Shadow Cursed

by Jason Sander

  The gods flared brighter as their anger grew, driving the darkness away, only to reveal that the chamber was empty. A few of the gods blasted the walls with fire and lightning in anger but the wraithlord laughed at their efforts. “Do you think that I have wasted the energy you have been feeding me like my brothers in endless fighting? No, I have been gathering it for this moment so that I could crush you all while you were weakened.”

  A shadowy arm lashed out from a corner of the room and a goblin god dropped dead from a terrible slash through its body. The corner was blasted in retaliation but at the same time another goblin god was snatched up and slammed into a wall dying instantly.

  The goblin gods drew together and as a third attack came at them they managed to blast it with fire before it struck another of them down.

  The fire lit the room again and the gods noticed in unison that the shadow withdrew towards the ceiling. They blasted the roof with a combination of power, knocking the Darklord off. The Darklord sensing his danger launched himself from the dying host into the nearest goblin god trying to possess it. As they fought for control the other gods took the opportunity to destroy the wraithlord by turning their full power on their comrade.

  The goblin god’s body disappeared under a hail of fire and lightning. The Darklord felt fear for the first time as the pain of the attacks became too much to bear.

  A god leapt forward and tore a piece from the wraithlord as he pulled himself out of the dying goblin god. The others joined in as he weakly tried to defend himself from the multiple attacks.

  When he realized that they had won the Darklord summoned his remaining power. Before the goblin gods could stop him the wraithlord disappeared, leaving them triumphant but alone in the darkness.

  Miles away the Darklord reformed his shadow self and began to make his way to the surface. His army of dwellers were destroyed, most of the other wraithlords were dead and those that remained were scattered on the surface. He knew now the remaining goblin gods were too powerful for him to fight. He needed time to rebuild his power and gather an army.

  The Darklord realized that he already knew where to find an army as he pored through his recently acquired memories from Cane. To the west was a thriving community of humans and a race of creatures called orcs. One race or the other would bow before him and he would have his army.

  CHAPTER 91

  Jack

  Jack carried Isabella in his bleeding arms and still managed to keep in the lead. Behind him he heard another of his men scream and the sounds of a short struggle. A third man had fallen to the bloodkin in the last hour and he was beginning to wonder if the monsters were just toying with them.

  The rear guard fired into the bloodkin surrounding the body but didn’t stop to see if they had hit anything.

  Ten minutes later he could hear the bloodkin running parallel to him trying to cut them off within sight of the river. A few of the men fired blindly into the forest but Jack ordered them to stop wasting ammunition. They carried on running but already the bloodkin had overtaken them.

  Jack drew to a stop and the others gathered around him forming a circle around their women and children. The bloodkin screeched to each other and began to draw the net closed. Jack laid Isabella on the ground and drew his axe. He said to the men around him, “We make our stand here while we still have the strength to fight.”

  The six bloodkin pursuers closed in fearlessly moving out of the cover of the forest. Gunfire erupted briefly and ceased as the ammunition ran out. The bloodkin that were hit staggered under the impacts but remained standing. Blades were drawn by men and women as they prepared to die.

  A sound like a storm wind smashing its way through the forest closed in on the ring of bloodkin and they became agitated, glancing around. Then trees and bushes rustled and exploded as creatures attacked the bloodkin from all directions.

  Jack stared in shock as wildlife turned on the abominations, biting and clawing the bloodkin with such ferocity they could barely fight back. One bloodkin broke away in terror, an owl still attached to its head tearing out chunks of flesh but the others fell as larger predators pounced on them. Jack ordered his men to stand still as the slaughter continued.

  When the animals were finished they looked at the humans for a moment then returned to the forest. Jack realized then that only one being could have saved them and said aloud, “Thank you Gaia.”

  Around him the men sheathed their weapons and gave their own thanks before they gathered their loved ones to them to calm their fears.

  CHAPTER 92

  Cane

  From an isolated vantage point above the Valley of the Kings Cane watched the rear guard dwarven soldiers as they began their march north towards Broken Pass Keep. The civilians were surprisingly disciplined and had formed into an orderly stream that disappeared ahead of the soldiers into the distance.

  Cane fingered the locket that Carthus had given him. When the mage heard he was going to stay behind he had sought Cane out by listening for the terrible sounds Cane made as he practised with the horn.

  Carthus had greeted him and sat down beside him. Cane blew the horn again and was surprised when the sound came out better than his last try.

  “Are you sure you want to do this Cane?” asked Carthus watching the dwarves passing by carrying whatever they had salvaged.

  “Yes,” answered Cane without hesitation.

  Carthus paused a moment then said, “When we discovered you in the mountains you were barely clothed, but nearby on the ground I found this piece of armour.” He showed Cane the broken piece of the camo armour and made to give it to him but Cane shook his head and blew the horn a bit stronger than before.

  When he finished he drew breath and said, “I don’t want reminders of my past Carthus, keep it or throw it away. I don’t care.”

  Carthus slipped the metal piece inside his robes and said, “I’ve studied the metal, in particular the runes or script as you call it.” When Cane made no comment Carthus continued, “I have also studied dwarven runes and elven runes, each has its own style but certain symbols are apparent even if they look dissimilar. Is it true that the script on this piece is designed to camouflage the wearer?”

  Cane fingered the runes on the horn and replied, “I don’t know. I never learnt even basic script but the suit I wore was designed to blend in with its surroundings like a chameleon, only better. So long as the wearer moves slowly they can’t be seen. Perhaps that piece has some of that script, I don’t know.”

  Carthus said goodbye and left Cane to his practice. The next morning Carthus returned with the locket and said, “Take this Cane, if you manage to survive, open the locket like this.” Carthus manoeuvred a hidden latch and the locket sprang open to reveal intricately carved detail on the inside. “I call it Seeker. If you want to go somewhere just concentrate on the destination and the locket will create a map to lead you there.”

  Carthus tried to hand it over but Cane’s eyes filled with panic, “If the goblins find that on me they could figure out how to use it. I can’t accept it Carthus.”

  Carthus laughed and showed Cane the finely detailed runes on the outside of the locket. I asked a dwarven runemaster to give it wards of protection. If a goblin touches it the runes will destroy the locket.”

  Cane had reluctantly accepted the locket and slipped it into his shirt pocket. Now high above the Valley of the Kings he wore it around his neck by its chain.

  He felt a cold shiver when his eyes spotted a particularly strange set of runes unlike the rest. He squinted at the small lines and finally realized that the runes were a delicate pattern of script buried within the dwarven runes. What had Carthus done to the locket?

  CHAPTER 93

  Honour Bound

  A horn blast echoed down the valley to the first dwarf waiting for the signal. As he heard the sound he prayed for the soul of the human who had stayed behind to sound the warning then added his own horn cry in sync with Cane’s second horn blast. When he had sou
nded his third note the dwarf began to run and prayed the goblins wouldn’t catch him in the open. Dwarves had stamina and strength but not the speed to outrun goblins.

  He could hear ahead of him the next dwarf in the line sounding his last horn blast. The dwarf smiled even as darkness settled around him. If he could survive till sunrise then he would probably reach the rearguard before the next sunset. He might even have a chance to rest before the rearguard was attacked. A chance to kill a few goblins before he died would at least end his suffering at the loss of his family.

  He had chosen to become honour bound, to take on this suicide mission for his people. He and everyone else in the rearguard had signed their own names in the new Book of the Dead - a pledge to fight to the death to delay the goblins as long as possible.

  CHAPTER 94

  Laisarus

  Laisarus roamed ahead of the army confident in his ability to see and not be seen. Now that the expedition was safely surrounded by an army of dwarves he felt the burden of leadership of the expedition lift. His conversation in the dark confined caves with Tagier had been stifling, the closeness of the walls had almost caused him to break but Gaia’s words had held him steady, “Help him Laisarus, save him from himself. He will need to be strong when he returns to the Riverlands.”

  Laisarus had first seen the blue glow of night vision in Tagier’s eyes when he had saved him from the Crimson River as a child. No elf had been able to see the children in the darkness. Tagier’s curse had saved him and the other children from drowning.

  Laisarus soon discovered goblin tracks on the ground but saw no warriors or shamans. He travelled during the day and sometimes into the night to try and catch a glimpse of them. But days passed quickly by until finally he could see the walls of Broken Pass Keep in the late sunset light.

  Having travelled with little rest he finally allowed himself to relax in the shade of a boulder. As the sun set he began to detect movement all around him; in the last dying light walls that had appeared to be solid rock became dark entrances to caves and all around him he could feel the goblins stirring in their hiding places.

  He dared to search for any life force around him and as his spirit left his body his blood ran cold as he felt the sheer numbers of goblins and shamans waiting in ambush. A war host of at least three clans, maybe more.

  Laisarus slowly withdrew into his body in case he alerted the shamans. He was deep in the trap already and had only two options. Run or remain hidden until he could sneak past the goblins.

  The decision was made for him when a goblin stepped out of a cave and sniffed the air.

  Bittermouth swore and shouted a warning, goblins appeared from hundreds of hiding places filling the valley around him and Laisarus realized he might never get a warning back to Dagar. He ran for the only possible escape route, up a trail into the mountains and away from the valley. Dozens of goblins followed after him, including a shaman.

  Below him Bittermouth smelled the elves’ fear and regretted that he could not join the chase but staying behind would earn him more reward than a swift and deadly chase. Bittermouth took one more deep sniff as the elves scent began to dissipate in the wind and for a moment he thought he recognised it from a long time ago. His eyes burned with fire as he whispered, “Laisarus.”

  CHAPTER 95

  Cane

  The wind blew with a mournful wail and penetrated his dwarven winter coat seeking his warmth. The ground was barely lit by the waning moon hanging just above the horizon and the stars disappeared one by one as storm clouds gathered above him.

  Cane stood as he waited for the goblins. He was still weak from his struggle with the wraithlord and sore from the beating Tagier had given him but he wanted to meet them on his feet. Even if he had the strength to fight for his life he no longer wanted to live. By staying behind he had probably saved one dwarven life, it would have to be enough.

  His mind sought comfort as he waited and he and remembered the night Amelia had come to him after he had confessed his crime before Dagar and the entire dwarven nation.

  He had expected her to be angry, to hate him for what he had done, but she ran straight into his arms as soon as the guard shut the door. She had cried on his shoulder and when her sobs slowly abated she still clung to him. He asked her why she had come and Amelia said, “When you fought the wraithlord I saw what you did, Cane, I forgave you then because I knew you were my soul mate.”

  Cane finally felt a burden lift from his shoulders when she said she had forgiven him. He held her tight and he felt a need fill him that he had never felt with any other woman. She looked into his eyes and kissed him on the lips.

  They lay back on his bunk as they surrendered to their desire. He felt her power radiating from her skin like gentle summer rain, washing away his pain. He could feel her power seeking out the scars on his face and he pulled away from her. “No, leave them.”

  He saw the anguish on her face turn to acceptance and she kissed the scars gently with her lips as her hands slipped under his shirt.

  His hands followed the curve of her back until they found her bottom and he had pulled her closer.

  Cane blinked and the memory faded.

  Amelia had left hours later, her last touch tracing the scars on his cheek. “If you must keep the scars then don’t let them be a reminder of a man who let a tragedy happen, but a man who accepted the consequences of his actions. The man I love.”

  He remembered the feel of her skin, the smell of her hair, but most of all the feeling that some part of her love still lingered inside him. There was no doubt in his mind that he loved her and that she loved him but they could never be together in her world.

  He pulled the locket out of his shirt as he caught the first sounds of the goblins scrambling along the mountain trail to reach him. It would be better if she found one of her own kind to marry.

  He flipped the locket open to look once more at the map and was surprised when the runes began to glow. The map inside shifted and changed before his eyes. Cane ignored the sounds of the goblins as he studied the new map.

  Instead of mountains and rivers he saw tunnels and caves. It dawned on him that the map represented Stronghold. Clearly marked by a diamond was a location deep within the city.

  Cane wondered for a moment what the diamond marker represented but his thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of a goblin warrior. Cane shut the lid and prepared to throw the locket as far away as possible as soon as the goblin charged.

  He waited as the goblin’s glowing eyes searched the area and its nose twitched as it smelled the air. The goblin’s face creased in concentration and it started a search of the area ignoring Cane as he stood in plain sight with the glowing locket held in his hand.

  The goblin walked right past Cane and when it finally grew frustrated it returned to the trail it had climbed up. It cast one final burning glance behind before leaving. The sounds of other goblins dwindled as they gave up the search of the area.

  Cane felt his heart beating thunderously in his chest as he wondered what had happened.

  In his hands the runes slowly faded and he noticed a shimmer around the edges of his hand as he moved it. Then the runes stopped glowing and the darkness of night settled in.

  Cane collapsed on the ground trembling. He had a second chance and somehow Carthus had given it to him. He opened the locket and concentrated on Dagar’s face and the map changed to show the mountains and valleys around him and the king’s position marked with a diamond to the north. Cane stopped thinking of Dagar and the other map returned.

  Carthus had given him a second chance at life and a choice. The diamond represented something important and Carthus believed Cane could reach it.

  Cane listened to the masses of goblins pouring through the valley below, emptying out of the city and leaving it almost unguarded. His fingers ran over the scars on his face as he considered his choices. Cane carefully closed the locket and placed it around his neck.

  He would wait until
dawn and hope that most of the goblin army had left the city.

  CHAPTER 96

  Bloodkin

  Animals still pursued the remaining bloodkin through the forest but slowly they grew tired of the chase.

  Finally the bloodkin ran out of energy and collapsed on the ground. Snow hissed and sizzled as it melted against the burning heat of its body and the bloodkin rolled onto its back.

  The forest went silent again and the bloodkin was even more afraid than when the creatures of the forest had attacked. Something was coming, something worse than it. When the bloodkin tried to get up it screamed as a shadow came down upon it.

  CHAPTER 97