Cursed Cleric

by Salvador Mercer

  Stallo stuttered twice, “Dra… Dra…”

  Cregg finally caught sight of what the man was trying to verbalize. Unlike the mercenary, Captain Cregg’s voice worked just fine. “Dragon!”

  The beast was difficult to see as it was green, even in the dim light, and the color of the forested canopy was literally identical to the color of the dragon’s scales despite the dusting of snow that covered much of the landscape. The movement of its wings gave it away as it flapped them furiously and approached at a high rate of speed. Forgetting himself a second time, Captain Cregg raced over to the wizard Kyros and grabbed at his robe breaking the man’s concentration. “What in the nine hells are you doing?” Kyros asked, losing all presumption of control.

  Cregg pointed across the battlefield at the edge of the forest where the dragon was getting easier to see as it flew closer. “Dragon my Lord.”

  Kyros shifted his concentration and followed the man’s outstretched hand and finger, finally seeing the approaching adversary. “Impossible.”

  The scourge of the Blackthorn Forest was now apparent to the Kesh as centuries of fear and terror was suddenly, and uninvitedly, exposed to them. Once known as a haunted forest, the reason for so many Kesh deaths was flying directly at them. The archers and crossbowmen stopped at the alarm and scanned the sky themselves. It didn’t take long for most everyone to see their archnemesis approaching and what they saw next stunned them. The dragon wasn’t alone.

  Sitting on its neck where it attached to the torso, a lone figure rode atop the green dragon. The figure seemed puny by comparison, but in fact the rider was one of the largest men to ever inhabit the world of Claire-Agon. The man wore leather and furs and his massive legs clenched the dragon’s neck tightly holding him in place as there was no saddle or other accoutrement to assist him in remaining seated. The fast-flowing air whipped the man’s long, brown hair around his neck and back while an axe was tucked handle first into the man’s broad, leather belt. In his hands, he wielded a huge bow that seemed impossible for any man to pull, but the massive arms, biceps bulging with power, did exactly that.

  As the dragon approached its path became clear. It was heading directly at the south tower at the opposite end of Captain Cregg’s location. By now the sun had crested and the first rays of glorious sunlight illuminated most everything. The flash of green was visible as the light glinted off the shiny dragon scales and in an instant the beast pulled back, banking to its left while its massive claws raked the side of their fortification scattering wooden shrapnel in all directions. With a massive inhalation, the beast unleashed its breath weapon at the base of the wall where the myriad of undead attacked seemingly oblivious to the creature’s presence.

  It took only a second for the dragon to fly across the length of the fortification from tower to tower spewing its green, poisonous gas across the base of the wall including the main gate where the wizard Kasos stood amidst the billowing black smoke of his own making. The man looked to be in his late thirties and had the countenance of one of the youngest appearing wizards that Cregg had ever seen. The man was paralyzed by the dragon’s arrival and could only stand there with his jaw agape in both awe and surprise.

  The ferocity and speed of the dragon’s attack caused the men to duck. Before losing sight of the creature, Cregg saw the rider unleash a single massive arrow which flew so quickly it appeared to magically sprout from Kasos’ forehead as the missile hit home killing the man instantaneously. Cregg hit the floor of the tower pulling his wizard leader Kyros with him, he heard more than one thud indicating that several of the archers and crossbowmen had fallen from their parapet to the ground below.

  “Let go of me,” Kyros ordered, struggling to stand while keeping a firm grip on his long metallic staff.

  “Where did the beast go?” Captain Stallo asked, kneeling, but staying below the waist level wall of the tower as he looked around in the sky overhead. He was looking in the wrong direction having gotten himself disoriented in their haste to duck.

  Cregg pointed behind his companion, “There it is.”

  The three men stood tentatively and looked north well overhead as the green dragon finished its flight reaching the apex of its arching path and slowly it banked, half turning over to begin its next attack run. “Ready your men,” Kyros ordered, walking towards the dragon and holding his staff in front of him.

  Cregg bent over the edge of the tower’s railing and seeing the green gas floating dangerously close to the wall’s crest he yelled, “Prepare to fire and stay clear of the mist.”

  Fortunately for the Kesh, it appeared that the gas was both heavier than air, therefore it was sinking towards the ground, and it was aimed at the undead on the outer wall. Still, the legendary tales of the forest’s green fog of death was suddenly refreshed in the minds of the Kesh soldiers. “Draw your steel,” Kyros ordered coolly, having regained his composure.

  “Yes, my Lord,” Cregg said, drawing his long sword and wisely standing behind his leader, though he doubted that would help much unless the man’s magic was greater than anything he had ever seen before. Looking behind him, he noticed that the one and only Kesh casualty so far was at the hands of the dragon rider. The man who was known as the Ghost of Ulatha for his hit and run attacks. The description matched what little they knew, and it could be no other.

  Despite looking tiny astride the huge dragon, Cregg was wise enough to know the man was both extremely large and strong. Rumors of how he had bested Commander Cruxes in single handed combat had made the rounds more times than he could count. Cruxes was one of the best fighters that Kesh had ever seen, and he was bested in combat by this Ghost of Ulatha whose legend would be forever imprinted on Kesh history after this latest feat. Dragon rider indeed.

  “Pay attention,” Kyros ordered, breaking Cregg’s thoughts as the dragon rider leaned away from the them and the dragon banked, following his rider’s lead. The creature still glided down but was now headed towards the forest line where the undead continued to stream towards Kesh.

  “He’s leaving,” Stallo said, pointing and looking at them with wide eyes full of hope and anticipation.

  “He is not done yet,” Kyros said, lowering his staff momentarily as they watched the dragon and its rider land on top of the largest contingent of undead near the forest line just out of missile range from the Kesh crossbowmen and mercenary archers.

  The dragon didn’t bother using its breath weapon as its first pass demonstrated it had no effect on the undead. The undead didn’t breathe. It’s claws and razor, sharp fangs, however, tore the walking dead to shreds where they fell by the score. A cheer erupted from the troops on the wall and Kyros scowled at them then turned to face his military captain, “Their lack of discipline will be noted on your performance report to the High Mage.”

  Cregg’s fear shifted from the dragon to their leader. The Mad Mage was known to kill a servant or military leader for simply looking the wrong way not to mention the number of wizards and apprentices who had perished at his hand. The hair raised on Cregg’s skin. “No need, my Lord.” Then turning to the men, he yelled, “Shoot the dragon.”

  The men looked confused at first, but Cregg had understood long ago the need for order and discipline, especially amongst the brigands and thieves that swelled the ranks of his ragtag army. They finally cranked their bows and loaded bolts then shot at the ravaging, green monster who was quickly thinning the ranks of their enemy. Most of the bolts fell short, but a few that were elevated hit, bouncing harmlessly off the thick scales of the beast. Kyros appeared to nod in approval.

  The rider noticed and appeared to lean towards the dragon’s ear, his mouth moving. The creature leapt into the air and furiously flapped its massive, leather wings taking flight away from them and over the green canopy of the Blackthorn Forest. It continued its flight and the men once again cheered while the undead below ignored the scene, focused on the wall and only the wall, driven by an unseen force that compelled them to attack.

/>   This time Kyros was pleased and looked across at the opposite tower where Kusko stood staring back. Both men nodded in approval and looked down at their deceased companion. Kyros spoke aloud, though he hadn’t meant to do so. “A small price to pay for victory today.”

  “My Lord,” Cregg said. “The gate is on fire.”

  “Put it out then,” Kyros said, annoyance in his voice.

  Leaning over for the umpteenth time, Cregg yelled to the servants who were just arriving with the water buckets. “Douse the gates. Form a chain. You men there, lend a hand with the buckets and get this fire under control.”

  Several men who had run up to assist the fallen wizard nodded and ran for new buckets. Kyros added a command as an afterthought, “See to it that Kasos’ body is taken to his tent and prepared for a proper burial.”

  “Yes, my Lord,” Cregg responded.

  Kusko had cast another ball of fire at a mass of undead near his tower but well away from the base to avoid a similar fate as the gate. Black clouds started to billow from the dry timbers and the water hissed as it turned to steam upon contact. The battle for the gate was just beginning.

  “Uh… Master wizard, you need to see this…” Captain Stallo interrupted their concentration as he pointed towards the forest.

  All three men shifted from the gate side to the forest side. Looking out again they noticed the dragon was no longer flying away but was rising high into the sky and it had turned in a large half circle and was now flying towards them. The men on the wall had yet to notice, but the sight drained hope within the military men while Kyros could only mutter a single word. “Interesting.”

  Cregg didn’t hesitate despite knowing that it could adversely affect his men. He yelled an order, “Prepare bows. Hold your fire until I command.”

  The men did as they were told and did so in earnest as more and more of them caught sight of the scourge of the Blackthorn returning towards them. They had almost forgotten the undead army below them, but the Kesh wizards had not.

  Using arcane spells the pair of wizards sent ball after ball of fire into massed groupings of undead lighting them on fire in the intense heat of their magical incinerating spells. The intense heat cracked bone and scorched even decomposed flesh. The faint moans of the souls of those that were permanently released caused more than one soldier to make the sign of warding against evil.

  Kyros and Kusko hadn’t spoken a word to one another, yet they ceased their magical attacks at the same time and prepared for the arrival of the green dragon. A creature that wasn’t supposed to exist. “Ready a volley, Captain Cregg.”

  “Ready on your command,” Cregg said, switching his plan to allow his master and leader, the Kesh wizard, to order the missile volley.

  The pair of officers literally held their breath while Kyros brought his staff up and pointed it at the quickly approaching dragon. The dragon appeared to be heading directly between the towers at the gate slightly above their elevated level and well above the level of the gate. Not knowing why, Cregg shouted at the water servants, “Clear the area. Take the wizard’s body with you, quickly!”

  “Fire,” Kyros said calmly.

  Cregg repeated the order but at several magnitudes of volume louder than his leader. “FIRE!”

  The bolts and arrows released and instantaneously the dragon pulled its wings in against its body quicker than one could think a creature that size could do. The effect was immediate as the large, heavy dragon-body plummeted below the level of the wall before the beast lowered its massive head and looked down at the ground so that the thick armored top of its skull was facing the gate like a battering ram.

  The arrows and bolts missed but the dragon’s head did not. It impacted the gates, shattering the burning, wooded pilings into thousands of pieces of shrapnel. Black smoke billowed from the sudden rush of oxygen around its fuel source and the smoke temporarily concealed most of the dragon’s body. The man a top the creature had ducked behind its neck but released and rolled, somersaulting with his bow drawn in front of the stunned Kesh troops.

  His attention, however, was on the Kesh wizards. Using one arrow, he shot his first missile attack at Kusko catching the man by surprise as the tip went deep into the man’s chest from his side. With a fluid second motion, the large Ulathan nocked another arrow and shot it at Kyros. Cregg pulled his shield from his back and leapt towards his liege. In the nick of time, the edge of the shield caught the arrow in midflight causing it to ricochet high into the air saving the wizard’s life. With his sword hand, he grabbled Kyros’ fluttering robe and pulled the wizard down a second time. This time, Kyros didn’t complain.

  Yells of panic and alarm sounded in the rear of their formation. Cregg crawled over to the eastern edge of their tower and risked raising his head just high enough to be able to see over the side. Far back, a flock of ravens were attacking the servants and a huge, brown bear was pushing their supply carts over and ransacking their provisions. Looking to his right, he saw only part of the dragon as it scrambled about with wings over its body now. He kept watching until it suddenly leapt high into the air coming within full view with the Ulathan back in his riding position.

  The creature flapped its wings, flying over their troops exhaling a long breath of green gas that started to float down directly over his two-hundred, foot soldiers. “Run,” Cregg ordered, and his men broke ranks trying to avoid the deadly fog. Most made it clear… many did not.

  “I will kill that man and his abhorrent pet dragon before this is over,” Kyros said, struggling to stand and survey the damage.

  There was a moment of silence before the mercenary captain spoke, “You’ll have to kill them a second time before you do.”

  Looking to where Captain Stallo’s gaze was fixed at the completely, destroyed gates, the trio of men watched as the undead poured into Kesh. Kyros could only respond with one word. “Damn.”

  Chapter 2

  The Lady in Green

  The lich watched as the gates were blown asunder in a huge collision with the flying dragon. The undead creature stood with its staff glowing slightly as its minions continued to assault the Kesh fortifications. In one fell swoop, the Ulathan and its ally managed to break a way for the undead to enter. The skull made no visible sign of approval or disapproval. It could only glare with its dark red eyes glowing visibly deep within its eye sockets. Its tattered clothing fluttered in the mild, but cold, wind as the edge of the forest served as an ample wind break.

  “Are you pleased?” Malik asked from the side of the lich.

  Without looking at his companion the creature continued to watch its army as it assaulted its ancient homeland. “This will do for now.”

  Malik held a tight grip on his rod, an ancient artifact that gave power over the undead and the only protection he had against the creatures or the lich king. “What do you mean for now?”

  “This army is too puny to assault Keshtor,” the lich began. “It will, however, serve as a message to the Kesh High Mage that there is more to deal with than a lone Ulathan rebel.”

  “After this display, I’d say the lone rebel is a minor annoyance compared to a dragon.”

  The lich did turn to look at Malik and it was difficult for the Ulathan to tell for sure how the lich managed to see without eyes. The red, glowing orbs didn’t convey the same sense as a pair of pupils did. The lich spoke, “You refer to your brother as a minor annoyance?”

  “You know?” Malik asked.

  “The family resemblance is remarkable, even from this distance.”

  “I didn’t think you could see him clearly.”

  Did the lich chuckle or was it the wind? “I see everything clearly. More clearly than that falcon high overhead.”

  Malik resisted the urge to look up and took a moment to assess the lich’s words. He finally turned to face the lich and took a step back as a precautionary measure. Looking up, he noticed a small dot floating on the wind far above them and despite having a good set of eyes for a wood
sman, he couldn’t tell if it was a falcon, hawk, or eagle. Returning his gaze to the lich he asked, “How do you know what type of bird that is?”

  “I can see it clearly. Besides, if you had not noticed, it followed us from Utandra as we skirted the road.”

  “You mean Korwell?”

  “I mean Utandra.”

  “Why do you continue to call it that?” Malik asked, his displeasure and annoyance more than obvious.

  “You are a fool, and a young one at that,” the lich responded, returning its gaze to the Kesh wall. “You need a history lesson.”

  “Well, you need new clothes.”

  There was a long pause until the lich responded. “We shall see how well your clothing and skin hold up after a thousand years of rotting in a putrid swamp.”

  “You have no skin.” Malik turned sideways again to face the Kesh fortifications.

  “Your powers of observation are astute,” the lich answered. “Pray your life will depend upon them.”

  The sarcasm was evident, and Malik had grown accustomed to dealing with the powerful undead creature. This was a dangerous thing to do as the rod was the only thing standing in the way of the lich simply snuffing his life out and perhaps using him as a larger version of one of his walking undead servants. Still, it was the only way he was going to give the creature a Kesh staff which freed it from the mind and will of another, more powerful entity that the lich would not detail. He could only get the creature to speak of her in negative terms filled with hate and vengeance. Perhaps a different tact would be wiser at this juncture. “So if this isn’t your primary army, what is?”

  The lich took its time in answering watching as the last of its minions entered Kesh. Well over a thousand strong, they had taken the main trade road over the only bridge in the area that gave passage over the Roaring River and then the undead skirted their way just inside the forest’s edge as they sought cover for their final approach on the Kesh pass and fortified position. With his undead minions clear, the lich responded, “To have my revenge I will need the full might of those condemned to rot in the Kero swamp.”