Chronicles of Espiria Season 3
Episode 16 – The Undead Assassins
Written by the Dude
Estrilda, Hogan, and Ulric rode along the border of Bantus, accompanied by a recently confirmed priest named Eluard. They were trying to pick up the trail of the one known as the Abomination, now better known as Baden Rayne, after he and his mysterious archer friend escaped after their failed attack on the Rayne Memorial. A slight wince from Estrilda betrayed some lingering pain in her leg from Ferael's arrow, a wince that went unnoticed by all but Hogan. He pulled his horse next to her so he could speak with her in relative privacy.
"I still wish you had stayed in Ranhorn." he began. "Your leg is still healing from the necromantic poisons in that arrow. Ulric and I can handle a simple scouting mission."
"Your concern is noted and appreciated, Commander," Estrilda answered, "but if I had stayed one more day in Ranhorn with Thane doting on me, I might have lanced him. Besides, this will give him the break he needs to continue his...research..."
The friendly banter faded with the thought of Baden.
"Do you remember him at all?" Hogan asked.
"I have feelings, vague recollections; I was too young when he died to really remember him. Still, if I think really hard, I can sort of remember seeing him with me in my painting classes when I was a child."
"Was he a talented painter?"
"Great Dura, no; he was terrible with a brush. But that never stopped him from trying. I think he enjoyed my company and sought any excuse he could to spend time with me."
Meanwhile, Ulric and Eluard rode mostly in silence.
"I don't believe I've ever seen a priest with a mask like that." Ulric noted. "Does it have a special significance?"
"It does." Eluard answered.
Ulric waited a moment, but no further explanation ever came.
"So, what does it mean?"
"You may find out one day," Eluard answered with a harsher tone, "if I ever find that I must judge you. You are a relatively good man, Lieutenant; I beg that you give me no reason to think less of you."
Ulric decided to return his attention to the border, careful to keep his eyes away from Eluard, when he noticed movement on the other side of the border.
"Commander! General!"
Hogan and Estrilda looked around and noticed what Ulric saw; a small group of Graveborn crossing the Bantus border.
"Well, that's curious." Estrilda commented as she undid the strap keeping her lance in place.
"I don't see Baden or his archer friend." Ulric observed.
"We still cannot let them cross unchallenged." Hogan replied. "Not after they declared war on us like that."
"Wait, something about them seems...odd." Estrilda noted.
"They're corpses." Eluard answered. "'Odd' is an understatement."
"Is that a three-headed giant?" Ulric asked, a portion of his courage draining out.
"But look, there are children among them." Estrilda pointed out.
"Have they ever given you the idea that..."
Hogan thought for a moment as he scanned the Graveborn, finally pointing out a young girl in the group.
"Lucius said in his report on his journey into Bantus that he encountered a family there, a man and two girls."
"Are you saying she might be one of those who helped fight the Graveborn traitor?" Ulric asked.
"Whether she is or not, Commander Hogan is right," Estrilda concluded, "we must meet with them to discover their business here."
The four humans rode to head off the Graveborn, Estrilda and Ulric with lances at the ready in case they proved hostile. Upon seeing the Lightbearers approach, the Graveborn huddled into a defensive posture.
"So much for meeting my contacts." Vedan grumbled.
"Just stay calm." Grezhul urged. "I'll speak with them."
"Please be careful." Theowyn pleaded.
Grezhul stepped forward and faced the humans.
"What business do you have here, Graveborn?" Estrilda demanded.
"We seek sanctuary in your lands." Grezhul answered.
The humans fell silent as they considered each others' reactions.
"A bold request, given the treachery that your kind committed against us." Hogan answered at last. "How can we trust you after you attacked a Lightbearer memorial without cause or warning?"
"That attack was not ordered by King Thoran; I can swear to that." Grezhul swore.
"And why should we believe that?" Estrilda asked.
"Because King Thoran is dead."
Hogan and Estrilda glanced at each other in shock; neither was expecting that answer.
"Very well, I will hear you." Estrilda answered.
"But General..." Eluard began.
"I will listen to what they have to say." Estrilda insisted. "I will promise them nothing more."
Minutes later, they were in what appeared to be an abandoned farm; they convened in the living room of the main homestead, where they could talk in peace.
"First of all, who are you?" Estrilda began.
"I am Captain Grezhul of the King's Praetorian Guard. This is Princess Theowyn, sister of King Thoran and rightful heir to the throne."
"Wait, what?" Theowyn responded; in all the chaos of their flight from Bantus, the laws of royal ascension never crossed her mind.
"It may be wise to start from the beginning." Niru advised.
Grezhul sighed, then recounted the journey of the refugees from the moment of Quadam's betrayal to the present, with the others filling in details as needed. Estrilda, Hogan, and Ulric listened with guarded interest, while Eluard stood in a corner, drawing his own conclusions. Ulric found himself unable to tear his attention from Torne; he sorely hoped that this three-headed monster saw him as an ally, for he feared the ramifications if he proved to be an enemy.
When Grezhul finished, the humans were silent as they considered the account. Estrilda was the first to speak.
"Give us a moment to speak alone. Ulric, stay and watch them."
Ulric readied his spear as the others withdrew to a bedroom.
"I don't like it." Hogan began.
"Neither do I," Estrilda replied, "but I cannot help but wonder; what if they speak the truth?"
"The truth of the story is irrelevant." Eluard countered. "They practice necromancy. Even if they would agree to an alliance, the Celestials would never condone such a thing."
"Perhaps, but I also do not feel right about casting them back to the wolves. I mean, how desperate must they be to come to us for help?"
"Naive woman." Eluard said in as respectful a tone as he could manage. "I once thought as you, hoping that love and hope could turn a sinner into a saint. Athalia help me, I still hope as much at times. But these are Graveborn; they have driven themselves beyond hope. The only kindness we can offer them is release from the curse that they have placed on themselves."
"I doubt they would accept such an offer..."
Estrilda was interrupted by a knock at the door. The humans emerged from the bedroom and motioned the Graveborn inside; once they were hidden, Estrilda answered the door with Hogan and Eluard behind her. They were surprised to find Rowan standing at the door with his traveling cart. It was common for Rowan to leave Ranhorn and seek out customers in more remote locales, but this farm was in the middle of nowhere near a hostile border; who did he expect to sell to?
"Sir and/or madam," he began with a theatrical bow, failing to notice who he was speaking to, "I come to you with the investment opportunity of..."
His speech caught in his throat as he straightened up and noticed that he was speaking to General Estrilda. Behind her, he noticed Hogan and Eluard. Putting the limited pieces together, a goofy grin began to appear on his face.
"You know, you should've told me." Rowan said. "I could've gotten you a great deal on catering. Not to mention honeymoon destinations..."
"Okay, back up." Estrilda said, eyes wide and cheeks blushed. "What honeymoon are you talking about?"
"Yours and Commander Hogan's, of course! Now, I can respect you wanting a private ceremony with just the priest there, but..."
"Stop now!" Estrilda shouted a bit louder than she meant.
"But..."
"No!" She started rifling through her satchel. "I'm going to buy some health potions from you, and then you'll never speak to me again! Is that clear?"
"Clear as the new flavor of health potions that I just got my hands on and will gladly part with for..."
Estrilda grabbed the vials and tossed a handful of gold in Rowan's face before slamming the door. Rowan sat on the porch to count out his earnings before returning to his cart.
"She overpaid for those potions, little buddy." Rowan said to his duck. "I need to try that again sometime."
The duck only answered with a quack, then snapped at a passing fly.
Inside, Estrilda turned from the door and dropped her potions into her satchel, struggling to maintain her dignified demeanor.
"And what are you looking at, Commander?" Estrilda asked, again more forceful than she meant.
"Permission to speak freely, General?" Hogan asked.
Estrilda repented of her harsh tone toward Hogan and answered more calmly, "Granted."
"I never really thought about being married to you before, but now that Rowan brought it up..."
"Permission revoked." Estrilda said with a warning tone. "Have the Graveborn return to the living room. And none of you will ever speak of this as long as you live."
Estrilda stormed back to her seat, leaving Hogan tense and Eluard slightly amused. As Hogan went to retrieve the Graveborn, Estrilda watched him and tried to push aside the thought that the name 'Hogan Rayne' had a nice ring to it.
The awkward moment was shattered by a strange, unearthly howl from outside.
"What the devil was that?!" Estrilda asked, glad for a distraction.
"No, it can't be!" Niru said as he and the other Graveborn reentered the living room. If he had color in his face, it would have drained at the strange sound.
"Do you know what that was?" Hogan asked.
"Only too well, I'm afraid." Niru answered as he readied his scythe. "Shemira, get Daimon somewhere safe, now!"
Shemira took Daimon back to the bedroom as another howl ripped through the air. Moments later, there was a familiar knock at the door, which Ulric answered after he glanced through the keyhole.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Rowan said to Ulric, "would you be so kind as to let me hide in here with you? I'm not much of a fighter, and..."
"Get in here!" Hogan hissed as he dragged the boy inside by his sweater, slamming the door behind them. "What are you even doing out here?! Who are you selling to?!"
"Besides you and General Rayne? There are a few scattered farms out here making a small profit on their crops. They tend to be open to low-risk investment opportunities, especially if I..."
At that moment, the front door and part of the wall were splintered. Standing in the gaping hole in the wall as the dust settled was a creature twice as tall as Hogan, made from flesh and metal formed into the rough shape of a man. In place of hands, the creature had a long sword affixed to one wrist and a thick hypodermic needle on the other. In place of its head, the creature had a glass tube filled with a green translucent fluid, a human brain suspended in the fluid.
The creature surveyed the room for a moment before settling its faceless gaze on Niru. It cocked its head seemingly in curiosity for a moment, until it noticed Grezhul moving to the front of the Graveborn. It seemed to get excited at the sight of Grezhul.
"Grezhul...Theowyn..."
The creature stabbed itself in the chest with the needle, injecting itself with another green fluid, then brushed the humans aside as it charged at Grezhul.
"Grezhul, run!" Niru shouted as he raised his scythe to strike at the creature.
The creature blocked the scythe easily with its sword and, with a flick of the wrist, wrenched the scythe from Niru's hands and flung it through a wall. He brushed Niru aside with his needle arm, then charged at Grezhul again. Shemira, who had emerged from the bedroom when she heard Niru's shouting, tried to drain the creature with her crystal, but it showed no sign of tiring as it advanced. As it drew back its sword to stab Grezhul, Stitchy caught the sword, then he and Torne lifted the creature and hurled it back outside.
"Lookin' forward te another good tussle, Stitchy?" Horwich asked.
Stitchy just nodded as they advanced on the creature, the rest of the Graveborn gathered behind them. Shemira and Daimon tended to the dazed Niru, while the humans struggled to regain their breath.
Once the creature was back on its feet, it jabbed itself with the needle again and charged back at Grezhul. Stitchy and Torne charged at the creature as well, Grezhul right behind them. Theowyn stayed back at Grezhul's request, with Isabella serving as her bodyguard and Vedan "assessing the creature's performance" from a safe distance. The creature surprised everyone by plowing straight through Torne, scattering his bones in all directions.
"Torne!" Isabella cried out.
Stitchy grabbed the creature from behind, hoping to crush it in a powerful bear hug; instead, the creature broke the grip, then opened the doll's chest with two quick slashes.
"Stitchy!" Daimon cried out.
Stitchy shrank back to his normal size and shape as the stuffing spilled out; soon, he moved no more.
The creature then turned his attention back to Grezhul. He proved more difficult for the creature to capture, for he was not only skilled with a blade, but agile enough to avoid the creature's attacks. Still, Grezhul could see that he was outmatched, and struggled to find a strategy to counter such a monster. So it was to his relief that the creature found itself facing the blades of Hogan, Ulric, and Estrilda, each surrounded by a divine shield generated by Eluard. Rather than fall on them immediately, however, it seemed to consider Hogan as it had Niru before. After a moment, it grunted, then jabbed itself again and attacked with uncommon ferocity. Between Hogan, Estrilda, Ulric, and Grezhul, they were able to keep the creature at bay long enough for Niru and Shemira to recover and join them, while Daimon gathered the remains of Stitchy and took them to safety. Hogan, though, couldn't help but notice that the creature's fighting style seemed, somehow, familiar.
Finally, they managed to surround the creature, which still stared at Grezhul as if he were the only one that mattered. They were prepared to bring the creature down once and for all, when Hogan heard a strange whirring sound. Looking around, he noticed a massive shuriken heading straight toward Estrilda. Hogan jumped on Estrilda, pushing her out of the way just in time to avoid the wheel of death, then watched as it turned around and returned the way it came. It was soon caught by another Graveborn, a man with the long stringy hair and tattered clothing of a Lightbearer condemned for murder. Only Grezhul recognized the newcomer, for he had served King Thoran on more than one occasion as a spy and assassin.
"Kelthur."
The attempt on Estrilda's life allowed the creature the distraction it needed to retreat outside the circle of its attackers; it soon took a place next to Kelthur.
"I have been tasked with wiping these traitors from the face of Espiria." Kelthur said to the creature. "The Rayne woman is my reward; you will leave her to me."
"Grezhul...Theowyn...mine..."
"Very well; leave the Rayne woman to me, and I will leave Captain Grezhul and the princess to you. The rest belong to whoever takes them first."
The two of them attacked again. Kelthur focused his attention on Estrilda, only attacking the others when they stood between himself and his prey. The creature, meanwhile, focused as much as it could on the Graveborn, searching for an opportunity to snatch up Grezhul and Theowyn and escape. During the battle, Hogan was kicked aside by Kelthur into the path of the creature, recovering his senses just in time to dodge a strike by its sword. They soon entered into a long series of blocks, slashes, dodges, and thrusts that seemed like a blur to those watching, but seemed strongly familiar to Hogan.
Meanwhile, Estrilda, Ulric, and Eluard were still trying to fend off Kelthur. Kelthur's attacks were so incessant that Eluard could not maintain his shields over his allies, leaving Ulric and Estrilda on their own. Despite his unparalleled skill with a shield, Kelthur was just too fast for Ulric and managed to sneak a hit on Estrilda's left arm. She retreated a few feet and found Rowan at her side with a vial of health potion.
"Here you go." he said with a salesman's smile.
Estrilda took the potion in the hope that she wouldn't regret it later and drank it in one gulp. Immediately, the wound in her arm began to knit itself shut, and even the residual ache in her leg eased some.
"This is a new formula." Rowan continued as she drank. "All the vitamins and minerals you expect from a health potion, but also blessed by a priest, a shaman, and a wood mage. No joke! Normally I'd be charging the low, low price of 50 gold a vial or 80 gold a flask for something this hard to come by, but since you're keeping me alive, I'll let you have it at cost."
"Your generosity knows no bounds." Estrilda replied as she rolled her eyes.
"I probably got as many as you need!" he shouted as he bent back over his cart to retrieve more.
While this exchange went on, Ulric struggled to buy Estrilda the recovery time she needed. In a particularly vicious attack, Kelthur managed to pierce Ulric's shield, the blade stopping inches short of his face. Thinking quickly, Ulric twisted his shield to the side, ripping the shuriken out of Kelthur's hands. Thus disarmed, he was less dangerous, but was still too agile for Ulric to hit with his spear.
At the same time, Hogan managed to trap the creature in a sword lock. Grezhul took this moment to recover his wits from the furious assault by the creature. Niru and Shemira lay sprawled out on the grass, not seriously injured, but dazed by the creature's sheer might. Grezhul saw Kelthur reclaim his blade and cleave Ulric's shield in two, leaving a gash in Ulric's chest as it passed through his breastplate as well. Remembering the conversation between the attackers, Grezhul had an idea. Rather than aid Hogan, he rushed to Estrilda and took Ulric's place at her side as Rowan tended to Ulric with his potions.
"Let us give these servants of Annih a worthy battle!" he shouted as he caught Kelthur's shuriken between his own swords.
"I'm not sure we can last much longer against him!" Estrilda answered.
"We needn't last long, General; only long enough!"
Hogan stared into what should have been the creature's eyes as he held the sword lock, though he had to admit, his own strength was starting to fade. The creature's fighting style was reminiscent of the mightiest warriors Hogan had ever fought alongside, but its strength and speed were beyond even the champions of the Maulers. The creature stared silently back; Hogan could see through the glass that it was thinking hard about something, but what was beyond him. Finally, the creature spoke a single word.
"Hogan..."
It was not the name alone that caught Hogan's attention, but the tone; the creature seemed to remember him fondly. Hogan soon had a thought; it was mad not only because it was impossible, but because the evidence for it could not be ignored.
"Izold?!"
The moment was cut short when the creature noticed Kelthur attacking Grezhul mercilessly. Izold brushed Hogan aside and ran straight at Kelthur, jabbing himself with his needle as he ran. He tackled Kelthur with enough force to crush most men in an attempt to protect Grezhul from being killed before he could be captured. Kelthur used his shuriken to slow his tumbling so he could regain his footing, then launched himself at Izold, intent on punishing him for what seemed an unprovoked attack.
While the two Graveborn fought, Grezhul grabbed Estrilda's attention.
"Let us retreat while they're distracted."
"We cannot just retreat in the face of an invasion! We must..."
"This is no invasion force, not yet! They are assassins meant to silence us before we can warn anyone of what has happened in Bantus, and their strength and skill are beyond any of us! We need reinforcements, and you are the only ones left who have them!"
Estrilda looked back at the two Graveborn; they were still distracted by each other, but would not remain so for long. Estrilda sighed.
"Very well. Ranhorn will need to hear of this anyway. I will see about earning you asylum, but I promise nothing yet; we are, after all, at war with Bantus."
"Thank you for trying."
Grezhul motioned the other Graveborn to retreat with him while Estrilda did the same for the humans. They did not get far, however, before Izold and Kelthur discovered the ruse and started pursuing their prey again. Ulric was the first to notice.
"Sir, they're on us again!"
"Leave this to me." Eluard answered.
Eluard reached back with his staff and started waving it in a circular motion. As he did, two divine shields formed around Izold and Kelthur, trapping them in place until the humans and Graveborn could escape. In time, the shields dissipated on their own; Kelthur continued his pursuit of the Graveborn fugitives and Estrilda, while Izold took out his frustration on the turf.
Once out of immediate danger, the humans and their Graveborn entourage slowed to a calmer pace.
"Mom, will you be able to fix Stitchy?" Daimon asked, holding up the remains of the doll.
Shemira inspected the pieces carefully. "It shouldn't be too hard, but I'll need needle and thread and a place to sit still so I can concentrate."
"Will this help?"
Ulric handed Shemira a first aid kit. Inside was included a needle and some medical thread.
"This will do quite well! Thank you, Sir Ulric."
Estrilda had another matter on her mind as she commanded Niru's attention. "You seemed to know what that creature was."
"That is because I helped create it."
"You what?" Shemira said, startled.
"Cool, dad made a monster!" Daimon exclaimed.
"The body was built by a Graveborn metamorph named Silas. He designed the body to be practically indestructible and impossibly fast and strong; but he needed a living brain to control it. He found a human to donate a brain, but the procedure to transplant the brain required advanced necromancy techniques that he had not mastered yet. I've always had a passing curiosity concerning the ways of the metamorphs, so I agreed to assist him."
"Do you know the name of the man whose brain Silas took?" Hogan asked with a slight accusatory tone.
"Silas never shared the identity of the donor, no. All he said was that the donor was a powerful and cunning warrior, and that he chose the procedure willingly."
"The donor's name was Izold."
"Hogan, we are not yet certain..." Estrilda started.
"A man's fighting style is as unique as a fingerprint." Hogan continued. "I sparred with Izold countless times in Ranhorn, and fought alongside him for years. Trust me, that could have been no one but Izold."
"And I suppose you would have me bring him back as well?" Estrilda asked rhetorically. "First Thane, now you; is there anyone else who thinks I can raise the dead on a whim?"
"We can worry about the 'how' once we get back to Ranhorn, General, so long as you'll not dismiss the idea out of hand." Ulric offered as a compromise.
Estrilda took a deep breath and calmed herself. "Agreed. We have more pressing matters at hand anyway."
She turned back to look at Isabella and Daimon; they were trying to comfort each other over the shredding of Stitchy and the loss of Torne. The Lightbearers and Graveborn had been enemies for centuries, even before the Bantus Empire embraced necromancy and they were still a warrior race. Necromancy was strictly outlawed in Lightbearer lands, by the king for its association with Bantus, and by the church for its subversion of the natural order established by Dura. How was Estrilda supposed to convince anyone that the Graveborn could be trusted, especially when they were officially at war with Bantus?