The sword came down to deal death. Its smooth, rune-covered, shaft
glistned in the fading sun. There was no time for a scream; and the
branches hadn't stopped shaking before the humans left the jungle.
"Captain, are ye daft? Why are we leaving the swamp?" a brigand came
forward to say.
"Rygal, if you'd rather sleep beneath a beautiful canopy of living
vines, stirges, and bloated corpses, then by all means," The leader stated
dryly. "Have fun."
There were fits of forced, nervous laughter before they settled down
to camp.
"Ry, you and Liayo go keep the first watch," the Captain said, "Me
and Pail will keep the next watch."
Mere minutes after they had fallen asleep, they never saw the shadowy
mist, drifting towards the camp.
"By Cyric's rump! It's cold!" Rygal complained for the thirtieth time
that night. When no response was forthcoming. He said warily, "Li? Where
are ye?" He heard a rustling and brought his Warsword in the direction. "W-
wh-who be ye?" he recognized the outline of his friend, "Phew, Li it's only
you."
What he didn't see was the twang of recognition in his friends face,
as if, as if he had just remembered something. And he also didn't hear what
his friend muttered evilly. "Blood..."
* * * *
As a sharp scream rang out through the jungle, and the countryside nearby. Many a people were awaken in the night. The Captain woke with a start, damp from his own, cool sweat. He was gripping his slim dagger with white knuckles. As he warily made his way outof his small tent, he saw a scene out of one of his nightmares. Rygal, lying on the ground, damp in his red blood, with a look of utter horror on his face. The Captain slowly made his way over. As he checked the pulse, he looked up to see something so horrible, and bloodcurdling. "Li?" he asked "That can't be you Liayo, no it isnt you. It can't be you." As if the thing understood him, it charged. With skin hanging off in rags, legs pumping, it gathered more speed than any human. The Captain slowly brought up his long sword, and with runes blazing a bright red, plunged it into the skull of the animated corpse. As the red dots in the sockets faded, he heard one thing. "Gill..' He looked at the thing that had once been his friend, and as he broke down crying, he ran. He ran as far as he could.
* * * *
By nightfall he was at a small inn, some day walk away. He was in an inn called, called... "I'm sorry what did you say this inn was called?" He asked a maid. "Why, your in the Wily Wench, in the town of Fireon." "Thank you," he said, but quickly added. "By any chance, might you have a room available? Maybe also some women available for some, oh, how does one put this, 'Companionship'?" "Why of course, dear," She was able to say after a bit of helpless mirth. "Right away." Later that evening, he stumbled upstairs to his room to find 3 women, frozen in alluring poses. Being as inebriated as he was, he didn't even remember the tavern maid's promise, and soon after, all he saw was the stars of his mind.
* * * *
* * * *
As a sharp scream rang out through the jungle, and the countryside nearby. Many a people were awaken in the night. The Captain woke with a start, damp from his own, cool sweat. He was gripping his slim dagger with white knuckles. As he warily made his way outof his small tent, he saw a scene out of one of his nightmares. Rygal, lying on the ground, damp in his red blood, with a look of utter horror on his face. The Captain slowly made his way over. As he checked the pulse, he looked up to see something so horrible, and bloodcurdling. "Li?" he asked "That can't be you Liayo, no it isnt you. It can't be you." As if the thing understood him, it charged. With skin hanging off in rags, legs pumping, it gathered more speed than any human. The Captain slowly brought up his long sword, and with runes blazing a bright red, plunged it into the skull of the animated corpse. As the red dots in the sockets faded, he heard one thing. "Gill..' He looked at the thing that had once been his friend, and as he broke down crying, he ran. He ran as far as he could.
* * * *
By nightfall he was at a small inn, some day walk away. He was in an inn called, called... "I'm sorry what did you say this inn was called?" He asked a maid. "Why, your in the Wily Wench, in the town of Fireon." "Thank you," he said, but quickly added. "By any chance, might you have a room available? Maybe also some women available for some, oh, how does one put this, 'Companionship'?" "Why of course, dear," She was able to say after a bit of helpless mirth. "Right away." Later that evening, he stumbled upstairs to his room to find 3 women, frozen in alluring poses. Being as inebriated as he was, he didn't even remember the tavern maid's promise, and soon after, all he saw was the stars of his mind.
* * * *