A/N: Again this goes without editing, but who cares. I would like to thank some bands for making some songs I listen to while writing the story. When I listen to Reel Big Fish, things turn out more humorous, when I listen to System of a Down things turn out evil and dark, some Metallica and Led Zeppelin are great for traveling sequences, and Tool, some Metallica and some Led Zeppelin are good for battle scenes. Thank you!
Chapter Two
Evil Tidings
The cleric walked into the theater and waited for the performance to be finished with. Yzza snuck in the back and Lurg stayed at his station. Alcmet went off to charm more people for their money. The bard was singing a slow, mournful funeral song when the curtains fell. The crowd cheered and cheered. Zirtz left the screaming crowd and walked into the back rooms.
To his right was the entrance Yzza had entered from and to his left were the dressing rooms. Straight ahead was another route backstage. The cleric took the door on his right and walked in to the bard sitting on a chair fumbling with a string on one of his outfits.
"Sir, our thief has retrieved a letter from the castle. It was written to the Lord from an unknown woman."
"Bring her to me," whispered the bard urgently. Zirtz stepped out side the door then just a second later walked back in again. Yzza snuck under his arms and assumed a military position.
"I have the letter sire," she almost shouted as if she were in the army.
"Let me have it," the bard said excitedly. Yzza handed him the letter. The bard examined it over and over again, each time his smile becoming more and more wry. He sat back on his chair and shut his eyes, shaking all over.
"Sire," Yzza yelled.
"Don't move Yzza," said Zirtz as she moved towards the bard. "It will pass."
"But Zirtz‑"
"I said leave him!" bellowed the now vicious looking cleric. Yzza felt an overwhelming power emit from the cleric. A giant invisible force pushed her on to a nearby chair. The bard's mouth started to foam up as he shook even more uncontrollably.
Yzza whined. "Zirtz! We must save him!"
A shadow was cast across the cleric's face. For a moment he looked the very essence of a demon, with horns sprouting from his head that only Yzza could see and his face turning red as if on fire. Yzza couldn't tear herself away from the demonic cleric.
"I said, Yzza," he sputtered stopping after each word, "Leave him be!" Yzza needed to help the bard and some cleric wasn't going to stop her. Fighting the invisible force holding her down, Yzza managed to stand up. She rushed over to the bard and groped for something to clean his mouth with. Zirtz was on the brink of exploding right in Yzza's very face.
Yzza's arms were stopped in mid air as she tried to wipe the bard's mouth. The demonic features spread across the cleric's face again.
"Sit down!" Yzza was tossed across the room by the ever-powerful invisible force. Her head collided with the wall. The cleric turned to the bard again. His evil features becoming more and more impish every moment. A look of distorted satisfaction swept athwart his face. The bard stopped shaking entirely as he sat up. The devilish features disappeared from the cleric's face.
"Sire," he said bowing his head.
"What happened tell me," shouted the angry bard.
"You had a seizure sire."
"Well why didn't you stop it," he sprayed spit all over Zirtz's face.
"It was better that way."
"Better!" the bard screamed his face blotching up. "I could have died!"
"Sire," Yzza's small voice sang through the air.
"What is it," he yelled.
"I tried to help you sire," she said throwing daggers at Zirtz with her eyes, rubbing her head vigorously.
"Did you now," smiled the bard turning to the cleric. "And what did you do cleric?"
"I tried to stop her sire," he whispered staring at the bard's feet.
"Is this a conspiracy," he exploded.
"No sire."
"Yzza!"
"Yes sire?"
"Get this cleric out of my sight. Now!" Zirtz allowed himself to be walked outside by Yzza. She led him out the side door whence she came. The cleric kept looking down at the ground. Yzza stole around front and greeted Lurg. Zirtz reluctantly followed. Yzza told him all about the evil cleric.
"How could he," asked Lurg not believing his ears.
"Don't ask me. Just make sure he doesn't try anything evil. I'm going back to the palace."
"Goodbye," Lurg muttered slowly as Yzza lumbered off. How could this kindly young cleric become so evil in a matter of seconds? The very same cleric who had taken him from the evil Orc lands and turned him good. He just could not believe it.
"Don't try anything sneaky on me," said Lurg to Zirtz. A linger of a smile played across the cleric's weathered face.
"I wouldn't dream of it."
"Good." All at once the audience burst through the front doors trampling Lurg. When the babbling crowd had passed, Lurg got to his feet and looked around for the evil cleric. He had vanished. A thick metal mace came swinging from behind Lurg, knocking him out and leaving a bloody bump on his head. Zirtz frowned down at Lurg, knowing when he woke he would be thrown into a fit of rage.
The wicked cleric sprinted to the back door, making absolutely sure no one would see him. Then a voice spoke out behind him that made him jump in fright.
"What are you doing," the voice spoke quickly but sneeringly. Alcmet stepped out from a shadow of a nearby tree.
"Listen Elf," said Zirtz grittily, ""
"I have a choice number four for you."
"And what is that?"
"I put you out my good priest." Alcmet thrust his twisted staff at Zirtz but a wizard stood no chance whatsoever against a fully armed cleric without using magic. Zirtz swiped his mace in a downward arc and easily broke the wooden staff. Alcmet rolled back and gained a fighting position. He waved his hands about and muttered some strange words. A flashing green light flew out at Zirtz and caught him in the stomach, blasting him back into the side of the building. Alcmet, seeing his chance, sprang headlong at the cleric and beat him with his fists. Zirtz kicked out like a rabbit and threw the assaulter off of him. His heavy iron mace crashed down upon the Elven wizard as he was getting to his feet. Alcmet managed to let out a withered gasp before sprawling out face first on the ground.
"Serves you right you clumsy wizard," muttered Zirtz as he kicked once at Alcmet, then walking in the theater. Straight ahead were the dressing rooms that the bard was sitting in. Zirtz opened the door to the room and leapt in.
"What are you doing here cleric," said the bard quietly.
"That's it bard I've had enough. I'll give you a choice. Walk out of here and never speak a word about me again, get brutally murdered by me or join me in my quest."
"I've never met an evil cleric before," the bard laughed.
"Don't push it jester."
"You'll have to try your hand at battle if you ever think you'll beat me."
"Just you wait," Zirtz snarled baring his teeth angrily. The bard drew a long and thin sword from his belt and strapped on a small round shield. Zirtz put his mace in a position as if it were a baseball bat and the bard's head was the ball. The bard cast a spell on the cleric, making him extremely dimwitted. Zirtz swung his mace clumsily at the bard's head, letting the bard bat at him a couple times before the effects wore off. The cleric regained his senses and was able to fend off the bard's recurring blows. Zirtz kicked out and struck the bard in the chest. Zirtz managed to cast a spell at the bard, sending a strange gray light searing at him. The spell exploded when it was just at the bard's face, blasting him back. The bard's face was heavily bruised and blood gushed from his many open wounds. Zirtz jumped in the air and swung his mace overhead, throwing down the finishing blow. The bard went limp as the mace hit him in the face.
"I beat you now so how do you light that huh, jester," the evil cleric shouted at the bard's lifeless figure. Something had snapped in the cleric's mind. He scrambled out of the dressing room and launched headlong outside. Dashing past various buildings and people, Zirtz was heading for the city gates. Off in the distance he could hear an enraged roar, Lurg waking up.
The evil cleric tripped over a citizen who was heading for the library just to his right.
"Oh I'm sorry Father," said the citizen quickly.
"Don't worry about it," Zirtz shouted over his shoulder as he went on with his pursuit to the city gates. He reached it with time enough to spare, but the guards stopped him because a seemingly peaceful priest running for the gates would seem suspicious.
"Halt Father," a guard said to Zirtz.
"Yes my son," acted the cleric pretending to be a minister.
"What goes on with your running?"
"Oh my son I can see that you are suspicious but I am in dire need of an herb not grown in the church's garden's."
"I'm sorry to stop you Father but I'll need to know why you need this herb and why someone younger than you can't get it."
"Because my son, every young one has retired for the night and I am the fastest runner at the church for as you see Sister Mary isn't getting any younger."
"And why do you need this herb?"
"Because you fool," screamed the cleric, "Someone is dying and they need my help! Now get out of my way or I'll hit you with my mace!"
"Right away Father," said the guard cautiously, "Oh and by the way, do you need someone to protect you while you are out there?"
"Oh," Zirtz went back to the kindly old reverend again, "Oh no thank you my son, I will suffice."
"Then be on your way Father and help this dying soul!" The guard let the cleric pass. Zirtz was free from the city and no one could suspect such a kind old cleric could be such an evil man. No one except Yzza that is. Yzza had seen him running from the theater and picked up his trail. She had seen him run into the pedestrian, she had seen him speak to the guard. She had seen him exit the city. She stopped at the guards and told them about the situation and about how the cleric was evil and such. She then followed the cleric stealthily.
Zirtz stopped running when he wasn't in view of the city of Palen. He would walk to nearby Tarkin to gather his group of evil minions. The world could not be prepared for his assault. Zirtz thought about what he would do to attack the country of Palunganay that he lived in when the sun started to set. Zirtz did not have any supplies with him so he had to sleep in his vestments. Making camp in a ditch on the side of the road, the cleric took off his battered robe, hung it on a stick and then laid rest underneath it. But he wouldn't be sleeping very long.
Zirtz awoke immediately to find Yzza tying him up. Still pretending to be asleep, he let the rogue tie his legs and let her move up to his arms. Just when Yzza was about to wrap the rope around his arms, Zirtz let fly a punch that collided with Yzza's face.
"Damn," she screamed grabbing her nose. The cleric took this time to untie his legs and grab his mace from the bushes next to him. Yzza took out her thin and lengthy sword to take out the cleric. She lunged at his tied figure but got nothing but the soft dirt he was sleeping under. Zirtz swung his mace on the side of Yzza, breaking a few ribs. She gasped in pain as she fell to the floor, throwing her sword up at the cleric.
The cleric grunted as the sword stuck into his stomach. Wrenching the sword from his abdomen, Zirtz stabbed down at Yzza, wounding deep in her back. Zirtz decided to pick up his items and make haste to Tarkin, lest the rogue had told anyone about his disappearance. Before he left for Tarkin however, he cast a healing spell and his wounds instantly disappeared. It was actually a quite a pleasant walk to the city albeit in the middle of the night. Finally as Zirtz was halfway there the sun rose bringing with it a new fear for the evil cleric. There was hardly any doubt the rogue had told someone and that meant it would make it easier for anyone to search for him in broad daylight. And they would probably be on horses.
Zirtz picked up the pace until he broke into a light jog. Then fear caught the better of him. Zirtz started to sprint towards Tarkin. Every turn he took he imagined hearing horse hoofs behind him charging him down. Every twist he went he could see the gate guards on horses dashing at him with lances. He took yet another turn and then, a great relief to his eyes, Tarkin appeared. Running faster than before, Zirtz sprinted headlong the final lap.
Something broke his chances of ever reaching the city. He heard horses hoof's behind him and this time they weren't imagined. He turned around and saw the guards bearing down on him, two with lances and the other two with bows. Arrows whizzed past the cleric's face as he ran like he had never ran before. His lungs bursting for air and his side aching like a knife between his ribs, Zirtz darted to the gates of the walled city.
But there were no guards on duty at that time in the morning. The cleric banged and banged on the door, the Palen guards approaching him. Just as an arrow rocketed at him, the cleric jumped and grabbed onto the wall of the city. Searching for footholds blindly, Zirtz scrambled up the flat wall and fell off about halfway up. The wind rushed from out him as he landed flat on his back. Gasping for air, the cleric got up and cast a spell on him.
Zirtz climbed up the slippery wall and stuck to it due to the magic he had cast. He reached the top of the wall in a matter of seconds. The cleric looked back at the guards who had just reached the gate. He looked inside the city and saw gate guards walking to the gate. With no time to lose, the cleric dropped down to the inside of the city, casting a spell just as he hit the ground. The gate guards saw him jump out of nowhere.
"Quick my son," the cleric said to one of the astounded guards, "There is evil men outside chasing me. Do not let them in my sons and God will reward you."
"Yes Father," said one of the guards as a loud banging came from the gate.
"And where is the church my son?"
"Just next to the monastery in Town Square in the middle of town," pointed the other guard. Zirtz took off, rushing past buildings and people. There was a great fountain in Town Square. He quickly found the monastery and then the church.
"Sanctuary, Sanctuary," he screamed as he entered the church.
"Brother," said one of the priests, "You do not need to call out Sanctuary for you are one of God's." Zirtz looked down at his robes and saw the big cross on the middle of it.
"Thank you Brother…?" he half asked.
"Brother John."
"Oh yes, thank you Brother John for you see I am being chased by evil men from Palen. I have rushed over to the great city of Tarkin to be protected. I told the gate guards not to let them through but I fear they will get through because there are four of them and they are fully trained."
"And what be your name Brother?"
"Zir- er Brother Joseph," Zirtz said thinking of the first name that came to his mind.
"You will be safe as long as you are in this church of God. And dearie me you look starved. Let's get Brother Joseph something to eat," Brother John shouted to another priest in the church. "Our church is connected to the monastery so if you have a need to read up on something then just ask Sister Mary or me." One of the Brother's brought Zirtz a tray of food with a loaf of bread, a wedge of cheese and a goblet of wine.
"Thank you Brother," he said as he took the tray and sat down on a bench. Zirtz bit hungrily into the wheat bread. Taking the knife on the tray, he cut a chunk of cheese and put it in his mouth to go with the bread. Zirtz finished eating and went up to Brother John.
"Brother John," he whispered, "Is there a Bishop at this city?"
"Alas," said John with a frown on his face, "Alas no, our good Father Frederick was murdered in his sleep during the war of 1152."
"Have you ever thought of becoming the Bishop?"
"Yes I have but you see you must be elected by one of the priests. And then once you are elected you need at least two thirds of the clergy in the church to vote for you to become the Bishop of the town."
"Who has been nominated thus far?"
"Brother Clarence, Sister Mary and myself."
"Thank you Brother John. I would like to go to the monastery would you be able to accompany me," asked Zirtz solemnly.
"Yes of course follow me," finished John as he walked out a side door. Zirtz stepped into the monastery, full with monks using the presses to make copies of various books. Zirtz searched through the M section and found what he was looking for.
"Magic of the Middle Ages," he whispered aloud. Cracking open the book, Zirtz found various spells and enchantments but could not find the one he was looking for. Finally after many minutes of searching he found the enchantment he wanted.
"Charm anything possible. I've found Alcmet's little secret," he smiled to himself.
Phase one of his plan had begun.