Bones of Doom

by Mark Cheverton

  “Let’s see what’s inside.” Winger reached for the lever that was set into the wall.

  “Wait,” Er-Lan whispered. “Noises from within.”

  Watcher held up a hand, stopping his sister, then stepped to the door and pressed his ear against its cold, metal surface. As he stilled his mind, he could hear the bubbling and hissing of the magma blocks high overhead, the lava circulating about within the cube. Bats squeaked off in the distance. Water dripped from a ceiling, somewhere. Silverfish scurried through the shadows. But then he heard it … a sound like two dry sticks being rubbed together.

  “Skeletons,” Watcher whispered.

  He drew an arrow from his inventory and notched it to his bow. “It doesn’t sound like very many. Let’s peek inside and see what they are doing.”

  “Er-Lan heard Watcher instruct the others to go back if they find skeletons.” The zombie’s eyes darted to the door, then back to Watcher. “There are skeletons in that room.”

  “I know, but it only sounds like a few.” Watcher placed a reassuring hand on the zombie’s shoulder. “We need to know what they’re doing. If there’s an ancient relic in this room, we need to take it from them.”

  Gently, he moved Er-Lan out of the way, then pushed on the lever. The iron door swung open, revealing a large chamber, the walls and floor lined with stone bricks. At the end was a huge fireplace, with furnaces surrounding the blaze, the light from the flames casting a yellowish glow throughout the chamber.

  Two skeletons were visible in front of the fire, each with a bow in their hands, but no arrows notched to the bowstrings. Watcher quickly fired three arrows at the right skeleton while Winger and Planter fired on the left. Their shafts took the monsters by complete surprise, destroying their HP before they even had a chance to turn around.

  “You see, Er-Lan, I told you it would be easy.” Watcher put away his bow and stepped into the room.

  Just then, a harsh laugh filled the room. It was accompanied by a strange clicking sound, as if someone were tapping together a pair of stones.

  “Easy, indeed,” a familiar voice said.

  Just then, the skeleton general, replete with iron armor, stepped out from behind the massive fireplace. He was surrounded by at least fifty skeletons. In his hand, he held an iron sword, the blade glowing with a strange blue light. Sparks danced around the keen edge, some of them falling to the ground like the glowing embers of a firework.

  “This castle belongs to the warlocks, and you are not welcome here,” General Rusak said. “It is time for you to pay the price for your foolishness.”

  The monster glanced about the room, his gray eye glowing ever so slightly in the light from the fireplace, his other eye remaining black as coal.

  “Skeletons, let none survive…. ATTACK!”

  CHAPTER 27

  Watcher stared at the skeleton general, his body frozen in terror. Arrows were flying toward him, fired by skeletons emerging from behind the monster. Something in the back of Watcher’s mind screamed at him to run, but he was overwhelmed with fear at the sight of the huge skeleton holding that sparkling weapon.

  Suddenly, a large rectangle appeared in front of him. The thud-thud-thud of arrows filled the air with a percussive rhythm as the shafts embedded themselves into the shield.

  “Come on, Watcher, we need to get out of here.” Planter grabbed his chain mail and gave him a strong tug.

  The jolt shocked him out of his panic. Turning, Watcher ran for the door, right behind Planter. When he stepped into the hallway. Watcher placed a block of cobblestone just on the other side of the door. That would slow the skeletons for a moment and allow them to sprint down the passage and get out of range of their bows. But who knew if they were beyond the reach of that sparkling sword.

  “You’re too late, villager,” the skeleton general yelled from within the room, his jawbone clicking as he bellowed. “I have what you came to steal. This is Lightning Blade, and soon, I’ll show you what I have gained and you have lost.”

  The monster’s words bounced off the walls of the passage, creating multiple echoes that blared at them over and over; it was like the sound from some kind of nightmare.

  “Faster!” Winger shouted. “Everyone run!”

  His sister streaked down the hallway, with Cleric and Mapper following as best they could. The parrots squawked and screeched, some of them mimicking the skeleton general’s harsh laugh; that didn’t help anyone’s nerves.

  Planter ran past Er-Lan and moved next to Mapper, ready to help the old man if necessary. Behind them, the sound of pick axes digging into stone echoed through the passage.

  “The skeletons must be slowed,” the zombie said, then skidded to a stop.

  “Er-Lan, you can’t fight them … there are too many of them.” Watcher stopped at the monster’s side.

  “This zombie is not going to fight. Er-Lan is waiting for Watcher to give an idea.”

  “An idea?” Watcher asked, confused.

  The zombie looked at Watcher, waiting for some kind of clever strategy to save them. An arrow zipped over their heads and clattered to the ground.

  “They’re out of the room,” Watcher said. “We need to run.”

  “Idea first,” Er-Lan said. “Those skeletons thirst for violence. They must be slowed.”

  “Thirst … water … of course! Er-Lan, you’re brilliant.” Watcher pulled out one of the water arrows as the zombie looked at him, confused.

  He couldn’t see the skeletons, but he could hear their bony feet on the stone floor. Aiming for the sound, he fired one of the water arrows, then fired another and another. Instantly, the sound of rushing water filled the passage, followed by shouts of frustration. Watcher placed a couple of cobblestone blocks across the passage, then pushed Er-Lan toward the exit and ran. Arrows bounced off the walls, the skeletons randomly firing in hopes of hitting the intruders.

  Watcher and Er-Lan sprinted through the passage, slowly catching up to the others. They climbed the steps as fast as their legs would carry them until they reached the courtyard again. Many villagers were just standing about, their search of the many tunnels unsuccessful. Watcher knew why: the entire skeleton army was chasing them.

  “Everyone get to cover … skeletons!” Watcher notched an arrow and spun, firing it into the passageway without aiming. “Run!”

  The villagers sprang into action, some out of training, some out of fear. They found places behind clay structures, a wall here, a doorway there, and readied their arrows. Watcher moved to what had been a fountain at one time, the water having evaporated long ago. He notched two arrows and took aim at the doorway, expecting the horde of skeletons to emerge any instant. Seconds ticked by, but no skeletons stepped out of the passage.

  Cutter and another group of villagers emerged from a side corridor. They saw the state of their army and instantly readied themselves for battle … but still no skeletons stepped out of the darkness.

  “You think they ran away?” Cleric asked, he was standing at Watcher’s side, his eyes filled with fear.

  “I don’t know. They might have—”

  Just then, laughter emerged from the passage. The huge skeleton general emerged from the dark corridor, the shimmering sword in his hand. Sparks leapt off the blade and fell to the ground, some of them bouncing off his iron armor first.

  “You pitiful little villagers think you have us outnumbered … ha ha ha.” He glared about the courtyard, then his eyes found Watcher. “I see a red-headed wizard amongst you.” The creature pointed the electrified blade at Watcher. “See what the warlocks created that your wizard ancestors could not.”

  He waved the sword in a wide circle, then pointed at a group of villagers. Instantly, bolts of lightning jumped from the blade and struck the NPCs. The energy shattered the cubes of hardened clay and evaporated the blocks of glass that sat over the narrow streams of lava. Some of the villagers fell into the molten stone while others simply disappeared, their HP destroyed in an instant.

&
nbsp; “NOOOOOO!” Watcher moaned.

  “Behold, one of the greatest creations of the warlocks: Lightning Blade.” He pointed again, and more bolts of electricity sprang from the weapon and hit villagers, destroying many, but wounding many more. The glass over the lava cracked all throughout the courtyard as the ground shook with the blast.

  “Everyone get off the glass,” Cleric shouted.

  Watcher glanced down at the glass beneath his feet, then moved sideways onto the hardened clay just as the transparent cube shattered.

  “Archers … FIRE!” Watcher’s voice ached at the volume of his shout, but he was filled with such rage he could hardly contain it. He fired as fast as he could at the skeleton, but a sheet of electricity formed around the monster, hugging him tight from head to toe. Arrows struck the charged coating and just vaporized as the enchantment from the shimmering blade made the monster indestructible.

  The skeleton held the blade up high over his head and swung it in a circle again. The electrified coating around the monster’s body disappeared for just an instant, then he threw more bolts of lightning at the villagers.

  “Watcher, we must do something or that monster’s gonna destroy everyone,” Winger said desperately.

  “Watcher, help them,” Planter pleaded.

  He turned back to the skeleton general and stared in horror as he swung the blade high over his head and threw more sheets electricity at his friends. As soon as the bolts of lightning left the blade, the electrified coating hugged the skeleton again, protecting him from any of the villagers’ pointed shafts. The monster laughed and glanced over his shoulder. “Come, my friends … give me a hand with these pathetic villagers.”

  A flood of skeletons surged out of the passage, each with a bow or sword in their hands. The whole scene was surreal. But something about the skeleton’s words bounced in the back of his mind: Give me a hand … give me a hand … give me a hand …

  Watcher smiled. He had it, he knew what to do … but would it work?

  Drawing only a single arrow, he waited and took careful aim. Watcher would only get one shot at this; it was their only chance. If he missed, they’d likely be destroyed. He pulled the arrow back, then pulled the string a little tighter until the bow was about to snap … and waited.

  And then the skeleton general did it again; he raised Lightning Blade high over his head, above the shield that wrapped around his body. That was the moment … the instant when Watcher would either save his friends, or doom them to destruction. Stilling his breathing and his mind, Watcher released the arrow.

  CHAPTER 28

  His arrow seemed to fly through the air in slow motion. Everything around Watcher grew deathly silent, as if he and the skeleton general were the only two present. He knew other fighting was going on, but the sounds of battle had been muffled out by his fear.

  Every last ounce of his attention was focused on the arrow. It soared through the air in a graceful arc, aimed at where he thought the skeleton’s hand would be. It flew closer … and closer … and closer, then it struck. The arrow pierced the skeleton general’s hand. Screaming in shock and pain, the monster dropped the blade, his electric shield instantly evaporating.

  “Aim for their general!” Watcher shouted.

  Lightning Blade clattered to the ground, bouncing off the hardened clay, then fell into one of the streams of lava, its glass covering shattered minutes ago.

  The archers all turned their bows toward Rusak and fired. The monster reached over and grabbed another skeleton and used it for a shield, allowing the doomed monster to take all the shafts as he backed down the passage. The arrows struck the poor creature, tearing into his HP while a look of complete terror filled the doomed monster’s face.

  Rage bubbled up from within Watcher. That skeleton general was now hurting his own kind with no remorse showing in his black and scarred-red eye. It was clear the monster didn’t care who was hurt or why … he just wanted to destroy.

  “Skeletons … attack for your general and for your warlord, Rakir,” the general yelled.

  Anger pushed aside his fear as Watcher thought about his friends. He saw Planter out of the corner of his eye; she was hunched down behind a column of dark blocks, an expression of fear etched across her beautiful face. This skeleton commander would wipe every one of them out, whether they were a threat or not, just because he could … Watcher wasn’t going to allow that to happen.

  “I’m not gonna let her get hurt,” Watcher said in a low voice, his eyes burning with anger. He drew Needle from his inventory and glared at his enemy. “I won’t let any of my friends get hurt!”

  The general threw aside the handful of bones after the skeleton in his grip perished. Drawing his bow, he fired at Watcher as he moved into the passage. Needle flicked the shaft aside, then knocked more of them away as other skeletons took aim at him. The blade moved of its own volition, without Watcher giving it any thought. He was completely focused on the skeleton general, their eyes locked onto one another.

  Screaming as loud as he could, Watcher charged into the army of skeletons, slashing at the bony creatures as he pushed through their ranks. Arrows streaked toward him, but Needle flicked them aside, his fear of skeletons now supplanted by an overwhelming rage. The other villagers saw Watcher’s charge and shouted their own battle cries, then advanced, firing as they closed the distance. Screams of pain from friend and foe alike filled Watcher’s ears with guilt, but he knew he had to set it all aside and focus on the brutal skeleton general … he was the key here, and had to be stopped.

  One of the skeleton warriors attacked Watcher with an iron sword. Needle knocked the blade aside, then slashed at the monster’s HP. The creature howled in pain, then charged at the boy, but suddenly, a golden axe streaked through the air and crashed into the bony monster, taking the last of its HP. Planter cheered, then attacked another skeleton trying to sneak up behind her friend. She fought like a seasoned warrior, her enchanted golden axe tearing through their attackers like golden fire. Cutter appeared at her side, slashing at a skeleton archer with his diamond blade. The two fought back to back, making sure none would attack Watcher.

  Turning, he pushed his way through the rest of the skeleton army … but the general had fled. A hidden passage lay propped open in the wall, something they’d missed in their search. Watcher entered the narrow tunnel cautiously, following the twisting turns until he found it ending at an open doorway in the fortified wall of the castle. A line of stone blocks were placed across the boiling moat, marking where the terrible monster had fled, the last few blocks in the narrow bridge destroyed, making pursuit impossible.

  Scanning the terrain with his keen eyes, Watcher searched for the monster, but saw nothing, just the gray haze that hugged close to the scorched landscape; the general had escaped.

  A scratching sound echoed off the stone walls. Watcher turned quickly, Needle ready to attack, but found only the concerned face of Er-Lan staring at him.

  “The general escaped?” the zombie asked, disappointed.

  Watcher nodded. “What happened with the battle? Are our friends okay?”

  “The skeletons stopped fighting together when their general ran away and fought for themselves, ignoring comrades that needed help. Your villagers are in the process of destroying them.”

  “My villagers?” Watcher said softly.

  Er-Lan only shrugged.

  “What about that enchanted relic, the Lightning Blade?” Watcher moved past his zombie friend and retraced his steps to the courtyard.

  “The lava swallowed it. That weapon is gone.”

  “Good, something that powerful would be dangerous in anyone’s hands.”

  Er-Lan nodded.

  They reached the entrance to the secret passage and stepped carefully into the courtyard. It was eerily quiet, as if everyone had been destroyed. But when he stepped out into the open, the air erupted in cheers. Villagers patted him on the back while others embraced him in jubilant hugs.

  “We
won …”

  “We defeated the skeletons …”

  “They’re destroyed …”

  The NPCs shouted in joy, their excitement filling Watcher with confidence. But then he saw a pile of items floating off the ground near one of the narrow streams of lava. There were other piles distributed throughout the courtyard, swords and armor and tools mixed in with skeleton bones.

  Watcher realized what this battle had cost them. His smile turned to a frown as he lowered his gaze. Slowly, he raised his hand, fingers spread wide in acknowledgement for those that sacrificed everything; the salute for the dead. It was something done in Minecraft since the Awakening, since the first villager opened their eyes as a living creature. Cutter saw this and stood next to him, raising his own hand, his steely glare silencing the celebration. More hands raised until all of them held their arms straight up into the air. As one, they clenched their fingers together, crushing the anger and rage and sorrow into shaking fists, then lowered them to their sides. Some wept as they picked up the items dropped by fallen comrades while others seethed in rage, stomping on skeleton bones as if it would bring loved ones back.

  Watcher placed a block of dirt on the ground, then stood on it and faced the NPCs.

  “We lost many friends today.”

  “The skeletons paid dearly for it,” someone shouted.

  “That is true, but it will not bring any of our comrades back, nor does it lessen our grief.”

  The villagers nodded.

  “You all saw the terrible damage that ancient relic wrought upon us. That was only one skeleton with one of the warlock’s weapons. If they have more, they could destroy many villagers. The threat from the skeleton nation is not gone … they can still do great harm.”

  “But how can they without their skeleton horde?” one of the NPCs asked. “We destroyed their army here, in this courtyard.”

  Watcher shook his head. “I saw the size of their army when we were at the Capitol a few months ago, rescuing many of you from the clutches of the Wither King. There’s a larger plan at work here, and I fear the Withers have a hand in it. But I know this was just the smallest fraction of their army.”