Narg and the Necromancer

Mistral.

The Queen’s chambers were large and white. The walls seemed to be made of ice embedded with the same fairy lights that they had seen before. The Queen walked along, taking Narg by the arm and showing off her domain.

“Here’s my lab, don’t go in there, it’s not safe, and this one is my dining room. Here is my sleeping chamber, make a note of that one you handsome thing you. And here’s a guest room, conveniently situated next to mine, you can rest here my hero.”

Narg pushed his way in. The walls were the same, but otherwise the room was a sumptuous bedroom. A large four poster bed occupied most of it, with small tables, chairs and the usual sundry items placed artistically around the rest of the room. “Very nice,” he said.

“I’ll be back to check on you later,” said their host, and turned to Shogun and Gorgus. “You two can come with me,” she said in a much more direct tone.

She led Shogun to a smaller room a little way off. “Here you go little one,” she said, patting his head.

“You wouldn’t do that if I was as tall as Narg would you?” Shogun scowled.

“You want to be taller do you?” The Ice Queen stood back and put her hand to her chin. “Well, be careful what you wish for wizard, it may come true.” With that cryptic remark she left Shogun to rest and led Gorgus to a similar chamber.

“Know witch, I don’t trust you,” said Gorgus as she turned to leave. “I’m not sure what your game is, but I will be watching. Rest assured.”

“Oh you have nothing to worry about Cleric, put you fears aside. I promised by brother I would not interfere.” And she turned and took her leave.

Gorgus stood where he was for a moment, eyes narrowed in thought as he looked at the door where the Ice Queen had recently departed. Then they widened. “Brother?”

~ * ~  

Narg was sitting on his bed munching on some rations when the ice queen knocked on his door.

“Are you decent my strong man?” Seeing he was her face fell a little. “Oh, I see you are, well never mind.” The Queen sat next to him on the bed. “It’s been a long time since any worthy male came through here,” she said in a not very subtle hint. Her arm encircled his body and the other hand took and threw away his food.

“You can eat later,” she whispered, and pushed him back onto the bed before straddling him. “Now it’s my turn to taste you!” So saying she opened her gown and let it fall away. Narg saw her slim body was as white as the rest of her, though certain parts were a light pink.

He looked further down. “I see you’re a natural blond then.” He got no further as the Ice queen’s mouth sought his. The two grappled on the bed, rolling around as they slowly divested him of his garments. His hands roamed her slim body, exploring the smooth skin and firm body.

He was down to his loincloth, and running out of breath, when the door burst open to reveal Gorgus.

“Narg stop!!”

The Queen rolled off Narg and sat up, heedless of her modesty. “What are you doing here Cleric? Do you wish to join in?”

Gorgus ignored her and addressed Narg. “See what she has done to Shogun!” he said, and moved aside to let the wizard in.

Narg gaped. “Is that you Shorty? What happened?”

“She cast this spell upon me!” said Shogun, from near the ceiling.

“He said he wanted to be taller, I just gave him what he wished for!” the Ice Queen said innocently.

Indeed, Shogun’s wish had been granted. His previously short legs now looked like some grotesque mockery of a pink skinned giant spider. They were at least as high as Narg, and Shogun had to duck a little to keep his head from hitting the roof. The rest of his body was unchanged.

“Indeed, that’s what you do isn’t it witch?” said Gorgus in a grim tone. “Give people what they want. You gave Shogun his wish, and you are catering to Narg’s base desires even now.” He looked at Narg.

“Ay well, I do like a nice piece of a*s,” he said. “There’s no denying it. So what about you Gorgus? What has she given you?”

The Ice Queen laughed, a sudden shrill laugh, most unlike her previous self.

“What indeed?” said Gorgus. “Perhaps it’s the opportunity to thwart evil!”

“She may or may not be evil, but she is hardly threatening us!” said Narg.

“Perhaps, perhaps not. However, you may change your mind when I do this!” So saying he held out his Orb of Grom* and spoke a Word of Power.

The Ice Queen shrieked and covered her face. At the same time her appearance shimmered, and then cracked and blew away, as if a mirror had been smashed. In the place of the alluring young miss was the body of an ancient hag, a half rotten mummy.

Narg jumped back aghast, clutching his robe as he did so.

“What’s wrong my handsome warrior?” the hag screeched from a lipless mouth filled with black and rotting teeth. “Don’t you find me attractive anymore?” She swung her head, now topped with wisps of grey hair, in a gruesome parody of her former self. “Fancy a bit more loving lover boy?” She wiggled skeletal hips and then shrieked with high pitched laughter.

“Still wish to stay and dally?” asked Shogun.

Narg rushed to put on his clothes and gather his belongings. “We are out of here now!” he said as the Ice witch looked on in evident amusement. “You! Hag! Remove your spell from the wizard!”

She raised a bony hand. “Sorry dear,” she screeched, “I can’t remove it, but don’t worry, it will wear off in time.”

Narg strapped Bloodletter to his back once more and faced the crone. “Where is the exit? Tell us!”

The Ice Queen laughed and pointed a long digit. “Go that way until you come to the main door. You can’t miss it.”

The others left and Narg followed them without a backward glance. He muttered something to himself about demon women, and now mummified ones, and jogged to catch up with his companions. The Ice Queens’ shrill cackle still ringing in his ears.

*Orb of Grom. Gorgus’s deity is known as Grom, a stern puritan god whose creed is to fight evil and uphold the values of the light. His symbol is a clear orb, and his Clerics always carry one on their person.

~ * ~

The three quickly located the main door, a solid affair with strong locks and wards, which was a little worrying in itself. They threw it open and left quickly even so.

Beyond they found themselves in the Castle of the Hells, its gloomy corridors echoing with faint, unidentifiable noises. They wandered through hallways and neglected rooms filled with rotting and smashed furniture. Once they came across the ancient remains of some unfortunate adventurer, amour and swords rusting next to the skeleton of a creature with six legs that none of them could identify.

“A grim place,” said Gorgus.

Narg said nothing but carried on walking, Bloodletter drawn and ready for action.

Despite the destruction, some of which seemed to be recent, they came across neither Bob nor Demon as they explored the once grand environment.

Finally they encountered an area which had obviously once been a magnificent dining hall. A long table, now sadly neglected and littered with tarnished platters and broken plates, ran up the middle of the room. The high walls disappeared up into a gloom-masked ceiling, and were hung with dusty portraits and battle scenes. At the far end of the hall was another plain wooden door.

Warily Narg moved forward, and then paused. “Did you hear that?”

“What?” Said Gorgus. “I heard nothing.”

“I thought I heard movement, from up there.” He pointed Bloodletter up to the dark ceiling.

“Come on, let’s move on quickly,” said Shogun, suddenly regretting his extra height.

They walked quietly but swiftly down towards the end of the room, Narg keeping an eye upwards.

The door, once they arrived, was solid but not locked. Narg opened it carefully to reveal a medium sized room, seemingly empty. It had probably been some sort of preparation room for servants in times past, as it had plain stone walls and no decorations like the dining room. A large cold fireplace was against the far wall, and another door, similar to the one they had just come through, was on another side. An old wooden table and several chairs, along with moldy sacks, probably of rotten food, were scattered around. The whole place reeked of neglect, but seemed untouched by any other than Father Time.

The three closed the door behind them and scouted around. Gorgus checked the other door, which turned out to be wedged shut somehow. Narg approached the fireplace warily, Bloodletter held in front of him. “Anything up there sword?” he asked.

“It’s empty, nothing there,” replied the magical weapon.

Narg turned to the others and sheathed Bloodletter. “We will rest here. Gorgus, bar the door from this side, I don’t want anyone sneaking up on us. Short… Long legs, break up some of that wood, may as well use the fireplace.”

The adventurers set about making a secure camp. The door was barred as best as they were able, and a fire started in the fireplace. The group unrolled their sleeping mats and lay them out on the floor.

As they sat around eating a quick meal before sleep, Narg turned to Gorgus and asked: “How did you know about the Ice Hag?”

Gorgus swallowed a piece of jerky before answering. “She spoke of her brother to me. The only person that could be is our good friend, the lich. As that creature is many centuries old…”

“... it followed she was as well,” Shogun finished for him.

Narg nodded. “You have my thanks Cleric, though I wish you’d arrived a little earlier.” He wiped his mouth at the memory.

Gorgus nodded in return and lay down to rest. Shogun smirked and then said “I will take first watch. I can’t sleep well like this anyway. What a day.” He settled himself as best as he could with his magically expanded legs and sat staring at the door.

Narg slipped into sleep.

‘Naaarrrggg. Naaaarrgg.’ The voice entered his dream, causing him to twitch.

‘Naaarg, can you hearr meee?’ the voice was joined by an image of a woman all in white. No not a woman, a spirit of one. Narg recognized her even in his dream state, she was the one that had approached him in the woods several long days ago.

“Who are you? What do you want?” he answered.

“I am Mistral, I must tell you…” The vision and dream shattered. Someone was shaking Narg.

“Wake up Narg, time for your watch!” It was Shogun.

“Urg,” said Narg groggily.

“Everything okay?”

“Just another visit from that ghost woman, you know, the one in the wood. Mistral she calls herself.”

“What does it want?”

“I don’t know, someone woke me up before she could tell me!” He glared at Shogun who merely grinned and shrugged.

Narg sat up as Shogun rested, and the rest of his watch went quietly. Mistral didn’t return when Gorgus took over and Narg returned to sleep.