Chapter Fifteen

Unnatural Foes

On the second morning, everyone met for lunch so that Erica could show off her new armour. It was true, the smith has crafted it to be very close fitting, but Erica felt much more invincible whilst retaining a good manoeuvrability.

Much to Ivan’s disappointment, there was no sign of Nadia. However, Tia had stumbled down the stairs after what she mumbled was a late night drinking of far too much wine. She had brunch whilst the others tucked into a hot stew.

Another newcomer to the town was also in the common room. A rough faced plainsman who introduced himself as Vorhann. He too was in town to find the beast. El-Shad suggested that they should team up and add their strength together. Vorhann laughed and refused. “I do not need any help from amateur hunters!” he had replied.

“Arrogant son of a….” El-Shad thought.

By the time you were ready to leave, Tia hadn’t finished her food so she stayed behind. Following one of the paths out of town, it wasn’t long before you crossed into the eastern forest. The winter sunlight filtered through the trees casting eerie shadows across the ground. The only sound to be heard was the crunching of snow underfoot. Spreading out into a wide group to cover the most ground you pushed on throughout the day, whilst always retaining line of sight with each other. Progress was slow but steady over the rough terrain, and after many hours of searching Erica called out that she had spotted something.

Everyone converged on Erica’s position to find her stood outside a ruined gate which led into a low walled area. Looking past the gate, twelve gravestones arranged in four rows of three stood at varying slanted angles. The back three gravestones were particularly prominent above the rest. Not a thing moved within the sheltered glade.

“Something’s not right,” mused Herman, feeling an uncertainty in the air.

El-Shad walked straight past the gates without seemingly a second thought. Keeping close to the wall, he circled the entire glade, stopping briefly at the larger headstones at the back, before completing his circuit and returning to the others at the gate.

“All of the graves are very old, and the writing on them has worn away. That is, except for the three larger ones at the back. I do not recognise the writing. Perhaps you’d come and examine them, Father Herman?”

“Um,” Herman replied, unsure, “I don’t think it’s a good idea to linger too long, but yes, I’ll have a quick look.” Herman passed through the gates and followed El-Shad to the back of the glade. Tracing his finger over the letters, a look of recognition passed over Herman’s face. “It is ancient common, one of the many dialects from the Hostic age, otherwise known as the Golden Age of Man. As you probably know, that age finished about five hundred years ago when the first settlements of the kingdom were constructed after the great journey. Interestingly, the first king was actually a Shepherd who….”

“Herman!” hissed Ivan, interrupting, “What does it say?!”

“Sorry,” Herman’s head drooped, “This one says ‘Here lies a father who betrayed his son’, whilst the middle one says ‘Here lies a son who betrayed his father’ – the last one says ‘Here lies the innocent one’.”

Herman stood up and examined the headstones from every angle before expressing a surprise, “Look, there’s a black candle behind each of these gravestones!”

“Er, that’s probably bad, isn’t it?” asked Erica, nervously shifting her weight.

Father Herman opened his mouth to reply when suddenly the candles flashed into life with a strong white flame. As seconds passed, the atmosphere started to thicken as what seemed to be millions of black insects darkened the air immediately above the glade. The black shapes writhed over the glade until it had settled into a twisting black mass of horrific darkness, blocking out all other light.

“It’s time to leave!” Herman hastened to the exit, the others followed, but Ivan lingered at the back curious to what was to happen next. His eyes intently watched the darkness and the three main gravestones, trying to discern what magic was at work.

It was soon painfully obvious to Ivan that Necromancy was being channelled, as three rotting corpses sprung from the grounds. The diseased and decomposing flesh that clutched to the remains of their skeletal form filled him with dread. Fortunately, he was emboldened when Erica and El-Shad drew their weapons and moved in front of him and Herman.

The ghouls glanced around the glade before their eyes settled on the living beings. Without a moment of hesitation they growled and charged towards the thing they abhorred the most…. the living. They were blindingly fast, and the first one had reached Erica before she had a chance to set herself. The ghoul’s claws swung viciously, raking grey claws across her chest. A clash of an impact as Erica’s new armour received the blow and stood firm. “Thank goodness!” Erica thought as she brought up her knee and kicked the ghoul away from her.

El-Shad was focused on the one charging at him. Half crouching, he lifted his sword to meet the ghoul as it leapt through the air. His aim was true as it impaled itself and slumped to the side. El-Shad quickly withdrew his sword and chopped twice more to make sure it wasn’t going to get up.

The third ghoul raced through the gap the other two had made, straight towards Ivan and Herman. Without delay, Ivan starting chanting and forced his hands together, compressing a wave of magical heat that burst from his fingers, enveloping the monster. It wasn’t enough to stop it though. The immolating undead continued it’s assault, knocking Ivan to the ground, but still aiming for Herman.

Herman fumbled for his holy symbol from beneath cloak. He saw El-Shad turn from his combatant and a look of horror cross his face as he feared for his friend. The ghoul filled Herman’s vision as he found his symbol, and hefted it into the ghoul’s face. The force of the ghoul’s charge knocked Herman backwards to the ground… the ghoul landing on top of him with claws digging into his head. Herman felt his limbs stiffen as the paralysing touch sapped his strength….

The ghoul didn’t move.

It just glared at him from lifeless eyes.

Herman, unable to move his eyes saw El-Shad swing his sword into the neck of the ghoul, cleaving it from it’s body. He was safe, but it was a few minutes before feeling came back into his limbs. After sitting up with help from the others, he asked, “Why didn’t it continue it’s attack?”

Erica chuckled. Ivan smiled. El-Shad held up the ghoul’s severed head to show a holy symbol shaped exit wound in the back of it’s skull.

“Holy power!” congratulated El-Shad.