Chapter 7: Enter- Another Necromancer

RENIMIL

Shit, this isn't good. Ren thinks as they quickly make their way to the tree line. The undead is now moving towards some of the farmhands nearer to the forest. Upon seeing the group of undead creatures, they scream and run in the other direction. The adventurers start to sprint.

Kosh dips low and makes his way to the back of the undead creature to his left. He leaps out of his crouch position and stabs the hulking zombie on his sides.

Sparks fly off Eris's hands and hit the creature attacked by Kosh. The lightning then connects with another zombie of female origin beside it. Her hair is matted down with dirt and other bits of debris.

Kith slashes down his sword on the second lightning victim causing it to stumble backward.

The monster Kosh hits turns slowly towards Kosh and swings at him with a hunk of meat. Kosh manages to back away. The one hit with lightning and Kith's falchion attacks Kith, who blocks her attack but is pushed back slightly, her feet digging into the ground. Another zombie makes its way towards Kith while the other two keep moving forward towards Renimil and Eris.

Light pours from Renimil and strikes the injured female zombie.

It starts to wobble and collapses to the ground. Kith smashes its head.

Kosh flips forward and stabs his zombie in the stomach. The cut opens its belly, and putrid green liquid drips down. The area fills with a rotting stench that makes Kosh back away, covering his nose. The monster falls to the ground with a resounding thud.

The other two creatures get closer to Eris and Ren. Eris creates a sphere of fire that lands on top of one of the uninjured zombies moving toward them. The fire burns bright, and parts of the skin and fat burn off the creature's body.

"If they don't kill us, the smell will," Renimil shouts out to Eris.

Kith roars and digs his blade into the 3rd zombie. Kith takes his sword halfway out of the monster's stomach just as it slams its weapon into the side of Kith's arm, knocking Kith a few feet away. Kith recovers and runs full force shoving the blade straight through the monster's stomach again.

The last two are now right on Ren and Eris. The one whose skin is scorched swings at Eris, who ducks down. It swings again, and Eris instinctively blocks with her arm. She is hurled towards Kith. Renimil dives toward the ground. His monster brings down his weapon but misses.

Renimil summons a ward of protection on himself; darkness floats around him, shoots from his hands, and hits the zombie. The zombie stumbles forward and falls to the ground. Renimil rolls a few times just as the foul creature will land on him.

Damn, that was close. Renimil thinks. Vines creep over his body and are holding him in place. "Guys?" He shouts.

Kosh runs over to Eris. "You okay?"

Eris, clearly hurt, waves him away. "Go. Get the other one."

Kosh runs at the monster that hit Eris. He throws his dagger at the zombie's face- bringing him down.

Eris clamors to her feet. As soon as she does, she feels an overwhelming sickness take hold. She leans forward and heaves.

Ren continues to shout. He does his best to get free, but nothing.

Kosh looks over the group and finally finds Renimil stuck in vines. Darkness in the corner of his eye catches Kosh's attention. He flips back just out of the darkness' reach.

"Long time no see, Renimil," the dark necromancer states, coming into full view of the group. "I wondered when I was going to run into you. It's always such a pleasure." The man smiles. His eyes darken a moment.

Renimil didn't have to look to know who the voice belonged to. His rival from his school years.

"Arix," Renimil says between his teeth.

"If you're going to come after me now, you'll have to be better prepared. Till we meet again, old friend." With that, Arix was gone.

RENIMIL

The group makes their way back to the village. Renimil isn't happy. They were lucky to make it out alive if Arix was involved. Arix was always number one in all that he did. Renimil knows Arix is powerful. But the power he felt running into him again felt unnatural.

"How is Eris?" Renimil asks one of the healers in the village.

"She's okay, just a little beat up, but she's strong and will be fine." the healer says calmly.

Their wounds healed. Kith and Kosh took on more damage than he and Eris. And she took a direct hit. Thankfully, the zombies weren't overly strong. And Arix could have done worse.

Kith is sitting on the floor next to Eris. "Arix, who is he?" Kith demands. "We saw him earlier in town. He owns a shop. Bits and Brews."

Renimil looks surprised. "An old rival from the academy. He was two years ahead of me. He was a pompous arse back then." Renimil explains. Not much has changed. He was number one at the academy when he graduated." He wouldn't bother telling them that Ren was always just second best.

Eris slowly sits up in the bed.

Kith turns to her. "You shouldn't get up just yet, Eris."

"I'm good." She replies, putting her hand on his chest.

They seem to have gotten closer since the last time they were together like this. Ren still thought they were a unique match. But who is he to say. "I never liked Arix, but I would have never thought he would have done anything like this. Somethings happened to him. His magic felt…different."

"We need to check out the farmhouse," Kith says.

"And the forest where the zombies came from," Eris adds softly. She stretches and begins to stand up with Kith nearby for support.

"Eris." Flames spark from her hands and eyes.

I'm ready." she says with confidence.

Ren has never seen her so determined, so angry. She is just like the rest of them. Eris, too, was filled with a quiet rage. Kith moves out of her way. Eris's fire dies down, and she nods to Ren and Kosh.

KITH

The group eats and gets prepared. They walk out of the shrine in the Narrlin and pass through the town center.

"Kosh!" Elion shouts. His guards are presently raiding Arix's shop. You can hear banging and glass breaking. "In his rush, he left a few things behind." Elion and a few guards come forward, holding various items and placing them on the ground. "You saved Narrlin Village. Take whatever you want."

There are random knick-knacks worth decent gold, but among them are Healer's Gloves. Eris picks up the gloves, admiring them. They are crisp white and buttery soft. They look as if they have never been used. She puts them on. They fit as if they were made for her.

"Perfect." She whispers.

Kith bends down and retrieves a cloak that is hunter-green. Elvish in design. "Ren, this looks like it belongs with you," Kith tosses it to Ren.

"I've seen this before" Ren admires the cloak and puts it on. The cloak comes down to just below the knees, and it's lined in gold threading and has elven markings embroidered in the gold.

Eris looks at Ren. "It looks good on you!"

Kith snorts. He didn't like the idea that Eris thought the elf looked any type of way. He preferred she didn't look at him at all.

Kith is disappointed that there isn't anything for him, but he is content with Eris being happy. The gear would help the group, so that is good.

"Thank you, Elion. This is quite a boon." Kosh dips his head in respect.

"Your welcome, friend," Elion says and returns to his office.

ERIS

The group continues to the farmhouse. Inside it's dark and quiet. The house smells stale, and as they enter the kitchen, the smell of rotting food assaults their noses. The table has food on it that has only been partially eaten. Flies swarm in the air.

"Looks like they were interrupted," Eris says softly.

"I don't detect any magic," Ren informs the group with a whisper.

Kith moves into what looks to be a sitting room. He opens a door across the room. Two bodies heavily burned fall out. They are small in stature but too severely damaged even to tell if they are the halflings there are looking for. "This may be Trif. "

Ren moves to Kith's side. "Arix always did like black fire. "

Eris only could see part of the bodies as they were covered mainly by Ren and Kith. Why would someone do this? She thinks. She was angry at herself for being so weak and for not being able to take a single hit from the zombie. She threw up from whatever that damned necromancer did to make matters worse. To say she was embarrassed was an understatement. Kith was sweet. He hadn't left her side. It made Eris even angrier. She didn't need to be coddled and fawned over like some weak little kitten.

"There isn't anything here to help us," Eris says impatiently. "Let's just head to the forest." She doesn't wait for the others and walks outside towards the tree line. She knew she was being unreasonable. It didn't matter.

Kith runs up beside Eris and grabs her hand. Eris whips around and looks at him defiantly. "Easy, Eris. I'm the one that's supposed to be the hothead," Kith says. He tips her head up to look at him. "It is my job to protect you, and Ren and I failed. I'm sorry."

Eris takes a deep breath, closing her eyes. Ren and Kosh stand a few feet behind them, giving them space. "I'm sorry for acting like a child." She responds, opening her eyes. She can see from this close that his eyes weren't black but brown. The light was hitting them, causing them to be the color of whiskey.

Kith reaches up and curls a lock of hair around a finger. He leans down and whispers. "Elderberries are my favorite. And if they weren't, they would have been after eating your tarts."

Eris' breath caught in her throat, and her eyes grew wider. A grin slowly creeps on Kith's face.

Someone behind them coughs loudly. Eris stiffens, and Kith clears his throat.

KITH

Kith and the group are a couple of minutes into the forest when they notice a cemetery and a moss-covered stone house. It looks like something out of a horror story. Kith thinks to himself. A breeze passed through, blowing open the window next to the door as if on cue.

"Look." Ren points and looks over the graveyard. "Some of the plots have been disturbed."

Kith sniffs the air. It smells clean, astringently so. They enter the shack.

Kosh whistles. The inside is well kept and looks to be freshly painted. It is pretty nice. The first room looks to be a supply closet. On the left side, along the wall, is a staircase in front. "Let's finish with downstairs first?"

Kith nods in agreement.

"I'm still not sensing any magical energies," Ren adds.

The group walks past the stairs. To the left is a partially open door, and Kith could see that it was a kitchen. He opens it further as he signals Kosh to go to the room on the right. As Kith is about to enter, Kosh hears a click from the door as Kosh is entering.

"Get back!" Kosh shouts.

They hurry back and brace themselves, but nothing happens.

Kosh's door is now fully open, and they can see it's another clean room with a dresser and a small medical bed. The dresser has a few vials of purple and green liquids. Papers of nonsensical medical jargon are strewn about.

Kosh backs out and makes his way to the stairs, where he notices one trap; then, a few steps up, he finds another. He moves slowly and disables them. They look pretty complicated, and sweat beads on Kosh's brow. But other than that little tell, Kosh is the picture of calm. Kith forgot how good Kosh is with traps.

"We're good," he says, standing a few steps up.

Kith joins Kosh and looks around. "Come on up," Kith says loud enough for Ren and Eris to hear.

The room is large with four more medical beds, two on either side of the room. There is a desk off-center to the right in the back of the room. To the left of it is a tall black cabinet. There is an aura around it, making Kith uneasy. The sheets on the beds aren't lying flat, and it looks like something is under them. Kith walks up to one of the beds and pulls back the covers. Under the sheet is a naked male halfling inside a clear plastic bag of some sort. He can see that some parts of the halfling have stitches, and limbs are missing. Kosh walks over to another bed and finds the same thing; only it's a human female. Ren and Eris check the other beds and find another female human and a female gnome.

Kosh examines the desk. He carefully pulls out items from the various drawers: blank parchments, a missive, and other miscellaneous items. Kosh opens the note and lays it out on the desk for the group to read:

Narrlin. Investigate. Return.

T

Kosh notes the Black Sun Insignia.

Kith goes to check the cabinet. He tips his head. "Do you smell that?"

Eris smells and notices smoke rising from the stairway.

Ren looks around. "There's no windows up here. We'll suffocate if we can't get through there." He points to the stairs.

Eris walks to the stairs and pushes her hand out. Water rushes forth. The fire disappears from the stairs but still spreads to the walls. "Quickly," they hurry to walk behind her, quickly heading for the door.

A few steps from the house, parts of it start to collapse. The ground shakes under their feet, and the group hears explosions coming from the village. Kith grabs hold of Eris to help steady her. Kosh and Ren crouch to the ground. Screams fill the air. The group runs as fast as possible, but as they get closer to the village, the explosions are more intense, and they try to keep their balance. The explosions die down as they reach the edges of the town. Scorched bodies lay on the ground, some reaching out as if pleading for help. Eris's tears streak down her cheeks as she twists into Kith's arms. He closes his eyes—fury and pain wretch at his soul. Ren kneels and stares at the woman with her hands outstretched towards them.

Kosh bows and shakes his head. Only the outer edges are scorched. The group collects themselves and enters the village. A greenish-black smoke lingers in the air, stopping them from going forward. Through the smoke, something moves. Moans and groans pierce the air. Coming through the smoke are the villagers. But they aren't quite the same. They look sick, and green vapor drifts up from their mouths. Boils cover their skin and pop and bubble sporadically.

Kith's heart hurt. He didn't know these people, but…

Kith points his blade out to his side. "Get back. We can't go against this many."

Ren pulls Eris back as Kosh turns to take point running in the other direction.