Narg and the Necromancer

Spirits.

He awoke to see Gorgus and Shogun leaning over him. Shogun had a gash along his arm, but appeared to be otherwise okay.

“Arg,” said Narg intelligently. “Urg?” His throat felt the size of a watermelon.

“I managed to beat off my attacker long enough to turn the creatures you didn’t deal with,” the Cleric said, interpreting Narg’s question correctly. “Close thing though, another few seconds and I’d have had to try out a resurrection spell, and I always get those wrong.”

“Is anbhofy gnnng to get me oft?” Came a muffled voice a little way away. “M’ nt n axe y knw.”

Narg sighed and, still rubbing his throat, climbed to his feet and made his way over to Bloodletter, who was still wedged tight in the tree. With a great deal of grunting and pulling Narg managed to free the blade.

“About time. Do you know how uncomfortable that was? Take better care with me warrior.” It gave a sniff, which was no mean feat for something with no nose.

Narg checked it over, but it appeared to be in good condition. He wiped the blade down and sheathed the sword in one smooth motion, before it could b***h any more, and turned back to his two companions.

“Are you two okay?” he croaked, his voice returning slowly.

“Aye, the thing that came at me was fierce, but lacking in skill,” replied Gorgus.

“I’m okay, a small scratch, nothing more,” said Shogun holding his arm up.

“Right then. Let’s be on the alert. I’m sure I saw another figure in the trees.”

“It’s getting dark,” said the wizard. “I could use a rest, but it isn’t the best place to camp.”

“I agree,” agreed the Cleric. “Though I don’t want to risk travelling in the dark with undead roaming all over the woods. They have more power at night, as well as being harder to fight of course.”

“Aye, your little legs probably need a rest eh wizard?” Narg thought a moment or two. “We go on for a while, find a decent place to make camp. Just keep your eyes open. Anyone check the bodies for loot?” He pointed at the recently re-killed creatures. At their negative reply he stooped down and checked the corpses, not forgetting to examine the sword that nearly put paid to him, but there was nothing of any value to be found.

“Bah. Undead, worse than paladins.” He stood up again, “Let’s go. This way.” He started off into the dark woods.

Shogun grumbled under his breath, but followed as Narg and then Gorgus moved off.

The woods at night were dark and creepy. Branches twisted themselves into ghoulish faces, leering at the travellers. Small sounds seemed to be amplified and they found themselves starting at every little noise, clutching at their weapons.

Just as Narg was wondering if they would have to walk all night, they stumbled into a small clearing. It was a perfect place for a camp site, indeed so perfect it had traces of previous occupation.

“Well, that was easy,” said Shogun, and stooped down next to an old ring of stones, which had obviously been used for a fire by the previous occupants. “Mmm, cold as a spinsters’ bed. Better gather some wood.”

The three set about gathering fuel, not a hard task in the middle of a forest, and soon had a pile of damp twigs. Shogun arranged them into a fire and used a small spell to set them aflame.

Gorgus settled down into meditation, scanning the area with his senses for signs of the undead.

Narg scouted the area quickly. He soon found an old trail, a couple of weeks old by his best reckoning. Maybe three or four in the party. He scratched his chin thoughtfully. “Looks like Ezal’s daughter could have passed this way.” He stood up and did a final check around before watering the trees and returning to the campsite. Shogun had a small fire blazing merrily away and was cooking some of the supplies over it. Gorgus awoke from his meditations as the meal was prepared.

Narg sat down on his sleeping mat and accepted a large piece of meat of unknown origin from the wizard. “Thanks short stuff,” he said, biting into the food.

Shogun grunted and passed some to the cleric before settling down with his own.

There were several minutes of relative silence as the three ate, broken when Narg tossed a bone away and let out an enormous belch. “Not bad,” he said, laying back. “Sure you’re a mage, not a cook?”

“A person can be both you know,” sniffed the halfling.

“Well, let’s hope your magical skills are as fine as your cooking ones,” said Gorgus.

“They are, never fear,” replied Shogun.

The cleric looked around. “I fear we will need all the strength we can get. I feel great evil building.”

Narg snorted.

“You don't fear evil warrior?” asked Gorgus.

“I fear evil knocking my brains out perhaps,” replied Narg.

“Evil is not to be mocked. It’s all around us, waiting for a chance to strike.”

“And your order is out to eliminate it, is that it cleric?” asked Narg, settling back into a more comfortable position on his mat.

Gorgus shook his head. “We are not so naive. Where there is life, evil lurks, the two go hand in hand. It cannot be defeated totally. Yet is that a reason to ignore it? No. We can strive to hold it back, to keep it in check and to give Good a chance. For to do nothing is to let evil win.” The religious man felt at a small globe hanging on a chain around his neck. “I fight where I feel I am needed the most. This is why I’m here now. This necromancer must be stopped.”

“I’m in it for the money myself,” said Narg, unmoved by the speech. “How about you half-pint?”

Shogun scowled. “I’ve heard of you hero. Your exploits are sung of by the bards.”

“Pah, bards. What do they know?” Narg spat.

“Oh, I realize the songs are but glorified shadows of what you’ve done, I am not that foolish. Still, when I heard you would lead this quest, I decided to take a chance.”

“You’ve never been on quest before wizard?” asked Gorgus.

“Of course!” Shogun paused a moment, looking slightly uncomfortable. “Well, missions with other mages of the order.” He sighed and poked the fire with a stick. “Fear not, I’m not some wet about the ears apprentice. I’ve seen my share of action, but my time with my order was complete. I’d paid for my training and was free to do as I wished.”

“So you decided to go adventuring,” finished Narg. “I hope you realize what you’ve let yourself in for halfling.”

“I do warrior.”

“Good, just so we’re clear.” Narg looked around. “Now, something not sung about in the ballads, what watch do you want shorty?”

“I’ll take the first numbskull,” retorted Shogun, not looking up from the fire.

“I shall take the morning watch,” said Gorgus.

Narg grunted, rolled out his sleeping mat and, with no further ado, lay down and went to sleep…

*

He was poked awake by the wizard’s staff in the dark of the night. The fire was still burning, though lower than before, and Gogus seemed to have fallen asleep whilst meditating.

“All quiet,” said Shogun, and settled down to sleep.

Narg yawned and scratched himself, sitting up as he did so. He hated the mid-watch. Still, better to be awake a few hours in the night than to not wake at all. These woods were certainly not safe.

He stood up and stretched, threw some water from his canteen onto his face to wake up a bit, and walked around the perimeter of the camp. All indeed did seem quiet.

He returned to his mat and sat down again. Minutes passed. More. Narg’s head began to nod. He’d had a hard day and not much sleep the night before, thanks to the hells. His head sank lower… Suddenly he jerked back from the edge. Was that something moving in the trees? He reached for Bloodletter and stood up slowly, moving away from the campfire a little, to remove himself from the glow.

Another rustling noise. As if leaves blowing in the wind, only there was no wind. Bloodletter held before him, he moved cautiously forward, eyes straining in the dark.

“You see anything out there sword?” he whispered to Bloodletter.

“Ignoring the fact I have no eyes, no. I detect no physical being in the area other than you and your companions,” the weapon replied.

Narg relaxed a little and lowered Bloodletter. The sword may be annoying but he had never known it be wrong.

“However…” started the blade again.

It didn’t get to finish. Before Narg, appearing from nowhere, stood a figure, an image of a young woman all in white. No, not quite a woman, and not all in white. She was white, and there was a definite misty quality to her. The final clues were the gaping black eye-sockets and wispy hair floating around her head.

Narg started to back away quickly, but she raised a thin, translucent arm and pointed a finger. He found himself suddenly unable to move. The figure drifted closer, staying away from the light of the fire he noted.

As she approached there was a whispering inside his head, and the ghost’s mouth moved, showing the same empty blackness as her eyes.

‘Naaarggg,’ came the ghostly voice. ‘Naaargg, I have come for you…’

The ghost drew closer and the whispering grey louder. “Narrgg, you…”

The voice was drowned out as Bloodletter, realizing something was wrong, let out a piercing shout which had Gorgus and Shogun leaping up from their beds.

Immediately the ghost retreated back into the woods, slowly fading from sight. Narg felt the paralysis leaving his body even as a final rejoinder echoed inside his mind.

‘I will returrnnn…’ Then it disappeared completely.

Shogun drew level with Narg just as he felt his ability to move return.

“Maybe we should just leave the sword on watch,” the wizard remarked dryly.

Narg cast around for a witty yet brutal reply, but words failed him. “Oh shut up” he said, and stalked back to camp.