The Necromancer
There was a loud bang on the door. Screams of pain could be heard from outside the house. A man leaned against the door, trying to keep the beasts out, while his daughter and wife huddled in the corner. The man’s son was watching this from above, in a loft hidden from sight. His eyes widened as the door came crashing down on his father. The man made it to his knee before his head came tumbling off his body with the swish of a blade. The boy’s sister and mother ran out the door screaming as the green skins closed in around them. They were surrounded, cut off from escape. The biggest of the creatures, stained red with blood, walked up to them and mercilessly cut their throats with his dagger. The boy jumped down and ran, ran faster than he ever had. He ran far from his house, far from the city of Calera, and far from the orcs that had just killed his family.
The forest was full of elves that day, all moving about carrying out their own business. Distian was helping Elrose, the elven smith, carry another load of mithril, a metal as strong as dragon scales yet as light as leather. This mithril came daily from the dwarvish mines of Iron Forge. Distian and Elrose were close friends as Distian had grown up with Elrose around. Though Distian was a man and not an elf, Doriath forest was his home. Long ago in his childhood orcs had came and killed most of the inhabitants of Calera, one of the outlying farm towns of Pelaga just past the Dark Forest. He managed to escape to Doriath and, being as young as he was, was raised by the elves inhabiting the forest. Pelaga, Doriath, and Iron Forge were all within about fifty miles of each other so they could trade with one another for valued goods, such as mithril.
Distian climbed down the trees and walked over to Kelman, the dwarf with all the mithril, and grabbed another load. Kelman was your typical dwarf, very short, very strong and stalky, and very stubborn.
“You got that lad? It’s pretty heavy.” said Kelman as he placed another large load in Distian’s arms.
“I got it Kelman. Nothing too heavy here.” he lied.
Kelman grabbed another load of mithril and started up the hill toward the elven forges. Luckily, these were at ground level. “You know Pelaga was attacked again by these skeletons and orcs. Almost two hundred soldiers died. Some of the survivors said they saw their own flag on the skeletons armor. Rumor is, the necromancer in the south has been turning the dead into the undead and attacking our villages. No one can quite figure out why, but it happens almost every night now. Just as midnight approaches the dark forces can be seen marching out of the Black Forest. The king has put out a reward for any man of any race who brings back the head of the necromancer.
“I was thinking about venturing into the forests but I can’t go alone. I would be hopelessly outnumbered. Perhaps you would like to accompany me and we could share the reward?”
“Of course I will. Perhaps it is about time I fought these damned orcs. They’ve been a plague to me ever since they killed my family.”
“There’s no way you’re leaving without me!” said Elrose as he came down the hill towards Kelman and Distian. It appeared he had something wrapped in his hands.
“I made this for you Distian. It was supposed to be just incase you ever needed it.” Elrose unwrapped the object and revealed a sword. It was certainly no ordinary sword, it looked ablaze.
“The sword has been enchanted with a stone of fire, and it is made of mithril. Now come, we must hasten to the Dark Forest and kill that necromancer before anyone else does and steals our reward.”
Kelman and Distian were in shock of how exited Elrose was of going into battle while being hopelessly outnumbered. Never the less, they set out south, for the Dark Forest just in front of the setting sun.
- -
The trio had been walking for several hours now and the sky had become black. The only light to aid the three’s eyes was the moon and stars. They had crossed the open plains and reached the forest. Fog began to swirl around their feet as the smell of rotting flesh reached their noses. In the distance the flickering light of fire could be seen. A loud roar echoed throughout the forest as several orcs gave their war cry. They stepped into a clearing and looked around at the orcs who surrounded them.
Elrose drew an arrow and pulled it to the string of his bow. Kelman and Distian raised their weapons and prepared for a fight.
“I’ll get the eight on the right,” the dwarf whispered to Distian. “You and Elrose can get the other three.” Distian put on a puzzled face as the dwarf had a serious tone in his voice.
One of the orcs leaned backwards and gave a great roar to the night sky. Elrose released his arrow into the orcs throat. The roar changed to a gurgle as dark red blood flowed from the orcs throat. The remaining ten orcs charged at the three. Elrose let loose two more arrows, striking one in the head and one in the arm. Kelman charged to meet the orcs as Distian held his position. Kelman’s axe flew through the orcs, cutting straight through one of them and into the one behind him. One of the orcs lifted his axe high above his head and started to bring it down on Distian but Distian swung first. The orc burst into flame as Distian’s enchanted sword flew into his enemy. Several more orcs came rushing through the forest and charged Distian. An axe came down hard but Distian put up his sword, blocking the attack. While he and the orc fought to push the other’s weapon out of the way, a second orc came up and took a slash at Distian. His back tore open as blood flowed from his armor. If Distian had not jumped forward then he would surely have been lying in two pieces on the ground. This put him under the first orc so Distian swung, completely cutting off one of its legs and setting fire to the second. Distian followed through and got the second orc in the stomach. It keeled over and fell as a pool of blood formed about its mangled body. Three more came as Distian braced to fight once more.
Kelman’s battleaxe was drenched in blood as the carcasses of the fallen enemy piled around him. Several jumped him at once so he pulled out a throwing axe and began hacking away at the creatures. One of them was right on op of him, just about to push it’s dagger through Kelman’s chest when an arrow struck the orc’s head passing out the other side and entering another’s chest.
Elrose was shooting arrow after arrow at the oncoming orcs that ran through the forest, buying time for Distian and Kelman to finish off the ten that were originally there. The amount of orcs that had heard the first’s battle cry seemed limitless. Distian had finally finished the last orc in the immediate area when a large orc came charging through the trees with a large sword drawn and an equally large sword still hung from his waist. This orc, however, was no ordinary orc. This was the same orc that had killed his family. His skin was still stained red from the blood of Distian’s family and all others who have fallen to his hands. A sudden rage came over Distian and he charged head long to meet this foe. Their swords clashed, causing Distian’s sword to flare again. As the two mortal enemies stared each other in the eye, pushing their sword with all their might, the orc suddenly jumped back and began to laugh.
“I remember you, human! You were just a boy when I came with my army and conquered your city of Calera! I saw you, hiding in the loft like a coward. I decided to let you go, to tell the world of what I, Grishnak, did to your town, but not before making you watch the death of your family!” He leaned back and gave a deep laugh. “I guess the time has come to finish off the rest of your bloodline, human! Fall before my wrath and the wrath of the horde!!!” He gave out a cry of battle and drew his other sword.
Grishnak charged at Distian, swinging his swords furiously. Every time he came within inches of Distian, yet every time Distian managed to block and dodge his attacks. Grishnak lifted both swords high above his head and brought them down upon Distian. Distian’s sword was set ablaze as it made contact with the swords of Grishnak, mere inches from his head.
“I’ve been waiting to do this for a long time!” cried Distian as he dove to the left. His sword fell from his hands with Grishnak’s swords. Distian pulled out a dagger and stabbed Grishnak in his chest. His face relaxed as blood rushed from the wound. As he fell to his knees, he gasped and whispered, “How?” Grishnak fell to the ground and lay still, never to move again.
Suddenly, the corpses of the fallen began to glow with a greenish color. Several of the corpses emerged to fight again, though most had somehow already become decaying or skeletal. Kelman slashed with his axe, Distian swung with his sword, and Kelman fired with his bow, yet whenever these creatures fell, they would get back up and continue to fight. Elrose could barely make out the language of the Black Speech coming from a deep booming voice. It began to get louder and louder until they could all hear the chanting. “Ugluk u bagronk sha push-dug glob bubhosh skai! Ugluk u bagronk sha push-dug glob bubhosh skai!”
A tall figure could be made out at the other end of the opening. He was a tall bearded man, wielding a dark staff embellished with the wings of what appeared to be a bat and a snake coiling around the headpiece. In his other hand he held a large tome full of the spells of evil. He was wearing dark and torn robes, two short swords crossing at his waist, and the skull of some type of cattle or goat as a helm. This was none other than the Necromancer of the South.
Elrose fired an arrow at the necromancer yet all he did was thrust his staff in the arrows path and it splintered in mid air, falling short of the target.
“Go for the necromancer! If we can kill him, we can end the attacks by the Scourge for ever!” shouted Distian. Kelman and Distian charged the necromancer while Elrose continued firing arrows at him. Distian lunged at the necromancer yet he thrust his staff and pushed Distian’s sword away. Kelman swung but the necromancer sidestepped. He closed his tome and grabbed one of his short swords from its hilt and slashed at the both of us, while making sure he didn’t let go of his staff or stop chanting.
The necromancer slashed several times, narrowly missing Kelman before he said, “Do you really think you can contend with me? I am immortal! No one can even touch me, let alone kill me!” the necromancer resumed his chanting, commanding the skeletons to move closer in his dark speech. They were almost on top of Kelman and Distian when Kelman struck at the necromancer, causing him to drop his staff in order to save himself.
Distian shouted, “We may be unable to kill you, but we can certainly take your powers away!” Distian swung his sword at the necromancer’s staff, setting it ablaze.
“No! You fool! What have you done!” cried the necromancer.
“Destroyed your power.” said Distian as he stabbed at the necromancer’s tome, setting it aflame as well. The skeletons and zombies all collapsed where they stood as the necromancer fell to the ground in despair. Kelman and Distian held him still while Elrose tied him up, forever ending the battles against the undead and restoring tranquility to the lands of Pelaga, Iron Forge, and Doriath.
- - -
The three friends carried the necromancer to the city of Pelaga where he was placed in the dungeon for all eternity. The trio claimed their rewards and settled down to live their old lives and start families of their own. Throughout the rest of their lives, the three remained the best of friends as their kids soon became the best of friends as well. Distian, Elrose, and Kelman were always remembered by the three kingdoms of Pelaga, Iron Forge, and Doriath through song and tale for what they have done and to this day live on, somewhere where they can be at peace. * Character name BASES have been borrowed from Tolkien to maintain authenticity of the cultures he has invented. The chant used by the necromancer was also used from the Lord of the Rings to maintain the black speech.
Other Links
Plane Crash story, untitled
My Myspace
Undying Love
The Legion Comes...
The Troll Wars
