Prologue
Two
cloaked and hooded figures were gathered around a small watch fire on the wall
at the edge of the world. The place
should have been cold, by all rights it should have been coated in ice and snow
but the air was unpleasantly warm and had the ever-present cloying, clinging
feeling of rain being just around the
corner. It wouldn't fall this night, it
probably wouldn't ever fall again in this place. On the horizon flashed constant lightning of
odd colors. The weather was the
result of the Wound. In this place, all things
behaved oddly. Weather was the easiest
to see, but plants would grow erractically or not at all, animals were unpredictable
to say the least, magic could misfire.
The worst result, by far, was how it affected people. It would turn the greatest saint into the
most sadistic and greedy warlord if they had not prepared, bracing themselves
to recognize the taint that this place engendered. That wasn't the immediate concern
though. That was what was the two beings
were looking out at.
Beyond the wall, massed hosts of
twisted invaders were moving and shifting restlessly, gnashing their teeth and
crying in excitement for their turn to cause violence. The sea of the army ebbed and flowed as they
watched, the sheet of creatures pierced by much larger beings that lumbered
along absolutely unhurried and several hundred fights that gathered small
circles of their kind for an audience.
The larger creatures would catch smaller ones underfoot and crush them
without a second thought and dragged large weapons behind them. Several of their number hoisted banners with
sickening runes inscribed on them, runes that twisted the mind and left one
feeling dirty.
The two beings on the wall stood
and watched the army try to seize another fortress like this one. Both were filled with thousands of
experienced fighting men and women, wizards and clerics to augment the strength
of arms arrayed on the walls. Even in
the face of that, the army below cackled fearlessly, surging for their chance
to murder and gorge, rape and burn the world beyond. Only sounds of the army below and the battle
beyond could be heard. Screaming and
spells exploding pierced the oppressive silence surrounding the two men.
These
men knew the army before them. It was
comprised solely of Demons. Demons are creatures
utterly devoted to destruction and respecting only the strongest and most
vicious among them but somehow still incredibly dangerous to the world as a
whole. This army was marshaled and
focused on Castle Anorak, not one mile away.
It would have been easily able to wheel and strike at the place where
the two watchers now stood, but they were obsessively focused on their goals. Were that to happen, the castle would be
ready within minutes, the soldiers too experienced and accustomed to combat to
do anything otherwise. Not that it would
matter much, these forces would be wiped out before then by the two watching
them sedately.
“So
much noise, Why do they always have to be so loud?” The shorter of the two
sighed heavily and pinched the bridge of his nose as they watched the army
smash up against the wall of the castle.
“I
think it’s because they want to annoy you.” The taller one says with a hint of
amusement. “Just you… Or,” He holds up a
finger to accentuate his point. “It could be due to the fact that it grates on
the nerves of the defenders. It does seem to make them more susceptible to the
corrupting influence.”
The
shorter one snorts and continues to talk, “This… army would fall before us like
wheat before a thresher, old friend.” The deep, bass grumbling issued from the
hood and he held up his hand, forestalling the response of the taller cloaked
figure. “Before you answer, I know… I
know… we cannot act now. We must wait.”
His grim and tired laugh filled the air with a shake of his head, “hrmph… the
proper tool, my ass…”
“Indeed,
old friend. “ The taller one answers, amusement filling his pleasing baritone. “Without that, our friends above break the
Rules.” He added slight emphasis to the world ‘rules’. “Plus… I sense the time is not yet ready. The pieces need to be prepared properly. Some may even already be in play.” He shrugs, “Either way, we’ll know soon
enough.”
“Soon
enough?” The smaller one snorts, “Hrmph… Tell that to those poor bastards.” He
points to the castle under attack. “The
Wound,” The deeper voice mused, again adding emphasis to a word “is getting
bigger. The hosts are growing in
strength and number as well. We will
need to step in soon.”
The
taller man nodded, “I know.” He waves his arm languidly over the arrayed forces
before, ending the motion on the fortress.
“This place needs to stay strong while we wait.”
The
shorter one glances up at the taller one with a shake of his head, somehow the
sense that he’s grinding his teeth in frustration is coming off him in tangible
waves. He stepped forward to the edge of
the wall and began to gather the energy for a spell. The air around the man began to thrum with
the raw energy of creation itself when the pop of displaced air when another of
their number materialized.
The newcomer turns towards the shorter
one and clucks his tongue in censure. “Come now, Wizard. You know the Rules and… the point of this
meeting.”
‘Wizard’
continues to give off the tangible aura of menace and turns towards the man,
“Shut it…”
The new
cloaked figure laughs and turns towards the taller of them, “You talked to him
didn’t you?”
The
tall one shrugs, “I can’t help but agree with him. I have restrained because I would have
revealed my true form.” He turns back towards the armies organized, that term
being used only lightly, below the trio.
“Plus… I’m considerably longer lived than even the eldest of any of your
kind. When you reach my age, you learn
patience.” He leans on the parapet and crosses his arms in an almost mocking
manner.
Wizard
sighs and raises his hand to his face, the energy still gathered and ready to
be unleashed. “Look…”
“You
two can keep arguing about this. I must go and check the fortifications and
defenses” The newcomer starts to tromp down the stairs, his boots making a soft
metal clacking sound with each step.
“And before you try to say something, It is a requirement of my
station,” He yelled over his shoulder. “Call me when you’re ready.”
Several
more pops signal the arrival of other members, each stepping out of the shadows
and gathering around the two who were there first. Some of them gather into smaller groups to
discuss things quietly. A melodious and
lilting female voice is the first thing heard from the new group, “You really
need to learn to control your temper…” Her amusement is plainly evident in her
voice. “Beidh sé a fháil mharaigh tú lá
éigin. (It will get you killed one day) ” She continues in elvish, gently
chiding the man.
“Listen
here Missy, I’m older than you by quite a bit and…” His chest puffed out and he
started to bicker with her like an old friend or lover.
“But my race is longer lived, I'm still in my prime” She pointed out pedantically, “Given that you are going
bald and greying…” She lightly taps a finger against what should be her chin. “Shouldn't you be in a tower somewhere?”
The
other one of the original pair, who had been standing there watching quietly,
pipes up in a matter of fact tone. “He should be considering retirement.”
The
shorter one turns on his companion, “Listen here, Goldy. I’ll take you down too.” He growled in
frustration.
‘Goldy’
backs off slightly with his hands raised in the air, laughing. “Fine fine
fine…” He murmurs, “Don’t be accurate, I thought that was what you were about. Being
a wizard and all.”
‘Missy’
steps forward and pats Wizard on the shoulder, “Relax. Most of us are here now. You can let go of it, must be taking a toll
on you.”
He
shakes his head and crosses his arms, “I’ve gathered it and I’m going to use
it.” Somehow, one of the most powerful
wizards in the world comes across as a petulant child at that moment, sulking
because he doesn’t get what he wants at that exact moment.
The
clank of heavily booted foot steps approach and all three of the group turn to
look at the approaching man, all four feet of him. The sound of heavy armor fills the air as he
gets closer, “Hello, I don’t believe we’ve been introduced. I’m…” His voice a deep, solid thrum seemed to
vibrate through the stones around them.
He extended his hand in greeting.
Missy
shushes him with a waving motion of her hand.
“No names,” She says gently.
“There might be one or two among us who are not who they appear.”
“Ah…”
The dwarf pauses. He slowly retracts the hand before pausing and thrusting it out again, “Either way, well met.”
Missy
chuckles and shakes her hand, “Well met, Sir dwarf. You can call me… Missy, for now. “
Wizard
snorts, “Thought you said no names?” He turns back towards the field of demons
and starts grumbling to himself.
“Stop
being an angry coot,” She shoots back not missing a beat. “He is a belligerent old codger and you’d do
best to ignore him, outside of arcane and strategic matters that is.”
“If it
comes to that, listen to me or you will probably end up dead.” Wizard
growls over his shoulder. Missy and Goldy both notice the
arcane energy surrounding him seems to pulse and writhe angrily, reaching
towards the sky slowly.
Goldy
steps in and places a calming hand on the shoulder of the wizard. The calming effect of the hand helps the
energy back into the field surrounding the wizard. Goldy lifts his head, sniffing the air. “When were you going to tell us you were
pregnant?” His voice carries a heavy note of censure.
Wizard
whirls away from the rampart, eyes bright beneath his hood. “You’re pregnant? You
brought a child here? Of all the bone
headed, selfish, short sighted…” He strides over in fury and starts to
gesticulate wildly. “Do you know what that…” He points to the Wound itself,
“could do to the baby? Let alone what would happen if the demons got their
hands on your child?” Missy is rocked back on her heels by the torrent of fury
that’s issuing from the wizard. “Do you
know how bad that would be for us? For the WORLD!? Do you have any idea what
kind of power you wield you silly….”
He’s
broken from his tirade by Missy regaining her composure and yelling back, “How
DARE you!” She stares down into his eyes, “I know better than most the effects
of the Wound. My child will be safe from
whatever possible taint derives from that… abomination.”
“If one
thing, ONE THING went wrong or was off during the calculation or the casting,
that baby could be irreparably harmed.
Could be tainted, twisted…” He continues
“But it
didn’t! The baby is safe! Protected and warded! My patrons have guaranteed the
safety of my child! So long as my link
to them remains, it will be safe from the corruption of this place!” She’s now
standing toe to toe and the two look ready to come to blows over the fact.
“This castle could fall at any
moment, look at that army, LOOK!” The wizard bellows back, pointing at the
shifting mass of bodies. “Your capture
and the loss of your patrons would cripple us! Set us back 100 years! AND THE
WORLD DOESN’T HAVE THAT TIME!” He waves
his hand excitedly, “And Gods FORBID the loss of your line! Or the corruption
of it!”
“I CAN
SEE IT!” She rages at him, “That army would be scattered before us! BEFORE YOU!”
She pokes him in the chest, “What about you?! When we arrived you were
ready to smash that army yourself! What would happen then!”
“I
WOULD NOT HAVE STRUCK! NOT UNTIL WE HAD FINISHED THE MEETING!” He bellows,
specks of spittle flying out of his mouth.
The
woman pokes him in the chest again before a figure plays a hand on her
shoulder, trying to calm her. “It’s time for the meeting.”
Missy
turns to the hand and nods stiffly, “Of course, Mo ghra.” She whirls away from
the shorter man and stalks off to hide in the shadows.
Goldy lay a hand on the wizard and
pulled him back from where he was standing, “Control yourself friend, it is
time for us to speak.” The wizard rolls his shoulder and pulls his
shoulder out from under the hand and whirls around to face the army. Goldy turns towards the staring members,
“You’ve all been called here by one or more of us. You have all been asked to join our…
Conspiracy of Light,” again with the extra emphasis. “Each one of us is working to further the
works of Good on this world, in our own way of course.”
He pauses and ponders his next
words carefully. “We need to progress
and grow, we need more strength, we need to be BETTER. Each of you must build
your own part of an army, for us to call on when we need. You must…”
Wizard pipes up, “Screw that…” He steps into place beside the taller, naturally taking center stage. “Listen up ladies and gentlemen, We are losing. The good guys are getting our asses kicked
all over the world. Each of us can see
it, can feel it.” Assuming the mantle of leadership, he knows is
rightfully his, “Evil has been wiping the floor with us for the last couple of
millennia and one or two of you were around for a good part of that.”
Several of the figures nod ever so slightly including the tall figure next to him and the wizard forges on, “Well
guess what? I’m sick of it. We have been
building, quietly and carefully, to be able to throw back the darkness. We’re closing in on the finish and now’s the
time to push.”
He takes a deep breath and lifts
his hand, showing a gleaming ring of silver.
“Each of you will get a ring from me.
It will put you into contact with several people from this group.” He
points to the ring, “Work with them, gather an army, smite evil.” He lowers his
hand and continues to talk, “Don’t worry about getting caught or it getting
stolen. It’s got fail safes in it and if
it’s taken off, it’ll crack and crumble.
That’ll alert the others and you will be presumed dead until you can be
checked out.”
The Wizard sighs, “We had the
meeting here so you can see what we’ll need to fight. This is just a portion of the Abyss’
strength… a small portion.” He slumps slightly and his voice
sounds like that of a tired old man, “That’s all. Stay in contact. Keep fighting.”
He lazily waves his hand and a
silver ring floats out to each of the attendees. Several receive theirs,
they teleport away. All alone now,
except for Goldy, He moves back to the battlements and unleashes the energy
stored in his body. The sky above turns
a roiling sheet of lightning and it begins to fall down like rain among the
army below him. The lightning blasts
small craters into the Earth and wipes out whole ranks of the army. The wizard
turns away from the battlements with the same smile a large cat would have
after eating a filling meal as the army panics and breaks.
Goldy watches this and shakes his
head, “You should really think about getting yourself an apprentice. It’ll calm you down some.” With that final
comment, he teleports away leaving the Wizard to watch the destruction.
Word Count: 2700-ish
Copyright 2013, Craig Van Collie
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