[Mkguild] Plain & Simple part 14

[Chris]

   Nestorius’ relations with the Order had been cold and distant since
the curse had changed him. People who had been friendly and helpful
suddenly became cold and distant. Worse they routinely dismissed his
requests if they bothered to answer at all. None of them seemed to
understand how dangerous things here really were. The Order seemed more
interested in the local gossip and politics then in helping protect the
Midlands. They were even disinterested in the curse itself! The most
unusual and powerful magic effect in decades and the order had no
interest in it! None! Their behavior truly baffled him. Why did they
send him to Metamor if they didn’t care about the place? He had always
suspected that his being sent to Metamor had been to simply get rid of
him.

   The lion was desperate but he refused to show it. He had too much
training and experience to panic. “My Liege,” Nestorius said trying to
be calm. “I do need the Order’s help here. I sense that Nasoj is
summoning something very powerful here. I cannot defeat it alone.” He
sat in a darkened room pushing his mind and voice out to a person who
sat in a similar room far to the south in Pyralis.

   “Summon what?” came the condescending answer. “Too many hyenas, too
many of those green skinned monsters? You have all that you need. Do not
bother us again with such trivial matters.”

   The lion stiffened and let lose with a deep, guttural snarl revealing
a muzzle full of long, sharp teeth. “So be it,” he said angrily and
ripped the medallion from around his neck. Nestorius tossed the piece of
jewelry aside and walked away. He never looked back.


********************


   The night breeze rippled Thomas’ mane lightly as he stared out into
the darkness. From up on top of the keep tower everything looked so
peaceful and calm. The darkness below hid a world in danger. The
stallion pondered what the night would bring. How had a wanted bandit
and a bloodthirsty, axe-wielding, maniac fox convinced him that this was
a wise move? Now he had over fifteen hundred of his people waiting in
the darkness for battle and death.

   Thomas watched the sentries who nervously paced the walls far below.
George had certainly lived up to Misha’s praise and his reputation. The
old bandit had laid the troops perfectly and the stallion could find no
flaw in the defenses. Still Thomas found himself checking again and
again for the slightest flaw before George had bluntly told him to get
some rest. It was the one order from him that Thomas agreed with but he
couldn’t even sit still, never mind sleep. He was reminded of what had
happened here two years before during the Battle of Three Gates. Would
the same thing happen here?

   “Nervous?” George said suddenly appearing next him.

   Thomas snorted and jumped back slightly his hooves ripping splinters
up from the newly laid wooden floor.

   George stood still until Thomas has regained his composure.

   “Now I understand where Misha got that habit,” Thomas said. “You need
to take care. Next time you could get a hoof in the muzzle.”

   George shook his head. “Nope. I’m out of arm and leg reach.”

   The Duke realized that George was right. He was standing just out of
reach of a kick. The old soldier never missed anything and had gauged
the duke perfectly. Somehow that reassured Thomas.

   “I’m not nervous but I am worried,” Thomas said. “I’m sure there is
something we’ve forgotten. Some unguarded door or window. Some
weakness.”

   The canine shrugged. “Nothing is perfect. Every castle has a weak
point.”

   “And that doesn’t worry you?”

   “I’m aware of the problems and I deal with them but I never worry. It
just wastes time.”

   Thomas rested his arms against the newly rebuilt battlements. “What
worries me is not the Lutins, humans or even the ogres that are out
there. Nasoj is a mage and he deals with many foul things. During his
last attack some nameless evil slipped past all our defenses and
slaughtered the Lightbringer priests and acolytes.”

   George simply nodded. “I know.”

   “How?”

   “Knowing your enemy is half the fight. What Misha couldn’t tell me I
learned from the people I command or from the Lightbringer priestess. A
most helpful person but she has certainly earned the nickname Ice
Queen.”

   The equine nodded his head. “She has her reasons for being cold.
Raven lost all her family that day.”

   Georges answer was a nod of the head. “I’ve dealt with mages like
that before. Killed a lot of them too.”

   “This mage has a habit of surviving and coming back stronger then
before.”

   “Everyone can be killed. The hard part is understanding how to do
it.”

   Suddenly off in the distance a bright flare erupted in the darkness.
Even from this distance Thomas could see flames shooting up high over
the treetops.

   "I see Misha is having his fun," George said casually as if
discussing what was for dinner. The flames died down then flared again
before sinking down to a dull glow. “He had better not set the whole
forest on fire.”

   “You’re calm about it all,” Thomas snorted. “This is not one of his
silly killing raids. He has over a hundred of my people out there with
him.”

   “Misha is a good leader. He’ll bring them all back alive,” George
answered.

   “I wish I could be so confident,” the Duke said trying to remain
calm.

   “I trust his judgment and so should you,” George said without looking
away from the fire.

   “Trust him?” Thomas asked. “He’s a berserker who thinks only of
killing!”

   George turned and looked the duke square in the face, His eyes burned
with a surprising intensity. “You’ve known Misha barely four years. I’ve
known him for over 2 decades. Who should know better what he can do? You
or me? He was right about you needing your scouts reorganized. He was
right about you needing my skills and he was right about retaking this
fortress. And if you think he could not command troops why did you let
him take them out? Why didn’t you stop him?”

   Thomas didn’t have an answer to that. The idea of countermanding
Georges order just never entered his head. “Why? Because I may not trust
Misha’s judgment but I do trust yours.”


**********************


   The night was profoundly quiet. In spite of there being over 100
people hidden nearby the woods around Misha were surprising quiet. He
couldn’t see any of the keepers and he could only hear the occasional
rustle. That was good.

   His sensitive vulpine ears picked up first lutin long before he saw
it. Someone was moving slowly down the path towards where he was hiding.
Misha could hear the soft sounds of careful foot falls along with the
rustle of leaves and debris. The sounds moved slowly down the path
towards them until a figure became visible. It was a faint shadow, a
little darker then its surrounding. He paid close attention to this
shadow as moved slowly down the path. This was a scout sent out ahead of
the main body to warn of ambushes.

   Suddenly an object launched itself from the ground and onto the
lutin. Misha caught a glimpse of a blade in motion then both dropped
from sight into the undergrowth. It was all over in a moment. Not the
softest sound came to Misha. He couldn’t help but be happy at Finbar
killing that scout so effectively. Not a sound or a wasted motion.

   No sooner had the path been cleared then came the sounds of more
people coming down the path. This time there was two of them walking
side by side. Misha gripped his axe tightly. These two were his.


***************


   The final attack when it came was as subtle and deadly as a
nightmare.

   It should never have fit thru the narrow opening of the well but it
did. The creature came bubbling and boiling up from the depths of the
well flowing over the old stones and weathered timbers easily. The
overpowering stink of rotting fish and stagnant water filled the air as
a wave of water washed over everything. With an unholy scream of delight
the creature pulled itself completely clear of the well and moved
towards a group of stunned people.


************************


   The main body came with a lot more noise then it’s now dead scouts.
The tramping of heavy feet, the smashing of tree branches and the sound
of the undergrowth being trampled down by scores of feet. And there was
the thump, thump, thump of the massive feet of an ogre. The wind shifted
slightly and he caught the harsh smell of a hundred unwashed bodies,
some Lutin, some human and at least one ogre.

   Slowly the group came into view. The massive, eight foot tall figure
in the lead had to be an ogre. Behind him was a dozen people walking in
a tight formation. He noted that in spite of the rough nature of the
trail they kept close ranks. Those were probably the humans. No Lutin
would be so foolish as to keep such close ranks in these woods. One good
volley of arrows would wreck havoc in those tightly packed men.

 A few steps behind the humans came another, larger group of people.
These didn’t have the same discipline as the previous group. And moved
in a more haggard grouping that was really just a large mob. But he
noticed that these Lutins were spaced out so that none was too close to
the other and all were holding weapons at the ready. These were skilled
experienced warriors.

   Coming up behind the Lutins was more humans again in the closely
packed ranks. And last of all was another ogre, this one carrying a
massive battleaxe whose head alone was a large as Misha was tall!

   It was several long minutes as this group moved down the trail. They
seemed to Misha to move with a glacial slowness that was frustrating.

   The fox waited till this group was in the center of the trail and in
just the right spot before acting. Misha took the fire bomb he had been
hiding and quickly lit the fuse from a small spark. He tossed the heavy
sphere into the middle of the Lutins. After a scant few seconds there
was a soft karoomp and bright fireball blazed to life and lit up
everything like the sun at midday.

   “ATTACK!” he shouted.


*************************


   Thomas, twelve knights of the Red Stallion and forty of the Duke’s
Household Guard stood in the center of the town square. Thomas stood
rock still, his tail flicking back and forth was the only sign of his
nervousness. He would have preferred to be with George or even Misha in
the middle of the action but common sense meant staying right where he
was. It was better to stand still then to race around in the dark
senselessly. Also he was in the center of the fortress and next to the
only working well present. Whatever trouble was happening elsewhere
would eventually find it’s way here.

   When trouble finally reached the equine nobleman it was almost a
relief from the waiting.


******************


   The creature was in the middle of the street smashing a group of
wagons and tossing the pieces randomly in all directions. The reeking
smell of dead fish and stagnant water was everywhere.

   “What is it?” George asked casually from a doorway some hundred yards
away.

   “The exact classification escapes me,” Nestorius answered. He was
standing on the other side of the doorway from George. They were still
close enough that the lion’s wards protected them both. Kneeling a few
feet behind the lion was Amelia with an arrow nocked in her bow. The
young woman was dressed in chain mail armor. Dangling from her belt was
a short sword in a leather scabbard.

   George shot the mage a hard glance. “I’ll do with a general idea of
what it is. Why does it smell like dead fish and stagnant water?”

   “Because it’s from the ocean,” the feline answered.

   The jackal shot the lion another hard gaze. “I understand that part.
Is it undead or a demon?” George asked in cold tones.

   “Undead.”

   “Undead? If that is what it looks like dead what did it look like
when it was alive?” Amelia asked nervously.

   “Probably nothing like that,” the mage answered. “Some necromancers
get creative.”

   George shook his head. “I hate when mages get creative.”

   “With great power does not always come the wisdom needed to use it
properly,” Nestorius answered and shook his head.

   The creature had finished with the wagons and was smashing though
several buildings tossing stones and wood beams like a child having a
temper tantrum.

   The jackal morph nodded in agreement. “All too true. About our
unwanted guest. Someone had to have summoned that thing.”

   “Yes,” the lion answered. “And from close by. A summoning this
powerful does not last long.”

   “Locate this mage and kill him,” the jackal snarled.

   The mage shook his head, his mane tossing about. “That won’t ending
the summoning. It will stay till it’s time is up or it’s task is
accomplished.”

   “I know that, but it will keep that mage from summoning more
trouble.”

   The lion nodded in agreement.

   Nestorius spoke the words of the incantation as his hands moved in
the complex gestures needed to shape the magic. Soon his senses were
enhanced as he looked further and further out until he located what he
was seeking. “The well. The mages in the well.”

   “He’s probably trying to summon something else,” George shouted.
“Where is this well?”

   The feline pointed past the monster. “The other side of that.”

   George nodded. “Of course,” he said sarcastically. “Why should it be
easy?”

   The small group backed down the street putting some distance between
them and the monster.

   The old scout pointed to a ruined building off to one side. “You hide
there and I’ll draw that thing past you and further down the street.”

   The lion mage nodded. “Understood.”

   “I’ll kill the monster, you kill the mage who summoned it.”

   Nestorius turned to Amelia. “You go with George,” the lion ordered
the woman.

   She shook her head. “No. You’ll need me.”

   “I do but George needs you more. He’ll need your bow and your magic
more then I do.”

   “But . . .”

   Netorius gently closed the woman’s mouth with one massive, clawed
finger. The sharp talon barely touching her skin. “No arguments on this.
I can defeat this mage. I have fought his kind before. But George will
need your help in defeating that summoning. He cannot do so with sword
and spear alone. He needs your magic.” He tenderly kissed the woman and
she passionately returned the kiss. She ran her hands thru his thick
mane.

   “Be careful honey,” she said softly.

   “I will. You take care as well. I want you back alive and unharmed.”


*****************


   Calmly George walked up the street and past the spot where the mage
was hiding without a glance in lion’s direction. He didn’t risk even the
slightest chance of giving away Nestorius’ hiding place. Amelia, at his
request waited further up the street out of sight.

   Quickly he came upon the monster which was in a small street, ripping
up the paving stones and throwing the massive blocks at random. George
pointed his cutlass at the creature. “Your head will look good on my
wall as a trophy.”

   “I will kill all of you!” the creature roared. “I’ll drown you and
crush your  . . .”

   BRAP!!!!!!!!! George accompanied the rude noise he had made with an
even ruder hand gesture. “You talk too much,” he said in a calm voice.

   The creature let out a roar of rage and a blast of fetid wind rolled
over the jackal.

   Without hesitating George turned and bolted up the street running
fast but not too fast. He wanted the creature to follow him.

   The monster roared with delight and eagerly chased after.

   Nestorius watched George run up the street as the massive creature
followed afterward. He huddled in the shadow of a massive rock and
pulled the invisibility spell closer around him.

   The massive monster moved slowly and ponderously up the street. With
each step the monster left pools of filthy, stagnant water. Quickly the
thing was even with his hiding spot and the rank stench of stagnant sea
water and dead fish assaulted his sensitive feline nose.

   With a great deal of relief he heard the creature move up the street
without pausing. He also heard George taunting it, luring it further and
further away from the mages hiding place. Nestorius was surprised by the
variety of the curses the jackal used as was well the different
languages.

 Slipping quietly down the street Nestorius moved toward his target.
There in the middle of the town square was the well marked only by a
large hole in the ground surrounded by a pool of water.

   The filthy water was stagnant and smelled downright vile.  As he
slogged through, wishing fervently that he could turn off his sense of
smell, he nearly gagged when he accidentally kicked a dead, rotting
fish.  It split apart, trailing gelatinous goo around his ankle, though
that was hard to tell apart from the slimy, clinging seaweed and
decaying vegetation that blanketed the soupy mess. He stopped next to
the hole and peered downward. All he could see was a deep, profoundly
dark hole. He did pick up the faint sound of chanting.

   “You going down there?”

   Looking up he found a fellow animal morph Keeper standing there. The
exact species was unknown to him but seemed to be some sort of bear.

   “Yes I am. I have a mage to kill,” he answered.

   Panno looked down the hole. “Whoever is chanting down there isn’t
alone. I can hear several things moving around down there.”

   Nestorius shrugged. “That mage needs to be stopped. He probably has a
guard. No sensible mage goes into battle alone.”

   “You’re here alone,” Panno commented.

   “If I had any sense would I be in this awful place, standing ankle
deep in a pool of stagnant water and dead fish?”

   Panno looked around at the ruined and shattered buildings that
surrounded the square they were standing in. “This used to be a nice
town. A nice place to live and raise a family.”

   “And it will be again. Once I get rid of him,” the feline said and
pointed down the hole. The mage spoke some words softly as he moved his
hands in circles close to the ground. A disk of shimmering blue light
appeared and hovered a few inches above the pavement.

   Nestorius stepped lightly on the disk which easily carried his
weight.

   Silently the disk with it’s feline passenger floated over the hole
and paused there for a moment. The mage started chanting and moving his
arms and hands in complex gestures through the air. His entire body
started to glow with a green light that enveloped him completely, down
to the tip of his long tail. Then slowly and gracefully the feline
started to descend into the hole.

   “Good luck!” Panno called softly to the mage as he disappeared down
into the darkness.

   “Thank you!” Nestorius said just before his head vanished into the
hole.

   The walls of the well were close, rubbing against the feline but he
ignored the annoyance and prepared himself for the battle ahead. After a
few moments the stone walls of the well fell away and he was floating in
open space. Nestorius had expected the well to be dark but there was a
faint glow coming from the walls lighting up the chamber he was in. He
had a brief moment to take in the massive brick lined cistern he was in
before the first spell slammed into him.


   End part 14


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