Index:
Episode 1 - The League of Iron assembles
Episode 3 - Legacy of the Veil Breakers
Episode 7 - Home is where the hearth is
Episode 8 - Last of the Old Ones
Episode 12 - Mistress of Flesh
Episode 15 - March of the parasites
Episode 16 - Shadows in the Fog
Episode 18 - Kingdom of hunger
Episode 22 - A mirror sanguine
Unsuffering.
At the center of Zhul, glistening upon the mid-day's sun, there stood tall the Overlord's tower. Its ten thousand jeweled skeletons gleamed, their bones hummed with his overbearing, sordid power. Yet, not all seemed well in the Thulm's center of power, for in the fields which surrounded this city fire and smoke danced their brutish dance.
He sent his most loyal commander, the Guard Master, with a contingent of Bone Warriors, to the walls. The Tower had but a fraction of its defenders, one third to be exact, yet the Overlord's chief concern was the city's dwindling serf populace. Eye twitching, the monstrous man snuffed out the life of a doubtful warrior as he prepared to wait and, sat upon a chair forged out of broken Alkiornian swords.
Strange it was, most strange indeed, for an Overlord's throne to not... twitch. Those who had the honor of being enshrined in it, they suffered every breath for the rest of their miserable existence, yet, their wallows were delectably silent.
Only the Overlord could hear them, his mighty soul emboldened by the whimpering of the weak. 'Twas exactly as it should be; the strong molesting the weak was the natural order of things. It was, is, and would be forever, until the end of time, but not today, for the Overlord had to make concessions.
Unchained by his Flesh Procurer, the whimperlings were sent off to work somewhere out on the swiftly freezing fields. Supplies needed gathering and what was left of the crops, storing, before being transported into the city of Zhul. Indeed, he sighed, during times of hardship, even the Overlord had to be austere.
The master of all Thulm snarled on his metallic throne; he'd felt the approach of an angry, conflicted in her feelings, Bone Archer. Throne room gate clanged open and said warrior dashed inside, face covered in soot, and bone-forged armor, damaged. Kneeling, the cavalrywoman raised her bow, tired eyes locked upon his crown, before she addressed her Overlord.
“My Lord, I bring news from the farming fields!” - She spoke and her voice faltered just a tiny bit, enough for her Lord to wince, disgusted by this display of weakness.
“Speak, warrior.” - Ordered her with steely calm he, his finger ready to point at her, and his power punish her if she'd done a foolhardily mistake.
“I did as my duty demanded, and, when the first of the fires plumed into the morning sky, rode ahead my troop into the fields.” - Reported the cavalrywoman, her rage overtaking any doubts or fear she may have had before addressing her Lord.
Satisfied there wasn't even a hint of a lie inside her mind, he graced her with a nod.
“Though,” - hissed the Overlord - “said fires are more in number now.”
“While we rode across the farmlands, swift to save one of our barns from the flames, there was an attack on our gate.”
“I assume, you did leave a contingent to guard it, didn't you?”
The Raider nodded, her hand clasp in a gesture all Thulm made when they emoted surprise.
“Yes, my Lord! I left twelve of my best foot Raiders, fully armed, half of them archers. Yet...” - There was the confusion, the slimy fear creeping back into her voice, and the Overlord canted his head.
“You are a warrior of the Thulm.” - Stated he, and with such terror, that she wriggled in her armor, as if writhing in blueish flame.
“While we chased runaway slaves, Dwarven rangers slew my warriors with their shadowy arrows! Immediately, I gave orders to secure the gate, my Lord.”
“The slaves?” - The Overlord hissed, anticipating a reply which he wouldn't like.
“Vanished into the hills, a bunch of sacks on their backs, unfortunately.”
He winced.
She inspected the two rows of filed, black teeth, a pair of unblinking, yellow eyes, and flinched.
“We were successful at dousing the barnyard fire and saved much of the supplies!”
“You are sure the abominable Dwarven Rangers have not set foot inside my city?” - Inquired the Overlord, hand nearly ripping the armrest of his metal throne.
“Upon my life, I swear it, My Lord! We've secured the gate with all haste...”
“My Hag warned us of Alkiorn's imminent attempt at my life. Thus, these Rangers could've been a mere distraction, so one of their Fours could sneak inside Zhul.” - He said, following a glance at his towering shield and heavy bearded axe, which were close at hand, lent at the sides of his metal throne.
“I await thy further commands, My Lord!” - Asked the cavalrywoman, and raised her composite bow, signifying her want to return to her post.
“Take a few slaves from my Flesh Procurer, archer. Feed your warhorses, and, ride along your part of Zhul's wall.” - Hand pointed at the walls, ordered the Overlord - “If but one Ranger slips past your grip...”
“With the utmost of haste, I obey!”
His last words holding a deadly promise, the archer rose to her feet, bowed her head in the Thulm manner, and dashed outside, the throne room gate clangoring close shut behind her.
Without even the tiniest speck of discord, the Overlord stood up, one armored hand wrapped around the bone-forged handle of his bearded axe. A rope weaved from the hairs of Alkiornian warriors made the possibility of him being disarmed, nigh moot. Thus, feeling secure, atop his Tower and surrounded by guards, few as they were, the Overlord walked towards the nearest window.
Visor up, his chiseled face graced the city below, yellow eyes first focused at distant plumes of smoke. He scoured the streets of Zhul next, reaching what few patrols were left guarding them, after most of the Bone Raiders already marched forth to reinforce the ruins of Weistarr. Though his Hag's visions and the daemons she'd communed with gave him foresight, the Overlord trusted his strategic insight, more.
“None could stand against the Thulm.” - thought to himself he - “For each battle lost, we win three.”
The groans of oxen joined the screams of whipped bloody serfs, as the latter loaded battle supplies on wagons, destined for the front. These carts were slow and their capacity meager, yet, in the absence of corpse-walkers, the Overlord had to adapt or risk hamstringing his army. Eventually, these wagons would reach Weistarr's new garrison, whose initial cargo of supplies should last them long enough.
The Overlord didn't even conceive a slither of a thought that his powerful, numerous Bone Raiders could lose. These warriors of Alkiorn; few, yet stalwart in their disgusting stubbornness, would stand to their last drop of filthy blood. However, even if they kill some of the Thulm, they were still outnumbered at least four to one.
'Tis going to be a bloody victory, he thought, but a victory nonetheless.
Feeling a Gate-Wall wriggle open inside his throne room and the presence of the Red Hag made manifest, he turned around laying his baneful gaze upon her now much thinner frame. Feeling his eye, the hag winced with discomfort, and the Overlord instantly noticed fatigue plastered all over her alabaster face.
“Lord,” - her quivering thoughts screamed into his mind - “the Four might be here, inside thy Tower of bone!”
“Sound the Horn!” - Roared without hesitation he, sending one of his two throne guards away, and, with a vicious smile, addressed his Hag - “Thou shalt recite the protection chant, this instant, witch. Bones bound by jewel, gold, and silver, thou shalt draw upon their shackled might and erect a shield around my throne room.”
“Aye!” - the beginning of fear subsided before the Overlord's mighty presence rampaging inside her head - “Then these fools would be trapped inside, without any hope of escape.”
“I will inquire upon thy utter failure to prevent these assassins from breaching my domain, after they are dead, and their skeletons entombed into My Tower, witch.” - Stated with deathly calm he, and used his power to call the shield hither.
The Red Hag hurriedly sat where she entered his throne room, crossed her legs, and, Flesh Stave raised above her tattooed head, chanted:
Bend, grovel before thy mighty Overlord,
Oh bones of mageling, of archer, and wielder of the sword!
Remember thy doom by Thulm hand,
To wither, this be the destiny of those who tread upon crown's land.
Shroud, shield the Overlord's throne room,
Thy Alkiornian brothers and sisters in our Tower we shall entomb!
Writhing energies shook the entire building. Glow, of red, yellow, and silver, coalesced through the masonry, crackling lightings coursed across the floor. Focused at the Red Hag, all of these stolen powers formed chains of magick, which bond Her, the Overlord, and Tower, into a contract not easily broken. Tower shrouded in death-delivering force, the Red Hag's magicks ensured anyone not of the Thulm's painful doom, lest they made one step through the shield.
Thus, she became aghast, when another, hope-laden voice, sang a chant of his own:
“Oh Mother full of life, deny, shatter the Hag's squeal,
Thy faithful, they strive to do their duty, leal!”
“The Unchosen... wheeze... one is... in... my... chamber!” - Whimpering, and short of breath, the Red Hag nigh dropped her stave from the effort to contain her magicks, a slither of blood dripping from her ear.
“Oh Mother full of hope, may thy grace be upon the fallen,
Recall our brothers and sisters so they ascend to thy plane!”
“Bone Raiders, to the Red Hag's chamber, at once!” - Bellowed the Overlord, feeling even with his own, warrior magicks, that something was quite amiss.
“S-s-stop... m-m-make him stop... wheeze... singing!” - The Red Hag's nose bled, and tiny puffs of smoke left her hands since her Flesh Stave was getting hotter by the breath.
“Oh Mother full of love, upon us shines thy living smile,
To smite the Hag, to slay the Thulm, empower us to crush their order most vile!”
Whatever the intent behind that man's chant was, the Overlord needn't guess, for as soon as the reverberating through the tower's magicks song ended, their shield was gone!
The tower quaked, and, slowly at first, a few bits of masonry crumbled. Then, mere breaths later, more, and bigger stones either crumbled, or fell to the floor. A deafening, ever increasing in force clangor boomed through the windows, and the Overlord grumbled. He needn't look outside to know; his Tower's prized beautification, the jeweled skeletons were all tumbling down!
Spitting blood, the Red Hag wallowed in pain on the floor, her robes alit with tiny flames. With great effort, she managed to rise up, using her Flesh Stave as a crutch. Yet, this enormous amount of magickall effort was not enough to damage her, and in a few breaths, the Hag recovered her balance.
Eyes wide with pure disbelief, the mistress of all Flesh Witches ogled the emergence of one rather strange Gate-Wall. Wasting no time, she aimed her stave at this invasive, yet very much based on a witch-woven spell, unleashing a forked, reddish lighting bolt at it. The tip of a shining spear parried her magicks, and, half-a-breath later, a hauntingly beautiful young Sorceress emerged from the plane rift.
Without delay, the Overlord charged at this lady, bearded axe raised and shield covering his armored torso. Yet, before his swift as a thought swing could cleave the twig of a woman in two, another warrior's axe bashed upon his shield, and with such a force, that he had to halt or risk losing his balance.
“The Unchosen!” - Screeched the Hag, and stood beside her Overlord, a couple of reddish ball lightings materialized around her Flesh Stave.
“Guards...!” - Began the Overlord, yet the Knight clad in bloodied Neldaeiri heavy armor who emerged behind the axe-wielding Elf, interrupted him:
“Bother not calling thy underlings, for they are all slain.”
He barred the Overlord's way, and, sword raised, promised:
“But worry not, thou shalt join them soon enough.”
The Overlord lowered his visor and sighed, utter disdain towards these overconfident Alkiornians.
“Thou are aware that this is my seat of power and, I have many more Bone Raiders itching for a fight. It is folly...” - Snarled he, and called forth all guards to the throne room with his will.
“I think not, ye stealer of futures and bringer of sorrow. Thy overconfidence, 'tis the only folly here.” - Assured him the fleet of foot Dwarven Ranger who was last to exit the stolen witch-craft spell.
Elaborate and deathly-looking bow in hand, the Dwarf aimed to shoot dead anyone who dared step through the throne room gates.
“They must not leave the Tower alive!” - Ordered the Overlord, his words instantly reaching the Thulm warriors feverishly running up crumbling staircases, and down swiftly falling apart corridors.
Elf and Sorceress made their intent to assail the Red Hag together, clear.
“I made a promise to visit thee, Hag, and those of Vayila break their word, not.” - The Elf declared without hesitation or shred of fear, axe raised, and ready to fight.
A glowing halo emanating from his armored body extended to shroud his companions, who, undeterred by the Overlord's menacing aura, prepared for what could very well be their last fight.
“Pay you shall, hag, for all Arkan kin and others you've desecrated!” - Shouted the Sorceress, eyes aglow, finger pointed at the Red Hag's Flesh Stave.
“I have lived for far too long to meet my demise by the ax of a naïve Elf, and the spellcraft of a sorceress who knows not a man's touch!” - Hissed back at them the Hag, stomping the floor with her stave.
“You shall not find us wanting, for we are the Thulm's mightiest.” - The Overlord declared and, his heart void of any other emotion except hate, aimed his bearded axe at the Knight.
Father Time personally graced them with His presence and counted their breaths before battle was joined.
The tower shook once more, and with even greater force, entire bits of the ceiling fell around Thulm and Alkiornian alike. More, the clangor of battle beautified by a choir of many screams, conquered the rumble of falling stone and quaking building. 'Twas coming from the streets of Zhul and, thoughts flowing from the minds of his obedient Thulm warriors, the Overlord knew that the slaves were rebelling...
***
Dear reader, if you liked this story, you might enjoy my published work.
Here comes the Battle. You are the master of the cliff hanger. And I love it
This is epic!!!! I can’t wait for the next one!