06-25-2009, 05:20 AM
2)
The deed was done.
Corpse after corpse was piled one on top another in the town square. Not a living soul of the once vibrant community was left alive. Only the Necrordinators remained, their weapons re-sheathed after the carnage was released. They surrounded the grizzly heap in a ring, candles and flasks held high.
A small number of the red-armored cutthroats went about from house to house, smashing through doors as they searched for stragglers. Once and a while, a shrill cry would be heard cut short with finality and the gruesome pyre of bodies grew larger.
Olan stood watching as his soldiers began the rites, chanting verses in a gutteral language lost over the centuries. Understanding the words did not matter. It was the mere sounding of the words and what effect they produced that did. The guildmaster knew a smattering of the verses... what they said... but not all of it. Only that their time is coming soon.
That their true leader will soon be among them again.
Marcus continued to glance at their captive every chance he could get.
Robin seemed to be in control, but still had to be watched carefully. Daniel stood by her side, both to comfort her, but also to watch over her in case her guest took over. He didn't know if the boy was able to help her restrain Balthus, but it was the best alternative. He couldn't risk Balthus escaping once again.
This left Marcus alone to search the room.
Damn, he silently cursed. For once that bastard could have been useful.
Carefully using the spear, he poked and prodded every book, every desk, every jar and artifact he could see. All the while, he continued to spy at the confused young girl. She doesn't have it on her, he thought. I would have seen it on her by now. However, Marcus couldn't let himself be distracted. Any trap set within the chamber could kill them all.
Robin WAS distracted. While she was comforted by Daniel's presence, it was the strange silence that made her apprehensive. Not only did Balthus remain uneasily silent, it was the lack of the other voices she had grown accustomed to that garnered her attention. Yet now...
All was silent, and Robin came to a shocking conclusion.
"He's gone?"
The fires had finally subsided, only a pile of charred bones and ash remained. Thick was the acrid stench as the smoke from the pyre blackened the surrounding houses with their soot.
The necrordinators chanted on as the guildmaster strode forward.
This is it, he though to himself. Finally, this is it. Standing at the edge of the pile, he could see some still-glowing embers. He smiled as he drew his sword and thrust it into the remains. Shifting the mass about, he eventually hit something with a resounding chink. Yes. Shoveling away the mass, he uncovered a large black stone that wasn't there before.
A dark black crystal the size of a small cat.
Master.
The deed was done.
Corpse after corpse was piled one on top another in the town square. Not a living soul of the once vibrant community was left alive. Only the Necrordinators remained, their weapons re-sheathed after the carnage was released. They surrounded the grizzly heap in a ring, candles and flasks held high.
A small number of the red-armored cutthroats went about from house to house, smashing through doors as they searched for stragglers. Once and a while, a shrill cry would be heard cut short with finality and the gruesome pyre of bodies grew larger.
Olan stood watching as his soldiers began the rites, chanting verses in a gutteral language lost over the centuries. Understanding the words did not matter. It was the mere sounding of the words and what effect they produced that did. The guildmaster knew a smattering of the verses... what they said... but not all of it. Only that their time is coming soon.
That their true leader will soon be among them again.
* * *
Marcus continued to glance at their captive every chance he could get.
Robin seemed to be in control, but still had to be watched carefully. Daniel stood by her side, both to comfort her, but also to watch over her in case her guest took over. He didn't know if the boy was able to help her restrain Balthus, but it was the best alternative. He couldn't risk Balthus escaping once again.
This left Marcus alone to search the room.
Damn, he silently cursed. For once that bastard could have been useful.
Carefully using the spear, he poked and prodded every book, every desk, every jar and artifact he could see. All the while, he continued to spy at the confused young girl. She doesn't have it on her, he thought. I would have seen it on her by now. However, Marcus couldn't let himself be distracted. Any trap set within the chamber could kill them all.
Robin WAS distracted. While she was comforted by Daniel's presence, it was the strange silence that made her apprehensive. Not only did Balthus remain uneasily silent, it was the lack of the other voices she had grown accustomed to that garnered her attention. Yet now...
All was silent, and Robin came to a shocking conclusion.
"He's gone?"
* * *
The fires had finally subsided, only a pile of charred bones and ash remained. Thick was the acrid stench as the smoke from the pyre blackened the surrounding houses with their soot.
The necrordinators chanted on as the guildmaster strode forward.
This is it, he though to himself. Finally, this is it. Standing at the edge of the pile, he could see some still-glowing embers. He smiled as he drew his sword and thrust it into the remains. Shifting the mass about, he eventually hit something with a resounding chink. Yes. Shoveling away the mass, he uncovered a large black stone that wasn't there before.
A dark black crystal the size of a small cat.
Master.