Banin's face paled at the sight of the corpses which now littered the swampy waters and he turned his attention back to the flying creature.
“Have you become such a feeble old Dragon that you can no longer withstand my blade?!” he shouted. “Are you truly so weak and pathetic that you toss corpses at us, now?!”
We all stared at the skies in silence afterwards, only to realize that the real trouble came from below.
Even in Banin's arms, I could feel the small vibrations that the swampy earth gave, parting the waters into seeped crevices formed by the tiny quakes. The murky waters came alive, taking the forms of harpies covered in mud and filth.
Their eyes, which had been gouged, were replaced by crimson orbs of glowing magic, which seemed to be the source of their animated state. They stood hunched over, their bodies limp and moving seemingly to another's will as though they were marionettes. With death malformed in their eyes, the foul creatures encircled us all. In unison, a horrific shriek resounded from the creatures and pierced our ears.
At Banin's command, his men moved in to attack. His grip was solid as he held me more protectively while he watched the battles ensue.
Ironically, however, I felt more uncomfortable being in Banin's arms than I did knowing that we had been surrounded by an overwhelming number of zombified harpies.
The armored men made quick work of the monsters, severing heads and spilling blackened blood until there was nothing left but heaps of feathers and bone. When the last one had fallen, the swamps were once again quiet, save for the slow-falling, steady rain.
The creature above had finally ceased its circling and prepared to land. Swooping down gracefully and landing before us within moments, the creature revealed itself to be a beautiful and majestic Dragon with scales that mottled in a dark-green and obsidian color. The membrane around its wings was old and frayed in several places. Two, large horns protruded from the Dragon's skull-like head, which curved around its jaw lines. Perhaps at one point, the Dragon once had a face, but it had long-since decayed. Attached around its neck was a small, glass phylactery which pulsated with a strange, yet, seemingly familiar dark magic within. The Dragon's ebony eyes regarded us with a cold stare, as sickly-green acid drooled from its maws. It cloaked its torn wings about its body and lowered itself to the ground, as though ready to pounce on us all. Something familiar was carried in the Dragon's eyes which brought curious memories.
“ ... M ... Master Dagg?” I whispered in disbelief.
I heard a small chuckle rumble from Banin. He looked at me briefly, before shifting his attention back to the Dragon. “So,” he smirked, “you have some feeling towards this girl, do you?”
Master Dagg hissed in response and rested his eyes on me. The way he glared into my own eyes told me that he was highly annoyed in my leaving the cave. Normally, he wouldn't care of such things; today, however, he was obviously in a different mood.
“If you would rather have the girl than me, then take her and leave this place,” he growled at Banin. “Never return, or you will face something far more horrid than undead harpies.”
Banin raised his brows in slight surprise at the Dragon's response.
I looked away from both him and Master Dagg, feeling so used and helpless at this point. “No, Master Dagg,” I said weakly, “I don't want to go back with Banin. I would rather die here.”
Banin suddenly dropped me and I fell to the soaked ground with a painful thump. He drew his longsword from its sheath and aimed it at my face. “Perhaps, he has tainted you,” he said in a low tone, eyeing me carefully. “You may not even be a living being. Prove to me that you are not another undead creature and I will spare your life.”
I heard a small chuckle rumble from Master Dagg's large body and I quickly looked back at him in a panic. I was expecting Master Dagg to save me, but he remained in his spot, watching the scene with amused interest.
“H – How am I supposed to do that?” I asked Banin nervously. At first glance, I probably could have easily passed for an undead being. I looked sickly enough, with my skin devoid of all color and the lifeless, morbid gaze that remained in my eyes. “Must you open me up and see my beating heart for yourself in order for you to be convinced that I am not undead?!”
I figured Banin was trying to test Master Dagg's patience, and it appeared that Master Dagg knew this, also. Not much got past that old Dragon so easily. He continued watching us both amusingly, waiting for our little act to finally cease.
I held out my arm for Banin to touch my wrist and feel the pulse of my beating heart which would dismiss all further suspicions and doubts.
He hesitated before eventually taking it and placing his thumb just below my wrist. His eyes remained on Master Dagg as he felt the nervous, little pulse. In a huff, he tossed my arm down.
“Does this girl truly mean nothing to you, Dragon?!” It was evident in his tone of voice that his exasperation of the situation continued to grow.
Master Dagg rested his body on the ground and curled himself up comfortably, appearing non-threatened by the Hemlock Hunters' presence. “If it means being rid of you imbeciles once and for all,” he scoffed, “then, yes – she is as worthless as a piece of lint.”
Banin laughed and faced Master Dagg after shoving me aside. A few of his men approached me and grabbed my arms to ensure I wouldn't run away.
I watched helplessly while the two of them started exchanging words.
“You are not as strong as you used to be, Necromancer.” Banin pointed the clean blade of his longsword at the Dragon's throat.
Master Dagg looked down at him blankly, as though the cold steel aimed at his scaly skin did little to faze him. He flicked his forked tongue out, eagerly awaiting Banin to follow through with his blade.
I watched as Banin's hand never faltered even as he stuck the blade cleanly into Master Dagg's neck, drawing blood from the wound.
A small grunt came from the Dragon and he slumped over weakly, inadvertently drawing the blade deeper as a result.
“NO!” I cried and struggled to stand, despite my injured leg. I was stopped immediately as the armored men restrained my arms and legs then turned my head towards the scene, forcing me to watch Banin withdraw the sword from the Dragon's neck. He drew back and in a swift thrusting motion, Banin used the momentum of his weight to lodge the blade into the Dragon's heart.
Master Dagg did not even bother to fight back. Was this what he wanted all along? I thought.
I struggled violently against their strong grip, attempting to break out of their hold, but my continued efforts were futile.
After giving the Dragon's body a series of stabs and slices through its vital parts, Banin stuck the sword in the swamp water to wash off the excess blood then sheathed it back into the scabbard. He stood back and studied Master Dagg's lifeless form for a few moments before turning his attention back to me.
“That was ... too easy,” he said with some disappointment and uncertainty in his voice.
“No. He would rather die than to deal with the likes of you,” I spat at him, “and I would, as well.”
Banin laughed and approached me, lifting my chin to make my eyes gaze into his as he spoke. “Are you daft, Girl? He is a necromancer. He has probably already found a way to turn himself into an undead creature. It is strange, however. I have not known any Dragon to not put up a fight. Tell me what you know about him. What are his plans?”
His questions fell on deaf ears as I kept silent. I was determined to remain uncooperative towards him until he either killed or released me. Unfortunately, neither happened and he only became more persistent with questions that I barely knew the answers to.
“Why do you insist on defending that vile creature?!” Banin grabbed my arm and spun me around so that I was forced to look at him. “Do you really wish me to kill you for your crimes of being in affiliation with a necromancer?!”
I glared at him, remaining silent.
He sneered. “No, on second though
t, I think killing you would be far too easy. Tell me why you hold that Dragon in such high regards? What sort of things has he told you?”
The questions never ceased and I remained steadfast against his persistence. I had learned much from Master Dagg, who taught me the value of patience.
Now I truly understand the annoyance Master Dagg has for Dragon-slayers, I thought, seething inside.
Seeing as his questions were getting him nowhere, Banin and his men finally released me.
I held my sore arms and regarded them with a menacing stare. I was not afraid to fight them all to my death, as much as the notion sounded foolish and Master Dagg would never approve of such things. He had always preferred less-conventional methods of getting rid of an enemy.
I diverted my attention over to Master Dagg's heaping Dragon-corpse and limped past the men to tend to the body. I knelt down beside him and ran my hand carefully over the bleeding wound. I could sense Banin and his men watching me, but I did not give them the incentive to attack again. I remained at Master Dagg's side with my face buried into his scaly body, attempting to cry through burning eyes, but the tears would not come. For a moment, I thought I felt the faintest breath of air come from Master Dagg and I examined him closely. Either the old Dragon was truly dead or feigning death well.
I glared at Banin menacingly. “Haven't you done enough?!” I shouted. “You've killed him, now go away!”
Banin narrowed his eyes then slowly drew near. “He will not be dead if you become his new vessel.”
His words were like riddles to my ears and I was not in the ideal mindset to try and comprehend it. With anxious eyes, I stared at the Hemlock Hunters, who, at Banin's behest, approached me and Master Dagg with weapons drawn. I was prepared to die with my master – or perhaps, I was already dead.
Nothing else mattered anymore....
Chapter 10
I dared Banin and his men to attack me. My glaring eyes remained locked with Banin's, as I slowly pulled away from Master Dagg and stood up.
The other men approached with caution, unsure of whether or not Master Dagg's dark magic had already taken a hold of my body.
I heard nothing but the calm rains dancing across the water's surface. I saw nothing but the array of dark shadows standing around me, watching and anticipating my next move. I followed the shadows' movements as I approached Banin's larger, more dominating figure. Blades of steel glimmered across my face, briefly reflecting its pale, skeletal features. Whatever beauty I once possessed but never knew had been forever lost. All that remained was an empty shell of a young girl, free from life and forever enslaved to death. My feet edged towards the man whom I'd learned to despise as much as Master Dagg did. Slowly, I extended my hand towards the blurred, shadowed image of the Hunter's face. My mind did not perceive the world as it seemed – perhaps, I had finally stepped over the threshold of death and viewed the world as it truly was.
I felt Banin grab my hand, followed by an opposite force that pushed against me. He used the momentum of my weight to fling me to the murky ground in submission and I found myself staring up towards the cloudy skies.
My body resisted the urge to smack his hand away when it came close to my face and lifted one of my eyelids up to examine me closely. While my eyes burned terribly from the stinging raindrops that fell into them, the remainder of my body kept still.
Banin exhaled and released me once he was satisfied with what he saw.
“It's starting,” I heard him tell his men.
My eyes grew heavy again and the air suddenly became cooler. Chills began forming along my spine and I started shaking uncontrollably. I felt as though a part of me had been lost – as though I was being controlled against my will.
Loss of blood? Loss of my soul? Loss of my sanity? I was frightened as my mind swirled with a deep desire to kill this man. I yearned to see his blood spill and hear his deathly cries. I wanted to scream at him but all that came from my lips was a terrifying hiss. Even as my words were incoherent – my actions and gestures were enough to express my contempt.
Banin pointed the tip of his longsword at the back of my neck, the stinging pain of the ice-cold steel against the surface of my skin causing me to shiver.
“It is too late to save you, Milady ...” Banin spoke sadly. “He has already tainted you, it seems. You must die before the disease spreads further.”
Disease?! Is that what he calls it now?! I glared at him. His mind was far more tainted by hatred and ignorance than I was from the many chemicals Master Dagg injected in me. I spat weakly at the man's plated feet and kept my eyes downcast.
“Then, slaughter me like the pig you think I am,” I growled. “I would rather die here than to live a life of suffering and lies with the likes of you.”
There was a small pause and I felt the blade puncture through the first layer of skin in the back of my neck.
“So be it – ”
Banin's words were cut short when a loud thump suddenly resounded behind him, followed by the screams of his men.
My breathing faltered as I looked up with weak, tired eyes, my gaze instinctively traveling towards Master Dagg.
... But he was gone.
* * *
The old Dragon's massive form had disappeared, leaving only a small imprint in the mud where he once lay.
All around me, I suddenly caught the reeking scent of acid burning through flesh. From the darkness, one by one, each of the armored men fell from the shadows onto their knees, holding their burning faces.
Banin was the last one standing in the mass of writhing bodies in the murky waters. Catching my own gaze, he gave me a swift kick in the ribs with his steel boots.
I gasped in pain, feeling my brittle bones crack upon impact and I was too weak to scream. My eyes fluttered and my vision continued wavering in a blur as I felt him kick me again, this time insisting on the rib break. Another sharp pain erupted and I was constantly gasping for air.
“Is that all you can do, you feeble old Dragon?!” I heard Banin yell to the shadows in panic. “Attack from the shadows?! You do not face me alone; instead, you allow this girl to suffer! You are nothing but a coward – a coward, a criminal and a murderer of thousands of innocent lives that you and your dark magic has blighted this country with! You will face me, Dragon! You will face me, or I will continue to make this pitiful girl suffer beyond all means!”
My body curled into a fetal position when he kicked me again, making more bones shatter and the entire left side of my body go numb. My mouth opened to scream, but no sound came. The bitter taste of my own blood felt uncomfortable upon my tongue.
A large, scaly form suddenly landed over me and spread its four legs wide above my fallen body.
My blurred vision could barely make out Master Dagg's scaly-grey underbelly, which was ripped with a well-defined musculature. While I couldn't see his face, I somehow knew he was watching me, despite his apparent attention towards Banin, who appeared unintimidated of the Dragon's presence.
“I told you to take her and leave this place,” I heard Master Dagg's voice rumble. I could vaguely make out the change in his hissing voice. It was heavier and full of malice, rather than the usual calm, calculating and intelligent guise.
“She cannot be saved,” Banin retorted. “You have sickened her with the very same dark taint you possess. It is time I destroy the source of the problem – permanently.”
Suddenly, Banin rushed towards the Dragon's heart, but Master Dagg was prepared for him this time.
The Dragon's muscles stiffened as he stood in a defensive stance. “That was all I needed to hear uttered from your wicked tongue, Banin,” he growled.
As Master Dagg lowered his body to the ground, I felt the scales of his underbelly brush against my face. He was low enough to protect me from incoming blows, but not enough to crush my small, feeble body. I felt the muscles near his front legs jerk as he swung his massive claws at the armored warrior.
I wanted to turn my head to wat
ch the battle, but Master Dagg's body obstructed my view. My ears perked when I finally heard the first screams of pain from Banin; followed by the sounds of claws ripping through steel; and finally, the tearing of flesh.
As Master Dagg roared in anger, he lifted his body off of me and pinned Banin's broken body down with one of his claws.
Injured, weaponless and completely helpless at this point, Banin stared up at the Dragon with nearly terrified, but determined eyes.
“I could kill you,” Master Dagg began, looking rather amused at the sight. “In fact, I feel very inclined to do so, but I will not. I can think of a far better punishment for the likes of you.”
Banin said nothing and his eyes began to glaze over. From under his body, blood slowly oozed out, tinting the murky swamp waters a dark crimson.
When I attempted to stand again, the numbness in my left side returned. My body fell limp and I watched helplessly as Master Dagg picked up the near-unconscious Dragon-slayer in his claws and carried him back to the cave.
Having been left alone in the swamps amidst a heap of armored corpses with faces burned away to the bone, I suddenly felt a deep sleep come over me. My body fell backwards in the shallow water, the back of my head hitting against a small rock lodged in the ground. My head throbbed from the small concussion and my eyes felt heavy the longer I stared up at the cloudy, grey voids above until they eventually closed and my subconscious entered the realm of darkness, unsure of when it would ever awaken.
Chapter 11
Darkness shrouded me for what seemed like hours. This place was peaceful, yet lonely. The realm of death was beautiful in its own right. Part of me wanted to remain here indefinitely and not have to face whatever pains lie in the land of the living. There was something so familiar with this place – like a sanctuary of a previous life I once knew, now forgotten.
The Necromancer's Apprentice Page 7