Thankyou to Timayy (more y's) since you're the only one who reviewed chapter 3 before I got around to posting this. XD

Disclaimer: I don't own the world or the traditional characters, just my own additions.

FLAWLESS EVIL

The Penalty for Error

Reece once again stood in the town square as he watched the last of the useful items be removed from the Town Hall. Overhead the midday sun beat down upon the stonework making it pleasantly warm. A few metres away the 'king' dithered about. "Nikolai, stop dithering and come here, tell me what enchantments are there on the town hall hmm?"

Shuffling forwards the old warrior spoke, "Very old enchantments, against fire, against the dead, against destruction and against pestilence. That is all I know, they were put in place a very long time ago."

"Tell everyone to stand clear of the town hall." Without waiting for a reply Reece raised his arms and closed his eyes. No words issued from his mouth but it was clear that he was focusing intensely. Between him and the town hall flickers of white light passed back and forth, the ground began to shake and birds took flight all over town. As he stood there and blocked out the world around him he chanted in his mind the words of free magic that he would need, an almost endless litany of harsh phrases that burnt his mind as he projected them across the space between him and the town hall.

As the flickering flashes of light intensified the building began to come apart, its ancient enchantments failing, each with a brilliant release of magical energy, scorching the cobbles of the square. Stone split and the roof shattered to fall inwards, stones rearranged themselves and slowly, gradually a structure began to rise up, the stones of the ground pulling apart and piling atop each other to build some mighty structure.

Then, inextricably, something went wrong. A great swathe of stones shattered into dust. Inside his head the chant picked up speed, the phrases burning themselves into his brain. Outside the screeching wail of tortured stone reached a climax before with a blinding flash of light, a resounding clap of thunder and a cloud of stone dust that enveloped the entire town in barely more than an instant, the building collapsed. The magic failed and Reece dropped his arms. Hidden in the cloud of dust he brought one hand up to his head and massaged his forehead. When the dust finally settled enough to see again though his appearance was as usual, stern, cold, sinister and powerful.

Looking around he announced, "I require a sacrifice." His eyes alighted on the old 'king's' wife. "Bring her." Screaming the old lady was brought forwards to stand before him. The guards restraining her stood quivering in fear. With a gesture he motioned them away and stared at the old lady as she cowered in front of him. Without warning he spoke five harsh words in rapid succession, "harash, mkil, katchak, polk, gerachk." On the first word a spire of rock slightly taller than a man thrust itself up from the ground, on the second word the woman was pulled up against it and bound to it by magic, on the third the necromancer drew one of his long thin knives and at the same time a coating of white liquid fire spread across his body, on the fourth the knife flashed with a brilliant sheen that both shone and shimmered simultaneously and on the fifth word with a movement that was almost faster than the eyes could follow he plunged the blade into her head, directly between the eyes. Her piercing scream that had begun on the first word died as her body convulsed against its magical bonds.

There was a sound like the rushing of air and in the immediate vicinity of the spire the charter spells sealing the barrier between life and death collapsed. Frost cracked on the ground and the spirit boy stepped out of death back into life.

The two boys eyes locked and again no words passed between them but after a moment the spirit boy nodded and walked around to stand behind Reece, gently placing his hand on Reece's should the ghost of a charter mark flashed gold on his forehead.

Suddenly Reece's head was filled with the charter, a string of marks almost endless and complex beyond measure. Once again he raised his arms and this time instead of white energy streams, charter marks flew from his fingers, big, small and in every colour of the rainbow. Sinking into rocks, binding rocks and raising rocks. Soon the structure was complete and Reece let his arms drop and opened his eyes.

A stronghold rose five stories into the air in front of him, of the original town hall no trace remained in the structure of its existence. The outer walls rose two stories to a large platform area from which the three remaining upper floors protruded. Each corner was adorned by a two-story guardhouse and the very highest floor consisted of only one room. Through the wide glass windows that gave the room a clear three hundred and sixty degree view could be seen seven bells hung in a circle, large scale replicas of a necromancer's bells.

Well pleased with himself Reece ascended the seven steps that led up to the main gate and stepped inside, Nikolai following just two steps behind him.

"What is this place? Who are you?" Nikolai stuttered, the old warrior reduced to a wreck by the loss of his wife and the fear that now gripped him.

As others began to climb the steps and enter in Reece walked close to the old man and whispered in his ear, "Put it this way your majesty. You should never have let me in the gates."

Chuckling, Reece left the stunned 'king' standing in the main hall of the stronghold as he walked back outside into the light.

***

Sameth stood brushing his horse, it was taking him an unnaturally long time because of all the leaf fragments that had become tangled in its mane. Around him the rest of the family, as well as a small group of guards who had been waiting for them since Touchstone had bade them wait four days before on their way to Abhorsen's House, set up camp. The bustle was generally subdued, the guards didn't know why the family had returned early but they were smart enough to realise there couldn't be a good reason, or at least their commanding officer was smart enough to realise and inform them anyway.

When he finally finished, picketed his horse and walked over to the campfire he found the rest of them in a discussion about the white-mancer.

"He'll be near Sindle, they're always near Sindle," stated Sabriel matter-of-factly.

"You do realise that this one is supposed to be different, even the Clayre are scared of him," Lirael was, as ever, being too smart for her own good.

"Sindle is still the logical place to start, it's always suffered from the Dead and its defences have never truly recovered because it's too heavily haunted, the perfect place to start creating a Dead army," Sabriel said.

Sitting down on a log Sameth asked, "Does it matter where he starts? One way or another we are still going to have to deal with him on many different fronts more than likely. You're already leaving me at High Bridge to organise things down south, if you're planning where to go to catch him why not just split up and manage things from all over?"

There was a moment of quiet before Touchstone spoke, "Yes of course, very good son. We will split up; I will go to Belisaere and sort things out there, Sabriel and Lirael can start by going to Sindle and then move on from there and Sameth can organise the garrison to bring troop support up north if we need it."

Nick suddenly laughed out loud, "Sorry guys, I don't mean to be rude but doesn't this seem to be a bit much just to deal with one necromancer? I mean, you've dealt with dozens before."

Sabriel shifted a little uncomfortably, "Well I guess we might be over-reacting, may as well be safe though, you never know what can happen."

"Exactly, you never know what can happen and that is why, for once, I agree with your idiot son. Split up and prepare, you may need every bit of preparation before this is over." Mogget wandered into the firelight, his scornful tones echoing in everyone's ears, "yes you heard me, this will be the fight of your lives. If you thought Hedge or Chlorr was dangerous then you've got another thing coming for you."

Delicately Mogget seated himself on a small patch of dry ground and began to clean himself.

"You seem to know more about this than you're letting on here. Tell us Mogget, what makes him so much more dangerous," Sabriel was perhaps the only one who could stand up to Mogget's didactic temperament.

"The difference between the white-mancer and any other necromancer you've ever fought is brains. The white-mancer is possibly one of the smartest people ever born in the old kingdom. He is always one step ahead and the last time he was only stopped by luck, perseverance and a healthy number of imperial troops. I won't point out that there's a lack of imperial troops in existence at the moment."

Touchstone looked a little pained, "Is he really all that bad?"

Mogget fixed his green cat eyes on Touchstone, "He's worse than that if you can believe it." Carefully he stood and avoiding any wet ground he left, effectively ending the conversation.

Well there ya have it. I know I promised Reece would do some necromancy but I just couldn't fit it in I'm sorry! *cries*

I hope I did Mogget well enough there Timayy (more y's) because I know you like Mogget and I personally don't think Mogget quite worked in that chapter. We might have a different POV again next chapter but I haven't decided yet, you'll have to wait and find out lol.

Anyway, review, review, review! you know the big cream button with green writing? (see I got it right this time ;) ) I love you :D

Till next time.