Midnight War

by Eden Redd

  Magnys turned his kind gaze to the summoner, “I am happy to know we will be fighting side by side.”

  Edric returned the kind gaze with a smile, “Me too.”

  “Do you have room for one more,” a voice interrupted the moment.

  Edric and Magnys turned their attention to a lizard woman wearing a thick robe, a sword strapped to her back. Edric smiled wider, seeing Skalor here. The dragon in nalik form smiled brightly as she approached the summoner and Sormir.

  “We sure do,” Edric said and gave the nalik a warm embrace.

  Skalor held the summoner for a long moment before letting go and looking him in the eyes.

  “Vanya and many others are taking the dragon eggs to Elora. They should be finished before the invasion of Kraznith. Your heroic deeds have impressed me, Lord Temple. You and your fellow rulers will fill the songs of my people when they return to their seat of power.

  “It would be an insult to your kind deeds if I did not join you on the final assault of Kraznith,” Skalor said with a small head nod.

  “The honor is all ours,” Edric said with bright eyes, happy to have the powerful dragon hero with them.

  “Then let’s help arm your forces and take back Lukken from the damned,” Skalor hissed with power.

  ***

  Jinn finished talking to a large group before directing them to upgrade their equipment down the street. The hours spent informing large groups were much needed but the assassin was ready to move on to the main event. Thoughts of Oksuna filled his mind during quiet moments and again her image flowed like a calming breeze in a storm. He couldn’t deny missing her with every shred of his being. It had haunted him for longer than he wanted to admit but the long journey was coming to an end.

  A shadow touched the assassin. Jinn turned, his heart beating faster. A kitra stood, black pointed ears facing the assassin and a fanged smile forming. Dalya’s eyes watered as she stepped closer to the gruff looking assassin. Jinn couldn’t stop his eyes from watering. The cat woman pounced on him, arms wrapping around his neck and legs curling around his waist. Jinn held her as they buried their faces in each other’s necks.

  “I asked Sonja to release me from her harem,” Dalya whispered.

  Jinn’s eyes saddened, “Why? Being her concubine will make sure you live on. If you die, you will truly die. I’m not a knight anymore; I can’t keep you in a harem.”

  Dalya squeezed the assassin, “I know. That is why I decided to wait for you in Elora. I don’t have the power to fight in the battles to come. I don’t wish to be a distraction. Bring Oksuna home and we can be a family again.”

  Jinn sighed. “You were my first here in the game. I have missed you so much.”

  “Let me be another reason for you to return safely,” Dalya whispered and licked Jinn’s ear.

  “Our family will be reunited,” Jinn said, a tear trailing down his cheek.

  ***

  The late afternoon sun burned bright in the clear blue sky. Thousands of players and NPCs gathered at portal stones, ready to march. The mood was hard and filled with determination. Everyone knew what was to come and what was expected. The air was electric as fingers flexed, minds reviewed spells and hearts beat faster in anticipation.

  Edric stood with Juna, Faye, Rayna and Claudia by a portal. Many looked to them with honorable pride. Jinn, Sonja and Thorrin stood with the crowds gathered. Renner and Vass talked in low voices as Venner and Lydia looked to the rulers of Elora with glowing excitement.

  “I can’t believe we are doing this,” Renner said in a low, uneasy tone.

  “I know Venner and Lydia will be fine but now I’m wondering about you,” Vass said with a sarcastic edge and an elbow to his side.

  “What kind of parents are we? Letting out kids fight in this war,” Renner said in a low voice.

  “The kind of parents who trust their kids, they volunteered,” Vass hissed.

  “I thought for sure they would have had cold feet,” Renner groaned.

  “Stop being an old lady,” the elf rogue said sharply.

  “You’re an old lady,” Renner said in a juvenile tone.

  “Will you two stop or you can’t join in the battle,” Venner and Lydia said sharply to their parents.

  Vass smiled while Renner put a hand to chest in mock indignity.

  “Well I never!”

  Vass tried to stifle her laughter as she reached over and curled her fingers into Renner’s fingers.

  Renner looked to the beautiful elf and their kids, his heart glowing. “Stay together and we can win this.”

  Vass, Venner and Lydia nodded as they all turned their attention to the rulers of Elora.

  The portals blazed to life as Rayna was the one to take a step forward and address the crowd. The bard held her lute across her stomach, purple eyes wide and her lips twisted into a sneer.

  “No speeches! We are going to rock into Kraznith, kill Harkkon and reclaim Lukken! Are you with us,” the bard screamed into the crowd.

  Fists pumped into the air as a deafening roar erupted. In an instant, the standing army of players and NPCs were whipped into frenzy as they eagerly waited for the command.

  Rayna turned her back to the crowd, Edric, Faye, Claudia and Juna at her sides.

  “Let’s fucking do this,” Rayna shouted as she stepped forward toward the activated portal.

  Bodies disappeared one by one as they touched the red swirling light. The crowd surged behind them, jumping into the portal with a warrior’s fervor. Jinn, Sonja and Thorrin followed, swept with the mob. Renner, Vass, Venner and Lydia joined the flood as they crashed into the portal, Renner cursing as their bodies turned to light. Thousands began to stream across the vast continent, eager to fight the enemy dogging their every step.

  Edric’s heart raced in his chest as he streamed toward the portal exit in the distance. They prepared and planned for almost everything. Looking to the spectral images of his lovers and friends filled him with hope. This was the last push and if they failed, the consequences were too great to imagine. The sticky web of relationships coalesced into one pulsating divine need to fight the darkness. Adrenalin surged as the weight of doubt disappeared. They hurtled toward their fates but Edric knew they would be the ones deciding what happens next.

  Edric glanced to Juna as she surged ahead, eyes on the exit portal. The player smiled as love filled his heart once again, healing the scars and giving him new life and purpose. The exit portal raced toward them and when they reached it, light flashed to a blinding white.

  Emerging through the other side, the digital realm fell into place as bodies continued to move. Tall towers stood among carved and decorated keeps and homes. Eastern designs mixed with medieval architecture as bodies fanned out. Edric wanted to admire the beauty of Kraznith but he fell into running, making room for others coming through. Rayna rushed ahead, eyes wild and looking for an enemy. Faye darted forward, hands at the ready. Claudia leapt into the air and landed by a tower window, hand coiling around an iron bar and leaning out, ready to take in the situation. Juna drew her white blades, mental commands hovering over her abilities.

  Players poured in from the portals across the Kunarr city. Some began to slow their advance, looking around in confusion as no troll attacked. The confusion deepened when there were no one to greet them, the city appearing hollow and empty.

  Edric moved to Faye and Juna’s sides lock stones in hand and eyes scanning the area. The place was devoid of any activity except their own. The area filled quickly with their forces but nothing stirred beyond a breeze in the bright sunny afternoon.

  Jinn stalked forward, eyes filling with rage. “What is this?”

  “A trap,” Rayna said as she looked around, wand out at the top of her lute.

  A chuckle vibrated through the city but it wasn’t in the air. Brows wrinkled as the chuckle pulsed in everyone’s heads. The wind picked up as clouds moved from the southern sea toward the hollow city.

  Welcome to Kraznith, Capital
of the Troll Kingdoms and my throne for Lukken.

  “Harkkon, show yourself,” Edric shouted.

  In due time but for now, let’s begin your defeat with a little rain.

  Edric looked up as dark clouds slid across the heavens in mere moments, blotting out the bright sun. A drop of water fell, touching Edric on the forehead before the heavens opened to the thunderous applause of heavy rain.

  Twelve

  The stark digital reality washed over the summoner like the cold rain from above. Eyes took in every detail as the air turned electric. The street before him led to a cathedral sized castle with stained glass windows, pointed spires and massive doors. The buildings surrounding the area stood, seemingly empty as rain poured from the heavens. A curling stench of decay rose with the splattering rain, a blooming sickening scent blended with the smells of water on hot stone. The sun gone, the city cooled after seconds, the fuse lit and bodies ready to explode into action.

  Juna surveyed the area, her senses picking up on movement within the wood and stone buildings. Thorrin hefted his hammer, sensing the overpowering pulse of the dead. Faye’s ears caught the subtle shift of boots; the dim vibrations of bowstrings and the gentle intake of breath. Jinn and Sonja stood close, knowing full well the trap was about to be sprung. Rayna’s lip curved into a wicked smirk as fingers hovered close to lute strings.

  Edric turned his head to his companions and the dozens of players appearing every second from the portal. The crowd grew larger, looking up to the rain and then looking to the seemingly empty city, weapons at the ready. The summoner’s eyes closed for a moment, head turning to the spire tipped building in the distance. Eyes opening, Lornus and Ralis’ information slid into his mind. The building was the seat of power for the Kunarr Masters. They would meet to discuss the direction of their kingdoms much like English parliament. Now it stood as a throne for the God-King, a place to begin his crusade against life itself.

  The thought of the power possessed by the mad God-King Harkkon caused Edric’s fingers to curl into tight fists. Inside, Oksuna waited; a prisoner to the God-King. Rage boiled under his skin as the summoner could not hold back any longer. Edric remembered his life outside of the game, being pushed around for most of his existence. The powerful memories of taking control of his destiny flared like a supernova. Time slowed down as he opened his mouth, took a deep breath and pointed to the spire tipped building ten blocks away.

  “Today we topple a God-King,” Edric shouted as he charged.

  Energy whipped through the ranks, eyes turning to the summoner as he charged ahead. Bodies moved, smiles of anticipation filling faces. Juna’s legs moved, propelling herself forward. Faye and Claudia followed. Jinn surged ahead with Sonja at his side. A white aura surrounded Thorrin and he charged. The gathered forces at different portals across the city heard the rising thunder of shouts. Rain fell as the flood of bodies surged forward. Lightning split the sky as the heavens came down with a wet fury.

  Edric pulled out four lock stones, two in each hand as he charged. Eyes wide, he swept his vision from side to side, ready for the counter attack. The player was not disappointed. Dark blue bodies moved to open windows, bowstrings pulled back and arrows pointed to the street.

  Rayna stayed where she was, rain falling and their forces surging past her. Purple eyes caught sight of trolls moving to windows, arrows ready to rain down on their forces. The bard lifted her hand and took a deep breath.

  “HELLO KRAZNITH,” the bard shouted before she brought her hand down on lute strings.

  The sonic blast from her Thunder Kiss song streamed past their forces and slammed into buildings. The area rocked like an earthquake as cracks ran up the sides of buildings. The cone shaped wave shattered any closed windows and even sent a few trolls falling to the streets below. Bodies shattered as arrows misfired. The bard continued to play, the thunder subsiding and a new song rolling out. Rayna concentrated, the blast of electric bass turning the Kunarr capital into a rock concert.

  Some trolls looked up from the cobblestone streets as the enemy came at them. They grew confused as love sprang up for the bard in black. Many smiled as swords cleaved into skulls or separated heads from necks. Bodies shattered as other trolls heard the bard’s siren songs and re-aimed at trolls across the streets. Arrows flew from each side, stabbing into bodies as they smiled to their deaths.

  Rayna ran her fingers across the lute strings hard, another vibrating blast shaking the entire area. With simple steps, the bard moved forward, rocking the area and turning the enemy’s hearts to their defense.

  Claudia leapt off a building, flew across the street and drove her spear point into a troll. Leaping off, she moved like a bouncing dart, landing, stabbing and moving on as bodies shattered. The lancer became laser focused, shattering the enemy, each strike true.

  Faye pumped her legs, chi flowing into her fist. Reaching a stone tower, she glanced up to see several archers resisting Rayna’s song and firing arrows into their forces. The wood elf continued to run, fist reared back. When she reached the tower, her fist slammed into the hard stone. Power exploded as the base of the tower was shattered into flying gravel. The archers looked down, fear coloring their eyes as the wood elf continued to run, the tower collapsing. There was a faint screaming before dust and debris flew into the air, shattering bodies flashing in the dark clouds.

  Juna quickly approached the charging summoner as Edric called on his friends. Streams of energy burst from the stones and slammed into the stone street. Leeta and Drakkus were first, leaping into the air. The ogre held her mace at the ready while Drakkus cut his palm with a long fingernail. Blood surged out, forming a sword as the vampire lord landed and charged. Leeta landed, legs pumping to stay at Edric’s side. Nykor rose up; her huge form taking up most of the street behind Edric as she opened her maw and spit out a stream of acid. Trolls cried out before they melted and shattered to points of light.

  Magnys rose from the arcane circle, eyes drinking in the situation before dreadful things touched his senses. Eyes widening, he burst into a run, his mind connecting with Edric’s.

  “There are Sormir here,” Magnys’s voice filled the summoner’s mind.

  Before Edric could react, arcane circles filled the streets in a blink of an eye. Undead clawed onto the streets, sickening moans echoing off walls. From doorsteps, robed figures stepped out with hoods covering their heads. The undead rose around them; standing up and brandishing rusty weapons, rotting lips curving into leers. Ghosts screamed and moaned as spectral knights joined the ranks. Wraiths slinked with the hordes of undead as the hooded figures pulled back their hoods.

  Magnys turned his eyes to the side streets, watching as decayed faces glared back at the living Sormir. The crawl of death filled the area with a gloom, clawing at his senses with shadowy corruption. The Sormir could see his fellow brethren, the living light gone and a darkness pulsating in their chests. Undead Sormir mixed with the hordes of dead and the sky seemed to grow darker as power began to pulse faster.

  “Fight,” Edric shouted with a manic edge.

  Power swelled up like a tidal wave. The dead surged as the undead Sormir pooled their now dark power. The wave crested as Claudia leapt from building to building, a tight grip on her spear. Faye took in a deep breath as she calmed her heart. Juna’s mind hovered over her abilities, ready to activate. Jinn spread out his arms, white metal darts in between fingers. Sonja’s body vibrated with power and Magnys’ body grew larger. Thorrin cried out to the gods and they answered.

  The opposing energies reached their zenith and came down, clashing into each other in a spiral storm of destruction and chaos.

  Death surged as undead Sormir grew larger, bodies twisting into their decayed serpent forms. Jets of steam streamed out as skeletons and zombies moaned their hatred for the living. Drakkus leapt, grabbing Edric and surged along, gliding through the air as steam blasted past and melted stone into slag. Leeta threw herself past a building edge, steam melting it and missing her
by inches. The ogre planted her feet and at the first sight of a skeletal hand, she whipped her holy arcane mace hard across. Several skulls shattered instantly as her tall body loomed over the surging dead. A stream of acid flew over the ogre’s head, melting the incoming surge instantly as Nykor stalked forward.

  Thorrin leapt into the air, holy lighting surging down from the heavens. The paladin’s armored body glowed hot as the lightning struck him, filling him with holy power. Thorrin screamed as he came down on the wall of undead surging into the main street. Hitting the ground, power rippled out as the dead were shattered to bits. The power rolled along the street, decimating the dead and sending them back to the abyss.

  Claudia landed on a roof, running across the surface as a Sormir’s head rose up past the roof edge. The lancer showed no fear as she darted toward it, bended her legs and launched into the air. The undead Sormir focused on Magnys as he shifted into his true form when a sharp point stabbed into its eye. The holy power caused the Sormir to roar as Claudia slammed her shoulder into the spear, planted her boots on the monster’s snout and pushed. Holy and arcane power surged as the skull of the powerful serpent cracked. The monster thrashed as the lancer pulled out her spear and leapt straight up.

  The rain and wind flowed around her as she took a moment to enjoy the sweet sensations of water and air. When she reached her zenith, gravity took hold and she fell. Body diving down, her eyes filled with power and menace as she held the spear to her, her whole body turning into a weapon.

  Magnys turned his serpent head to the other undead Sormir rising up, “Destroy the mind or the heart and my brethren are vulnerable!”

  “Today, I kill a Sormir,” Claudia smiled as her spear point and body caved in the top of the serpent’s skull.

  Dark power surged as the sea serpent roared. Body cracking with light, the Sormir let out another roar before it shattered into shards. Claudia fell, eyes drinking in the wonder of floating shards of light before she hit the street level, eyed another undead Sormir in another street and launched into the air.