Greetings Fellow Readers!
I hope all of you have had a great week. It has been an uphill battle for me but there seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel. Hopefully soon, as I am so tired with the current client messing me around.
But you're not here to listen to me complain! This is a continuation of what @zakludick wrote earlier in the week. Enjoy the update!
“Mages!” she called.
They hadn’t had time to prepare for this enemy, and so, she didn’t have her usual array of battle mages. She wished she had had more, but she would have to do with the 20-odd men and women who lived at the castle and controlled the aether.
These were battle-hardened mages that had rode into battle with Johnathan when his family still warred against her own. They were ancient and had all but retired up to this point, but they were all she had, and they were prepared to die for her.
They knew what they needed to do, they had decades of experience. Each stood forward and echoed ancient words of power aligned with their unique skills. The air came alive with what felt like electricity before pure energy surged toward the new undead threat. Mary was sure this would put a dent in their advance, but then the energy seemed to bounce off of a dome protecting them.
Mary’s heart dropped into her stomach, and she was sure many of those surrounding her noted her pale complexion. The undead were protected by magic. She needed to think of another way to get rid of the swarm, and quickly before morale fell away. However, if battle mages couldn’t get through the dome, how would the regular mages be?
Then a single word of power rang out over the crowds. It wasn’t a word that Mary had heard before. It dripped darkness, hatred, and pure malice. It made the hair on her arms stand upright and she turned to see where the word had come from. As she turned, she noticed a bolt of black and swirling purple fly past her and head straight to the horde. It was only momentarily halted by the dome before there was an audible shattering sound. The energy engulfed the horde, and a horrific shriek filled the air.
“Fire, more fire, now!” roared Adiran as he joined Mary. “Don’t let up. The night makes them stronger!”
Soon the air was filled with fire from arrows and magic. The roar as they travelled over Mary’s head sounded as if a dragon had come alive overhead. Then a dragon did appear and the Queen marvelled at its silvery-white scales that glistened with the flame.
“Now Derric!” yelled Millmor from somewhere else on the battlement.
The dragon opened its mouth and sickly blue-green liquid spilt forth over the undead and the various pieces of equipment they had brought with them. As soon as the fire hit that liquid there was a whoosh sound as the fire exploded. The dragon was momentarily thrown higher in the air before it lazily glided back for its next order.
Mary turned to thank Adiran for his timely intervention and she noticed the glistening sweat on his brow. He was exhausted. She had been so worried about her children, she hadn’t spared his health any mind. He wasn’t a young man anymore, and this adventure surely had put a strain on his health and mind.
Adiran sighed and looked to the Queen with a half grin, “I can’t keep this up, but we need to destroy the horde before they reach the walls.”
The older man looked at the Queen and frowned, “Don’t look at me like that. People will start asking questions if they note you looking at me with such longing.”
Mary hadn’t even realised that she was staring at the man she had always believed to be her husband’s brother. She now knew who he truly was, and she suppose her face betrayed her newly emerged feelings.
“It’s difficult to hide emotions when you’re tired.” She said softly when she noted her twins steadily making their way toward them.
“They already know, Mary. They know everything.”
“Was there no way to avoid it?”
“You raised children who are too smart for their own good. They figured it out without me ever breathing a word of it.”
Mary cast her eye back to the battlefield. The undead were stumbling forward through the firewall only to collapse while still burning a few steps beyond it. Eventually, their sheer numbers would put the fire out.
“We have time to strategise now,” Mary said as she waved a general over to take over her position.
“Less than what you may think.” Said Millmor as he slowly approached the family.
Dogging his steps was a bloodied Lucien who was looking a little worse for wear.
“More bad news?” asked Mary sarcastically.
“Perhaps, perhaps not.” Started Lucien.
“You understand why you need to do this?” asked Darian.
The young man that had kept Adrian alive nodded his head. Whether he truly understood what was being asked was anyone’s guess as his eyes were glazed over with the spell he was under.
“Then you know what you need to do to rectify this.”
The flame of purity was burning a devilish red in the centre of the stone room. The boy stood up from his kneeling position and slowly walked toward the pit that seemed to always be burning with no fuel source. All around him were members of his priesthood dressed in their ceremonial red garb. It was strange, he had never seen this garb before, nor did he know any of the members that surrounded him. Despite him desperately trying to understand what was happening, the spell kept him subdued and obeying the order the High Priest had given him.
He needed to purify himself after being used in a disgusting blood ritual to keep the Prince alive. It was the only way his immortal soul could be saved, the only way to remain within the priesthood.
He continued to place one foot in front of the other as the heat around him started to become unbearably hot. He was sure he’d be far more uncomfortable if he was still wearing his regular robes. As he was now, dressed in nothing but a loin cloth, the heat was only just starting to become unbearable.
He needed to cleanse himself. As he reached for the flame, he could see faces laughing and mocking him. He was sure they would change the moment he was cleansed, he only needed to take one more step.
And that is where I leave the story in Zak's capable hands. Good luck!
Here is an explanation of Chain Stories and here is the current Chainstory Library
Mortis Custos Parts
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