by John Evans
The Ritual Of Neccar
The Adventures Of Pervikar: Volume Four
John Evans
Uruk Press
Also by John Evans from Uruk Press:
The Adventures Of Pervikar
Pervikar
The Rescue Of The Queen
Karina's Quest
The Ritual Of Neccar
Uruk Press
Great Britain
© John Evans 2014
All rights reserved.
The right of John Evans to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
Cover by Jason Barton.
Prologue: A Pause For Light Refreshments
Book 1: Karina In The Underworld
Chapter 1: Pirates
Chapter 2: Offering Relief
Chapter 3: Birds Of A Feather
Chapter 4: A Maid No More
Chapter 5: Golden Sunlight
Chapter 6: Firehold
Chapter 7: A Royal Favor
Chapter 8: A Maiden No More?
Chapter 9: Karina Pays The Ferryman
Chapter 10: Corthurus And Elzot
Chapter 11: The Return Journey
Chapter 12: The Cup Of Thyrsus
Chapter 13: The Sultan's Sons
Chapter 14: The Ring Of Ashtar
Chapter 15: Exploring A New Body
Chapter 16: Reunions
Chapter 17: The Exchange
Chapter 18: Ruler Of The Nine Hells
Book 2: The Ritual Of Neccar
Chapter 1: Fathers
Chapter 2: The Ritual Begins
Chapter 3: Goblins
Chapter 4: Inside The Simularium
Chapter 5: Round Three
Chapter 6: Battle Recommences
Chapter 7: Betrayal
Chapter 8: To The Wind
Chapter 9: Behind The Green Door
Chapter 10: Strange Bedfellows
Chapter 11: Truth Or Dare
Chapter 12: Cedric's Last Stand
Chapter 13: The End Of The Ritual
Epilogue: Fatherhood
Also available from Uruk Press
Prologue: A Pause For Light Refreshments
"So what happened in the Sharak Islands?" asked Per.
Karina sighed, it seemed like she had been talking for hours. "No more!"
"Hey, you are leaving out the part about me," complained Phartom.
"Okay, okay, but I need some more wine first," she said, holding out her goblet.
"Phartom, before we get onto your story, perhaps you can change into your normal form?" asked the Overlord. "I prefer seeing the real side of beings I deal with."
Phartom's human body shimmered as she changed back into the voluptuous, red-skinned succubus she was. The only thing that did not change was the blue gem in the middle of her forehead. A couple of people squirmed in their seats, but whether it was because of her horns and wings, or because of her sheer sexual nakedness was hard to tell. Pawl and Karlto could not keep their eyes off Phartom's obvious assets until Octavia whacked both of them on the back of the head.
"Well, that was certainly enlightening," remarked the Overlord with a suppressed smile.
Karina took a sip of wine and closed her eyes in pleasure. "One last thing before I begin, will you all take part in the ritual of neccar? I've traveled so long for so far and I need to know that it was worth it."
"The ritual would last a week, during which time Per must have sex with every female he had ever mated with. I am supposed to rule all aspects during the ritual. On the seventh day, his deeds would be celebrated and he would be elevated to the rank of neccar, an ogre sub-chief. However, if Per failed to complete the ritual, the ogre god Ahhspah would take half his soul. Without his ogre heritage – his strength, his constitution and his vitality – he wouldn't even be human."
"Torak's Beard!" cursed Holina, good-naturedly. "You know this would all have been a lot easier if your son wasn't such a randy bastard?"
"Leave it to a dwarf to get right to the heart of a matter," muttered Iona as Per blushed.
"We will all take part in the ritual, Karina," said Ivin. "That's why we are here."
"Yeah, this sounds way too kinky to miss," added Lady Contico.
"What about Queen Shana?" asked Karina, ignoring this interjection.
The Overlord turned to his wife. "It is entirely up to Queen Shara if she participates in the ritual or not. I will not say anything on it one way or the other. However, if she does decide to participate, it can not happen in this realm. If it got out, the population would revolt, given all the stress they have been through."
"I will take part in the ritual," said Shara. "There is one stipulation. It must take place in Yayenski's castle."
"Your Majesty, that may be impossible," said Karina. "The time remaining for the ritual is very short. We can not make it there in time."
"I have an obligation there, Lady Karina," said Shara. "It is outside the realm and the perfect location for an ogre ritual. Talk to - Gar, is it? - when we get back to your farm. We can leave tomorrow."
"You can't, Your Majesty," argued Lady Triarii. "The people need to see you here."
"The people of the realm need to see me," countered Shara. "This is a tour around the kingdom to show that I am alive and have returned. I also need to rest and recuperate from my ordeal."
"Oh, I understand," said Lady Triarii. "The lands under Baron Tenan's control would be the best place to start."
"Correct," said Shara with a smile. She turned to the others. "So, shall Karina continue with her story now?"
Book 1: Karina In The Underworld
Chapter 1: Pirates
Karina stood by the ship's rail looking out over the wide expanse of water. They had been out of sight of land for ten days and it had been twenty-one days in total since they had left the Capitol. Karina knew it would be at least another fifteen days before the ship reached Firehold, the main city on the Sharak Islands.
The god Shades had ordered her to go to the islands because the entrance to his realm was there. Karina was trying to get him to release a spirit from his plane of existence for the neccar ritual.
During the long voyage, Karina had gotten her sea legs early on as had Lorilei. Genese, however, had been seasick every day and swore she was dying. Lorilei had amazed Karina by taking care of the girl until the worst of it had passed.
Karina was a little put out and concerned by her two companions. Shades had told her that she could not ask any of her friends to come along with her on this trip. She had snuck out of the inn where they had been staying to get on this ship alone. Unfortunately, Lorilei had spotted her and thought Karina was sneaking away with Helga, Karina's friend and Lorilei's apprentice witch. Helga was a major bone of contention between the two women. Genese, a maid at the inn, saw Lorilei following Karina and tagged along after both of them. During the resulting confrontation in Karina's cabin, no one noticed that the the ship had set sail.
What irritated Karina the most was that Lorilei and Genese had both refused to return to the Capitol from any of the half a dozen ports the ship stopped in. She even offered to pay for their passage and they still refused. Karina could understand Genese's motives since Karina had rescued her, her mother and her sister from an abusive, drunken step-father. What she could not fathom was why Lorilei did not want to leave.
As if the thought produced the person, Karina spotted her coming up the gangway. As the ship was traveling west-south-west into warmer climates, Karina had started wearing a white blouse and divided skir
t. Lorilei had followed suit, but her skirt was a dark green, while Karina's was blue. Lorilei saw Karina and walked over to join her at the ship's rail.
"How is Genese?" asked Karina.
"Seeing to our dinner, dearie," replied Lorilei. "You know, I don't believe I've met a more subservient person. She's a perfect maid."
"The drunk her mother had the misfortune of marrying made her that way," said Karina. "You remember that Helga was once my maid."
"Helga has power," countered Lorilei. "She can move above where she started out. Genese has no power."
"What about her potential?" asked Karina. "If she has no power, then why did you help her when she was so seasick?"
"You should know that everyone has potential, dearie," said Lorilei. "It's just that almost no one ever uses it. You and Genese could swap positions. She would revert back to being a servant and you would rise above it. As for helping her, it was just to help her get back on her feet faster to wait on us."
"Is that all it is? Mistress and servant?"
"Of course, dearie," replied Lorilei blithely. "What else is there in the world? And it is mistresses and servant."
Karina ignored the barb. "Why did you stay? You could have left the ship at any of the ports and gone back. I thought Helga's training was all important to you."
Lorilei grimaced. "I could spin you a story about how I was tagging along to make your life miserable, but that is just a bonus. I cast an augury after the ship sailed from the Capitol. In my vision, I saw an old black pair of shears coming closer and closer to my thread of life if I left the ship. The shears backed off when I stayed with you."
"You mean the Fates would have snipped your life thread if you left?" asked Karina in astonishment.
"Oh, nothing quite as neat and tidy as that, dearie," said Lorilei with a chuckle. "And I'm still not safe going with you. Those shears hover over everyone's thread. I just don't want to cut my life short by staying where I'm not supposed to be."
"So I get you for a companion whether I want you or not?"
"That about sums it up," said Lorilei. "I'm not fond of you, either."
"I'm willing to make a truce," said Karina. "Since it seems that we are going to be together for awhile."
"Agreed," said Lorilei. "We may not be allies, but, at least, not enemies." She smiled wickedly. "I also promise not to use your form anymore for sex."
"Good, because if you did, I'd have to get my axe out," said Karina with a cruel smile.
Lorilei shuddered and took a step back in fright. "No, Karina, please, don't even joke about something like that."
"I'm sorry. What is it about Remarg that upsets you? Tenan couldn't tell me much about it except that it is ancient and is always sharp."
"He was right about it being ancient," said Lorilei. "No one knows when it was made or who made it. Remarg has always been part of witch legends. It is the bane for us. It has been lost and found thousands of times."
"If it was only supposed to be a legend, how did you recognize it?"
"Well, dearie, it's been described to a tee in every story ever told about it. You show it to any of us - good, bad, woodwitch, seawitch - and we would recognize it immediately."
"Why is it a bane to witches?" asked Karina. "What does it do?"
"I couldn't tell you. The stories tell of Remarg annihilating witch after witch. It is rumored that it chooses its owner and its powers manifest based on the owner's needs. You also don't have to worry about me throwing it into the sea, dearie. I won't get within ten feet of it if at all possible and, even if I did throw it in, I'm sure it would come back thirsting for my blood."
Karina was suddenly and uncomfortably aware that her right wrist, which had a bracelet with a little axe charm on it, was right next to Lorilei. She hastily licked her lips and turned around so her body was between the charm and Lorilei. Karina was sure that Lorilei did not associate the charm with Remarg and she wanted to keep some distance between them.
"Good morning, ladies."
Karina and Lorilei both turned to see the captain approaching them. His rolling gait spoke of many years at sea and his unconscious ability to adjust to the moving deck he stood on.
"Good morning, captain," said Karina.
"I trust the trip has not been too hard for you," said the captain. "My men haven't bothered you, have they?"
"Not since the first one," stated Lorilei with a smile.
After being only a couple of days out from the Capitol, one of the seamen decided to try his luck with the sea-sick Genese. Between her nausea and delirium, she was in no shape to put up much resistance. Luckily, the first mate put a stop to the seaman's advances before anything happened and before Lorilei could get her hands on him. Extra duty cleaning the bilges and the loss of the seaman's rum rations taught the rest of the crew to be on their best behavior concerning the women. Of course, after the first time Karina came on deck in full armor and weapons, the crew became really respectful.
"Well, I hope you are enjoying the trip," said the captain. "We still have some distance to go before we reach the Sharak Islands. Boredom is the thing you have to watch out for on these long trips. Excuse me," he said, turning. "Bosun, do you mind getting the men up in the sails back to work?"
The bosun, who was just walking by, and the two women all looked upwards. Five seamen were up in the yardarms just sitting there on the spars gazing down at Karina and Lorilei. They all smiled, but then scurried across the ropes and arms at a bellowed order from the bosun.
"My apologies for that," said the captain sincerely.
"That is not necessary," replied Karina. "We're the only women on this trip. You can't expect your men not to look at us."
The captain smiled and broke out in a laugh. "I have no desire for a mutiny, which is what would happen if I ordered the men to do that. There's an old adage, trite, but true: the sea is an unforgiving mistress. My crew can look at you and talk to you, but on their own time. Those men aloft had a job to do, which they were neglecting. They now know I do have eyes in the back of my head."
Karina and Lorilei both laughed.
"Sail ho! Off the port bow!"
Karina glanced up at the masthead lookout and then stared out over the water trying to spot the other ship. The captain had hauled himself halfway up the rigging to peer out over the left side of the ship. Karina followed his gaze and spotted a speck of a sail in the distance.
"Where is it, dearie?" asked Lorilei, looking this way and that.
"Over there," said Karina, pointing at the other sail.
"Deck ahoy!" yelled the lookout aloft. "She's changed direction towards us and put on more sail!"
"Damn!" cursed the captain as he swung down to the deck. "You ladies had better get below."
"Why? What's wrong?" asked Karina, alarmed by the captain's attitude.
"Any flags?" bellowed the captain to the lookout.
"No, none," yelled back the lookout.
"Come with me," ordered the captain as he hurried towards the quarterdeck. "Most ships signal when they want to parley. By laying on more sail, that ship means to catch up with us. No signal and more sail means bad news in my book."
"Pirates?" asked Lorilei.
"Possibly. Probably," answered the captain. "You have to get below. I just hope that they don't have a damn spellcaster with them."
"I'm staying," replied Lorilei.
"I'll be back as soon as I have my armor on," said Karina, heading to the gangway.
It took Karina only a short time to don on her armor and retrieve her shield. She felt the ship's movement change and guessed that the captain was putting on more sail. A pasty-faced Genese groaned in her bed at the movement and sat up with a belch.
"What is it, milady?" she gasped out.
"The captain doesn't like the look of an approaching ship," explained Karina. "I think he's trying to sail away from it. How are you feeling?"
"Better," said Genese. "I haven't thrown up all day, though I have come clo
se. I'm sorry I haven't been much use so far."
"You've been sick," said Karina. "I've got to go."
Karina walked up on deck. The other ship was now astern and much closer. It was a lean sloop with all sail set. She watched impressed by its majesty as it seemed to skim through the waves. Karina turned and went to stand beside Lorilei at the back rail. She noticed that the crew had mounted four small ballistas on the railing and each one was manned by two seamen.
"She's overtaking us," muttered the captain. "And she hasn't raised a flag yet. They're pirates and we're in for a fight."
"Where's the rest of the crew?" asked Karina.
"Armed and down below. Keeps them safe from any arrows or bolts that come our way," answered the captain.
Just then a cry rang out and Karina spun around to see one of the sailors, who had been manning a ballista, fall to the deck with an arrow stuck through his shoulder. As if in response, the two ballistas in the stern fired off their projectiles towards the sloop. The sailors quickly began to winch back the heavy bowstrings as Karina moved to haul the injured man out of the way.
Karina had stooped down to grasp the wounded man when the other sailor standing next to her cried out and toppled over on top of her. She was forced down to the deck and reached back to shove the sailor off of her. Glancing back, she saw an arrow transfixed into his chest.
"Get that damned archer before he gets the rest of us!" cursed the captain to the other crew.
The ballista bowstring thrummed and the large quarrel shot through the air at the other ship. It not only missed the archer, but the other ship entirely due to the crew's haste and nervousness. Karina, looking over the rail, saw the archer fit another arrow to his bow and take aim.
A series of short buzzing sounds, vip-vip-vip-vip-vip, caused Karina to turn sharply. Standing at the back rail was Lorilei with her left arm raised, palm outward with small white shafts of light shooting out from it. Karina's head snapped back around, but could not follow the shafts. Instead, she saw the archer staggering back with bloody rents in the front of his leather armor. As Karina stared at the archer, another set of white shafts buzzed forth from Lorilei, striking the archer again. He fell out of sight to the sloop's deck.
