Destiny's Call

by E. Markus Sharp

  “Slowly Marshal.” Quell told the big man.

  “Marie?” He asked and Quell frowned.

  “I’m only able to bring back one of you I’m sorry.” Quell told the big man. He yelled for her when he knew he could not have her back.

  “Relax you have an opportunity for revenge how many can say that?” Quell told the man getting close as she could. His warmth was returning.

  “I’m Quell of the Druid’s circle.” She introduced herself.

  “I owe you my thanks Quell.” Marshal told the druid.

  “Oh no Marshal you owe me much more than that.” She told him nibbling on his ear. He pushed her away.

  “No I just lost my wife.” He told her as she put her hands all over him.

  “You don’t understand Marshal. You need me and I require payment for casting such a powerful spell. Now relax and enjoy or the magics may be undone.” She told him taking him in hand.

  “Give in.” She ordered and even though he looked ready to resist further he didn’t and in a few moments he became the aggressor. Quell let him ravage her while his wife grew cold in the doorway.

  ***

  Regina was rejoined with the others in the Goose Step Inn close to the Inventorium. They were celebrating Trevor was accepted to the fighter’s guild and Lila was working from the temple on a temporary basis. Lila made it clear that none of this was permanent and soon they would leave the city for real adventure. Regina was Ok with that she wanted to wander the world helping people. Trevor told the group that he might be able to get a job off of the help board in the guildhall in a few days and he would keep them informed and everyone drank to that. Seemingly from nowhere a Halfling jumped up on the table. His smile was infectious but his sudden appearance had Trevor and Kindle up in arms.

  “Hello my good friends! I couldn’t help but hear you were looking to do a little adventuring. My name is Roderick the Great and I have just the thing.” Roderick informed them.

  “Off the table shorty.” Kindle threatened.

  “As you wish.” The Halfling hopped down on a chair next to Regina and grabbed and kissed her hand. He was quite handsome and his manner was very appealing to Regina. She felt her face warm to his touch. Was she blushing?

  “I’m Regina and these are my friends Lila, Kindle, and Trevor.” Regina introduced the group.

  “Well met all.” He said with a grin that meant trouble.

  “Now about that adventure you interested?” Roderick asked with a wicked smile.

  “I say let’s hear what he has to say.” Regina told the others and everyone leaned in.

  “Good, good I found me some brave ones this time. You’ll need that bravery because we’re going hunting dark elves.” Roderick told them. The others inhaled when he said dark elves.

  “And we won’t have to go that far because they’re burrowing up into the city.” Roderick continued.

  “The city is offering a large sum of gold to stop this very serious threat.” Roderick told them and Regina looked around at the faces at the table they all looked excited.

  “What do you say?” Roderick asked.

  “We’re in.” Regina answered for the others who nodded.

  “Ok then let’s get some gear and go see a man about a hole.” Roderick suggested.

  ***

  Banz looked to the light far down the tunnel. Even a little light was a strain to his sensitive eyes. How did the top-siders handle it? For hours at a time and the heat here was unbearable. His clothing was already holey and his armor had changed color. His swords were magical so they would fare better but maybe only a few days longer. The others were out scouting and collecting items they would need when they invaded the surface city, Lightbringer even the name was a curse. Banz would’ve already defected if there was someplace to go besides the surface dark elves now occupied the Underworld directly adjacent to the city. He like all other males hated the life of the Underworld Matriarchs. It made no sense there was no logic to it and emotion ran the dark elves to extinction. Banz wasn’t a fool he had studied at the under collage or male’s collage. Where under didn’t truly mean underneath it meant under women and they had ruled too long as far as he was concerned. Nothing was right about dark elves society the service of Loth had made the dark elves weak and every year the dark elves lost more ground, people and resources. That’s why the Matriarchs agreed to help the queen of Lightbringer take the city from her husband. The dark elves needed a win or Loth would destroy another city. How many were left? How many were destroyed for female fits of anger? Emotion was the death of the community but no dark elves woman could see that.

  “What are you trying to do go blind!” Creata asked him smacking him in the back of the head. He turned and restrained himself from killing her right here and there. He wasn’t free after all.

  “At least you’re smart enough not to react without thought.” She told him grabbing him by the chin and pulling his face close.

  “You’re not like the others here you do not fear us as you should. You could be punished for your bravery and resistance to my will you know.” She told him in a half whisper. He hated this situation. He was far more powerful than they knew. He was able to draw on the power of his will and the universe itself and all she could do was cast spells give to her by Loth. He had to remind himself though she was in charge.

  “Forgive me great Mistress I was trying to work my eyes into being more accustomed to the light hence being more valuable to you.” He told her through clenched teeth since she was squeezing his jaw shut for the most part.

  “Just like the fool you are.” She told him as she pulled him in and kissed him. She always had a thing for Banz and had mated with him many times they had three children but he would never have any part in their lives they were all girls, a blessing to Creata and a curse to Banz.

  Banz was just Creata’s type an uncooperative slave. She grabbed his collar and pulled him behind her after she released his jaw. Every time they mated he worried she would kill him after like her Queen goddess would and every time he had to talk her out of it. He was smarter and she wanted more girls. He would tell her to do whatever she wanted but there was no guarantee she was with child this time. That she should wait to find out otherwise she would have to pick another to mate with. That worked but with every time she did not get pregnant he came closer to death. Of course she would kill him as soon as she found out she was pregnant this time four was more than enough. It would be too so soon and he would be dead. dark elves wasted too many things they needed to survive. They weren’t spiders after all spiders could have hundreds of young at a time and dark elves were slow to reproduce and slow to mature. That’s why he wanted out and didn’t care about his children, brothers and sisters or the family they were all dead anyway just a matter of time.

  Creata took him to her tent and once inside they started mating only this time Banz decided to take the dominant role. Creata resisted for a few moments but he was not taking any of it. Somehow this pleased her more than her dominating him. It almost seemed natural in some way. He wondered if she planned to kill him this time. He decided she wasn’t going to get the chance. She was stronger but not smarter. He used the mating to hide his motions against her. He found something heavy and blunt to knock her out with a statuette. He ripped the clothing off of her testing its strength for tying. Then when she was at the height of her ecstasy he hit her hard in the head knocking her out cold. He finished up hoping he gave her a child a boy and then tied her up good and tight and gagged her so she wouldn’t alert anyone of his escape.

  He was done with all of the dark elves. In fact he was going to help the city with the cursed name. He took her copies of the battle plans and all of the surface items he could clothing, a couple of swords, a cloak, padded armor and other gear he was sure would come in handy including his Book of spells! The Matrons kept mage’s Books to insure their slaves couldn’t rebel. Once again he was smarter than the others. He cast a spell that made him invisible
and he left the tent. Once out he made his way to one of the hidden tunnels to the surface. He would have to kill the guards to use the exit but he would endure that poisoned mushroom when he ate it. He was sure of one thing he was no longer a slave. He was free

  ***.

  Marshal left before Marie’s funeral he wasn’t able to come to terms with her death and the suddenness of it even in the plains. He had taken his brother with well not exactly his brother. Gabe Goldhammer was a brother from another. He had lived with the Plainsmen before Marshal’s time and now the two were inseparable. Gabe was a gruff and odd sort of Dwarf. Marshal thought it had something to do with his relationship with Eros god of love. Gabe had power over women that was just unexplainable to Marshal. Anyone he wanted he was able to get. He never missed the heart and that made him arrogant. He was also very tough and hearty. He sat of the pony now but he never needed a horse to travel and he had kept up with the plainsmen all his life and they could run. Marshal was five times the dwarf’s size and Gabe was equal to all of his strengths.

  “Why didn’t we stay for her funeral Marshal? You need to grieve or you’ll never be over her.” Gabe asked finally. Marshal frowned and waved away the question.

  “Come on I’m your brother you can tell me what’s going on.” Gabe asked.

  “Because if I wait I’ll miss my chance at revenge.” Marshal tried to explain.

  “But how do you know all these things. Who told ya?” I think maybe you’re going mad. Just explain it.” Gabe pushed.

  “Ok Gabe Marie and me were attacked by assassins and they killed Marie before she could even say a word. Then they killed me just as easy. Their swords were not of this world and they cut through me like I had been butter. Then they left me for dead and a druid named Quell rose me up from the dead to avenge Marie. She told me where these assassins were going and who they intended to kill next and if we can get there we can kill them and join the war against the Witch-King himself. We need to get to Gond and save a monk named Corin. Now are you in or are you out?” Marshal asked and Gabe smiled.

  “Is that all? Let’s go get these hell spawn and bury the deep.” Gabe said joining Marshal’s run for revenge fully.

  Marshal hoped they would make it in time otherwise he would miss maybe his only chance for revenge. Valas would guide him.

  ***

  Zolin had been roosting in the Tangle-thorn swamp and it had been peaceful and quiet. He had been the apex predator and didn’t have any challenges to his hunting grounds. Until the other day when he noticed there were boats in the water heading north through the center of the swamp. They had thousands of humanoids on them and they were heading through killing everything they came close to for food. Another day and they would be at his door step. These rude little monsters were ruining his special place. He unfolded his black wings and took to the air. A part of him wanted to attack the boats and kill them all for serving the Witch-King and a part of him wanted to leave them to their devices they were obviously in the way to Lightbringer after they crossed the swamp. Those men could use a good thrashing. They attacked him every time he popped out and snatched up a cow or two. They had no idea his power and no respect for the cold blooded rights. He didn’t have time to move his lair now so he needed to do something about these humanoids. He flew over the armada to take a closer look and found them cutting down the vegetation and clearing the swamp of plants to cross. He was done with these creatures and decided they must die until he saw her. She stood at the bow of one of the ships strong and beautiful. He could smell her purity among the humanoid rabble. She was perfect and one of his species her human form even wore the telltale black armor of the dragon kind. They had transformed themselves leaving what looked like scale mail armor like that for two thousand years. He was smitten. He landed and changed in midair to drop down next to her. She looked over at him and he smiled his most wicked smile.

  “There was rumor you were here and would feel we were trespassing. That’s why I was sent with the boats. I would like to request passage through the swamp for me and my army.” She told him and he was still dumbfounded by lust.

  “My dear you can pass through my grounds but you must give me a day’s time to move my belongings. If you give me that time and you stay on for a day or two as my guest just you well then you have a deal.” He told her and she put a hand on his shoulder.

  “Oh my sweet Zolin you misunderstand.” she told him moving quick and scratching him across the chest. His heart broke and his scales burned. She had just wounded him to the core. He fell back into the water and was sinking to the bottom. He could see the armada passing from above while he hit the bottom far below. There was a poison entering his body from the wounds. He was going to die from one scratch from a youngling! He was Zolin the terrible, the blackness in the swamp and this girl killed him with little or no effort.

  “Good bye my sweet if you had been on our side from the first I would’ve been honored to carry your brood but now I will just claim your treasure and morn your untimely death. Good night sweet good night.” She called from the surface. He was dead and just not finished suffering. Maybe it was for the best being beaten by a younger dragon like that. How could he ever recover from it? Death was more merciful.

  “Never…knew …name.” He spat out as he struggled against the poison.

  “I’m so rude my name is Teamon the black hearted.” She told him as darkness enveloped him.

  ***

  Teamon entered Zolin’s Lair and marveled in the size of the now dead Black Dragon’s horde. She had never seen such wonders before in her life. There was treasure to fill her deepest desires. Untold wonders surrounded her and all she had to do was reach out and take them. With Zolin dead who could stop her? She smiled at her good fortune. She wondered the treasure and the hours passed eventually a Orc their leader called from the entrance she rushed to him making sure he knew what was hers. She even hissed a little she couldn’t help it the smell of the horde was overwhelming. The Orc barely moved when she rushed up. He was brave that was something rare in these humanoids. She could smell fear over the smell of treasure so he was brave or stupid.

  “My lady we must go on. May I suggest you finish up your business here and meet us at Lightbringer? We can’t be late the dark elves will need us when they attack.” The Orc told her with an air of smugness. He didn’t see her as superior to him or even an equal this Orc thought he was superior.

  “Go I will meet you.” She ordered and he smiled at the order.

  “We will see you at Lightbringer then.” He told her turning on his heels and walking out of the cave. She wanted to destroy him with her breath and eat what remained but the treasure was calling to her. It was so lovely. She reentered the cavern and sniffed around. His scent was still lingering but she didn’t care. The riches here was enough to endure anything even his stench. She had found several items she moved to another spot already. Thing of such beauty it took her breath away all hers. A holy sword, some gem encrusted items, a jeweled dagger, some dresses that were magnificent and a crown of such beauty it could only have been worn by the empress herself. She needed something to gaze at herself in with these items on. She looked around the horde and found what she needed a mirror. It was covered up with a beautifully crafted rug. She could use them both. She picked up the huge mirror and the carpet and brought them to her special place and she put down the rug and positioned the mirror. Then she put on the beautiful white dress and the crown and walked out in front of the huge mirror. She looked stunning and the items were heavenly on her. She was enamored in her reflection. The mirror had runes on the outside of the glass and they began to pulse. She had a hard time looking away from her reflection but the runes were growing brighter and pulsing with a noise like a giant heart. She read the ruins aloud as she stood in awe of the beauty reflected back.

  “Pride and vanity undo the mask and the true nature of those reflected in the mirror eye to eye.” The ruins pulsed at her and the mirror grew dark from
the frame inward until only Teamon’s reflection could be seen. Her reflection smiled wickedly at her from beyond the glass which seemed gone. Then her reflection stepped out of the darkness of the mirror and into reality. Teamon made a surprised noise as the figure of herself walked toward her. The reflection drew out the holy sword as she passed it and Teamon changed into her dragon form. The reflection kept her humanoid form and moved quickly to attack Teamon. How could this be? Teamon reared back her huge head and let go her acid breath towards her other self and her other self lunged forward plunging the sword into Teamon the acid didn’t affect her other self just her clothing. The crown was undamaged and the sword was deep inside Teamon cutting her insides and killing her as her reflection cut her up and down her middle. Teamon watched as her damaged organs splattered on the ground in front of her. Her naked reflection in humanoid form stood above her in its beauteous presents as darkness closed in on her.

  “Do not fear Teamon. I will do those things you regret denying yourself. From this time forth you will be good.” Her reflection told her as she took her last ragged breath.

  “You are free to go now.” She told herself. How unfair the world could be. A trap no dragon could resist is their own reflection Zolin gets his revenge from his watery grave. Now Teamon the black hearted would be Teamon the kind hearted?

  “The world is unfair.” Teamon the black hearted said as she finally died and her replacement was already on her way to the Orcs.

  Teamon had dreams of glory and her reflection would be the one to reap that glory it seemed. She was her reflection but she was alive and free from the evil of herself. Did she have a reflection? Was it the original Teamon or was there another her there reflecting the new Teamon? Would she be affected by the mirror if she stood before it? She would cover it later. Even good Teamon still loved treasure deep down she was still a dragon. That was for later. Now she had to get to Lightbringer and rescue the heroes there who were marked for death. She was sure that Lightbringer was going to be taken still the armies attacking it was too big even for her to destroy so she would deny the Witch-King his true prize the Avatars inside the city. She would take them to safety and then when the time was right they would retake Lightbringer. It was the best she could do.