The city of Heaven's Peak would've been Hell for any attacking army. How does one march through a swamp or set up camp in such wet, mucky terrain?
The walls of the city were tall and strong, the steep drop off to the swamp below forming a natural swamp. The main entrance was a narrow gate protected by a raised drawbridge, a simple defense but effective. Even if an attacking force managed to get the drawbridge down, only a small number of troops would be able to cross such a narrow bridge at a time, easily managed by defenders while arrows and hot tar rained down on those still stuck in the press on the bridge.
A dozen grannys with brooms could have held off an army in this city. Of course, Sol made a career out of doing solo whole armies couldn't.
Sol had checked around Heaven's Peak's perimeter and talked with the people in the refugee camp. There were two gates into the city, both more or less identical but the second found on the other side of the graveyard with a legion of undead between it and Sol, and a third entrance in the form of a sewer pipe. There was no way in Hell Sol was going to wade through a sewer, so the main entrance it was.
No one could be seen on the walls as Sol approached the drawbridge. From the stone bridge on which she stood, it wasn't all that wide of a gap she needed to cross, nor was the top of the drawbridge all that high up.
Out of her pack Sol took a long length of rope attached to the end of a sturdy, metal, farming rake "borrowed" from the camp. She twirled her makeshift grappling hook around and threw it up to the drawbridge. It hit the wood but then bounced back. She tried again, but it came free when she gave it an experimental tug. Third time was the charm and it held, metal prongs digging deep into wood.
It wasn't until Sol was dangling over the steep drop down to the swamp below that she considered the thought that maybe entrusting her life to a piece of old farming equipment wasn't the brightest of ideas. It was too late to turn back, so she shimmied up the rope as fast as she could and tried not to think about how she would look as a red stain on the ground.
She reached the top of the bridge and hauled herself up, then promptly fell down the other side with a yelp.
"Intruder!"
At the sound of the voice, muffled by a metal helmet, Sol quickly rolled to the side. A sword cut across the ground where she was a second before. Sol jumped to her feet, staff in hand to face a heavily armored knight wielding a sword and shield.
Sol hated fighting people with shields. They were just so annoying to deal with, batting away strikes and creating openings to attack while keeping themselves frustratingly well protected.
But it wasn't many shields that could deflect shields.
Sparks erupted over Sol's hand as she pulled her arm back then thrust it forwards, sending a translucent barrier rocketing into the knight.
He flew back and landed heavily on his back. Sol wasted no time and ran forwards. The knight was covered head to toe in the ornately crafted, distinctive armor, durium by the look of it. The only obvious opening were the eye holes, where Sol plunged the blade of her staff.
With a sickening squelch, Sol removed her weapon then looked up to see a crowd of about fifteen thin, gaunt city dwellers in dirty, ripped clothes staring at her.
"Demon!" one woman finally yelled, picking up a small rock from the ground and throwing it at her.
"Demon!" the rest chorused and joined in the throwing of rocks.
Sol even count the number of times something like this had happened to her. In worlds such as this with a multitude of different races, it was usually assumed she was a member of some exotic, seldom encountered race, but there was never a shortage of ignorant jackasses ready with demon accusations.
"Knock it off!" Sol yelled and slammed the but of her staff onto the ground, releasing a weak shockwave, not very powerful but enough to cause the group to stumble back and shock them into silence.
"If one more of you calls me a demon or does anything else to piss me off, I will personally tear off your limbs and throw you to the zombies. Now, I need information."
It always takes an annoyingly long time to get answers out of scared people. They always went off on tangents or went back to begging for help/to let them go (depending on the situation). It took a while, but Sol was able to find a few things out amidst all the blubbering.
1) Ever since Sir William returned from his last crusade, presumably the assault of the Dark Tower, things have been spiraling into chaos even before the plague. It would seem the holier than thou paladin never gave a rat's ass what happened down in the city as long as his never ending parties weren't interrupted.
2) The wedding between William and some woman named Velvet had been cancelled, despite all the posters declaring their love plastered on every available surface. Why people thought that was relevant enough to mention was beyond Sol.
3) Zombies were everywhere, especially in the poor quarter.
4) Some claimed to have seen 'flying demons' guarding the citadel.
5) Sir William had spent a lot of time at the Halfway to Heaven Inn lately, where coincidently several people have gone missing. It was worth checking out in the meantime while waiting for the Overlord. If stopping the plague meant a trip to the local bar, well that was a sacrifice Sol would have to make.
Sol ordered the city dwellers to lower the drawbridge then ventured deeper into Heaven's Peak. There were a few more knights about but Sol just snuck by them. There was no point in wasting the energy to kill them, and the Overlord could just roast them alive easily when he passes through later.
Sol ran into plenty of zombies on her way to the inn. They were slow, stupid and weak, and only their sheer numbers made them a danger. Sol couldn't fight them all alone, at least not without burning herself out, so whenever she came across a large pocket of the shuffling corpses she turned and fled, losing them quickly and finding another way around.
What could have caused something like this, anyway? Anything to do with undead usually involved a necromancer, but that type of magic would raise those already dead, not create a plague that effects the living. No, when a necromancer wants a zombie army, they would slaughter a village and reanimate the corpses. Sol doubted they would even be capable of something like this.
Sol knew of plenty of magical creatures who could cause sickness, but on such a scale and with such an effect? More likely it was a mage of some kind. It definitely couldn't be a warlock with their straight forward, destructive magic. Shoot fire and lightning through their fingers? Certainly. Turn people into zombies? Never.
A sorcerer or a witch was more likely. Sithian, Sol hoped it wasn't a witch. So much as look at them funny and they'd hex you, and they tended to be extremely creative with their spells. The last time Sol had fought one she had manage to stab it in the chest only for it to curse her to always have its blood on her hands. She had killed the witch sure enough, but for the next month fresh blood had constantly coated and dripped from her hands, making a mess of everything and turning the simplest of tasks into an ordeal. Mortis eventually found a way to counteract the spell (though he was disappointed to lose a constant supply of witch's blood, an otherwise rare alchemical ingredient), so now she had a small rune burned onto each of her palms instead. Fun times.
There were fewer and fewer zombies the closer Sol got to the inn. What made this place so special? Sol uncovered her face (no need to make people more nervous than they already were) and went inside.
"Welcome!" a cheery blonde barmaid greeted Sol. "It may be Hell on Earth out there, but at our inn the drinks are still cold. Our beer will take you halfway to heaven, and I'm sure you'll find something in here to show you the ret of the way."
That came out way creepier and ominous than was likely intended. Sol just nodded, took a seat and looked around the room.
The inn was crowded with people trying to drink their problems away. Being one of the few zombie free areas in the city had to be great for business. As far as inns went it was a damned nice place too, clean, well lit and with food that actually looked like food. A good step up from where Sol usually found herself.
The atmosphere, however, was understandably strained and fearful. No amount of alcohol could completely erase the nervousness and worry the plague stirred up. People tried to hide it, but they were all on edge. That is, everyone except for one.
In the corner by himself was a man in a blood red cloak, his face hidden in the deep folds of his hood. He didn't talk to anyone and looked entirely at ease as he lounged in a plush chair. Sol kept her eye on him from her place at the bar. When another red cloaked figure entered the inn, the man got up and the two went off together though a side door Sol had assumed led to the cellar.
Sol put down her mug (What? Job or not, she was thirsty.) and followed.
The air grew cooler as Sol quietly stepped down a flight of stone stairs. She peered around a corner and saw a room filled with barrels and kegs, and caught sight of the scarlet tail of a cloak before it disappeared down a hallway.
Sol kept low as she traveled across the room, careful not to knock into anything. She made it to the hallway and saw it ended in a set of large wooden doors. She could hear voices and other unidentifiable noises coming from the other side.
Sol readied herself for whatever may be beyond those doors, kicked them open and…
"Welcome to the Order of the Red Dawn. Do enjoy your stay."
Of all the things she expected to find, a party wasn't one of them. Everything in the room was red, the rugs, the banners, the furniture, the identical cloaks of its occupants, save for the golden masks everyone wore. Sol, dazed by the unexpected find, was ushered into the room by the man who had greeted her.
People were lounging on couches, talking and laughing in small groups, drinking wine and a few danced to the haunting melody of a violin. What was all this? No one objected to Sol's presence or even seemed aware of it.
Was this some sort of cult? If it was, that could explain the plague. Bunch of wealthy, bored idiots playing at magic and demon worship could very well release something nasty by accident. Some clue as to how to stop it could be found if she were to have a look around.
There were several doors leading out of the room. Sol chose one at random and threw it open.
"Does the scarf on the door handle mean nothing to you? Or were you hoping to join in?"
Sol slammed the door shut. What was… How was that even physically possible?!
Ok. Just stay calm and don't touch anything!
Sol picked another door, this one without anything on the handle. This room was bare save for three sheep.
Why would they keep sheep down- Oh Gods!
Another door slammed shut, another emotional scar. What the Hell is wrong with some people?
For her own piece of mind, Sol tried to make herself believe the sheep were there to be sacrificed in some ritual. It didn't work, but she was able to conjure up the nerve to open a third door, revealing one supremely twisted torture chamber. Again, what the Hell is wrong with some people? Sure, she worked for the one cause that was well aware it was evil and proud of it, but she wasn't that messed up.
Did judging make her a hypocrite? Maybe, but Sol didn't care. She just wanted out of there before anything even more twisted appeared. Search for the plague source be damned, she had her own mental wellbeing to think about.
"You can't go now!" a man stopped her at the door. "The Lady is about to pick someone else!"
"Oh, I hope her Majesty chooses me next!" a woman said.
Sol's questions died on her lips when the large, ornate doors on the other side of the room opened and a figure seductively sashayed in.
To Sol's mind, succubus are just whores with wings. Succubus Queens are extremely powerful whores with wings. This one didn't bother to fly as she casually walked across the room, every conversation stopped as all eyes turned to watch her passing with adoration.
This explained a lot, and also revealed just how dangerous of a situation Sol was in. Succubus are masters of mind control, and this queen had each and every member of the Order of the Red Dawn as her thralls. They would rip Sol to shreds with their bare hands for her favour.
Sol played a song in her head. Mind control worked best if the victim's thoughts were scattered, jumping around or wandering, but it became harder if they were focused on something. Doing math worked best, but if it came to a fight, finding the antiderivative of 5x³ + 10x² + 2x was hardly feasible. So a song it was.
Oh well honor for all, oh the big and the small
The taller they stand, the harder they fall
We live for today but we die for the next
With blood in our veins and the air in our chests
we step into war with our hearts on the line
The dirt on our boots it shakes free over time
The music it fades, the violin slows
The darkness it rises as the sun goes
The succubus queen stopped in front of Sol and smiled, revealing sharp, bright white fangs.
"Who are you?" she purred. "A new toy for me to play with?"
She stroked Sol's cheek with a finger and Sol struggled not to flinch back. Sol couldn't start anything right here where she was hopelessly outnumbered.
"You smell strongly of magic, my sweet. Not human, are you? That's fine. Neither am I, and I could do with a little variety in my meals."
The succubus stared into Sol's eyes. She knew she should look away, that she was being hypnotized, but it was just so hard. With enormous effort, Sol managed to turn away.
Love is a distant aroma at best
A withering smile that's stuffed deep in your vest
The night air it wraps it's fingers around
Your body it shakes from a now distant sound
Oh the sound of her voice, a sweet symphony
Played over and over until you are free
The music it fades, the violin slows
The darkness it rises, as the sun goes
"Such a strong will you have. Why do you fight? Isn't it so muck easier to just give in?"
She grabbed Sol's head and forced her to look into her eyes.
"Do you not adore me? Do you not love me? Am I not enough?"
"Tell me you want me, that you would do anything for me."
"I… would…" Sol started then stopped. What was wrong with her? She needed to leave, right now.
Can you feel the new day rising
Climbing up the east horizon
They can't hold us down we'll fight through
Each and everyone will start new
"You're not like that Sir William, are you? You will not wake me from my long slumber, drag me into a new world just to leave me for some human harlot? Promise, my sweet, that you will stay for all eternity."
Sol was strong. She would've died long ago if she were not. But this was a succubus queen, ancient beyond reckoning and her magic perfected over millennia of experience. Even Sol was little more than a child playing with magic when compared to her. Despite her efforts, she could not keep out the queen's influence. Sol's defenses were smashed to rubble, leaving her defenseless.
"I… promise…"
"Excellent! Perhaps I'll keep you as a pet, if you can keep me entertained."
O course Sol would! She would do anything for the Lady. Sol would keep the Lady safe and happy. Whatever her Majesty wants, she would get.
The succubus took Sol by the arm and led her from the room into a private chamber. Sol couldn't take in any details, all her thoughts were focused on the Queen, who pulled a dagger from Sol's belt and examined it.
"A warrior, are you my sweet? Sir William is a brave paladin, but then he abandoned me. So I sent a plague to ravish his people, but he still won't return to me."
"I will kill him if you wish."
She laughed. "So eager, but do you have the skill to match? William is a hero. What are you? Something useful, or simply my next meal?"
Sol was silenced with a finger pressed against her lips.
"Do not try to boast. You would say anything right now if you thought it would impress me. But blood, blood never lies."
The succubus sank her fangs into Sol's neck, her leathery wings enfolding the enthralled Wanderer.
It felt like Sol's blood was filling with ice, spreading outwards from the bite on her neck. She turned completely numb and couldn't move from her spot rooted to the floor.
The succubus pulled back suddenly, coughing slightly as beads of blood dripped down her chin.
"That was… unexpected. You are just full of surprises, my sweet. Such power in your blood. You alone could sustain me for a century. You're far to useful to just drain and discard. You will serve me well."
The succubus left the room and Sol followed like a little lost puppy.
"You will stand here, outside my quarters, until I decide what you will do for me first. Kill anyone who tries to enter or leave without my permission. You would do anything to protect your Queen, wouldn't you, my sweet?"
"Anything for you."
The succubus smiled, a chilling, unnerving sight. She then chose another member of the Red Dawn cult and disappeared back into her quarters.
Sol was so cold. It felt as if all the heat had been sucked from the room. What was warmth? As Sol stood outside that door, motionless, watching many be called into the Queen's chambers but never returning, Sol forgot what it was to be warm. There was nothing except for the succubus queen's commands and the ice in her veins.
"My sweet, I have a task for you," the Queen finally told her, ushering her into the private chamber. "Someone down in the city has become something of an annoyance. I want you to kill him and bring me his head as a present."
"Who?" Sol asked. Any enemy of the Lady would be destroyed with great pleasure.
"Some upstart who thinks they can come and take over my territory, myfeeding grounds. Apparently he goes by the name of Kaern and commands some sort of rat army. Take care of it, my sweet."
"The Overlord…"
"Who?" the Queen asked and raised one delicate eyebrow.
Sol was being ordered to kill the Overlord. Of course she would do it. This was her Queen and she would do anything for her.
Suddenly, a hot spike of pain erupted in Sol's head at the thought of raising a weapon against the Overlord. She tried to fight through it, to go and follow her Majesty's orders, but a blazing heat built up in her core and warred against the icy cold in her blood.
"What's wrong, my sweet? Are you not loyal to your queen? Go and obey me."
The cold was being burned out by the heat. The burning reminded her that this bitch wasn't the one she served. A humming noise filled Sol's head, purging the succubus' influence from her mind. It was a familiar sound and one she had heard before. Along with the heat, it was the bonds that tied her to the one who truly commanded her loyalty.
"You are not my master," Sol hissed.
Faster than the surprised succubus queen could react, Sol drew her dagger and plunged it into the creature's black heart. The last of the ice was gone but the fire in her veins remained, and only the whirlwind of blood drawn from the cultists could quench it as a song once again played in Sol's head.
Well we shall not stumble no we shall not fall
We shall not crumble we shall stand stall
Death it will come as sure as the night
But we will not run no we live but to fight
With blood on our hands and dirt on our knees
We tear at the ones who brought the disease
The music it fades, the violin slows
The darkness it rises as the sun goes
Can you feel the new day rising
Climbing up the east horizon
They can't hold us down we'll fight through
Each and everyone will start new
And that was Honor For All by Jon Licht and Daniel Licht.