by Eden Redd
“What’re you going to do?” Wynter whispered back.
“Defend the lady’s honor,” Kai smirked.
“Don’t, we can make it out together,” Wynter said as her fingers closed over Kai’s hand with the potion.
“We need time and we’ve run out, plus I don’t want this smug asshole having the satisfaction.” Kai whispered back.
“Kai….” Wynter let his name hang in the air.
“Love makes you do crazy things and I’m crazy about you, Wynter Nightkiss,” Kai smiled.
“Give me the Eyes or there will be no place in Lukken where you can hide!” Leopold spit.
Kai turned his attention and body to the necromancer standing behind the wall of trolls, “You’re pathetic! You talk a lot of shit but wouldn’t know true honor if it slapped you in the face.”
Leopold crossed his arms, “Is that so? I noticed how you looked at my girlfriend. You’ve been eye fucking her since we joined the guild. I can see why she would stay by your side, she needed someone even more pathetic then her to feel good about herself.”
Wynter gripped her staff, “You are a vile piece of shit! Kai has been more of a gentleman then you will ever be! I‘ve never been yours! I wasted my time with you because I felt sorry for you. You are sad and powerless in reality and the same here in the game. No matter what you do, you will always be the weak one!”
Leopold raised an eyebrow, “Weak? How about we make this interesting? Let’s see if your boyfriend can make it through the trolls to me. If he can land a blow on me, I will give you a full minute head start to run up to the dark elf city.”
The necromancer held out his hand and a troll tossed a staff to him, “I know my character class cannot compete with a fighter class but if he is so great, then he should be able to reach me. I will of course defend myself but I will not call up any undead to aid me. Let him prove his affection for you.”
“Done!” Kai shouted and threw himself toward the troll line.
Wynter watched with unblinking eyes as the troll ranger rammed into the line of blue skinned soldiers. Sword slashing, he cut down two trolls before enemy blades sliced at his thigh and side. The ranger fought on like a rabid animal, blocking incoming swords and kicking out with booted feet. Leopold watched as the ranger carved his way through. With each fallen soldier, the necromancer gripped his staff tighter. Kai kept his gaze steady as his sword swung, sinking into flesh and loping off a head or three. Trolls pushed at his right and left as trolls before him fell one after the other. Blades slashed outward and the ranger’s hit points fell, a few dozen points at a time. Two more trolls fell and the line was broken.
Leopold turned the staff sideways in his hands as Kai leaped through the air, covered in bleeding cuts. Dark eyes blazed with murderous intent as he came down with sword pointed at the necromancer’s heart. Leopold smirked as he uncurled one hand from his staff and blasted out a shadow bolt. The ranger took it to the chest, changing his direction and sending him crashing to the sandy floor.
Trolls gathered around as Leopold blasted the ranger on the back. Kai’s sprit drained as did some of his hit points. Reaching below 5%, the ranger’s muscles shook and refused to work properly. Leopold flipped the staff in his hands and brought down one of the ends on Kai’s head. Hit points draining, the ranger collapsed, fingers letting go of his sword.
The necromancer was not finished. He reached down and grabbed Kai by the hair, lifting him up and turning him around so that his back lay against his leg. Propping him up, he stabbed the staff into the sand and pointed a hand to the side of Kai’s face. The trolls around parted, leaving a line of sight between the necromancer and Wynter.
“Hand over the Eyes, now!” Leopold demanded. “Or the game ends here.”
Wynter was mumbling arcane words, her pouch turned over and soul shards scattered around her in the sand with an empty stamina potion. Leopold’s expression turned from victory to utter disbelief.
“You should stop underestimating the lady, you prick,” Kai smiled as blood trickled down from the corner of his mouth, pulled his dagger and stabbed it into Leopold’s leg.
Leopold roared as he blasted Kai point blank at the side of his head. The ranger shattered into light as pieces struck outward onto the sand.
Use my power to aid you in your time of need.
Wynter ignored the voice but could not deny the power surging from the Eyes, down the staff, into her arm and up into her voice. The words glowed brighter in her mind as dark energy tripled her undead power, the shards around her vibrated as dozens and dozens of arcane circles appeared around her feet. They spread out even further, various undead rising to the surface. Shadow knights rose around their mistress while white, red and black skeletons rose up. Soon the necromancer was surrounded by her faithful undead, ready to die once again for their mistress.
“Kill her!” Leopold commanded.
“Halt that order!” Captain Vell ordered.
The trolls halted their advance as Wynter’s undead army stayed at the ready. Trolls turned their eyes to the captain as he looked out coolly.
“Kai managed to land a blow and honor demands that Wynter has a minute head start. We will honor that bargain,” Captain Vell said and sheathed his sword.
Leopold looked to the troll captain with incredulous eyes, “You fucking half-wit! Kill her now or….” The necromancer never finished his sentence as the captain’s fist connected with his jaw, sending Leopold sprawling to the sandy floor.
“I don’t take orders from you,” Captain Vell sneered.
Wynter looked past the trolls to the captain and nodded.
“Time is ticking,” the captain said with a small nod.
With a word, Wynter turned and began her rapid ascent, her undead army following from behind. Heart thumping in her chest, she looked up to the cavern opening at the top of the stairs. The constant fighting had drained her. Calling her undead army left her with very little strength and stamina. The player felt herself slow the closer to the top she reached. Two shadow knights gently took hold of their mistress, gliding up the stairs. A small relief washed over her as they climbed faster, her skeleton army behind her.
Reaching the top, the necromancer looked out to see the dark elf city and a glowing portal to the left of it. Before her stood Nikki and thirty concubines composed of trolls, ogres, lizard men, amazons and barbarians. The small knight’s face brightened as she saw Wynter carried to her with a skeleton army right behind.
“Wynter!” Nikki shouted, not hiding the glee in her voice.
“Where is everyone?” Wynter asked as her shadow knights placed her on her booted feet.
“They’re still evacuating. The children and elderly are already through the portal. Palis is organizing the rest of his people. They need like ten more minutes.”
Wynter looked around at the two armies, “Then we have to hold the trolls off for as long as we can. They are on their way up and we have to make sure everyone gets out. Where are the remaining guilds?”
Nikki’s brow hardened, “They ran. It’s just us.”
Wynter nodded, “We don’t need them. Let’s move to the edge of the city and hold them at the street entrance. The buildings will buffer our sides.”
The two armies moved, following the necromancer and knight to the edge of the city. Priorities set; Wynter hoped they had enough time to save everyone.
***
The sounds of thick boots roared up the stairs. Torch light glowed from the mouth of the cave as soldiers charged up the remaining steps and spilled out into the dark elf cavern. Their dark eyes looked to the glowing dark elf city. At the mouth of the entrance, concubines and undead stood at the ready. Wynter and Nikki stood front and center, weapons at the ready and grim determination in their faces.
No commands were shouted as primal war urges exploded. The troll army broke into a charge as they raced across the cavern to the standing small armies before them. Wynter glanced to her right, in the distance the dark po
rtal open and the last lines of dark elves filing in.
“Do not let them pass!” Wynter commanded with a shout.
The undead and concubines raised their weapons and roared with inhuman fury. The trolls pushed on, no fear in their eyes as they raced toward the enemy lines. The tension rose up like an ugly serpent. When the troll army was within fifty feet, Wynter raised her staff and pointed it.
The undead silently rushed to meet the trolls. Nikki shouted a command and her concubines rushed the incoming trolls next to their undead allies. The three forces slammed into each other with uncontrolled fury. A maelstrom of blades and dark magic sang out to a symphony of warriors. Wynter and Nikki charged into battle, joining their forces with all their might. The knight took the lead, weaving through their own forces until she hit the troll line. Activating her technique, she turned into a comet with her blade out. Sword cut through a half a dozen trolls before she fell to her knee. Bodies shattered as other trolls tried to take advantage of the spent knight.
With a battle cry, Wynter was at her side, shadow knights carving their way through. A blade swung down to strike the knight when a metal staff parried the blow. Shadow lighting blasted out as the staff slammed into necks and unarmored ankles. Concubines and undead raced to their mistress’s sides, pushing back at the troll army. The hacking and slashing poured on as bodies clashed.
Wynter grunted as she fought on. Nikki was soon back to her feet and joined in the battle, carving up trolls with no restraint. The battle was at a stalemate as all the forces fought on, trying to gain an edge over the other. Dark power bloomed from behind the trolls. Wynter glanced past to see Leopold calling up undead and sending them to assist.
“Leopold is going to turn the tide. I used up all of my soul shards and I’m sure he’s going to keep sending them in until we are all used up.” Wynter shouted to Nikki.
“I’ve already lost half my concubines! We have to retreat to the portal!” Nikki shouted back. “I can hold them off while you get away!”
Wynter was about to shout back when she turned to see a sword come down on Nikki’s shoulder. The knight let out a grunt as she slashed back, loping a head off. The necromancer could see the dents in the knight’s armor and cuts all over her. She fought like a demon but the trolls managed to get their strikes in. Another sword slashed across her thigh and this time, the knight fell to one knee.
Wynter blasted black lightning at the trolls as she stepped through the chaos. Arm reaching down, she pulled her friend to her feet. Arm around her neck, the necromancer helped her friend and they retreated through their own dwindling ranks. Undead bones shattered and turned to light. Spectral knights fought until blades sliced them to nothingness. Concubines cried out as arrows and blades cut them down. Red and white skeletons helped the trolls surge through, breaking through the enemy’s ranks and slicing them to pieces.
“It was a valiant fight,” Wynter said as she helped the wounded knight to the city square.
Nikki nodded as they turned and moved as swiftly as they could. The necromancer held her friend close as they marched down the main street, the portal in the distance. Just below it on the stairs, Palis and a few remaining dark elves stood. Wynter smiled and it quickly fell away as she felt the last of her undead fall to enemy blades.
“My concubines are dead,” Nikki said in a low, sad voice.
“They’ll come back. Let’s get out of here. I hear the dragon cities are beautiful,” Wynter smirked.
Reaching the stairs, Palis’s dark elves reached down and helped the knight up the stairs. Wynter let go and turned back. The streets to the portal filled with trolls as they came rushing toward them. Leopold was with them, a smug smile on his face as he ran with the remaining troll army.
“Palis, can you close the portal once we’re through?” Wynter asked as she backed up with the baron at her side.
“I can do more than that,” Palis let a small smile slip.
“You can’t hide Wynter! I’ll be coming for you!” Leopold shouted.
“Come and get me, you stupid bitch!” Wynter shouted back with an evil grin.
Leopold’s eyes widened as he watched the dark elf take Wynter by the arm and guide her to the portal. A moment later they stepped through and vanished from view. Streaks of purple raced past the necromancer until she was stepping out onto a grassy field, trees dotting the landscape around them. Dark elves huddled together in the field, smiles blooming as their baron emerged next to the necromancer.
Baron Palis lifted the necklace with the red crystal from his neck. He turned to the portal, his hand at his side. With a turn of his head, he looked to Wynter as she stood by his side.
“I can’t bear the memory of destroying something so dear to my people. I think you should have the honor of closing the portal forever. Please do not object, my people and I will honor this moment as you do something for us that we cannot do for ourselves.” Palis said and put the red crystal necklace in Wynter’s pale hand.
Wynter took the crystal and nodded.
“Throw it in and we shall be safe,” Palis said as he lowered his eyes.
Wynter swung her arm upwards, tossing the glowing red crystal into the swirling portal. The moment it touched it, the black and purple void closed in on itself. Shrinking down, it swirled into a small ball and winked out of existence.
***
Leopold stood before the portal with the troll army at his back.
“Ready your selves! There will be plenty of dark elves to slaughter once we’re through!” the necromancer shouted with mad glee.
The trolls readied themselves and Leopold looked up to the swirling vortex between the two-giant rune covered pillars. There was a small purple flash and a red crystal fell from the portal at Leopold’s feet. The player looked down as the red crystal vibrated and glowed with crimson power. Runes glowed red along the pillars as a powerful vibration filled the surrounding area. Realization flowed over the necromancer’s senses as he understood what was happening.
“Fuck you Wynter,” the necromancer hissed as the crystal vibrated into a blur.
The portal collapsed as the pillars hummed into a deafening roar and exploded in magical light. A singular shock wave enveloped everything, turning the ancient city of Koth to dust and collapsing the entire cavern onto itself with falling rubble and suffocating debris.
Fourteen
Wynter looked up at the starry night, lost in its comforting light. Nikki walked to her side and stood, eyes turned to the same heavens. Hand reaching out, the knight took the necromancer’s hand and squeezed it. Wynter squeezed back, shoulders relaxing as a massive weight drained away.
“Baron Palis is going to lead his people to another cave system shortly. He said he knew one day they may have to leave their home,” Nikki said in a hushed tone.
Wynter nodded but kept her upward gaze.
Nikki tilted her head forward, casting shadows over her eyes, “I’m sorry I never said anything to you. I’m sorry we had to keep secrets.”
The necromancer let out a small sigh, “I can understand why the guild did it. For a long time, I couldn’t even trust myself. I spent so much time pleasing people that I didn’t know who I was. If you came to me before, I wouldn’t have believed it. I was so wrapped up in what Leopold thought that I think I would have sided with him, out of misguided loyalty.”
The necromancer tilted her chin down, eyes lost, “I feel like I’m waking up for the first time in my life. I see how ugly Leopold was and I just don’t want that darkness anymore.”
“What are you going to do now?” Nikki asked with sorrow touching the corners of her eyes.
Wynter turned her head and looked to the sad knight with a small smile, “I need to go to my tower and collect my things. It won’t be long before Leopold or the trolls attack it. I’ll need to build a new place up north.”
“You’re going to stay with the guild?” Nikki asked with light returning to her eyes.
Wynter closed her eyes a
nd nodded, “I am. Someone has to look out for all of you. Jakar does a great job but since we are on the run, we may need all the help we can get.”
Nikki smiled, “I’m glad, not just because I want you to stay. I’m glad because I don’t think the guild can last without you. We all do look up to you. This is a big shift and, well, some were uneasy about it. The game is fun but I think people like you make it better.”
Wynter turned and hugged the shorter knight. Nikki wrapped her arms around the necromancer and they held each other for long moments. When the embrace was broken, Wynter fought back digital tears.
“Do you mind coming with me to my tower? I don’t know if there are any assassins waiting for me and it’s been a long weekend,” Wynter smiled.
Nikki nodded, “It would be my honor.”
The players smiled to one another. Walking back to the crowd of dark elves, Wynter approached Palis. The baron hugged the necromancer fiercely and then the knight. Breaking the embrace, he looked to them with comforting eyes. After a few hushed whispers of thanks, the baron stepped to his people, waving to the necromancer and knight. Dark elves blew kisses and waved their thanks. Wynter tried to push down the warm fuzzy feeling but it was infectious. Pulling a small recall stone from a small pouch on her belt, she wrapped an arm around Nikki and activated the stone.
Light streamed past the two players as the image of dark elves floated away. Wynter let out a happy sigh and then she and Nikki appeared in a dark clearing, a stone tower before them. At the base by the main entrance, two figures stood, eyes turning to the necromancer and knight.
Kai and Daven stood at attention, smiling at Wynter and Nikki as they walked toward them. Hearts beat with renewed power as warmth stroked their exhausted nerves. Wynter stepped to them, eyes bright and lips curling into a knowing smirk.
Kai stepped forward, “When we resurrected, we headed straight here. We didn’t want to risk anything happening to you so we waited.”
Daven stepped shoulder to shoulder with Kai, “Plus we have new guild recall stones. The new guild hall is north, not far from Talon Guard. It’s the only place they would let us build it.”