by Ryan Sova
“We are still two months from Bragsdale. How does the king already know of our situation?” Fargh asked.
“More like three and to answer your question Fargh, magic can travel much faster people can,” Atonick answered.
Fargh responded with an annoyed look on his face, “So you sorcerers can teleport yourselves? That’s nice to know. Here’s a novel idea, maybe the next time that you decide to appear in Bragsdale you could take the rest of us with you and save us some time.”
Atonick responded, “Don’t you think that if I could have made this journey with all of you instantly, I would have done so already? While it is true that some sorcerers can indeed teleport themselves, such magic is very advanced and I am not so very gifted to possess such a skill. What I am capable of doing is projecting an image of myself at Bragsdale. Kind of a ghost form that I can use to communicate with my leaders over a large distance.”
Fargh responded, “Then why not get your leaders to bring us all to Bragsdale?”
Atonick responded, “I am afraid that it doesn’t work that way. While it is theoretically possible to open a magical rift large enough to carry more than one person, to do so would be an enormous feat and require an immense amount of magical energy. Not even King Noah is capable of bringing guests with him when he teleports himself.”
Eliak asked, “So the King could just appear in this room right now if he wanted to?”
Atonick responded, “Yes, but he won’t. Such magic is physically taxing and the King has much more important things to occupy his time with.”
After pondering what Atonick had just said a moment, Nephal asked, “So if powerful sorcerers can appear anywhere that they want, what is to stop a would-be assassin from say the Vestillian Empire from teleporting into the King’s chambers at night?”
Atonick answered, “Magical enchantments protect vital areas in the kingdom from unwanted intruders, at least those that can magic their way in, that is. We still need good old fashion guard patrols to keep the conventional assassins out.”
Nephal asked, “So what can we expect when we arrive at Bragsdale?”
Atonick answered, “Our dead prisoner will be examined by the council. You and Eliak will also be brought before the council. Anything more than that, I am not at liberty to say.”
Fargh asked, “Why are you sorcerers so interested in my brother? Don’t you know that I am the smarter sibling? I’m also better looking too!”
Atonick smiled then answered, “I’m sure you are Fargh, but I can’t say why the council is interested in your brother.”
Atonick paused a moment then asked, “I thought that you had guard duty tonight, Fargh?”
Eliak answered, “Leave it to my brother to find a way to con his way out of guard duty.”
Fargh shrugged his shoulders and with a slight smile answered, “Makkah owed me a few favors… honest.”
A waitress arrived at the table and started serving various plates with warm food from the kitchen. All conversation at the table stopped as the men started eating their food. The men ate in near silence for the space of about eight minutes when Fargh finally finished his food.
Just after he had finished the last of his food, Fargh asked, “So Atonick, can we expect to see another fire and lightning show when we leave for Jargur?” There was an eagerness in Fargh’s eyes and facial expressions. He clearly wanted the answer to be yes.
Atonick smiled, then answered, “That depends. Are you going to be in such desperate need of help again that I am going to need to step in and save the day?”
Fargh answered, “I'll admit that you saved our collective asses back there. That was quite an impressive light show you put on. I had no idea that you guys were such badasses. Tell me, what is it about this place that caused all of these overgrown fin-backed lizards to be so fierce and murderous? In Cragword they were just as numerous, but for some reason back there they were not so intent on tearing all of us apart. They just kind of left us alone.”
Atonick answered, “For one, the fin-backed lizards that you are referring to are called fangazals and the reason that they are so much more hostile down here in the tropical forests of Brazer is because this area is much, much more deadly than it is anywhere else in the world. There are many types of predators out here, in fact, there are over twenty times as many as there were up north. So the fangazals down here have had to learn how to protect themselves. This has caused them to travel in packs, become fiercely territorial, and be far more aggressive than they are anywhere else in the world. This is also why most travelers are warned not to enter the tropical forests without some kind of armed patrol escorting them.”
“We should have waited for the next patrol. It would have been safer traveling in a large group,” Nephal added.
“You want to deprive us the chance at seeing our pet sorcerer kick some lizard ass!!! That was TOTALLY worth almost getting eaten alive!!!” Fargh said enthusiastically with a smile on his face.
Atonick might have appeared to be angry by the tone of his voice if it were not for the smile on his face, “PET!!! YOU’RE CALLING ME A PET!!! Perhaps I should transform you into my own personal pet dog then.”
Eliak rolled his eyes and said, “Don’t turn my brother into something where he can be more annoying than he already is now.”
Atonick responded, “Good point Eliak. Maybe I will make you into a pet fish instead.”
Fargh responded, “Okay, Okay. I won't call you a pet anymore!”
A few moments passed. Nephal was the last to finish his food. Once they had all finished with their food, Atonick addressed Nephal again, “To answer your question from earlier, it would have been a two and a half month wait if we had waited for the next patrol through the tropical forest. It was a delay that I didn’t want to make, especially seeing that we had more than enough able bodied soldiers to make the trip alone.“
Eliak responded, “This patrol that you are referring to. Is it’s only purpose to escort people through the forest?”
Atonick answered, “It can be called upon for any purpose, but yes, during peacetime its primary purpose is to escort people through the Brazer forest. It is composed of two companies, each consisting of five hundred men. Each company travels in an opposite direction, one taking people from south to north and the other taking people from north to south. It takes about three months to traverse the entire length of the forest and so their services are offered every three months to those with a need to cross the forest.”
“Is Bragsdale located in the tropical forest?” Nephal asked.
Atonick answered, “Once upon a time it was. The forest has been cleared for hundreds of miles around Bragsdale.”
After a few moments of silence, Atonick stood up and said, “Okay guys, I'm getting tired, so I will see you all in the morning.”
Nephal, Eliak, and Fargh all said goodnight and then continued with their conversation. After about another thirty minutes, Nephal retired for the night. He was soon followed by Fargh and Eliak.
****
Garry looked around. This wasn't where he was a second ago. He was now standing outside looking at the dead and rotting corpses of the female prisoner from the Borderlands still chained to the inside of her cage. Garry examined himself, he had no form and was completely transparent. He instantly realized that this was the same ghost form he had taken after Detective Klaben died.
There were five guards watching the cage with its dead corpses inside. Garry recognized the men, he had seen them before many times in his dreams. Makkah was the oldest and most seasoned of the five. Following him in experience and age was Gaffai and Rabbiel, with the two youngest of the soldiers being Phile and Yhager. Garry watched the men as they talked amongst themselves.
“My arm still hurts,” Rabbiel said while rubbing his left arm.
“How did you hurt your arm?” Makkah asked.
Rabbiel responded, “One of those fin-backed lizards bit me on the way here. Would have taken my arm off were it not for the armor.
”
Phile commented, “Maybe you should get it checked out while we are still here.”
Rabbiel responded, “No, it’s just a flesh wound. It will be fine with some time. Just a bit sore right now.”
“God she stinks!” Gaffai said in disgust while holding his nose.
Gaffai continued, “What are we doing here, staying up all night watching some dead corpse. It’s not like she is going anywhere.”
Makkah laughed, “You say that every time you are on guard duty. Find something else to complain about.”
Gaffai responded, “Maybe because it’s true. This whole mission has been nothing but nonsense from the beginning. She was nothing more than a merchant’s wife for God sakes. She was never any kind of threat and she certainly isn’t a threat now. Why can’t we just bury her somewhere and go about our way? I swear, every time that I am around her, the smell makes me sick.”
Yhager responded, “The sorcerers must have their reasons. Just look at what Atonick did when we were ambushed on our way here. If the sorcerers can do…”
Yhager was interrupted by a loud clanking noise followed by a thud from the cage behind them. The five men quickly turned their heads in alarm.
“Shit!!! How the hell did that happen!!!” Makkah said in irritation.
The dead body of their former prisoner was now laying on the metal floor of her cage on the opposite side of her cage where she had previously been chained to. Her hands had been ripped from her body and were now dangling from the metal bindings of her chains. The metal bindings on her legs were now the only thing that was still securing her to the cage. Her decomposing corpse was now lying face down with her arms tucked underneath her torso. She continued to lie lifelessly on the floor of her cage.
Makkah yelled out in anger, “I SWEAR, IF THIS IS SOMEONE'S IDEA OF A SICK JOKE. I WILL FIND YOU AND BEAT THE SHIT OUT OF YOU!!!”
The men looked for any sign of movement or commotion of any kind. After a short while, Gaffai commented, “I don’t see anyone.”
Makkah responded, “Neither do I.”
Rabbiel commented, “Maybe no one did it. Maybe the body just lurched forward on its own or decayed enough for her hands to just pull free. I have heard of dead bodies doing strange things before, even long after a person has died”
Makkah thought about what Rabbiel said and then responded, “Well, maybe you have a point. In any case, we need to get this body chained back up before morning comes.”
Gaffai responded, “And why would we want to do that?”
Makkah responded, “Because I don’t want to have to explain to Captain Ollendar why she is not chained up anymore. If you all remember, we are supposed to make sure that this body remains undisturbed. Do you remember what happened to the last patrol that was found to be derelict in there duty, they were flogged.”
Gaffai shot back a disgusted look and said, “Have you smelled that thing lately? I’m not going anywhere near that corpse.”
Makkah approached the cage. First, he unlocked the cage, then he began unraveling the chain, trying carefully not to touch the decaying hands that were still dangling from the steel bindings. When he had finally finished unraveling the chains, he opened the cage door. The steel door creaked as it opened.
Before stepping inside, he shot an irritated look back as his fellow comrades, “Come on! I’m going to need some help repositioning the body.”
After a few moments, it became clear that no one was going to enter the cage with him. Makkah was infuriated, “Fine! I guess I’m the only one here who is not completely made up of chicken shit!!! By all means then, stay there. I wouldn't want you to get your hands dirty.”
Makkah took a deep breath, then entered the cage. Once he had reached the body, he grabbed her legs and started dragging her back to the other side of the cage. As he attempted to pull her body, the rotting flesh on her legs disintegrated under his fingertips causing his hands to slide down her legs, the body didn’t move.
Makkah flung chunks of rotting flesh from his hands and lurched forward, desperately trying not to vomit. Once he had regained his composure, he tried again. First, he pushed her legs to the far side of the cage, causing her to lay sideways in the cage. Then he grabbed her torso, rolling her over on her back so that he could firmly grab hold of her ribcage and drag her towards the cage door. Once he had her rolled over, he paused in shock. The corpse still had hands. In shock, he thought to himself, If she still has hands, whose hands were they by the door?
Sensing his concern, Gaffai asked, “What is it Makkah?”
Makkah turned back to his comrades by the door when a hand grabbed him in the back of his neck. In an instant, the dead woman's corpse lurched forward and reached her hands, firmly grabbing Makkah’s head. Then in an instant and with savage strength, she pulled him towards her and sunk her teeth deep into the front of his neck.
Makkah attempted to scream but fell short in the attempt, gurgling on his own blood. Gaffai and Rabbiel jumped into the cage and grabbed Makkah, pulling him out as quickly as they could. The dead woman released Makkah as quickly as she had grabbed him and laid lifeless on the cage floor again.
Once Gaffai and Rabbiel had Makkah clear of the cage, they examined his wound. It did not look good. Blood was squirting out of the open wound in his neck. Rabbiel was trying to calm Makkah down, telling him that everything was going to be okay while holding his arms down keeping him from flailing them about.
Gaffari, now covered in Makkah’s blood, yelled to Yhager who was closest to the cage, “Close that damn door!”
But the instruction came too late. The dead woman sprang to her feet and charged, leaping out of the cage and grabbing hold of Yhager’s back. The chains her feet were still bound to lay dangling on the ground by her. Thanks to Makkah and his unraveling of her chains, she was in no way restrained anymore.
Yhager screamed in horror saying, “GET IT OFF OF ME!!! GET IT OFF OF ME!!!”
Phile quickly drew his sword and charged forward, swinging it up over his head and bringing the sword down in an arc. His blow cut the dead woman in half, severing her upper torso from her lower extremities.
Gaffari and Rabbiel quickly joined Phile and Yhager. Gaffari stated loudly to the other three, “Quick, let's get this damn thing back in the cage where it belongs.”
Gaffari, Rabbeil, Yhager, and Phile worked as quickly as they could, picking up the two halves of the dead woman's body and throwing them back into the cage. In a matter of moments, they had accomplished this task, heaping both parts of her body on top of each other. The final task required was to gather the chains that were still attached to the dead woman's legs so that the cage door could close.
Yhager picked up part of the chain and said, “Shouldn’t we bind her to the cage again?”
Gaffari responded, “No, just throw it into the cage so that we can close the door.”
This task was interrupted when Makkah returned to join his comrades. “Guy’s what’s going on?” Makkah asked, confused.
Rabbeil approached Makkah and was shocked to see that his neck wound had healed itself completely. In shock and disbelief, Rabbeil said, “We thought you were a dead man.”
Makkah responded, “Yes, I thought so too, but I feel much better now.”
Without warning, Makkah drew his sword and lunged forward plunging it into Rabbeil’s chest. Makkah quickly retrieved his sword and, without skipping a step, he brought his sword sideways, slicing through Gaffari’s throat before he even had enough warning to draw his sword.
Makkah raised his sword over his head and charged at Phile. Phile met Makkah’s blow with steel. The two exchanged blows viciously.
Yhager froze in panic and disbelief as the fight started but soon came to his senses. He drew his sword and charged to help Phile. He was stopped in his tracks, though, when he felt hands reach around his neck.
Somehow, during the mere moments that the dead woman was in her cage, she had reattached the two halves of her body. As Yhag
er’s attention was turned to Phile, the dead woman charged once more at Yhager and had taken him completely off guard.
Her boney fingers clamped tightly around Yhager’s throat, tearing deep into his flesh. Then in an instant, she ripped her hands free, tearing his throat open in the process.
Yhager dropped to his knees. His nervous fingers dropped his sword on the ground next to him. He reached his hands up and held his throat. Blood was gushing out of his open wound and he was sputtering blood from his mouth. It would not be long now before he would die.
Phile was in trouble. In life, Makkah had been a much better swordsman than he was. Now in death, Makkah was still a much better swordsman, but now he also fought with a vicious, savage passion that Phile had never seen in him before.
Phile was forced to be on the defensive for the entire sword fight. It took everything that he had just to withstand Makkah’s blows. Makkah charged forward again with another series of blows. Phile tried feebly to meet these blows but fell short twice, taking a vicious blow to his shoulder and one more to his left leg.
Phile’s armor saved him from losing his limbs, but he was still in pain. He hobbled on his good leg trying to prepare himself for the next savage attack. This attack came faster than anticipated. Phile stumbled in his defense. Makkah took this advantage and quickly disarmed Phile, removing his sword hand in the process.
Phile screamed, clutching the stump that used to be his hand. He hobbled away from Makkah, knowing that any moment now Makkah could finish him off. Makkah didn’t seem to be pursuing him though. Phile turned away from Makkah and then paused, not knowing what to do. Gaffari and Rabbiel were standing behind him, both of them with their swords drawn.
Phile didn’t know why, but he knew that all of them were intent on killing him. Men who just moments ago were his comrades. They now had him surrounded. Phile looked around desperately, hoping that someone would come to save him. Then he saw something that made his jaw drop.
The dead woman started walking towards Phile. As Phile watched her approach, her flesh and skin regenerated in a matter of moments right before his eyes. It took only a matter of a few seconds for this dead woman to transform from something that you might expect to see out of an episode of “The Walking Dead,” to a beautiful and vibrant young woman.