The Grim Wanderer

by James Wolf

  ‘What – by the Light – is coming?’ Jvarna trembled.

  ‘We need to get out of here,’ Drual said fearfully.

  A sinister moaning reverberated through the deep, and was echoed a hundred times in the tunnels. The warriors grabbed their weapons. The groaning became louder still, as the apprehensive adventurers waited in the middle of the chamber. A great many things approached from the dark passages, from all directions. Baek shirked back, quaking in terror, as he watched skeletons came stumbling out of the passages.

  The skeletons’ hollow eye sockets and rictus snarl gave them a miserable expression, which transformed into hatred at the sight of the living defilers. Baek felt Jvarna quivering with sheer dread, he could see the terror in Drual’s eyes, and even the unflappable Ragad seemed fearful. Forgrun had a determined look on his face though, and Baek was glad the powerful Rhungar fighter was there with him. Balthus was grinning! If anyone could find humour in this predicament, he had to be a madman.

  ‘The Light protect us!’ Baek cried out, as the skeletons leered at him with wicked intent. ‘There is no escape!’

  Being faced with this macabre horde was a spine-chilling prospect for even these stout warriors. The adventurers’ eyes were frozen wide open, and their faces drained of colour. The Aborle could see a lot of the skeletons carried ancient, rusty weapons, and the rare one wore an archaic piece of armour, but most were simply the bare animated bones of long dead people. How these skeletons could stand with nothing visible holding their bones up was a frightening mystery. Somehow, they growled and moaned, despite having no remnant of living tissue. And those black orbits – where eyes once were – could see the adventurers. When those black pits fixed on the living people, Baek and his friends shuddered as the skeletons’ growls became angry.

  Baek realised that, in seconds, the chamber would be full of the roused skeletons.

  ‘This way!’ Forgrun bellowed, as the skeletons shuffled toward the group.

  The Rhungar’s deafening roar shocked the quaking companions into action. Forgrun sprinted to the bottom of some steps. The courageous Rhungar bounded up the first few steps, swinging his great axe. Forgrun threw himself into battling the skeletons coming down the stairway. The steps were wide enough for two, and Balthus soon joined Forgrun as they smashed through the undead warriors, or threw them off either side of the steps. As the last companions made it to the bottom of the steps, the skeletons had flooded the chamber and were scrambling to get the adventurers. Jvarna and Ragad just made it onto the bottom of the staircase, and swivelled to smite down any undead that came close. Massive swings of the Croma’s huge warhammer destroyed four skeletons at a time.

  The skeletons may have been fear-inspiring to look upon, but the warriors soon found they were slow moving. When the companions’ weapons crashed into the old bones, they lost any sign of life, and their broken bodies slumped to the floor. Even Baek’s longbow and Drual’s crossbow could destroy whatever essence held these living dead upright, as they shot off the staircase to the ambling skeletons below. Sometimes, Baek saw a bolt or arrow pass right through where flesh would have once been, not touching any bone, but even this was enough to destroy whatever dark force held the bones together. Nevertheless, the undead may have been slow but they were relentless. Baek knew the skeletons could overwhelm the adventurers if they got surrounded.

  Forgrun and Balthus surged up the stairs, cracking skulls or smashing through rib cages, fighting to get out of the overrun chamber. The furious Rhungari axe and the knightly longsword scythed through the enemy with ease. Jvarna and Ragad – turned to guard the lower steps – used wide swings of their weapons to smack back any skeletons that tried to ascend the stone steps. Baek loosed his bow at undead climbing up the sides of the staircase. The Aborle could see Forgrun and Balthus had pushed to the top of the stairs, and entered the passageway, but up on the higher level there were yet more skeletons to kill.

  ‘Go and help them clear the passage!’ Baek yelled at Drual, as he turned to support Ragad and Jvarna. The Aborle gulped hard as he took in the horrific vision below. The skeletons had now filled the cubed chamber, numbering hundreds. Baek saw the nightmare of a writhing pit of empty skulls, glowering up from the shadows.

  ‘We do have been fought our way free!’ Forgrun shouted back to the other adventurers.

  ‘Time to move!’ Baek cried to Jvarna and Ragad, who now stood at the top of the stairs, barring the oncoming undead horde.

  The rearguard spun and hurtled down the cleared tunnel. Charging for Forgrun’s lantern, they caught up to the other adventurers, who joined them in sprinting away. The six of them fled down the passage at full pelt, dashing past more of the undead in side passages. The companions reared back in terror, as the lantern light revealed yet more snarling skeletons off to the side. But the warriors just ran on past. If the skeletons barred their way in front, the companions just found a new tunnel to turn into.

  Forgrun pulled back, Baek went crashing into the Rhungar’s solid back, and everyone else piled into him. Up ahead, the passage was blocked by shadowy undead coming for them. Twisting round, Baek knew the tunnel behind was filled with shambling silhouettes.

  ‘We do go in ’ere!’ Forgrun yelled. The Rhungar had found a room. ‘It be lookin’ like we can be barrin’ ye door, if we be gettin’ it ter come down!’

  The adventurers rushed inside the empty chamber – the size of an inn’s common room – as Forgrun struggled with the door mechanism.

  ‘It be jammed!’ Forgrun pulled on the lever by the side of the door.

  ‘Hurry!’ Baek hollered, for the living dead were closing in down both sides of the dark passage.

  ‘It do nay budge!’ The Rhungar howled, as he tried with all his might to get the door mechanism working.

  The other five warriors lined up by the doorway, ready to fight the oncoming skeletons. But they all knew it would be impossible to battle their way out of this place. The sinister moaning cries were yards from the door, hidden in the dark of the passage. The warriors raised their weapons. As the skeletons reached the doorway, clawing and snarling, the stone slab of a door came crashing down, crushing the first of the undead.

  Forgrun turned to his friends, with a smug grin. The Rhungar had managed to hammer the jammed release lever down, by smashing it with the back of his axe.

  The other companions stared at the Rhungar in disbelief, their eyes full of thanks and relief. Forgrun responded by giving a cool shrug of his shoulders.

  The skeletons began hammering and scratching away at the other side of the stone door, growling their dreadful moaning noises.

  ‘Now what do we do?’ Baek said.

  ‘They might just be gettin’ bored an’ do go away,’ Forgrun said hopefully.

  ‘We’re trapped in here,’ Balthus slumped down to sit on the ground. ‘That’s for sure. Even if we could lift that door, there must be hundreds of those cursed skeletons outside. We’re trapped in this empty, dingy crypt, and I can’t help but feel we were led into it,’ Balthus glared at Drual. ‘If the Dark Wizard wanted to sabotage our party, where better to do it from, than a Maliven placed within our group?’

  ‘Oh, for heaven’s sake!’ Jvarna shouted. ‘Not that again.’

  ‘What is it with you and Drual?’ Baek asked Balthus.

  ‘Who says if there’s a traitor it would be me?’ Drual snarled at Balthus.

  ‘It do seem we do been very unlucky recently,’ Forgrun said doubtfully.

  Ragad shifted on his feet, glancing at Drual and Balthus with suspicion. Of all the companions there, he only really knew Jvarna. Ragad had concealed things from the company, were there others who had done likewise?

  ‘I say we watch him carefully,’ Balthus nodded in Drual’s direction.

  ‘I’ve just about had enough of this!’ Drual jumped in front of Balthus, and put a hand on his sword hilt.

  ‘What, exactly,’ Balthus said mockingly, ‘are you going to do about it?’ Balthus did not mo
ve from his seated position, despite Drual towering over him.

  Everyone knew Drual would have no chance in a fight with the Lord of Dolam.

  ‘Shut up, Balthus!’ Jvarna snapped. ‘Drual is no Dark Servant, none of us are.’

  The King of Grantle frowned at the Shacainian woman. Baek could see the anger in Balthus’s haughty face, anger that Jvarna presumed to question him.

  Ragad grabbed his warhammer. His stoic eyes dead set on the Lord of Dolam, unsure, ready to defend Jvarna.

  Balthus sat back against the chamber wall, relaxed and easy, though his sword was close to hand. Balthus knew he was the best fighter amongst the six, except maybe the Rhungar.

  Baek watched the Croma, finding it peculiar how Ragad had reacted. But the Aborle could never tell what was going on in the barbarian’s head – he was, after all, a mindless savage.

  ‘How do we know we can trust you?’ Drual scowled at Balthus. Drual held his crossbow point towards the floor, but was primed to bring it up in an instant.

  ‘Hey,’ Forgrun glowered at Drual, raising up his axe. ‘I do nay know why yer stirrin’ trouble again,’ the Rhungar directed his axe-blade at Drual. ‘But an old comrade o’ Harnan Molboroth do be trusted by me. If he be a comrade ter ye hero o’ Rhungar-kind, he be a friend ter all Rhungars.’ Forgrun stood beside Balthus. ‘I did nay see yhee battlin’ by me side ‘gainst ye skeleton horde.’

  Baek felt the atmosphere become deadly. You could cut the air with a knife. Companions were glaring at each other, ready to fight if it came to it. Baek thought Balthus and Drual were ready to kill each other. The Aborle caught Forgrun’s gaze, and they both nodded to each other. If it kicked off in here, Baek and Forgrun both knew the other would fight by their side. A similar glance passed between Jvarna and Ragad. In the silence, all the companions realised the incessant clawing on the stone door had ceased.

  ‘There’s a shaft up there,’ Baek pointed to a small opening, eight foot above the floor and big enough to crawl into.

  Distracted by this new possibility, the six adventurers crowded round below the shaft. Ragad gave Baek a lift up to peek inside, using their one remaining lantern.

  ‘It’s clear,’ the Aborle said as he climbed up, bearing the torchlight with him, and motioning for the others to follow.

  Hirandar, Logan and Taem had run to escape their ponderous pursuit, and were now alone, with only the sound of their own footsteps in the quiet tunnel. Because of their run, they had lost any sense of direction as they twisted and turned through the desolate passageways. Taem paused, feeling wary, hesitant to advance. The tunnel coming up ahead had an ill feel about it, the memory of evil events from long ago remained. Taem glanced to Logan and Hirandar, and he could see they were all mindful of the tunnel’s wicked aura. Logan motioned for them to creep forward.

  The unsettling passage led on through a menacing archway, engraved with archaic markings that hurt Taem’s eyes to look upon. Ever alert, he followed behind Logan and edged under the archway. Logan swept Mantioc out from its scabbard. Taem placed the lantern on the floor, drew his blade, and gripped his sword hilt with both hands. Taem and Logan crept into the chamber, and discovered an ancient sarcophagus lying flat on its back. Taem sensed how dread lingered here. The Sodan stalked around the tomb’s edge, heedful for any hint of danger. Taem saw the sarcophagus was made of black stone, and every inch of its surface was covered with evil markings. Although Taem could not read what they said, he knew they were symbols of dark magic. Every part of the floor, walls and ceiling was etched with more of the malignant symbols.

  ‘That thing is a source of great evil,’ Hirandar whispered. ‘It is the focus point of the necromantic magic that flows through this entire place.’

  ‘What’s inside?’ Taem asked with bated breath.

  Hirandar shook her head, ‘I do not know.’

  ‘Only one way to find out,’ Logan never took his gaze from the sarcophagus, motioning for Taem to approach from the other side.

  The Sodan warriors slunk up the steps on opposite sides of the great coffin. Taem saw how the lid had been pulled back, and black wisps of dense smoke flowed over its sides, cascading onto the floor. In this chamber, the sinister atmosphere of the pyramid had grown to an unbearable level. It threatened to engulf Taem, consume him. He wanted to collapse onto the floor and curl up into a ball. An overpowering terror filled his head. Taem shuddered. He sensed how the evil here was strong and ancient. So powerful. It took all of his Sodan discipline to keep going toward the ancient coffin. What was lurking in there? Taem feared to think, but he expected to be confronted with an undead being of horrendous power. He prayed they could finish the creature before it had a chance to react.

  Hirandar waited at the dark archway, holding her glowing orb, preparing beams of light magic she knew were effective against the undead.

  Step-by-step, the Sodan crept to the coffin. Taem held his blade out before him, poised to pounce at any moment. Logan edged forward on the other side, Sodan blade ready to strike. The stillness magnified every shuffle of their boots. Taem found the foul symbols etched on the sarcophagus were now so horrible to look upon, that he had to steel himself not to avert his eyes. Every urge in his body told him to get out. But Taem and his Master stalked on, blades ready.

  They leapt up the last step, to glimpse over the tall sides of the sarcophagus, swords raised. Taem would cut through the enemy! But the Sodan peered inside the coffin, beneath the wispy mist, into the dark recesses, and saw nothing but black stone. Logan gestured back to Hirandar that it was safe to approach, but remained vigilant, glancing at the side passages.

  The Wizard came up the steps, and read the prominent symbols on the sarcophagus lid, ‘Here sleeps the Great King of the pyramid.’ Hirandar’s gaze traced over the archaic markings.

  ‘So, the Undead warrior king, Anaksum,’ Hirandar gestured into the empty sarcophagus, ‘is roused and on the move, somewhere in the dark passages of this evil place.’ The Wizard shivered as she spoke, and that made Taem afraid.

  ‘We must hurry!’ Hirandar said. ‘This ancient king of death will have terrible power.’

  Logan and Taem glanced around the sinister burial chamber, and the four doors that led into it, anticipating, any instant, to be set upon by a long-dead warrior king.

  ‘Come on,’ Hirandar walked for one of the other passages. ‘Let us try this way.’

  With a heightened sense of danger, the trio set off down the new passage. Taem was glad to put the horrible burial chamber behind them, but was now all too aware the King of the Dead had risen.

  Forgrun found the tight tunnel unnerving. He had drawn the short straw and been the last to crawl through. Now, with the group’s single lantern far up ahead, his imagination raged with what could be following him, in the narrow dark behind. He was forever glancing back down the claustrophobic shaft, expecting a skeleton to come scuttling out of the dark, snapping at his toes. The worst thing about the confined passage, was it was so tight Forgrun was not able to turn. If any skeletons came skulking up the shaft, he would have to fend them off with his feet.

  What was that? Forgrun heard a noise. There it was again! Forgrun was sure of it. The Rhungar turned his head back, eyes wide with fright. His boots ready to lash out, but nothing came from the shadows. Forgrun thought he heard something a few more times. But after a while of listening, motionless, he scampered on after the disappearing light. The prospect of getting lost in these narrow tunnels, all alone and in darkness, was as bad as the fear of being caught unaware from behind.

  The warriors were in the tunnel for a few minutes, but it seemed an eternity for the Rhungar. Forgrun reached the tunnel end, and shot out like a startled door mouse. The other companions jumped back, raising their weapons, expecting something to come scuttling out behind Forgrun. Once the other warriors realised there was nothing chasing Forgrun but his own shadow, a few of them gave him flat stares.

  Forgrun got to his feet, and said gruffly, ‘I thought I b
e hearin’ fightin’ out ’ere.’

  Jvarna relaxed her grip on her spear, and Balthus nodded at Forgrun. Ragad put a steadying hand on the Rhungar’s shoulder, and Drual handed him back the lantern. The other adventurers could have mocked Forgrun, but they accepted his explanation without a word. They all knew it took a lot to frighten the stout-hearted Rhungar.

  Baek looked around, and his eyes went wide with amazement. There was gold and jewels everywhere. It was extraordinary! The amount of riches on display was beyond anyone’s wildest dreams. Baek had led the six adventurers into an enormous treasure chamber. What incredible fortune, Baek thought. And he could see the astonishment in his fellow warriors. They could barely believe what they were seeing.

  By the light of their one lantern, Baek gazed out over a sea of glinting gold. The chamber floor was covered in gold coins as numerous as pebbles on a rocky beach. In some places, the coins were piled up into mounds as tall as a person. Buried amongst the coins, Baek saw priceless gems and jewellery, and weapons, crowns and sceptres decked with precious stones and made of gold and silver. Baek felt the need to pinch himself to make sure he was not dreaming.

  Ragad laughed and slapped Drual and Baek on the back.

  ‘This must be the greatest hoard in Hathlore,’ Balthus said longingly, as Baek shook his hand.

  Jvarna threw her arms around Forgrun, and planted a kiss on the Rhungar’s cheek. But Forgrun did not even register a response. His eyes were glazed over, enchanted by the fabulous collection of priceless treasures. The greed of the gold rush had overcome the Rhungar.

  A wide smile beamed from Drual’s face, when he realised he had guided them – in a roundabout way – to the treasure chamber. He grinned at Balthus, and the Lord of Dolam scowled back, but then reluctantly dipped his head towards the rogue. Jvarna hugged Ragad, as the Croma’s booming laughter echoed throughout the hall, and Baek jumped on Forgrun’s broad shoulders.