by Adam Drake
“I would guess so.”
“You would guess what?”
“That he's under a lot of stress with what's happening to the kingdom,” Rob said.
Jace shook his head. “It's not just that. It's everything that's happened. From that screw up king Perrin, to the lack of food, to all the vanished people,” he gave Rob a strange look, “like Livio.”
Rob knew he was being baited, but as he was about to take it out of curiosity, Jace stopped, looking east to the swamp and raising a big hand.
Rob looked, too.
Near the edge of the road, on the shore of what could only be described as a bog, was the carcass of an animal.
Frowning, Jace left the road and navigated his way toward it.
Rob followed, not wanting to lose his only guide.
Jace kneeled next to the body. It looked like a huge dog. But as Rob got closer to it, he could see that it was a wolf.
Its stomach had been ripped out, exposing its ribs. All of its guts and internal organs were gone, completely removed. Its face had been gnawed down to its skull. Empty eye-sockets stared sightlessly across the swamp.
Rob shivered. “What is that?”
“It was a bog dog. A kind of wolf that hunts mostly in marshy areas,” Jace said looking it over. Its bones had been cracked open, the marrow removed.
Rob scanned around the swamp, apprehensive. “What could do that?” Whatever it was, he didn't want to meet it.
“Swamp rats,” Jace said, standing. He spit into the water. “Bigger than the standard fair we've been eating of late. Real problem, too. If they're growing bold enough to do this, then they're going to do it to one of us, soon enough.”
“Worse than trench lizards?”
“A different kind of worse,” Jace said. “If we survive this undead king nonsense, these would have to be dealt with soon after.”
You have been given a quest.
Uh-oh, Rob thought.
'Rat-A-Pocolypse', Swamp rats have infested the northern end of the swamp. Find their nest and destroy its queen.
Reward: Unknown.
Accept or Decline.
Well, there it was, his rat quest. Finally. Only this one looked a hell of a lot more difficult than the simple ones Todd endured.
Why couldn't I get an easy quest for once? Rob thought.
He accepted it, of course.
“Come on,” Jace said, leading them back to the road.
They walked on for a few more minutes until they had to stop. Another wall blocked their way. They wouldn't be going any further.
“This one moved today, too,” Jace said staring up at it.
Rob had to lean back just to keep his eyes on the thing as he looked up. It disappeared into the clouds and seemed to stretch on forever. He'd never seen anything like it.
Jace looked to the southeast along the wall. “We're going to have to follow it down that way. I don't think were cut off though.”
“Cut off?”
“From the tomb.”
Rob had no idea what it would mean if king Perrin ended up on the other side of the wall. He wouldn't be able to destroy him then and the walls would continue closing in.
And then what? Would they all be crushed together at one central point?
He looked down at the base of the wall. A bridge was a short distance ahead, spanning a dry riverbed. The wall cut across the middle of the bridge at an angle. Yet the bridge didn't collapse. Was its other end intact within the wall or on the other side?
Intrigued, Rob walked toward it.
“My Lord,” Jace said in his dead-pan manner. “The tomb is in this direction.”
“I just want to take a closer look,” Rob said, realizing that was usually the last phrase many horror movie victims said.
He stepped onto the bridge checking to see if it was stable. It was. The vast gray surface enveloped his entire line of sight. He walked closer to it.
“My Lord,” Jace called after him. “It's not my place to tell a king what to do, but I believe getting near that thing is a very stupid idea.” The tiniest hint of worry crept into his voice. “Very stupid.”
“I just want to see it,” Rob said, mesmorized by it. He could see the wall cutting through the bridge, but there didn't appear to be any damage. Nothing to indicate a true cut had taken place. As if the wall simply took up the space within the bridge itself.
He stopped, the wall an arm's length away. The wind kicked up, and he realized it was flowing along the wall, unable to pass through.
Its surface was flat and featureless. No contours or pockmarks. Like glass, but not. Impulsively, Rob slowly reached forward.
Jace had moved up to the edge of the bridge. Genuine worry etched his words. “My Lord,” he said, “I will let you sit on me if you will come away from that thing.”
Rob stopped, his palm bare inches from the wall's surface. Did he feel something? An energy? Or was it simply his imagination?
He stared into its surface. Nothing stared back. No hint of his reflection or the glint of the sun in the sky. Was this the work of the gods, or something more?
The void, he thought. It reminded him of the void he'd found himself in right after the black dragon attacked. Empty and infinite.
Rob swallowed and felt tears rolling down his cheek. After what seemed like hours, he lowered his hand. He couldn't do it.
He stepped away and retreated back up the bridge.
Jace watched him, brow furrowed. He didn't make a biting comment as Rob passed him by.
“Come on,” Rob said, trying to control his trembling. “Show me this damned tomb.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Since there was no more road, Jace led them into the forest, the huge wall looming.
Staring at that wall reminded Rob of his time in the void and the strange montage of the warrior fighting. What did all that mean? And why show it to him before dropping him here? Perhaps it was the big bad guy of this world, or an enemy he would encounter later.
Whoever it was, when it came time to face him, Rob hoped he didn't do so with only a piece of door and a rusty sword.
Jace had gone silent again. He didn't mention what happened at the bridge, instead focusing on finding a trail he said was nearby.
They tromped through the bush, sometimes navigating through clusters of trees which seemed to do everything in their power to stop them from moving forward. The ground was rising into a hill and Rob found himself getting tired carrying the shield.
Damn thing is heavy, he thought, adjusting his grip on its strap for the millionth time. Maybe he could be pathetic and ask Jace to carry it for a while. Or maybe he could command him to.
He watched the woodcutter pick his way through the foliage, eyes on the surrounding trees. The guy cut an impressive image. Not only was he as quiet as stone, he appeared to have been sculpted from it, too. Rob wondered how strong Jace was.
Suddenly a stats screen appeared.
Name: Jace, Job: Woodsman, Hit Points: 85, Mana: 45, Armor: 3, Speed: 12, Bound to King Robert Barron of Kingdom Unknown.
So that's how I do that, he thought as he looked over Jace's stats.
Rob blinked at this information. The Woodsman had mana. So could he cast something?
“Jace, I'm curious about magic. Do you know any spells?”
Jace glanced sidelong at him. They'd both been quiet for a while until Rob blurted out the question like a curious child.
“Only two,” Jace said. He chopped at a large branch that was in the way. “Why?”
Hey, I'm the one asking questions here, Rob thought. “I wondered if you knew a spell that might help with our fight against Perrin, that's all.” Rob found himself annoyed that he had to explain himself.
The woodsman thought on this for a few moments, and Rob sensed he was hesitant to talk about it. He couldn't understand why. If he had magic he'd be showing off at every opportunity.
“Minor heal,” Jace finally said, almost mumbling the words.
“Min
or heal? You can heal wounds?”
“If they're minor. So don't get any major ones and you'll be fine,” Jace said. He stopped, eyes scanning ahead.
A healing spell, Rob thought. He wanted one of those. According to Saif, he should be able to use magic once the cursed king was destroyed. He'd make it a point to learn this healing spell.
In fact, knowing Jace had such an ability made him feel a little more at ease being out here away from any form of help. If he was injured, Jace was there.
My own personal medic, he thought. He was about to ask what his other spell was when the woodcutter raised his hand.
Jace's eyes had focused on something ahead in the trees.
When Rob looked he couldn't see anything other than more obstructive trees and bushes.
Suddenly, Jace ducked down and motioned for him to do the same.
Rob had to practically kneel on the ground to hide himself in the bushes they were in. He placed his hand on the pommel of his sword, ready to draw.
Ahead, movement caught his eye. Something was coming. In fact, it was several things.
A large trench lizard burst from a thicket about twenty paces away. It stopped and angled its head around as if searching. A long black tongue whipped out of its mouth, testing the air. It had a yellow stripe down its back, unlike the lizard Rob had killed. Different species, maybe?
Two more lizards emerged from the thicket and stood at either side of the first. They were a little smaller and had the same colored stripe.
Rob swallowed. Fighting one trench lizard had been a trying experience, but the prospect of taking on three didn't make him hopeful. He glanced at Jace.
The woodcutter held the axe handle with both hands, his grip tight. His eyes never left the lizards and Rob knew he was preparing himself for a fight.
I'm not here to fight damned lizards, Rob thought, watching the scaled trio. He was here to find a cursed king that needed to be put down. Tangling with these three would just slow him if not get him killed.
The first lizard bent its head and licked at the ground. It hissed, followed by a series of high-pitched clicks. Then it turned and scampered off into the bushes, away from Rob's position. The other two quickly followed.
Several moments passed before Jace stood. “There's a den nearby,” he said quietly before Rob could ask anything. “Not a place we want to stumble upon.”
“Is the tomb around here?” Rob said, keeping his voice low. He sweated so much he had to wipe his free hand on his shirt.
Jace nodded in the opposite direction the lizards had gone. “Should be just beyond those trees. Come on.”
They resumed, but with more caution than before. Having an enemy nearby put them on edge.
Several minutes later they pushed through yet another thick cluster of bushes to find themselves at the edge of a clearing.
Rob blinked in surprise.
It was a graveyard sitting in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by the forest. Why put this here, he wondered?
Tombstones and grave markers were lined up in haphazard rows. Each tilted at different angles or were knocked over. There appeared to be several dozen at least.
An old path led down the middle of the graves and ended at a tomb on the other side. The building was large, maybe a little bigger than Rob's manor house, which wasn't saying much, and made of solid stone. Vines nearly covered its entire surface. Its front entrance was closed, sealed shut.
A cloying sense of dread fell over Rob as he looked at it. That's where Perrin was?
He realized Jace was looking at him, waiting.
“Oh, right,” Rob said. “This is my show.” He steeled himself for a fight, glancing around the graveyard. “Let's get it started then.”
Hand on his sword, he stepped out of the bushes and waited. When nothing rushed out to challenge him he cautiously approached the pathway, Jace following close behind.
As he passed one of the headstones, he glanced at its faded engraving.
Here Lies Rodger Caal, Father To None, Brother To Many.
Once on the path, they headed toward the tomb. The forest around them was silent, no birds or calls or even the rustle of leaves. It was if the forest was expecting something to happen.
Jace sensed it too and adjusted his grip on the axe.
Sunlight tried valiantly to filter through the canopy above, but only managed to add a dull gloom to the setting.
Rob's apprehension was through the roof. When they reached the tomb, something was going to happen. He knew it. That's how these things always worked in the movies.
Turns out, he was wrong. It was when they reached the halfway point along the path that something happened.
Behind them, near the start of the path, a grave erupted with activity. As they whirled around to look, a human skeleton pulled itself up out of the muddy earth. It braced itself against the tombstone with one bony hand and stood. In its other hand it held a spiked mace.
The thing turned its jawless skull in their direction and looked at them with hollow eye-sockets.
“Oh, crap,” Rob said, stunned at what he was seeing. An animated skeleton! Just like in those old movies, only this wasn't a stop-motion creation.
Its bones were covered in dirt and there didn't appear to be any sinew or muscle keeping its joints attached.
Creature: Skeleton (Undead)
Hit Points: 50, Mana: 10
Armor: 5, Speed: 7
Main Attack: Weapon Based.
Jace glanced at Rob. “I think destroying this unholy thing would be prudent right now. Don't you think, my Lord?”
Rob nodded, recovering from his surprise. “Right. Kill the skeleton. Good idea.” He walked forward, sword and shield at the ready.
The skeleton didn't wait for him and moved to meet Rob. It walked just like a normal person with flesh and muscle would. The mace in its hand was rusted and covered in lichen.
The moment he felt it was within range, Rob stopped and thrust the sword out with a hard jab.
The skeleton made no attempt to parry the swing or dodge out of the way. The sword passed through its chest, scrapping against its ribs.
Rob pulled the sword back, blinking in confusion. He didn't hurt it. There was nothing to stab except empty air between its bones.
“You must break its bones, my Lord,” Jace said from behind him. “Swing your sword, don't just poke at it.” The woodcutter suddenly grunted in surprise as another skeleton pulled itself out of a grave a few rows over.
The skeleton in front of Rob suddenly lunged forward and swung the mace down with horrifying speed. Rob barely raised his shield in time to block it before it could smash his face. He felt the strength of the blow and the spikes penetrating the old wood of the shield.
The skeleton tried to pull the mace away, but it was stuck. It turned its skull to look as if trying to figure out what the problem was.
Rob took the opportunity to heave his sword back and swing it across like Jace said.
Before the moment of impact the skeleton raised its free arm up as if to defend itself. Rob's sword struck its arm below the elbow and he heard a satisfying crack of bone. The skeleton's arm snapped in half and its forearm fell to the ground.
Rob pulled his sword back, ready for another swing. But the skeleton barely reacted to the loss of one of its limbs. Instead, it tugged at the mace and pulled it free, wood splintering from the shield.
Risking a look away, Rob glanced over to Jace.
The woodcutter had rushed over to the other skeleton, axe held over his head with both hands. As the skeleton managed to climb out of the dirt, it looked up just as Jace brought the axe down onto its skull.
Rob turned his attention to his own problem and blocked another mace swing with the shield. He impulsively jabbed his sword at the skeleton, but only nicked ribs and bones.
There was movement at the corner of his eye, to the right. Sensing more danger, Rob took several quick steps back from the skeleton and quickly looked.
> Two more skeletons had already pulled themselves out of the ground and were clattering forward, bumping into gravestones.
Crap, he thought. If he didn't dispose of this one now, he would be surrounded.
The skeleton in front of him lunged forward again, catching the mace's spikes in the shield. This time Rob braced the shield close to his side and took a quick step forward, putting all his weight behind the movement.