The Fortress of Donmar (The Tales of Zanoth Book 2)

by Aaron J. Ethridge

  Whatever the undead warriors that filled the hall might have been prepared for, they were in no way ready to face the party that charged them suddenly from their flank. Sarrac and Alena stepped through the crowd, cutting down their adversaries like so much grain. Darek and Paul, side by side, charged toward the door leaving nothing un-living in their wake. Myra took control of a number of their enemies and made them turn on their allies while Nyssa engulfed several in her deadly flames. Joey read from his book; sending a ball of blue light directly into the chest of what he believed to be one of the stronghold's captains.

  Before the undead even had time to realize what was happening, the bar was lifted, the doors thrown open, and Warriors were pouring into the structure. As their allies rushed past him, Paul was somewhat surprised to see that they had been using an actual battering ram to attack the portal. He lifted his eyes and quickly scanned the courtyard. Happily, it was very completely under their control.

  The gates were open, the drawbridge down, and more and more Warriors were entering the fortress with every passing moment. Here and there, small groups of undead struggled against the inevitable while arrows rained down from above, falling amongst the ranks of the living. He immediately realized that the upper floors of the keep would need to be emptied and that Gregory and the General were already attending to that.

  “Let's go,” he said, turning to his companions who had joined him near the door. “We've got a commander to defeat.”

  Paul turned and led his band toward the back of the room. Along the far wall, two stairways stood before them. One led up toward the floors above, the other into the depths below. The paladin selected those leading downward and dove boldly into the darkness beyond.

  “I'd have thought the commander would be on the top floor,” Joey observed as he followed along at the rear of the party.

  “There are a lot of windows up there,” Paul pointed out. “They let in a lot of sunlight and vampires don't like the sun. It hurts their eyes.”

  “Right,” Joey nodded. “I should have thought of that.”

  “Probably,” the paladin agreed. “But, on top of that, whatever I'm feeling is down here. Well, it's actually kind of all around, but it feels more concentrated down here.”

  “So, whatever it is,” his companion replied, “we're heading right for it?”

  “Basically.”

  “Wonderful.”

  At the bottom of the stairs, they discovered a large steel door. Fortunately, they found it unlocked. As Paul cautiously pushed the portal open, it filled the air with an eerie creak. The light from Joey's spell revealed a vaulted chamber of dark stone on the far side of the doorway. Runes, drawn in what seemed to be dried blood, covered the floor beyond.

  “You ever notice that Zanoth would be the perfect setting for a series of horror movies?” Joey asked as the band stepped into the room.

  “I have,” Paul nodded. “This room would be a perfect place to...”

  The young man's thought was interrupted by Joey's spell suddenly ending; leaving them wrapped in absolute darkness. Nyssa's voice echoed off the walls and, seconds later, the chamber was once again filled with light.

  “What caused that?” Joey asked.

  “Those runes,” the fair fairy replied, pointing to the floor. “They'll extinguish any light that comes near them.”

  “Alright,” he nodded. “Then why isn't your light effected?”

  “First off,” she smiled, “I'm a lot more powerful than you. Second, I have this ring.”

  As she said this, she held her hand out for his inspection.

  “And that does what exactly?”

  “It makes my power harder for the dark power to cancel out.”

  “Where do you get them?”

  “Get what?”

  “Those rings?”

  “Oh,” she replied. “The vault gave me this one. Maybe, if you ask it nicely, it will give you one, too.”

  “Right,” he replied, rolling his eyes, “I'll speak to it if we live through this.”

  “That's a good idea,” she agreed.

  Paul led the band through the room cautiously, expecting at any moment to be attacked. Most of their corporeal enemies had certainly rushed to the scene of battle, but they might still encounter those undead horrors that the sun would destroy. Any shadows, shades, specters, or wraiths that called the fortress home might still be down here, hidden in the dark.

  This possibility was certainly one Myra had not overlooked. Before they had even reached the bottom of the stairs that led to the chamber they were currently in, she had once again given herself the ability to see any undead that might be nearby. For the moment, there didn't seem to be any.

  “Now remember,” Joey whispered as they moved through the room, “if we end up in over our heads, don't hesitate to turn.”

  “I know,” Paul nodded.

  “I mean,” his friend continued, “I know we want to fly false flags, but we can't fly them if we're dead.”

  “I know,” the paladin nodded.

  “And, don't be afraid to whip out Telsar,” he said.

  “Telseir,” Paul corrected.

  “Sure. Either way, better to let them figure out who we are then to let them kill us.”

  “Obviously,” the paladin chuckled. “You're not getting nervous are you?”

  “Nope,” Joey replied confidently. “Just want to make sure we don't make any stupid mistakes. Zanoth is counting on us.”

  “You're right,” Alena nodded. “It is.”

  By the end of this brief conversation, the band was stopped at yet another steel door.

  “There are undead on the other side,” Myra said softly.

  “There are,” Paul replied with a hint of confusion. “In fact, I'm pretty sure its whatever I've been feeling.”

  “It's stronger?” the maiden asked.

  “It is,” he nodded. “But, I can see them through the door.”

  “You can?” she asked, a tone of surprise in her voice.

  “I think I can,” he replied. “I see five of them.”

  “That's how many there are,” Myra asserted. “What do they look like?”

  “Sort of... Reddish... Blurry... Shady... Humanoid looking things. Why?”

  “Just curious,” she replied with a shrug. “It's weird that you're able to do that without casting a spell.”

  “It's probably a paladin thing,” Joey speculated.

  “I believe it is,” Sarrac replied. “I think it's part of what happened to him at the catacombs. According to legend they had the ability to detect evil. And, depending on how powerful they are - or the evil is - they may even see it.”

  “So,” Joey said, “he may be able to see it because it's super powerful?”

  “Possibly,” the ogre nodded. “But, he may also be able to see it because he's becoming more powerful.”

  “Or both,” Darek suggested.

  “Or both,” Sarrac agreed.

  “Well, whatever the case,” Paul said softly, “let's go get 'em.”

  “Give me a moment,” Myra replied, raising her hand.

  The former lich chanted softly in a sing song voice, waving her staff in front of the door before them.

  “It's trapped,” she said. “It's filled with dark energy.”

  “What do we do?” the paladin asked.

  “You're immune to death magic,” she pointed out with a smile. “Just open it.”

  “If I could just open it, why did you stop me?”

  “Because, it could have been trapped with arcane power. Which could kill you. So, I'd have had to dispel it before you touched the door.”

  “Good point,” he smiled in return. “And, thanks for looking out for me.”

  Having said this, he reached out and grabbed the door handle. A wave of black light enveloped him, but did him no harm. He then threw the portal open and marched into the chamber beyond.

  In the center of the spacious room they entered was an ornate ch
air made of ebony, on which sat what appeared to be a rather young vampire. Although it was impossible to tell how old he actually was, Commander Galfas looked to be in his early twenties at most. His dark hair reached his shoulders, his facial features were pleasing, and his eyes so bright a blue that they almost seemed to glow in the pale light of Nyssa's spell.

  In each hand, he held a scimitar; the pair of which were crossed in front of him as he sat. His muscular form was protected by a shell of black plate armor. A pair of armor covered skeletons stood on each side of the undead commander; each of the four also wielding a scimitar in each hand.

  “So it seems Renald's laughable ambition has finally outstripped his feeble abilities,” Galfas said, rising from his seat as they approached. “That cattle he persuaded to help him seem to be doing surprisingly well. Although, I confess, I find it somewhat disgusting that he would fall so far as to rely on the living for aid. And, you brought a fairy with you? You're in rather poor company.”

  “A tool is a tool, Galfas,” Darek replied, stepping up just behind Paul. “And, it's the winner who writes the history. Once your master is dead and gone, Lord Renald will decided how to record his defeat for the benefit of posterity.”

  “Assuming he wins,” the vampire replied. “Which, for my part, I very much doubt.”

  As soon as he said this, the undead commander charged Paul, who was at the very front of the band, followed instantly by the four skeletal knights. The young man had just enough time to raise his sword and shield before the vampire reached him. As the two came together, Commander Galfas subjected the paladin to an almost amazing number of attacks.

  Paul had to take several steps back as one powerful blow after another struck him. Almost as many hit his body as he managed to block and the young man quickly realized that if it hadn't been for the strength of his armor he would have already been dead many times over. His opponent was the most skilled swordsman he had yet encountered and, it seemed to Paul, that his scimitars were of remarkably high quality. In the depth of his heart he wished he had Telseir in his hand but, at the moment, even taking the time to draw it might cost him his life.

  His companions seemed in similar distress. Sarrac, Alena, and Darek were all engaged with one of the skeletons, while the last of them turned his attention on Myra. Although she did her best to take control of the creature’s mind, it only laughed at her attempts. Nyssa then engulfed the monster in fire, which it seemed to show almost as little respect. Joey lashed out at the beast with his small ball of blue light. However, if the horror was even aware of the fact, it certainly didn't show any signs of it.

  The paladin did his best to focus all his attention on his adversary; waiting for an opportunity to attack. At first, he found such an opening almost impossible to imagine, much less see. However, after more and more blows were deflected by his armor, he got an idea. He let the commander hit him, which momentarily opened a hole in his defenses. Paul lunged at his foe, but the blow was defeated by the metal shell that encased his enemy. Still, the young man felt good about the fact that he had at least managed to hit his adversary. The feeling didn't last.

  Commander Galfas had a level of situational awareness that the young man couldn't help but admire. As soon as Paul's blade touched him, the vampire took a single step back, spun around, and managed to stab Darek (who was only feet away facing a different foe) in the back. Fortunately, due to the quality of his armor, this resulted in little more than a scratch. It did distract him, however, allowing his skeletal enemy to cut him across the face with one of its blades.

  The situation became even more dire as the foe that was focused on the former lich continued his assault. She fell back before him, striking him time and again with the dark power, but he continued stumbling after her, even as Nyssa continued to burn his bones with her searing flames. The creature stepped forward and knocked Myra's staff to the side with one of his blades before slicing her across the stomach with the other. The maiden screamed as she collapsed; pulling Paul's attention momentarily from his enemy.

  The young man felt his foe's blade bite into his shoulder between the plates of his armor. Fate smiled on him to a certain extent, however, it was his shield arm. For the moment at least, he could still use his sword unimpeded.

  He couldn't save her if he was dead. He had to focus on the battle at hand. There was no choice, he would have to turn. But he couldn't be sure it would even work here. This place was filled with dark power; he could almost feel it pulsating in the air around him. In silent prayer, he asked for help and guidance. He hadn't led his friends down here to get them slaughtered.

  Joey, furious at the fiend that had struck down Myra, grabbed his staff in both hands like a baseball bat and struck the skeletal knight in the head with all the force he could muster. The blow knocked the creature's head from its shoulders, covering both its flying skull and its collapsing body in bolts of crackling electricity. With the monster dispatched, Nyssa was able to fly to the aid of her fallen ally; healing the terrible wound of the former lich.

  Sarrac and Alena had long fought together and they had faced many truly terrible foes. The pair had been taken off guard by their enemies' abilities, but only for a few seconds. Alena moved to Sarrac's side before stepping behind him; allowing him to temporarily face both their opponents alone. She then moved around his other side and deftly cut the left arm off the skeleton that had first attacked the ogre. Sarrac followed this up by lashing out at the creature's head. It raised its single blade to block the blow and Alena hacked its head off with her next attack.

  Darek was a survivor. He always had been. He had a very simple philosophy when it came to combat: at the end of the battle, the dead guys lost; no matter who won. Realizing that he might be nearly outmatched, at least now that he was injured, he took up a defensive stance; working only to distract his enemy while his allies destroyed theirs. He was exceptionally gifted at this type of fighting and made sure that the skeleton facing him had to give him its full attention while, at the same time, making sure its scimitars never came near him.

  Paul couldn't tell exactly what it was, but something was different. He almost felt as if the divine power was flowing through him, filling him with strength and confidence. Once again, he waited for his opponent to miss his mark and, once again, he did. The paladin leapt forward and sliced into the vampire's neck as he did his best to sever the monster's head completely.

  This gave the creature pause and, as he watched the ogre and ogress hack their second opponent to pieces, he came to the conclusion that this was a battle he couldn't win.

  “Until next time,” the commander snarled before dissolving into white mist and vanishing from the chamber.

  Instantly, Paul was at Myra's side as Darek, Sarrac, and Alena finished off the last of the skeletal knights.

  “Are you alright?” he said, his voice filled with emotion.

  “I'm fine,” she smiled. “He barely touched me.”

  “Uhhh,” Joey said, “No. No, the blood all over the floor says he touched you pretty good.”

  “Well,” she replied, sitting up as she spoke. “Nyssa took care of it. I'm fine.”

  “Thank...” the paladin began, glancing around for the fairy.

  At the moment, however, she was engrossed in helping her allies bring the unlife of their enemy to a speedy end. As soon as she was done, however, Paul spoke again.

  “Thanks for saving Myra,” he smiled. “I was a little preoccupied.”

  “I noticed,” she nodded. “That's why I figured I’d better handle it.”

  “You were right,” Darek asserted, before pointing to his face. “And, now, Paul can handle this.”

  Minutes later, all of their injures had been attended to and they were making their way back upstairs.

  “So, is he gone?” Joey asked.

  “No,” Paul said, “I don't think so. I can still feel him around. I just don't know where he is exactly.”

  “Either way,” Myra said
, “he'll be gone as soon as it’s nightfall. You can be sure he's planning to tell Lord Darril what happened. In fact, in order to keep up appearances, we’d better pretend to look for him. We shouldn't find him, of course, but we should look like we're looking just the same.”

  “I agree,” Sarrac replied. “For one thing, now that we've captured Kal Tammon, we need to search through every nook and cranny of it. Who knows what other undead could be hidden in the dark.”

  “That's true,” Myra nodded. “The sooner we get searching, the better.”

  Chapter 16: A Revelation

  “What is that?” Joey asked, gazing at the large green crystal floating in the middle of the chamber.

  “A dark shard,” Myra explained.

  “Interesting,” he replied, stepping nearer the stone. “We need to destroy it, right?”

  “Yeah, I think you could safely say that,” Paul said.

  “Will it break if I just hit it?” Joey asked, drawing back his staff as he spoke.

  “I wouldn't do that,” the paladin pointed out, raising a finger of warning. “They explode when they shatter.”

  “Then, what should we do?”

  “Paul should break it,” Nyssa asserted.

  “So, it's alright if I get blown up, then?”

  “Of course not,” she giggled. “But, we know what's going to happen this time, so we can take some precautions.”

  “Like what?” Paul asked.

  “First off,” she replied, “I can put a spell on you to protect you. Second, keep your shield in front of your face. Third, close your eyes.”

  “If you say so,” he said, shaking his head.

  In response, she began chanting words of arcane power before reaching out to touch his arm.

  “There,” she smiled, “now, you're much more protected.”

  “Alright, I guess,” he sighed. “Everyone stand back.”

  The paladin's companions stepped just outside the room as he approached the floating crystal with his sword and shield raised.