Bones of Doom

by Mark Cheverton

  Mapper nodded.

  “Then we fill it with books.” Blaster moved to a shelf and pulled off those with the most ornate writing on their spines. He dumped the books into the chest. “If we keep the books in the chest, then they’ll still be in the library and won’t fall apart.”

  Blaster smiled … the others looked confused.

  “That means we can have access to any book we put in here. We can get to all this knowledge while we’re looking for the ancient relics.” Watcher bent over and picked up a pair of the diamond boots. He stared down at them, inspecting every inch. They were cold to the touch and colored a glacial blue, like diamond, but the frozen surface caused Watcher to wonder if they were actually hewn from solid blocks of ice. Putting the ten pair of boots into his inventory, the boy noticed a fine layer of frost on his fingers, and their tips felt slightly numb … interesting.

  “What do you mean, son? Looking for ancient relics?” Cleric asked.

  “The skeletons knew what they were looking for here,” Watcher put the rest of the boots into his inventory. “They’re clearly looking for the magical weapons from the past. We can’t let them get their hands on them. If they gather enough of them, they could become more powerful than the zombies, or spiders, or endermen, or—”

  “Or us,” Blaster added.

  “Exactly.” Watcher nodded. “We must stop the skeletons from getting these weapons. And the only way to do that is to hide the most important books that tell where the relics are hidden, and then find them ourselves.”

  “Agreed,” Cutter said. “Fill the chest with what look like the most important books, then hide it again.” He turned to Mapper. “Search for the next closest relic. We’ll head there first, as long as we don’t run into any—”

  “SKELETONS!” the lookout shouted.

  They rushed to the entrance of the library and peered down the long corridor. Bony white monsters skulked in the shadows, trying to get close. There were only four or five of them, not enough to be of any concern in battle, but battle wasn’t what Watcher was worried about.

  The monsters spotted the villagers in the light from the library. A few of the creatures fired their arrows, but they were too far away; the arrows embedded themselves harmlessly in the brick floor. As more villagers filled the entrance, the skeletons began to look scared, and soon turned and fled.

  “We have to stop them,” Watcher said. “If they get word back to the skeleton warlord about this library, then they’ll be back … in force.”

  “Half of you stay here and make sure that chest gets filled and hidden,” Cutter said. “The rest of you, follow me.”

  Cutter charged down the passage with Watcher and the others following close behind. The skeletons were far ahead; it seemed impossible to catch them, but they had to try. If they failed, then those monsters would tell the skeleton warlord, and he’d descend upon this library with his whole army. If that monster had control of the information in this library, who knew what kind of damage he could do to the Far Lands?

  CHAPTER 4

  The skeleton captain stood on the edge of the massive hole that had once covered the ancient tower. Peering down into the depths, he marveled at the meticulous skill needed to construct such a colorful and ornate structure. He had to admit, those NPC wizards could build some fantastic structures.

  “Our scouting party is coming out,” one of the skeletons said. “They look like they’re running from something.”

  “Or someone,” the captain mused.

  The fleeing monsters climbed the steps that led through the roof of the structure, then ran along the edge of the hole, leaping from block to block as they worked their way out of the hole.

  “Captain Ratlan, it looks like the main group of skeletons are missing,” a pale lieutenant reported. “What do you think happened?”

  “Maybe we ask them when the scouts get up here.” Captain Ratlan stood and addressed the rest of his troops. “Everyone get ready to leave. As soon as the scouts report, we’re heading to the next location on the map given to us by our warlord, Rakir.”

  “But how did the warlord know about these locations?” The lieutenant seemed nervous about asking these questions.

  Captain Ratlan put a hand on the monster’s bony shoulder, easing his fears. He encouraged the skeletons under his command to speak honestly, without penalty or repercussions; they never knew he took his revenge out on them later, when they weren’t expecting it.

  Ratlan eyed the skeleton suspiciously. “After the last wither king, Kaza, was mysteriously destroyed, a new wither king emerged. His name is Krael, and he gave the locations of many ancient sites to the skeleton warlord. With the weapons we will uncover at these sites, we will soon dominate the Far Lands.”

  “There’s something wrong!” One of the skeleton soldiers were pointing at the Wizard’s Tower.

  Emerging from the structure was a small group of villagers. At the front was a large NPC wearing enchanted armor; he was giving orders to the others, clearly in command. But the smaller one interested captain Ratlan the most. He was a short and skinny villager, with no muscles to speak of … but he had reddish-brown hair and carried an enchanted bow.

  The small villager stopped and drew back an arrow, aiming at the fleeing skeletons.

  “He’ll never be able to hit any of them,” his lieutenant said. “They’re moving much too fast.”

  “Watch,” Ratlan cautioned as he moved behind a tall oak tree.

  The villager released the arrow, then drew and released two more in quick succession. The shafts flew through the air, aimed not at the monster’s position, but where he was going to be. The arrows hit the lead skeleton, destroying his HP and making him disappear. Before the other monsters could react, the archer fired more shafts at the fleeing creatures, slowly, methodically eradicating them.

  “Skeletons, open fire!” Ratlan yelled.

  The skeletons on the edge of the hole fired their own arrows down at the villagers. The large NPC pulled out a shield and held it in front of the small archer, allowing the skinny boy to continue firing. After six more shots, the last of the scouting party was destroyed. The villagers cheered, then retreated back into the Wizard’s Tower, except for the skinny boy. He put away his bow and pulled out an enchanted sword. Skeletons fired at the young NPC, but the villager was able to deflect all the arrows with his magic blade, remaining completely untouched.

  “Stop firing,” Ratlan commanded, then stepped out into the open to stare down at the tiny archer. “We must tell the skeleton warlord. This red-headed archer must be a descendant of the ancient wizards; only someone from that bloodline could shoot so well.”

  The villager stared up at the skeleton, then turned and went back into the structure. Stepping away from the gigantic hole, the captain turned and faced his skeletons. “Hurry … we run.”

  “Are we going to the next place on the map?” the lieutenant asked.

  “No, this information is far too important.” Captain Ratlan turned his gaze on his company of skeletons, a worried expression on his bony face. “We must get this information to Rakir right away; there is a wizard in the Far Lands. That boy may not know it yet, but when he realizes his lineage, that little archer is going to be a big problem.” He moved back to the edge of the hole and peered back at the sunken tower; the archer was still gone. “Come on, brothers and sisters … we run for the Hall of Pillars. Anyone that cannot keep up will be left behind. There is nothing more important than this information. Rakir will want to destroy that archer, but first we need more skeletons … lots more skeletons. Then, we’ll crush that boy and make him sorry he was ever born.”

  Ratlan pointed at a small group of monsters. “I want you skeletons to go back into the structure and destroy that boy-wizard. They won’t be expecting you; surprise will be your ally.”

  “But what about all those villagers and the wizard?” one of the monsters asked.

  “Are you questioning my order?” The captain reache
d into his inventory and pulled out an iron sword. He glared at the skeletons, as if daring them to refuse.

  The monster shook his head, then led the others back down into that hole.

  “You will meet us in the Hall of Pillars after your victory,” Captain Ratlan said. “The warlord will be proud and there will be promotion for each of you upon your return.”

  The monsters sighed as they continued down into the sink hole while the others watched.

  Turning, the skeleton captain ran through the forest, heading for their ancient home, the Hall of Pillars, and their commander, the skeleton warlord, Rakir.

  CHAPTER 5

  “You got them all, Watcher, nice shooting.” Blaster patted him on the back.

  Watcher walked back up the steps and stood on the roof of the Wizard’s Tower, staring up at the oak tree, where he’d seen that skeleton. The monster was gone now.

  “Yeah, nice work with your bow.” Cutter’s voice boomed through the building.

  The big NPC climbed the steps and stood next to Watcher. “I always knew you were the right person to be commanding our archers. You proved it today.”

  “I didn’t get them all,” Watcher said in a low voice.

  Blaster and Planter now stepped off the staircase and stood on the roof with the others.

  “What?” Cutter asked.

  “I said, I didn’t get all the skeletons.” Watcher pointed to the oak trees with his enchanted bow. “There was one standing right up there, watching as I shot at the skeletons trying to escape. I think it was their commander, because he ordered the others to attack.”

  “That may be true, Watcher,” Planter said, “but none of those skeletons saw the library. They know nothing about it.”

  “Maybe you’re right.” The young boy put away his bow. “It’s just … the ones up there in the forest ran away as if they knew something important. I feel like they’re gonna tell the skeleton warlord about the Wizard’s Tower.”

  “They already know about its presence,” Blaster said. “After all, they were already here, so it’s no secret.”

  “Relax.” Planter put a hand on Watcher’s shoulder.

  Her touch felt like gentle waves of electricity, filling his soul with joy. Watcher turned to look at her, but she’d already headed back down the steps, Cutter and Blaster following.

  “Come on, let’s check on the others.” The big NPC’s voice echoed off the stairway. “We need to collect all the relics, then get out of here.

  “Yeah, we need to reset the traps leading to the library, to dissuade any more monster visitors,” Blaster said. “Maybe I’ll add a few of my own as well.”

  “No TNT,” Planter shouted, her voice getting softer as she descended further down the steps. “We don’t want you blowing this place up just to keep some skeletons out.”

  Blaster gave her a pouty face, then laughed and started down the stairs. Cutter reached out and stopped both Blaster and Watcher, allowing Planter to go first.

  When they reached the bottom, Watcher stopped to check their surroundings as the rest of them continued through the long passage, heading toward the library. Cutter moved next to Planter and said something to her, making her giggle … her laughter was like music to Watcher’s ears. He watched the two walk away until they disappeared into the darkness, then he realized he was alone. Usually, Watcher would have been nervous … no, scared to be alone in a place like this, but he knew they’d destroyed all the monsters and everything was safe. He stood there in the darkness, thinking about this library and the skeleton staring down at him. There was a strange look of recognition on the monster’s face, as if the creature knew Watcher … or perhaps knew something about him … but that made no sense.

  Why didn’t the rest of the skeletons come down and attack? Watcher wondered. They had no idea how many soldiers we had … they should have attacked.

  A strange itch formed in the back of Watcher’s mind. It was an itch that couldn’t be scratched. He’d learned it always happened when things just didn’t add up.

  Pushing the thoughts aside, he walked down the hallway, pulling out his enchanted bow, just to be safe. The enchanted weapon sparkled with magical power, casting an iridescent purple glow around him.

  A strange sound echoed off the cold stone walls. Watcher stopped next to a dark side passage and listened. The multiple reflections off the walls made the noise difficult to identify.

  I think that sounded like … no, it couldn’t be …

  Suddenly, a pair of skeletons stepped out of the shadows at the end of the passage, one of them firing an arrow at him. Watcher froze, the presence of the monster filling him with dread. He watched the arrow as it arched through the air; it would fall short. Drawing one of the Healing arrows, he fired, then drew and fired to the left and right of the first arrow.

  Watcher’s first healing arrow struck one of the monsters in the shoulder. The skeleton flashed red, taking damage as the potion slowly poisoned the undead creature. The other two arrows missed the creature, but it didn’t matter. The healing potion was slowly finishing him off. The monster gasped in surprise and fear as his HP went to zero and he disappeared.

  Charging toward the remaining attacker, Watcher changed the range, making it difficult for the skeleton to figure out the correct angle for his next shot. He fired multiple arrows into the air, spreading his shots across the width of the passage. They fell upon the monster just as it loosed another arrow toward Watcher. The villager’s arrows hit the monster, causing it to flash red while the skeleton’s arrow flew well over his head.

  Fear electrified every nerve, making Watcher feel as if he was burning from within. He glanced over his shoulder. Planter and Blaster were running toward him. They were on the other side of the monster and would soon be within range of the skeleton’s bow. He crouched and notched three normal arrows to his string, saving the last arrow of Healing for later, then fired them at the creature. The projectiles spread as they flew. It was impossible to hit a distant target with all three arrows this way, but the shafts covered the width of the passage. The skeleton saw the arrows and backed up, hoping to change the range and cause his adversary to miss.

  Watcher just smiled.

  The arrows, aimed higher than before, flew past the original position of the skeleton and fell down upon the creature. The leftmost shaft struck the monster in the chest, taking the last of his HP. He disappeared, a terrified expression on his pale face.

  “Yes!”

  Just then, more clattering filled the air. This time, it was right behind him. Spinning around, Watcher found a skeleton had emerged from the side passage with bow in hand.

  He froze, unable to move. The monster pulled back the arrow and took aim, its bow creaking with strain. At this range, the monster couldn’t miss.

  A flash of green shot out of the passage and smashed into the skeleton. The two figures rolled on the ground, struggling for control of the weapon. The dim lighting made it difficult to see what was happening, or even to discern the identity of his savior.

  “HELP!” Watcher cried out as he drew an arrow and pointed at the struggling combatants, but held his shot. There was no way to tell who was who.

  Planter moved to his side, her bow held at the ready, but she too couldn’t find a target to shoot.

  Boots pounded on the ground as Cutter and the others raced to his side.

  The skeleton’s bow skidded across the stone floor, out of reach. Watcher quickly clamped a foot on the weapon, then pulled out a torch and held it high over his head. At his feet, he found Er-Lan, his zombie friend, wrestling with the skeleton.

  With the claw on each finger extended, the young zombie wrapped one arm around the skeleton, and with the other, held the claws to the monster’s throat.

  “Stop struggling, or the skeleton will not survive,” Er-Lan said.

  The skeleton turned his head and looked at his assailant, then glanced nervously up at the young boy.

  “Stop fighting and answer
our questions, and you will not be harmed.” Slowly, Watcher lowered his bow.

  The skeleton stopped struggling, then peered past Watcher and the assembly of villagers approaching, many with swords drawn. The monster’s dark eyes grew wide with fright.

  “Don’t worry, they won’t hurt you, as long as you cooperate.” Watcher held up his hands to signify they had the situation under control.

  Two villagers grabbed the arms of the skeleton and raised him to his feet, pinning the monster to the wall. Planter quickly went to Er-Lan’s side and helped him up, wrapping her arms around him and hugging the zombie tight.

  “You saved us again,” she said.

  “Er-Lan was just making sure my friends were safe.” The zombie blushed slightly, his green skin turning a warm shade of brown for just a moment.

  “Thank you, Er-Lan.” Watcher put a hand on the creature’s arm. “If you hadn’t been there, this skeleton might have killed me.”

  “Er-Lan would never let that happen,” the monster said.

  “This is great and all … but let’s focus on the skeleton.” Blaster stepped up to the monster and drew one of his curved knives. “We want to know what you were doing here. If you answer truthfully, we’ll spare your life. But if you lie … well, it won’t be pretty.”

  The skeleton swallowed nervously, his eyes glued to the keen edge of the knife. Blaster moved the tip of the blade to the creature’s chest, pressing it against one of his ribs. The monster flinched, feeling the razor-sharp point.

  Blaster moved closer, so they were nose to nose. “Talk now … or die.” He drew his other knife and held the blade to the creature’s neck.

  “Okay … okay … I will talk,” the skeleton stammered. “We were sent here to look for ancient relics. The skeleton warlord is collecting all he can find.”

  “Why?” Blaster scowled, moving his knife a little closer.

  “Please, put the knives away, and I will tell you what you want to know.”

  “Blaster … take a step back,” Watcher said.