Death Or Fortune

by James Chesney

  The temple looked much like the temple that was standing in Eystlund. The only difference he could see was the stained glass windows and the two hundred foot tower that stood over this temple. Windfall almost wished his son could be here to see this. He would have enjoyed finding this, if not for the near immortal evil wizard that was waiting inside. Then again, Zender never backed down from a fight. If there was one thing Windfall was proud of, it was his sons. Cowards they were not. What would you think of them father, he thought to himself. One a devout priest who battles evil where ever he may find it. The other a carefree man who loved nothing more than to explore the unknown. The last time Windfall had seen his youngest son Rathnel, he was talking about sailing a ship around the world, trying to find new lands to explore. Finding things that were not written about in books. As Windfall put his hand on the gate leading into the temple grounds, he smiled to himself. They both would have liked to been here this day. "Yet, I wish I was somewhere else." The smile was gone, the grim mask returned and he opened the gate.

  Windfall looked around the fenced in area near the temple. Headstones marked where the chosen holy men from the Othos and Melkor tribes had been buried. As he looked around he felt a sense of peace that he did not expect. A quiet calm that he only associated with good times. The day he met his wife, the birth of his children. The day he ran down and captured Leland LaFave, a nasty man who had a taste for small children that could not defend their selves. It was a good day when that man faced the chopping block. He was one of the first in a long line of criminals that had the half elf had escorted to their final stop. That was the only time he felt good about his father and what he did to him. He could see and feel the difference he made in the world. Now, he stood only a few feet away from the door that would lead him to perhaps the worst of the lot.

  As he pushed open the massive temple doors he remembered the first time he went to visit Zender at the temple in Eystlund. Off to the left was a door, in Arcadia Hans had made that room his official chambers, where he conducted all temple business. To the right of that door was a hall way that lead to the living quarters for the temple. Directly in front of him was the main door to the temple area where the priest would gather each day for worship. As he closed the door behind him, he stopped to listen. Listening for the sound of footsteps or any other signs of life in the temple. When he turned towards the door on his left, he saw the cat come out of the hall way from the living quarters. As he looked at the fat orange tabby cat, a surge of forgotten memories came back to him. Cleta was his father’s familiar when he was a child yet, the cat was older than him, how could it still be alive. Windfall watched as the fat cat approached him, standing still as it rubbed against his boot and walked around his legs. After one pass around his legs, the cat walked back towards the hall from which it came. Stopping short it turned and looked at the half elf.

  “Come this way please. The master is expecting you." Windfall was in shock, he had never seen a talking cat. While he knew many things were possible due to the power of magic, this he did not expect. The half elf just stood there, looking at the creature. "Are you coming?"

  "What are you and how do you know who I am?"

  "Long has it been since I smelled your scent. While you could use a bath, you are still the master’s child. Now come!" The cat turned away and started to walk. Shaking his head, Windfall followed after the cat. He was looking at the first creature that Argon had tried his experiments on. He followed Cleta down to the end of the hall where it ended in what seemed to be the temples dining area. On many of the tables there were various bottles and jars. It reminded him of his father’s study at home. He had only seen the inside of that room a few times but he committed it to memory. This is where Argon did his work now, where he studied. Outside of the elf woman laying on one of the tables, it looked much like he expected it would. Ignoring the cat, he quickly moved to the elf woman, checking for signs of life. She was breathing normal but did not respond to being touched.

  "I will wake her soon enough, I can only keep her like that for so long without feeding her." A chill ran up his spine at the sound of his father’s voice. It had not changed at all in the fifty years since he had last seen him. When he turned to face him, the chill deepened as he had not changed at all. Not even his raven black hair showed any sign of his age.

  "White robes father? I thought there were rules about things like that. Wake her up now!" He said pointing back to the elf woman.

  "Let us talk first. It has been so long my son. Priestess Kandella will be just fine. Tell me, how you have been? Tell me of your life?" Windfall looked as his father and raised a single eyebrow. Something wasn't right.

  "What do you mean, do you not know?"

  "Son, my bond with you only lets me feel you. So that I know you are doing what I intended for you. So that I know you were still alive. I can see where you are in the world and that is how I knew you were getting close. I've known for over a year that I would see you here. You have made quite the name for yourself and I had heard your name even before I left to live on my island. Yet there were times over the last few years, you have pushed the boundaries of the bond. Risked terrible pain, you did to do so. What was so important that you had to hole up in Eystlund for so long without going on the hunt?"

  "My family, I have a wife and two sons." he said with a bit of fear in his heart. He was afraid that this would be used against him.

  "What are they?" he asked his son.

  "Lucinda is human. Her father owned the farm near our old home."

  "T'is a shame my son, you have had children without thinking about the dark taint in humanity. If you wanted a family so bad, you should have found an elf bride."

  "My sons are good men." Windfall said as he started to move closer to his father.

  "They are still human, the darkness is there. Waiting for the right time to take hold. They are all the same."

  “You are human father!" he shouted.

  "Which is how I know, it will take them, just as it took me. They will die with all the others so we may drive that corruption from the world."

  "My son, Zender is a priest of Solarth. One of the most powerful clerics to walk the lands. He is a force of good in this world. He is pure, unlike you."

  "Well then, where is he? He shall lead the army with you on our march to victory."

  "I wish I had brought him, he would have liked to show you a thing or two." Windfall said thinking about his son's temper and his fondness for the war hammer he carried. "Do you honestly believe that I will lead this army for you? Was this your goal all along?"

  "Yes it was. While you were just the first of many steps along this path. I knew that you would not be enough to stem the tide of evil so I raised an army. First, Eystlund will fall, then we march to Toryth Vol. From there..." Argon stopped to look at his son who was taken with a fit of laughter. "What, what is it?"

  "Do you honestly expect an army of Orcs to march into Toryth Vol? Even Orcs are smart enough to stay away from there. Father you have lost your mind? Xcavere will destroy them without so much as lifting a single finger."

  "I do not know that name, who is he?"

  "Father, you have been gone from the world for too long. King Xcavere is an arch lich. He captured the crown of Toryth Vol about fifteen years ago. Even the air there is tainted now. He has entire legions of undead at his command. He would applaud your efforts in Eystlund as it would give him just the opening he needs to expand his base of power. I think he would thank you just before he killed you." Argon appeared shaken at this news. He looked at his son but soon his resolve returned.

  "Kandella did not tell me this. I must wake her up as she will tell me the truth of the matter." The wizard rushed past his son to the table where the elf was laying. "Ex'cito" he said as he waved his hand over her body. Windfall watched as the elf returned to life. First taking several deep breaths and then opening her eyes. He then watched as she struggled to move.

  "Is it my feeding
time?" she asked the wizard.

  "No, tell me about Xcavere, now!" he shouted at her while slamming his hand on the table.

  "So, you know about him now? The one creature in this world that is worse than you."

  "Why did you not tell me about him?" Still shouting, he put his hand on her face, turning her face towards his. As her eyes shot around she stopped at the half elf, they grew larger for a moment. It was long enough for Argon to notice. "Ignore my son, tell me what you know."

  "That is your son? Did he tell you I had met him before? It is nice to know that in this case, the apple fell very far from the tree." Argon turned to look at his son, never once taking his hand off the priestess.

  “Xcavere!" he shouted at her again.

  "He is the current king of Toryth Vol, a lich of all things. He destroyed the great Toryth Grove. I was just a child the last time I visited there. All those beautiful trees, gone. Destroyed by his taint."

  "So it is true." he said as he pushed her head away. "There is a way. The item in the crypt below. I will change the plan, we will go to Toryth Vol first." Turning back to Windfall he started to shake his finger as he walked towards his son. "Your son, you can find him if you had to yes?" Windfall said nothing, just looking at his father, the chill he had felt before started to freeze the very blood in his veins. "Only a blessed cleric or paladin of Solarth can use it. With it he could destroy a lich."

  "And destroy him in the process. Do you not remember the story, he would die. Solarth would demand the sacrifice to impart that much power." For one small moment Windfall remembered the story from the scrolls. The story of Keltor the Peacebringer. From the story of the island and how all of this started. He could see it, Zender with the weapon in hand, standing face to face with the lich king Xcavere, with the power of the god on his side. He would do it in a heartbeat. Even if it cost him his own life. Windfall could see it in his mind, the power of the god flowing through his son, leaving him dead when it was over. Gone was his father, gone was the elf priestess. Their voices could not make it past the barrier his mind had erected. He was at home, at the funeral of his wife's brother. The memory was so powerful to him, he could almost feel the tree under his hand as he put it out to help himself stand. He remembered the rancid breath of his wife's father as he spoke to him later that day.

  "Pray son." he told Windfall. "Pray to any god who will listen. While man has to accept many things we see on the road of life. Pray you never have to bury your own child. Pray you never have to feel what it is that I am feeling right now, on this very day." A few days later, Windfall was at the funeral for that man. While he knew in his head that William was old and sick, he knew what caused his death. The man died of a broken heart.

  "IT WILL KILL HIM!" the voice of Kandella ran in his mind. Yet it did not draw him back, could not stop the vision in his mind, he could smell the volcano he was standing on. The heat alone from the lava below was sapping his strength. Falling to one knee, he could see his son ahead of him. Just beyond him was the arch lich, Xcavere. Every spell he cast at the cleric in white failed, nothing would stop him. Zender glowed with a power beyond all thought. He saw his son reaching out with one hand, grasping the lich as lightning flashed in the sky. The very world shook under their feet. Windfall saw himself crawling forward, trying to get to his son's side. The glowing hammer raised in his hand, Zender strikes a blow. Like a black smith pounding out a blade, sparks fly when the hammer strikes the target. He can hear the lich roaring in pain with each blow. Closer he crawls, the shaking gets worse. Soon, the light around his son is so bright that he can no longer see him. Only the shining hammer as it continues to pound on the helpless lich. Windfall tries to see past the light, it is hopeless. As the last blow is struck, a wave of force erupts from the lich. Rocks and dust pelt him in the face as he tries to see what has happened. When the light is gone, there is only a pile of crushed bones and a hammer. Gone is the body of his son. Called home by the good god, where he has earned his rest.

  Later that day, when trying to remember what happened, his mind would not let him leave that volcano. The waves of heat and ash were all he could think of as he took the first step forward. His mind was gone, his body was no longer his own. The screaming voices, both in common and elven did not awaken him and they did not draw him back into himself. As he took his second step forward, standing at his father’s back, he saw his son striking the lich. Over and over again the blows came. Xcavere stood no chance under the brutal assault from the power of a god. He knew this would come to pass if he did nothing. While in his mind, he was reaching out, trying to claw and pull his way ahead. In reality, it was his father that he had reached for. Over a hundred years ago, Argon began his work. Working his enchantments on his only son. Giving him strength, speed and agility. Over a hundred years of work, to bring them all to this very moment. As Windfall the bounty hunter reached out to his father, to save his son. Using the gifts he was given, the half elf put one hand on the chin of his father and the other was on the back of Argon's head. It was not until Argon the Dark lay dead on the floor with his neck broken did Windfall's horrible dream end.

  91. Pyre

  It took us some time to find the saddles we needed but we did find them. I checked with Bryce one last time, making sure he understood the plan. While I trusted him, I couldn't afford to leave any stone unturned. 'Build a bridge, burn bodies. If you don't come back we high tail it to the ship yard. Anything else I need to know?' I could only shake my head. I wished the man luck and told him I hoped he wouldn't have to leave without me. With that out of the way we made ready to leave. I mounted up on one horse with Pare behind me. Michaels, once again with his banner held high was on the second horse. I wanted to tell him to put it away but by that point, I had lost any desire to argue with the man. Before we even made it to the road, Ebbit was there, blocking our way.

  'Hold up lad! I know ya be going to find that blasted half elf. I am coming with ya.' I looked at him for a moment and considered just riding wide of him. I then told him I needed him to stay and help Bryce. 'Ohhhh no. That pointy eared bastard owes me money. I am not going to wait here while he gets himself magicked to death.' I looked at Michaels and he could only shrug, 'Ride with me sir dwarf.' What happened next was something I can only call a small bit of magic. Pare was standing behind me as he liked to do when we rode together. While Ebbit was rather slender for a dwarf, he was still a dwarf. Michaels reached down to pull up Ebbit with his left hand while holding his banner in his right hand. I am not sure what happened but as Ebbit went up he did not stop. Flying over the top of the horse, all the while still holding tight to Michael’s hand, the pair went crashing to the ground. As the giggling started behind me I couldn't help but let out a little laugh. I tried asking them if they were alright but could not do so without laughing harder. By the time Michaels and Ebbit managed to get back on the horse Pare was laughing so hard he could no longer stand behind me. That little halfling laughing was like music to my ears.

  'I fail to see what is so funny halfling!' Michaels shouted at us. This only made things worse. Unable to catch his breath while laughing, Pare tumbled off the back of my horse. Jordan, one of the dead squad came over and helped get Pare back up behind me. When I thanked him he just waved his hand. 'Don't thank me sir. That was the funniest thing I have seen since we left home.' All I could do was smile. 'Good luck sir!' he said to me as we started to ride away. It was all Pare could do to keep Pare holding on. He had still not stopped laughing. He settled down after a good hour or so. By that time I had to dig into the mount a little bit. Michaels unable to hear Pare's laughter any longer had started to ride way ahead of us. While I knew that Pare was not over the death of Miri, this went a long way towards making him better. Gone was the carefree friend I had known for the past few years but this was a bit closer the Pare I knew before Miri died.

  The farther north we got, the worst I felt. I was sure something happened to Windfall, I was worried and we saw no sign of him at
all. Not for more than an hour anyway. Pare was pounding on my shoulder, how he could manage to stand behind me while we were at a full run is beyond me. 'There is something in the road up there' he shouted. Michaels and I both slowed our pace as we looked ahead. 'Is that a wagon?' the paladin asked. We had expected more than one wagon with the company that arrived at the farm that morning. Not that any of us questioned it when they only arrived with one. As we got closer we could see that the wagon was missing a wheel. We saw that at about the same time we saw the body in the road. An Orc was bound and out cold in the road. I thought he might be dead but when Michaels checked, it was still breathing. Then we found the one near the rear of the wagon. Its head was nearly severed, I then watched as Ebbit inspected the wound. 'Blood isn't flowing out, he’s been dead a while now. Couple hours at the most.' I watched as he pulled out a dagger and started on the creature’s ear. I told him to forget about that and to get moving. We had to get to the temple.

  'What about the one that is tied up?' the dwarf asked while handling an axe. Before I could even say anything Michaels spoke up. 'Do not even think about it. That creature is subdued and bound. We will not kill him while he is helpless.' While the dwarf wanted to argue, he was smart enough to know that the issue was settled. From there we mounted back up and headed towards the tower. On foot it would have taken us more than an hour to reach it from there. From the wagon, we could only see the top of the tower. As we rode, it continued to grow, as if it was rising from the ground instead of us getting closer to it. When we could see the temple itself, we started to slow a bit. Making sure we were not about to ride headlong into an Orc company keeping guard. As it turns out, other than the one we left in the road, the closest Orcs were in the slave camps a full day away. The tower itself was interesting. It wasn't like a mage tower but more like just a big torch. From the ground below you could see a set of stairs winding up the outside of it. There looked to be an observation platform near the top and under where the flames were supposed to be.