Chapter 2: Unholy Alliance
The blue light emitting from the rising lid of the coffin was slowly decreasing in intensity, until the lid was entirely open and the light died out. Morkul leaned forward to look what was within, when the skeletal servant reached inside, pulling back a cloth covering the body within. When the skeletal hand drew the cloth back, Morkul saw the decayed remains of what seemed to be a human face, only a few slabs of flesh were still attached and the eyes were totally gone, leaving dark, hollow sockets. His quest was a failure, or so Morkul thought. But, when he looked closer, he saw that a faint red light was emanating from within the eye sockets, slowly increasing in intensity.
Morkul's hart nearly stopped when the skeletal remains within the coffin sat upright in a sudden movement. "The Orb!", it shouted. Morkul immediately jumped back a few feet, afraid of the strength and evil radiating from this creature.
"Good day master, it has been far too long." The servant said, taking a little bow towards the skeleton.
The skeleton within the coffin rubbed his hands over his face a few times, as if to help it wake up from a deep sleep, when it slowly pulled its hands away staring at them for a few moments.
"By the Gods…" It sounded startled. It turned its hands several times, as if examining them thoroughly before it franticly started ripping the few remains of its clothes it still had on, as if in a frenzy. After it ripped most of the coverings away it stared for a few moments over its own body. Then it softly started laughing, extending its arm sideways towards the skeletal servant. "Mirror"
The servant produced a mirror from under its robe and handed it to the figure within the coffin. It took the mirror, holding it to examine its face. It again started laughing, quickly turning loud and maniacal, before it smashed the mirror on the side of the coffin, still laughing and holding its head.
The servant waited a second before starting to pick up the pieces of the mirror, scattered over what remained of the floor. "Master, is everything alright? You seem to be…different then before…"
The laughing died down as the skeletal figure rose from the coffin, giving Morkul a good look at its form. This skeleton looked like any other he had ever seen, except for the fierce red dots in its eye sockets. The evil emanating from this thing was almost overwhelming and it took all of Morkul's willpower to overcome the desire to run away and never look back. He also was a bit surprised…this skeleton was clearly intelligent but, unlike the servant skeleton, had no runes or other incantations on any part of its exposed remains.
The skeleton stepped out of the coffin, while ripping apart what remained of it coverings. Morkul made a few steps backwards, before taking his holy symbol firmly in his hands. "It is nothing, I tried to cheat death but Death had other plans for me." The form now stood completely uncovered besides the coffin and it turned its head as if it was taking in the scenery. Until it's gaze stopped looking directly at Morkul. "And who might you be?"
The confidence Morkul had at the start of his quest was now significantly less, but he still was determined as he took his holy symbol, holding it in front of the face of the skeleton. "I am your new master, that's who I am! In Talos his name, obey me! I command it!" He said with a booming voice.
A young man was working in the gardens surrounding a vast fortress, the sun shining on his sweaty back, a rake in his hands. There were several people within the gardens, all of them dirty and sweaty, shoveling out the weeds that grew between the herbs. Overseeing them all was a tall figure wearing an impressive set of full plate, a shield hung over his shoulder and a long sword strung to his belt. Next to him, stood a young chubby man, also looking at all of the young men who were shoveling away the weeds. "You have all been slacking in your vigilance! I want to see all weeds removed from this garden, before the day is finished! If the simple weeds of evil are able to grow beneath our very noses, how can you ever hope to be prepared to face true evil when it rears its ugly head!"
Kellisar knew the drill sergeant was right about this, but it wasn't even his fault the weeds were growing. The garden was the responsibility of another trainee, a young fighter who was notorious for being slack. The rest of the trainees would certainly take revenge upon him, as this wasn't the first time he has gotten everybody in trouble, and most of the other trainees were sick of it. Since the very first day he was a screw-up, and at first he would be punished, but after several months of showing no improvement, the drill sergeant decided to punish the other trainees who obviously were to blame for the bad behavior of the chubby man.
Just a few more days and Kellisar wouldn't have too worry about this guy making his training worse for him, because his initiation was due anytime now. He would finally receive the honor of wearing the full plate armor everybody was working for the past few years. Kellisar could have become a full fledged priest in the service of Helm a year ago, and be rid of the harsh training schedules but he was determined to become a specialty priest. Now after almost three years of harsh training he was mere days away of achieving his dreams.
Suddenly the thoughts of Kellisar were disturbed by the sound of the alarm clocks. Drill sergeant Barnes immediately began shouting orders. "Okay you maggots, you got lucky today! Get your battle gear together and report within the courtyard in twenty minutes! It looks like we're going to war!" He quickly began walking away from the group and Kellisar immediately took over command of the group.
"You heard Sergeant Barnes! Give the tools to Chucky, wash up and get your gear from the barracks! Move!" The young men hurried to take the tools to Chunky who, moments ago, was standing next to the drill sergeant. When there was no higher ranking officer in the neighborhood, Kellisar would take over the role of leader within the group, earning this right during his first years of training.
Despite the confidence he displayed in his orders, Kellisar was worried. In all the years he heard the alarm clocks being rung, it always was a drill, but this time the clocks sounded more…distraught.
It was quiet for several seconds, the tensest seconds in Morkuls life, since his life would probably depend on the outcome. The reaction he received was unexpected.
"Hahahahahahaha! Talos! That's a good one! He's probably the one who is responsible for my current condition, that old fart! Hahaha!" The undead got up from it's coffin and stepped out of it, his laughing turning into a little chuckle, if the noise as frightening as it was could be called that.
"Would you like some new robes, my master?" the servant asked, undisturbed by the attempt of Morkul to command them both.
"O, why not? Although I don't think there is anything left of my clothes." The powerful undead looked around and once again set his gaze upon Morkul. "Are you still here?" It's red eyes flashed a bit stronger when it turned it's head towards the priest.
Looking confused at his unholy symbol, Morkul once again gathered his nerve and attempted to command the undead. "I am! And in the name of Talos, I command Thee!"
"Hmmmm…yes, well…that's getting old, now isn't it? Now are you going to tell me who you are, or shall I ask your corpse later?" The undead walked behind the desk and stood before its comfortable chair. "You have got three seconds." He said as he sat down.
For a single moment Morkul thought about just running away, but he was sure that the power he had over undead was nothing compared too the power this creature commanded. With a sigh he lowered his arm which held the unholy symbol that helped him command numerous undead in the past without flaw, but which now seemed unable to do the same with these creatures. Just another testimony of the great power he uncovered from the desert. "I am Morkul, faithful servant of Talos, God of destruction."
All of the trainees arrived within the courtyard wearing their chain mail armor each of them wore until they were found worthy enough to wear the stronger types of armor. Chucky as usual was the last to arrive, still fiddling with the straps holding his armor together. Each of them stood at their assigned position making last minute adjustments to the location of their weapons and adjusting armor straps. Kellisar walked past them, checking out everyone of them, before stopping in front of Chucky, who was still trying to get a certain part of his armor attached properly. Kellisar grumbled when helping him adjusting it. "Come on Chuck you've been training for years now and still you don't know how to do this in time?"
"I'm sorry Kell, I'm just too nervous when those bells chime!" Chucky looked apologetic towards Kellisar, letting him adjust his armor so that it doesn't hamper his movement anymore.
"I know, I know." Kellisar let's out a sigh. "Just stay close to me if we are sent out for combat, I'll be able to protect you. Now…Attention!" All of the trainees stood up, their feet firmly on the ground, chest out and chin up. Kellisar stood in front of them, his hands in his side, looking at them with approval. Just then drill sergeant Barnes entered the courtyard.
Barnes stood in front of the group, looking at them with a stern expression on his face his eyes narrowing slightly when meeting those of Chucky. "Okay you maggots, it seems that the higher-ups have found out that a small Orc army is about to emerge from the Wastelands." Kellisar held his breath upon hearing this news, as did everyone of the trainees. "Furthermore they also seem to think you are finally ready to take on the field…on your own!" They gasped for air. Every single time they left the temple on assignment they always had the sergeant with them, telling hem what to do and what to look out for and now they would have to do it by themselves. They have trained for this day to come for years now and now it was here they were becoming nervous as hell.
"The main force will leave the temple later this afternoon, your mission will be to form the rearguard, patrolling the area between us and the temple seeing to it that no Orcs get any further or being able to endanger our rear. Get ready and meet me back here in two hours. Dismissed!" Sergeant Barnes was obviously having doubts about sending them out without him, but he trained them well. Except maybe Chucky, but Helm had special plans with him, otherwise the higher-ups would have him kicked out of training months ago.
The trainees went of to get everything they would need for the road thoughts of all kind running through their heads.
