Tears trickled down Lily’s cheeks, landing softly on the freshly placed flower at her mother’s grave. She lingered there, a silent moment of grief hanging heavy in the air.
“I’m sorry, Mum. There was so much I wanted to say,” Lily whispered, her voice barely audible amid the rustling leaves. Memories of shared laughter and gentle advice flooded her thoughts. “I promise I’ll always hold you, Father, and Evan in my heart. I wasn’t strong enough to protect you. But I made them suffer, Mum. I made them suffer.”
With a shaky breath, Lily stood, her gaze turning toward the sombre dusk sky. Her white bed shirt fluttered in the breeze, a stark contrast to the muted surroundings.
“Guide her along the path, goddess Cera. Watch over her better than I could. I love you, Mum,” she murmured, her plea carried away by the wind.
“Let’s go, Lily. We need to make Frostholm before the weather turns. It is no longer safe for us here in Sylvanreach,” Korvax’s voice interrupted, his red skin faintly glowing as a stray sunbeam broke through the clouds.
Lily, torn between the lingering presence of loss and the urgency of the present, nodded. She cast a final glance at the grave, a myriad of emotions etched across her face, before turning, following Korvax.
His chosen path twisted and turned through the forest, deviating from the familiar trails that lead to the heart of the Sylvanreach area. Once a source of comfort, the surrounding trees now felt like silent spectators to Lily’s inner turmoil. The last time she had walked through the forest, it had cost her dearly. What sunlight there was left struggled to pierce through the thick tree canopy, breaking through randomly, casting fleeting shadows on Lily’s dark expression.
The weight of her recent farewell clung to her like an unwelcome companion, pulling at the edges of her consciousness with each step. Now resting in the earth’s embrace, her mother felt like a rock torn away from the foundation of Lily’s life. The forest, usually filled with the calming rustle of leaves, seemed to resonate with the echoes of her thoughts.
As they pushed deeper into the woods, the landscape underwent a metamorphosis. The once-quiet rustle of leaves now surrendered to the distant murmur of an approaching storm. Korvax, the glow of his lantern reflecting off the damp leaves, guided Lily forward, constantly scanning as he looked around. His eyes never stopped. Always looking for anything that might be a threat.
“Korvax. Can I ask you a question?” Asked Lily.
“We shouldn’t be talking. It is far too dangerous for us to become complacent.” Replied Korvax with a sigh. He knew well enough that she wouldn’t stop unless he allowed her to ask whatever was on her mind. “But fine, what was your question.”
“I was thinking…”
“Oh, that’s a bad idea.” Said Korvax with a chuckle.
“Hey. That’s not nice. I’ve killed so many people and done things to those guards where my mother’s body was. I. I. I did things that I couldn’t let go of. How do I make the voices stop? I can still hear the screams—the begging. I just. I want it to stop.” Sobbed Lily. Tears running down her face. “Evan always said that the way we hold ourselves is important. What would he think of me now?”
Korvax sighed. “Look. I don’t know this, Evan. So I can’t tell you what he would think. But I am proud of you. For whatever that is worth to you. You avenged your mother and everyone else that had been hurt. To me, that is the greatest thing we can hope for. To make the world a better place.”
Korvax jumped over a log that had fallen across his path. He stopped to look at Lily. Taking all of her in. Lily’s chestnut brown hair cascaded down her shoulders. The strands had a warm, earthy hue. Her deep emerald-green eyes held a conflicted gaze. Her movements as she walked were sure-footed like each step had been carefully planned. The simple white nightshirt she wore, the fabric flowing loosely around her frame. The worn boots on her feet. All together, it created a striking image. An image of beauty. Of chaos. Deadly and unrestrained.
Korvax felt himself hardening at the sight of her. He turned, walking ahead again. Shaking his head as he tried to clear his thoughts.
“But did I? Those people I killed. Most of them would have families that will never see them again. I… I am no better than they are.” Cried, Lily. Guilt was eating at her. “When I lost my father, I didn’t talk to anyone for months. It was my fault he died—my stupidity. Evan struggled, but he wouldn’t let anyone see that he was struggling. Instead of grieving, he spent the entire time looking after me. Making sure that I was ok.”
Korvax was quiet. He knew she needed to get this out. Not working through the emotions of killing someone would eventually lead to them becoming overpowering. The thought that she was responsible would do far more damage to her mind than just killing someone.
He had been here once, after his first mission. The order was for him to kill a temple priestess. She hadn’t tried to beg for her life. She hadn’t fought back or screamed out for help. She just looked at him. Sadness in her eyes as he stabbed the sword through her heart. That image still haunted his dreams even to this day. After the hundreds he had killed, the priestess’s image still came back to him clearly.
“Look, Lily. I am not Evan. I won’t hold your hand. The only way you will come to terms with this is in your own way. The world isn’t a nice place.” Korvax’s voice became a steady, reassuring tone as he continued, “What you did, it wasn’t easy. Killing never is. There’s no easy path through the darkness we find ourselves in. But you did what you thought you had to do to protect those you love. Sometimes, survival demands harsh choices.”
He glanced at Lily, his gaze softened by the lantern’s glow. “I’ve been down a similar road. There are things I’ve done that I can’t forget, no matter how hard I try. It’s a burden we carry, and it shapes us. But it doesn’t define who we are.”
Korvax resumed walking, his footsteps measured. “The voices you hear, the screams, the echoes of the past – they may never fully fade. But you’ll learn to carry them with time without letting them consume you. Evan may not be here, but I believe he’d understand. He’d see the strength in you, not just the shadows.”
He paused, looking at the darkening sky through a gap in the canopy above as the storm drew nearer. “We need to move. Follow me.”
Lily followed Korvax for what felt like hours. The rain from the storm was like ice striking her skin. Each drop only added to the biting chill slowly creeping into her bones. Korvax stopped, pointing towards a dull light coming from something ahead.
SIgnalling for her to keep low, Crouching, they crept closer to the light. Lily was surprised when the forest gave way to what seemed like old ruins. The ruins appeared to emanate a pulsating magical power. The air tinged with an otherworldly tang that brushed against Lily’s senses.
Weathered by centuries, massive stone columns rose proudly from the forest floor. Two rows of these towering columns stretched forward, creating a ceremonial pathway leading to the entrance of a colossal stone structure.
The columns, covered with intricate carvings and symbols long faded by time, reached toward the sky like silent guardians of forgotten knowledge. Vines, moss, and lichen clung to the stones, weaving a tapestry of nature, reclaiming what had been crafted by mortal hands.
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As the path between the columns widened, the true scale of the stone structure became apparent. It loomed ahead, an imposing construction of ancient craftsmanship. The exterior bore the scars of erosion and the touch of countless seasons, yet remnants of its once intricate design hinted at the architectural mastery that had birthed it.
Stone slabs lay scattered and broken everywhere Lily looked. Beyond the columns, the entrance to the massive stone structure beckoned. The dim light they had seen hung from a hook next to the door. The door, though weathered, stood firm. Its surface etched with patterns had long ago lost any meaning.
Korvax halted, his hand raised in a gesture for silence. He listened intently, attuned to the subtle vibrations of the magical leyline that ran through the ruins. Lily, too, felt the hum of ancient magic; this place wasn’t just a simple ruin. Someone or thing was working powerful magic here.
“We have to investigate,” Korvax declared, his eyes gleaming with determination. “Whatever is being done here, it must be stopped. Magic this powerful. It never leads to any good.”
Walking up the cracked stone stairs, he reached for the door. Pushing firmly, the door creaked open, protesting as it opened. The room beyond revealed itself, empty except for broken statues and two doors leading off in opposite directions.
Walking inside, Lily slowly went to the door on the left as Korvax approached the one on the right. Lily watched as Korvax slowly pushed open the door, just enough for him to slip inside. Just as Lily grabbed the latch on her door, Korvax closed the door he had just entered behind him, going over to Lily.
“A storage room, it had rows of shelves. Some kinds of crates and barrels are in the centre. There was a pile of worn clothes and a few rows of hanging cloaks. So, we can assume that someone is using this ruin. Let’s see what your door offers.” Said Korvax. His voice was barely a whisper.
Lily nodded as she pushed the door next to her open. The smell of death that assaulted her nose was unmistakable. As she was trying not to gag, Korvax stepped past. He swept the room as Lily struggled to regain her senses.
Taking in the room, Lily’s attention focused on the large rotted wooden table in the centre of the room. It was piled with corpses that were encased in a wax-like jelly. Around the room’s edges were stone shelves displaying ominous tools and jars.
“What is this room?” Asked Lily as she tried to block her nose.
Korvax sighed. “Let us hope that there isn’t a practising necromancer here. This room is the last stage for the creation of Necromantic soldiers.”
“Necro… what?” replied Lily. “Don’t necromancers normally just use graveyards? I’ve never heard of anyone creating undead soldiers like this.”
“Be glad you have never seen this. Once they are finished, these soldiers are three times as strong. Necromancers only use graveyard for, as you call them, undead when they don’t have the time to create these. We need to find whoever is behind this and stop it.” Said Korvax as he studied the door on the far side of the room. “Let us continue. Be ready. I doubt our presence has gone unnoticed.”
The door led to a large chamber that was filled with rotting corpses. Torchlight cast eerie shadows on the lifeless forms strewn across the floor. The air hung heavy with the acrid stench of decay, a putrid smell that clawed at the senses. The coppery tang of blood lingered, underscored by the sickly sweet notes of bodily fluids. The scent was thick, almost palpable, assaulting anyone who dared to enter the chamber. Lily turned green as the smell assaulted her worse than in the previous room.
“Oh, goddess. The smell. I think I’m going to be sick.” Groaned Lily as she clamped her mouth, trying not to throw up.
“Breather through your mouth. It helps.” Replied Korvax as he knelt next to one of the decaying corpses.
“Can we please hurry up? I don’t think I can be in the room much longer.” Said Lily.
Korvax gestured silently for Lily to follow him as he stepped through the doorway at the other end of the chamber. Its doors had been wrenched off their hinges. A hallway stretched before them, winding deeper into the heart of the ancient ruins. The air, already thick with the scent of mildew, carried an unsettling chill that intensified with every step.
As they ventured further, Lily’s gaze was drawn to alcoves randomly scattered along the corridor. Each niche held a corpse encased in a waxy preservation substance, the eerie glow of magic surrounding them.
Korvax, his senses attuned to the surroundings, halted their progress intermittently. “Footsteps,” he murmured to Lily, his voice barely audible above the eerie sounds reverberating through the ruins. The echoes persisted as they made their way deeper.
At the far end of the long hallway stood a weathered door. Korvax raised a cautionary hand, signalling for Lily to be still. He listened intently, his eyes narrowing in concentration. “We’re close,” he whispered as he pushed the door open slowly.
They entered a room that seemed frozen in time. Everything was made in designs that had not been seen for ages. Tousled as if recently occupied, a bed was carved in patterns and figures that matched the techniques they had seen on the front door to the ruins as it stood against one wall. Next to the bed was a desk cluttered with arcane trinkets, and bookshelves adorned with dusty tomes lined the room. The air within carried a faint, elusive fragrance, a blend of aged paper and the lingering remnants of some strong perfume.
Korvax’s eyes focused on a grimoire lying on the desk. “That’s the necromancer’s book,” he cautioned Lily, his voice low and urgent. “Don’t touch it; it’s likely enchanted. A trap waiting to be sprung.”
Lily nodded as she moved closer to inspect the desk’s contents. Pulling out the only drawer still on the desk, Lily came across a smaller book. It had a picture of a skull on the front cover. Feeling the pull to open the book. Lily looked around for where Korvax was. Seeing him inspecting a door at the far side of the room, Lily pocketed the smaller book before going over to Korvax.
Korvax pressed a finger to his lips, his eyes focused and intense. With a silent signal, he held up his hand, four fingers splayed. Lily caught the gesture and readied herself, the tension in the air palpable. The room, dimly lit by a flickering torch, cast dancing shadows on the uneven stone walls.
Korvax smoothly drew his sword from its sheath, the metallic whisper blending with the subtle sounds of their surroundings. The door, weathered and worn, opened with a swift kick, smashing into the wall as it swung wildly, the opened doorway revealing figures in dark robes on the other side.
Without hesitation, they charged. Korvax’s blade danced through the air with deadly precision, cutting down two of the robed figures before they could muster a defence. The clash of steel echoed through the chamber.
The third figure quickly unleashed a windstrike spell at Lily. as she just barely evaded the spell with a fluid dance of movement. She could feel the air as it crackled with the residual energy of the attack. The fourth-robed assailant, not stopping to give her a chance, swung his sword at Lily. She deflected the blow with a clash of steel as she brought her sword up. Moving her foot to a better stance, she hit a random book on the ground. Lily stumbled as she fell to her knees from the force of the blow.
Seizing the moment, Korvax struck, dispatching the remaining foes with a quick swing of his sword. The room fell into a tense silence once more, broken only by Lily’s soft panting as she fought to get her breathing back under control. Korvax extended his hand to help Lily up from the cold stone floor. Their eyes met, and Lily blushed as she looked away.
Korvax smiled to himself, happy he had been able to help her. As he scanned the room, his senses alerted for any lingering threats. Seeing nothing, he relaxed and wiped his sword on the closest robe.
“Search the bodies.” He said. “They might have something on them we can use.”
Lily looked at the robed figure in front of her. Pulling back the hood, she gasped. “Korvax, this one was an Elf.”
“They all are. Why would Elves be this far west?” Replied Korvax, pulling the robes from one of the bodies. “Ah, here it is. These are part of the Nightweaver order. We need to find the one in charge.”
“What is the Nightweaver order?” Asked Lily. Ï’ve never heard of them before.”
“Be thankful you haven’t. They are an order that was founded around two hundred years ago. Near led the Elven kingdom to ruin as well. They deal in dark magic, as you would call it—necromancy, amongst other dangerous things. The Elves outlawed them for it. They are normally killed on sight in most places these days.” Replied Korvax.
“Ok. so they are dangerous then. Should we not send for assistance?”
Korvax shook his head. “There is no time. They are already well advanced in the creation of their army. If they finish, the Humans and their allies in this part of the country will not be enough to stop them. With the war ongoing, this would be enough to destroy any chance the humans have of surviving. You can’t hope to win a war on two fronts when you have an enemy in the centre of your country.”
“Ok. so what do we do then? Find the leader and kill him?” Asked Lily, still not sure why they wouldn’t ask for help.
“Yes, Kill him, and if we are lucky, that will be the end.” sighed Korvax.
“And if we are not lucky?” Asked Lily.
“We have to fight whatever leader they have created for the army. Every Necromantic army will have a central commander. They normally use a collection of different corpses to make a horror that is extremely difficult to kill.” Replied Korvax. “Come on, let’s go. Time to find us the leader.”