinging sound of leveling sounded and Bishop, Jimmy, and Maverick all grinned.

  You have reached Level 18. New Skills Gained: Endurance Stance, Powershot Stance.