“You humans are so stupid. Always thinking giants are dumb and easy to kill.” The giant said.
Cord tried moving and the giant stomped on his back, breaking several ribs in the process.
Cord’s breathing was labored. “Tell me giant…” he coughed several times. “How did you get…” he coughed again, “behind me?” He asked while reaching for a dagger in his belt.
The giant smiled, relaxed his grip on his hefty weapon, and lifted his left leg in the air. “My boots, they allow me to walk without a sound. You are stupid…"
While he was talking, Cord reached up and plunged the dagger into his foot. The giant screamed and hopped a few times on one leg trying to grab the blade’s hilt. Cord quickly got up, stepped on the giant’s planted foot, lifted his other leg further into the air and toppled the giant. Instead of running toward freedom, Cord decided to end the giant’s life and whipped out another dagger and jumped on top of the big creature. Together they wrestled and grappled and even though the giant was bigger and stronger, he could not pin Cord down and eventually lost track of Cord’s dagger. The fight and the giant’s life ended when Cord stabbed him in the throat.
After the giant took his last breath, Cord removed his boots to get a closer inspection of how they were constructed, thinking maybe he would uncover their secret of moving silently. While looking at the soles, the boots began shrinking until they were the same size as his boot, and the hole left behind from the dagger closed, making them appear new again.
“Interesting!” He exclaimed and exchanged his boots for the giant’s, then stood up.
The first thing he noticed was that they were more comfortable than his and it felt like he was walking on air. He walked a few paces and did not hear his footsteps. He then ran a few feet straight into a pile of leaves and was rewarded with silence.
“This is great.” He said knowing that he could be the finest thief in the world, or more importantly, the best assassin, if he chose to go back to that lifestyle.
Cord continued to test his new find and when he was satisfied, he left the forest.
After the creature left, Tracs walked over and stared down at the unrecognizable form of Vex. The horrific scene made the knight gag despite what he’d seen many times on the battlefield. Vex was simply torn to shreds, his ribcage was split apart so far that his organs were outside of his body. His legs and arms were broken and torn away from his torso, and his head was smashed into fragments. Pieces of his skull lay in several different places. Tracs knew he got what he deserved, but still blessed his soul anyway. He was about leave when he noticed the gauntlets around Vex’s arms glowing slightly.
He knew right away they contained unusual properties, so he removed them from the dead man’s arms, wiped off the gore and tied them around his forearms. Immediately, he felt a tingling sensation race up and down his limbs until they settled into his hands. The last time he felt similar sensations was when his cousin let him try on his Boots of Velocity. Tracs wondered if the gauntlets held the same properties, so he waved his left hand in front of his face and when it became a blur, he tried the right and had identical results. Next he swung his sword to the side, downward, and finally upwards and after each strike, his arm and the weapon moved faster. He was even more ready to end the life of the spearman; he thought, and left.
****
“Did you see that thing?” Hue asked Tonles, who was still staring after the Revenant.
“I wonder what it is.”
“I don’t know. I never saw anything like it.”
“Me either.” Tonles scratched his head.
“What should we do now?”
Tonles was about to answer when Tracs came out of the woods and walked up to them.
“Why did you go into the woods and hide? We came to your aid.” Tonles asked him point blank.
“My shoulder was injured and I decided to attack them from afar.”
“You should have stayed and fought with us, because we were risking our necks for you.”
“I didn’t ask for your help did I? So don’t question my tactics.”
Tonles knew he was right. “What happened in there?”
“I was followed into the woods by the one called Vex, and that creature appeared and killed him. I’m not sure what it was, but it’s evil and had a singular purpose, and that was to kill him. Did you see where it went?”
“Redden, after the guy with the spear.”
“His name is Yang and he is also responsible for the merchant’s death as well, but after what I saw the creature do; I wouldn’t want to be him.”
“I think it’s some kind of undead being.” Hue began, “I saw one of the boarmen chop off its arm and the spearman kept stabbing it repeatedly, and it didn’t even slow the creature down.”
“Tonles where is Konafar?” Tracs suddenly asked after realizing he weren’t there.
“Redden.” Hue interjected.
“Should we go after him?”
Tonles rubbed his chin contemplating. “I don’t know if we’ll be able to get in there with all the commotion going on. Konafar is very resourceful, so I’m sure he’ll be fine.” Even though he said it, he wasn’t confident that he believed it. “Tracs what are you going to do?”
“As soon as Yang is dead I’ll be on my way. What about you?”
“After the Red Knight falls, I’m not sure what we’ll do, maybe we’ll raise an army and take back Redden.”
Suddenly, and without making a sound, Cord appeared behind them. “Where are the bad guys?” His voice startled the group and they turned around, weapons at the ready.
“Where did you come from? I didn’t even hear you.” Hue said.
“Isn’t it great?”
“What’s great?” Tracs asked.
“That you didn’t hear me? These boots make it so.”
“You didn’t have them when we started, so where did you get them?” Tonles asked.
“The giant I killed was wearing them.”
“You killed a giant?” Hue interposed.
Cord smiled and shook his head.
“What happened to Burner?”
“He died shortly after we attacked.”
“How did you kill the giant?” Tracs asked.
“They’re so stupid, it wasn’t that hard.”
“Why did you return? You could’ve left, and we’d be none the wiser.” Tonles asked him.
“Despite whatever Captain Strom told you about me, I would never do that.”
“You’re definitely showing me your true worth.” Tonles added.
“I see Konafar hasn’t returned yet, do you want me to go in there and see if I can find him? After all, I do have my new toy and in my former life, I was a pretty good thief.”
Tonles thought about it. “Okay. Start at the Magistrate’s house, that’s where I think the Red Knight will be.” He said.
“Alright I’ll start there.”
Cord was about to leave when Tracs said. “Take these gauntlets. They’re special.” He removed them from his arms and handed them to him.
Cord placed them on and felt a surge run up and down his spine. He knew right away what they were. “Gauntlets of Quickness.” He said without even realizing it. “Thanks, I’m sure I can put them to good use.” He said and left.
“Where did you get them?” Hue asked.
“That guy Vex had them on his arms.”
“Great, all I get is useless weapons from the creatures I killed.” Hue stated.
“Let’s move back near the woods and wait.” Tonles added.
****
Konafar led Butcher and Pierce up the stairs and fell upon three unarmed boarmen, just as they were coming out of their rooms. Butcher was swift, and brutal, as he hacked one of them to pieces, Pierce was deadly in his own right with his blade, and Konafar ran another through with Carnage. There were several closed doors down the long corridor.
Konafar pulled them close. “Let’s split up because I fear if they hear
us, there will too many, and we’ll get overwhelmed. Be swift, quiet, and leave no one alive. Butcher you start over on the left and Pierce on the right. I’m going for the double door. Okay?”
They nodded.
The first three rooms Butcher entered housed a variety of goat and boarmen, all of which were fast asleep and were easily chopped to pieces without uttering a sound. His blood lust led him through several more rooms, until he encountered a very large boarman just as he awoke from his nightmares. Butcher ran over and swung at the creature, but the boarman quickly sat up, grabbed both of his arms, and flung him hard against the wall thus allowing him enough time to leave the bed.
****
After Pierce entered the last of the rooms on the right, he encountered a clean-shaven human, with short-cropped hair, sitting at a round table reading a thick book. A candle to his right provided enough illumination to read and nothing more.
He looked up after Pierce entered. “Oh I have a guest. And who are you?” He calmly asked.
“Are you the Red Knight?”
“Me? No. My name is Grop”
Pierce moved closer, sword arm outstretched.
“What’s your name stranger?”
“My name doesn’t matter, but your death will.” Pierce said as he advanced.
Grop chuckled and then stood up holding his left hand outward, causing Pierce to stop in his tracks.
“No stranger, it is you who will die and feed my soul.” His voice took on a deeper tone, and his eyes narrowed and turned blood red, paralyzing Pierce.
Pierce tried moving, but found his legs and arms unresponsive and his sword arm hung downward in a non-threatening manner. Grop smiled, then his body suddenly convulsed. His muscles began twitching and growing until they tore through his skin, exposing raw flesh, tendons, and veins. The only thing Pierce could do was watch in horror as Grop’s arms and legs elongated, and his torso expanded so rapidly that his clothes ripped apart.
After the transformation was completed, Grop straightened his twisted form to a stout seven feet tall and then spoke. “I guess you never met my kind before have you, human?”
Pierce somehow willed his legs, and they began moving slowly toward the door. Grop quickly maneuvered his way behind him.
“Human, there isn’t any escape for you.” Grop’s eyes narrowed as he reached out, taking hold of Pierce’s shoulders and picking him up with ease.
Pierce kicked him in the midsection, but the attack did nothing to lessen his hold.
“I am known as a Turner.” He whispered and turned him around, looking deeply into his eyes while sending a wave of fear into his mind. He paralyzed his prey to the point that he could no longer move at all.
Pierce had never heard of their kind, and shortly before Grop sunk his teeth into his face, he’d wished that he was anywhere else but here. Those final thoughts lasted a few more seconds before darkness overtook him, and he thought no more.
After Grop finished his meal, he rose, wiping away the strands of flesh that were still dangling from his mouth, and then took his normal form again. He dressed in fresh attire, sat down, and went back to reading.
Konafar entered the room and was wrong in his assumption. Instead of finding the Red Knight, he discovered a dozen guards sleeping in their beds. As Konafar slowly closed the door, in anticipation of the slaughter, one of the guards woke up.
“Who disturbs my rest?” The distinct tone of the guard’s voice sounded like a cross between a human and a goat and was coming from the center of the room. Konafar knew that any type of answer would give him away, so he casually walked toward his bed.
The goatman sat up slightly and gauged that the interloper was neither boar, nor goat, and it didn’t sound like he was wearing plate, so that ruled out his master. The Hurnol was about to say something when Konafar drove Carnage into his chest and straight through the bed frame. The goatman began choking violently on his blood, which in turn, woke some of the others, who then began reaching for their weapons. Instead of attacking them, Konafar singled out the ones that were either sleeping or just coming awake. His first victim was in the next bed. In one motion, he removed the blade from the dead body and swung the massive weapon down upon the boarman’s head, splitting his skull apart. Nimbly, he moved to the next bed and chopped the head off of a goatman who’d just sat up.
Meanwhile towards the door, a boarman began yelling that there was an intruder, and the rest of them began waking up and grabbing their weapons. By the time they were armed and out of their beds, Konafar had hacked apart three more goatmen and faced the rest of the guards blocking the door.
“There’s no escaping human.” One of the boarmen snorted at him in hatred.
“You’re going to taste my steel,” snorted another.
“Sounds good, but who wants to be the first to die by my blade?” Konafar taunted them, and they moved in.
The closest Chatar lunged at him with his sword, and Konafar easily pushed aside the weapon with his, and gutted him. Another tried to chop his extended arm, but Konafar anticipated his move, retracted his blade, and brought the weapon around and across the guard’s exposed neck, separating his head from his shoulders. A goatman dashed forward, and Konafar sidestepped his advance and brought the hilt of Carnage down upon the back of his head, cracking his skull wide open and killing him.
The three remaining boarmen paused and began having second thoughts about fighting the intruder, but Konafar sensed their uncertainty and jerked his body forward like he was going to advance. Each Chatar reacted differently. The first, swung high and missed and was rewarded when Carnage was driven downward into his right shoulder; cleaving muscle, bone, and tissue. Another boarman tried to stab him in the head, but missed when Konafar ducked under his attack, used the false edge of his sword and chopped off his leg with a quick swipe.
The remaining Chatar waited for his opportunity and when it became available, he plunged his spear into Konafar’s side and began pushing his body forward. Konafar dropped Carnage, gripped the shaft with both hands, overpowered the boarman and toppled him to the ground. The guard was about to get up, when Konafar slammed his foot into his throat and crushed his wind pipe, and then began stomping on his head until he died. Intense pain from the spear, coupled with dizziness, prompted Konafar to pull the weapon out with a quick jerk. What he didn’t expect was his weakening legs and the ensuing darkness that followed a few seconds later.
****
The boarman was on top of Butcher before he had a chance to regain his footing, and began kicking him in the stomach and face. When he grew tired of beating him, he picked him up and tossed him into the table and chairs. The boarman grinned with delight and ran over and beat him some more, and then picked him up and peered into Butcher’s vacant eyes.
“You humans are weak and pathetic.” He said and then spat into his face.
The Chatar lifted him higher, slammed him into the wall, and then threw him across the room. The boarman followed to continue the fun. Despite the abuse Butcher took for next several minutes, he never lost consciousness and managed to hold onto one of his cleavers, which somehow went undetected by the boarman. When the boarman finally grew tired of beating the human to a bloody mess, he walked over and unsheathed his long sword to finish the job.
“I will eat the flesh from your bones on this day.” He snorted in delighted.
Butcher looked at the creature walking toward him and then someone spoke to him inside of his head. “He’s just like the rest of those bullies and must die. KILL HIM! KILL HIM! KILL HIM!” The voice shouted. The boarman stood directly above him, and after he lifted his sword above his head, Butcher reached up and sliced his inner thigh, cutting through his pants, severing the femoral artery and spraying Butcher and the floor with thick blood. The Chatar stumbled backwards and fell to a knee. The voice inside of Butcher’s head screamed at him to kill the creature, and he obeyed. He hacked the dying boarman into tiny, unrecognizable pieces.
****
After Paven finished sharpening his weapons and mending his armor, he left the cellar for a good night’s rest. He entered the dining room and discovered several dead guards. He knew something was wrong and hurried back downstairs to put on his armor and grab a sword. He returned to the same room and listened to the eerier silence for several minutes before proceeding further in. More bodies decorated the area, prompting him to unsheathe his weapon and cautiously ascended the stairs hoping to catch the culprits.
When he reached the landing, more dead guards littered the hallway and only three doors remained closed. The one to the far back was where the bulk of his guards slept, and the others housed Grop and Vlasta. Cautiously, he opened Grop’s door and after seeing him sitting in the high backed chair, he entered.
“What’s going on?” Paven asked, and then stopped dead in his tracks when he realized that he was walking through someone’s gore, and a body was torn to shreds a few feet away.
Grop smiled upon seeing him. “Oh that,” he began, “well, while you were playing with your weapons someone broke into our house and had the misfortune of entering my room.”
“Was he the only one?” Paven asked in disgust.
“I’m not sure, but no one else came into my room.”
“Did you check? Is Vlasta alive?” Paven asked angrily.
“It’s not my affair.”
“You’re useless. Stay here, I will deal with you when I get back.”
“I am looking forward to it.” Grop said, turning his attention back to his book.
Paven turned in disgust and left the room.
The hallway was still deserted, and the other two doors remained closed, which gave him a bad feeling. For a brief second, he thought about going back into the room and forcing Grop to come with him, but he was so disgusted by the mere sight of him that he would rather face whatever was there alone.
A Demon's Quest the Beginning of the End the Trilogy Box Set Page 68