Chapter Nineteen: Mourningwood Vemon
"Are they really calling their home an Eco-Village?" Saker asked looking at the Mourningwood section of the map.
"Well, the resident of the village if I recall are really into being one with the earth?" Logan explained looking at the dark vortex.
"It appears that the agent has taken over Dark Sanctum, wonder what kind of monster hides in that place," Tali spoke crossing her arms.
"Well, if the stories about this place are true it could be a Hollowman?" Echo suggested.
"Undead living corpses, lovely," Tali spoke sarcastically.
"Let's get going then, that agent isn't gonna kill itself now," Saker spoke touching the map and teleporting out of the room followed by the others.
Arriving at the village the heroes took quick notice of the Corruption around them having replaced the marsh waters with its corruption.
"Bloody hell, is that stench how this place always smells?" Saker asked plugging his nose.
"It's a lovely settlement in its own way, of course, I'd never call this place home but I'm sure the people here adore this place," Tali spoke following Logan past the village.
"What is the story about this Dark Sanctum?" Echo asked.
"During your brother's rule Logan, an old cult tried to excavate the temple under his nose, that cult met its ends from the horror that hid inside, your brother had the ruins sealed off, seemed it's dark history attracted the agent," Gabriel explained.
"Let's deal with this thing," Logan spoke drawing his sword as they ascended the steps into the sanctum and looked down the stairs to an ominous door with Corruption flowing inside.
"Let's see what's inside," Tali spoke as they passed through the doors where ahead stood a tall white statue, and all over the ruins were massive spider webs glowing purple with Corruption.
"These webs," Echo spoke looking at the nest they have entered.
"Looks like the next agent is a bloody spider," Saker growled shivering in disgust.
"Not a fan of Spiders are ya Saker?" Echo chuckled.
"Damn bloody right I am not! Vile creatures with their soulless eyes and UGH! Hairy eight legs!" Saker spoke in disgust as they ascended the stairs past the statue and down a large hallway where they entered a large ruin outside in the center of the bottomless pit was a massive spiderweb where the agent the Seducter sat with a mask on its abdomen, many red eyes then glowed and spider roared summoning mini versions of the giant spider that began to descend.
"How the hell are we gonna kill that thing?!" Tali growled pulling out her gun and shooting at several spiders.
Looking below Logan noticed several sharp stone spikes below the Seducter's web, "we gotta destroy its web! Drop the bitch on those spikes!"
"Sounds like that's where I come in!" Saker smirked looking around, "ok! Echo I am gonna toss ya to where the anchors are."
"Give me the hard part, lovely," Echo spoke rolling her eyes, "keep those bastards off me."
"Leave it to us!" Tali spoke as Saker took Echo's hand and with a spin threw her across the cavern and to some unreachable ruins where she landed and ran towards one of the anchors.
Charging up two spells Logan clapped his hands together for a spell fusion, "Light Blade!"
With the blades of lights above his head Logan pointed and sent them flying stabbing into the first anchor and burning away the Corruption allowing Echo to place one of Saker's bombs and light it before running fast to get clear.
Forming a green whip Logan smacked it towards Echo who caught the other end allowing Logan to pull her back towards them just as her bomb exploded shaking the web and making the Seducter hiss and screech.
"That pissed it off!" Saker growled punching a large spider away taking Echo's hand and tossing her to the other side of the ruins to target the other anchor.
"Firework!" Tali yelled snapping her fingers to burn away the Corruption while Echo approached and placed another bomb.
About to light it Echo quickly held up her staff blocking a spider's sharp fangs that tackled her to the ground and she tried to hold it off, "Get off me!"
"Echo! Hold on I'm coming!" Logan yelled taking Saker's hand who launched him towards the ruins where Echo was pinned to the ground.
"Get off me your disgusting bastard!" Echo growled while Logan rushed over and hit the spider with Light Blades allowing Echo to kick it off her and down into the pit below.
"You ok?" Logan asked holding out a hand.
"I'm good, thanks," Echo spoke taking Logan and getting to her feet going back to the bomb and lighting it.
"Hold on!" Logan spoke running with Echo taking her hand and using the spell whip to swing them across to Saker who caught them both before the bomb exploded making the ruins shake the large spider web began to shake and wobble more becoming more unsteady.
Watching the Sedcuter try to keep its balance Logan got a new idea as he began to charge the Shard spell to its max, "Saker throw your bombs and clear me a target on its head!"
"With pleasure," Saker smirked pulling out several bombs and lighting them, "bombs away!"
Throwing the bombs down on the spider they exploded making the ruins shake and burn off the agent Corruption where Logan then formed a massive stone shard.
"Shard Maxima!" Logan yelled throwing the shard that stab down the spider's head breaking the web under its feet and impaling it on the sharp rocks below.
With a screech, the Seducter's legs flail around stabbing the ruins that began to collapse onto it just as the cloud above began to shine sunlight burning down onto the massive spider that hissed and burned away along with all its spider infants.
"Let's get out of here!" Saker yelled as the sanctum shook and the four quickly raced back to the entrance quickly jumping out of the doors as the entrance behind them collapsed on itself.
Coughing Saker waved the dust away from his face, "That was quite the extermination."
"Not our finest moment," Tali coughed standing up.
"You should check in on the fort, the people of the Mourningwood Village will need protection," Gabriel advised.
"Let's get going then," Saker spoke brushing himself off.
Making their way across Mourningwood they approached the walls of the fort where Percy's dragon form shadow flew over them and the dragon landed inside the fort with Ben Finn hopping off.
"Captain Finn," Logan spoke approaching.
"Former tyrant King Logan," Ben spoke with a glare.
Sensing the tension Tali cleared her throat, "Past grudges aside, Captain Finn the villagers will need protection."
"Princess Tali I'll take it? It is a pleasure to make your acquaintances your majesty," Ben smiled bowing as Logan gave Ben an annoyed look.
"Pleasure is mine, so Captain Finn what's the plan?" Tali spoke as Ben lead them up the stairs to the top of the fort where they reached the mortars.
"Private Jammy!" Ben spoke as the ghost of the private appeared before them, "Listen up private, you are to not let a SINGLE undead bastard past your good eye!"
"Right, sir!" Private Jammy spoke standing at attention and saluting.
"The Queen is sending a platoon of soldiers we will divide between protecting the front lines here at the fort and protecting the village directly," Ben spoke turning to Tali.
"Do not worthy your majesty, the Queen has tasked me with getting everything set up here in Mourningwood, once I am finished here, I will return to the queen's side," Ben spoke.
"Very good Captain Finn," Tali smiled as Ben returned his glare at Logan.
"I still don't agree with Adam's choice to spare your hide, especially after what you did to Major Swift, however, I've noticed the changes you made to the people, the old geezer right, if we are to save Adam, and Samarkand we will need you," Ben spoke crossing his arms.
"I wanna save my brother as much as you, and...and I know apologizing for Swift will change nothing, I can not undo the mistakes of the past however I can pave the future for our kingdom and bring home our king," Logan spoke holding out his hand as Ben nodded and took it in a shake.
"I'll hold you to that promise," Ben spoke turning to the others, "you lot better get going, leave Mourningwood to me."
"Return to the Sanctuary, you need your rest," Gabriel spoke.
"You heard the man," Saker yawned returning in a beam of light with the others to the Sanctuary.
Later that day Anna sat at her desk going over reports with Xander at her feet whose ears perked up when Percy flew past the window.
Looking up Anna approached the window watching as Percy landed in the courtyard Ben hopped off the dragon back and up the stairs with Percy transforming into and wolf and followed close after him.
Exiting the office Anna made her way to the main hall where Ben entered, "Ben! I'm so glad you and Percy made it back safe."
"Nothing to worry about your Highness, Logan and his friend made quick work of the Corruption that took hold of Mourningwood, I also made sure the soldiers you sent are ready at their posts," Ben spoke.
"That's good news indeed Ben, from the reports I got there are only three corruption-infected lands left in Albion," Anna spoke approaching returning to the War Room with Ben.
"Since Albion is almost free I believe it time to put together our armies," Ben spoke approaching the Map table.
"I agree, once Kalin and the others arrive in the morning we will gather our people for War," Anna spoke as Gabriel appeared in the room.
"What timing," Ben sarcastically spoke.
"With the tides of war approaching we must go over plans, Tali people are Corrupted we must avoid doing them harm till she can free them," Gabriel explained.
"How she to do that?" Ben asked looking to Gabriel who pointed at the map.
"Here, at the top of the Great Library, she will need to do this alone to reach her people and to free them from Corruption, however, there is a big issue, the Hero King Sparrow hid two special gems somewhere in this palace when the time comes you and Logan are gonna have to search every crack of this palace for these gems," Gabriel spoke.
"So, you're telling me these gems are gonna turn the tides of war in our favor mate? I don't buy it," Ben spoke crossing his arms.
"The Divinity Gems when brought together in the right hands can pierce its light even in the deepest of darkness," Gabriel explained.
"I wonder where King Sparrow hid those gems," Anna spoke looking around the War Room, "I will start, searching when I get a chance, preparing an army for a war gonna leave little room in my schedule to search the palace on my own."
"Once the others are here they can help in the search, question is what on earth do these gems even look like?" Ben spoke as Gabriel shrugged.
"The Diamond of Sorrow is a clear diamond and the Stone of Myr'Bregothil is a circular red gem, they will likely be stored together, but where ole Sparrow hid them is a good question," Gabriel spoke looking around, "whelp good luck!"
Vanishing in a beam of light Anna sighed, "Geeze thanks for the help, Gabriel."
"Ok let's go over the main war plan then," Ben spoke looking at the map, "we will march in from Fairwinds, of course, the journey to the kingdom will be a day or two since our men will be on foot."
"That and we won't have the element of surprise," Anna sighed looking at the map of Samarkand.
"How is Tali supposed to get to the Grand Library?" Ben asked as Anna thought about it and looked over to Percy who sat next to Xander on the ground.
"Percy, that will be up to you, also I think I will have you take Logan and his allies directly to the palace, we will take on the front lines but time is of the essence Percy, our forces can't do much if we can't kill the Corrupted all we can do is keep them at bay," Anna spoke kneeling down to Percy level, "can I trust you?"
"Of course, your highness, leave it to me," Percy nodded.
"Once the others arrive we can go over our game plan, I know Sabine dying to take the front line with the Dwellers," Anna chuckled.