Volodar sighed as he closed his book and stared off towards the runes on the wall. He glanced over towards the skeleton and woman that have been accompanying him the past few weeks. Volodar closed his eyes before suddenly opening them. His mouth was slightly agape as he got to his feet and looked towards Adelia, “One of my skeletons have perished.”
Quick orders came out from Volodar as the confusion disappeared. Looking towards the skeleton, he barked, “Get prepared, we are under attack.”
Adelia watched as Volodar was leaving the room with the skeleton and quickly asked, “What about me?”
“You stay here and don’t come out until I come get you.”
“Ok,” Adelia acknowledged as she watched Volodar disappear up the hatch.
Above, Volodar walks to the second floor and looks out of the arrow slits in the tower. Looking for anything that can be construed as a threat. Lucas came up the stairs speaking, “My lord, the bandits have followed us to this location. There looks to be twelve of them. I fought alongside your skeleton watch and the patrol is being overwhelmed. We need to take our forces and strike now.”
Volodar remained silent for a moment, seeing the sight of his three fresh brigand skeletons being attacked by so many people. “They are outnumbered four to one. The best they can do is retreat.” Volodar issued the command as the skeletons attempted to retreat to the tower, however, only one of the three succeeded in escaping the grasps of the bandits.
“It looks like the bandits are hurt though; their morale may shatter before we die,” Volodar remarked. “Where is there leader? I don’t see anyone who looks special within their ranks.”
“I do not know my lord, but we cannot sit here any longer. Let’s move.”
Volodar went to the first floor and looked at his remaining five skeletons with their weapons. “Damn,” Volodar gritted his teeth, “they will pay for this.” The twelve bandits rushed towards the door as Volodar stepped between his skeletons with an extended hand. His fingers pointed towards one of the men as he whispered, and a black ray shot from his hand dancing between three of the bandits. The three bandits dropped their weapons as they couldn’t stand anymore, they felt all the strength disappear from their bodies as they dropped to ground.
Some of the bandits were scared, but the cries of battle overrode their gnawing fear as they clashed into the entrance of the tower. Steel, iron, bone, and leather all clashed as the forces met within a tight opening. “Lucas,” Volodar ordered, “Go to the roof, if you see anyone that appears to be the leader. Kill them.”
Lucas nodded as he went with supernatural swiftness up the stairs behind Volodar. Taking a bag from his pocket, Volodar took small bone fragments and held them in his hands, ushering a few words before opening his palm as an arrow made of bone shot out and pierced one of the bandits. The skeletons fought with such ferocity that Volodar was surprised at the work the skeletons were able to do. They fought off some of the more brutish bandits, while keeping the entrance to the tower sealed. Volodar prepared another spell as he slashed his hand and extended it. Red struck out from his hand in a long whip as it went through the heart of one bandit and into the neck of another before dissipating.
As the bandits seemed fearful of what had just happened, something shocking occurred simultaneously to the spell. A whizzing noise could be heard as Volodar felt a sharp pain in his abdomen and instinctively reached down to feel the area. He looked at his hands to see blood covering the outside of his right hand, even more so than what was needed for the spell as he was shot in the stomach by an arrow.
Adelia peered through the floor, witnessing Volodar’s injury and rushing to him. “Volodar, you’re hurt. You’re hurt.” Adelia kept repeating those words as she dragged him further into the tower, away from the entrance.
“Adelia, listen to me. Go to the second floor. Find out who shot me,” Volodar said through heavy breaths as he pressed his cloak onto the wound.
Adelia sprints to the second floor to find the same arrow slit that Volodar used earlier. Outside, she hurriedly looked around as her eyes were drawn to the forest line less than a hundred feet away. There see could see Lucas fighting someone and appeared to be getting the best of him. She screamed back down to Volodar, “Lucas already got him, my lord!” However, nothing but the clash of metal and bone could be heard as she ran back down the stairs.
Volodar sat slumped over on the ground, with ragged breathing as he pointed towards the wound. The wound looked unnatural as small black lines seemed to go through his veins from that direction. Struggling to speak, Volodar whispered, “Antivenom, Adelia. Tell Lucas. Antivenom.”
The sounds of combat faded as the bandits were destroyed. Most of them lay incapacitated, dead, or dying as the skeletons finished off the combatants. Lucas came through the door as Adelia screamed, “Antivenom Lucas, he needs antivenom!”
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Lucas sprang into action as he went down the hatch and reappeared in a matter of thirty seconds pouring liquid from this small vial into the mouth of Volodar. “I figured that something bad happened,” Lucas started, “I found the poison he used when I confronted him.
“Where is he?”
“Dead.”
With that, Adelia heaved a sigh of relief as Volodar’s breathing stabilized. The heavy smell of blood in the air was overpowering as she looked out the entranceway. Skeletons were unceremoniously finishing off the last few bandits, stabbing their weapons into their necks. They avoided damaging the leathers that they were wearing. Unsure of what to do, Adelia took in the surroundings for a moment as Lucas called over to her.
"Girl, come here.”
“What is it?”
“Sit next to him,” Lucas said, “I’m going to use blood magic to transfer some of your life to him.”
Adelia felt her nerves start to act as she sheepishly walked over to Volodar. One skeleton that was bloodied made eye contact with her and rattled its bones in approval. Feeling her resolve come back, she laid down next to Volodar.
Adelia spoke with confidence, “Do it.”
Lucas ushered some words as red, luminescent bands wrapped around his hands. He hovered his hands over Adelia and Volodar as red mist seemed to flow in either direction of his hands. After a moment, Lucas paused and stood up. “I’ve done what I could do. He will live, there is no doubt in my mind. But he will need to recover. Blood magic is not like life magic when it comes to restoring the body.”
Adelia felt lightheaded as she sat up next to Volodar. The skeletons began to place the bodies outside in an orderly fashion away from the tower. It took a few days of recovery as Volodar had to regain his strength. Adelia watched over him, taking care of Volodar and making sure he had what he needed during this time.
“Thanks,” Volodar said, “I think I’m good enough to reanimate at this point. Those corpses have not been preserved during this time. It’s disgusting enough as it is.”
Adelia bowed her head and followed Volodar outside the tower along with his skeletons. Curious to what the ritual looked like, she wished to be present as it happened.
“So be it,” Volodar mumbled to himself, “It’s as good of a place as any.” Volodar raised his hands towards the dozen dead as he ushered them up with his hands. “Do well and I will make sure you are all remembered through my name.” The flesh of the corpses turned black as it melded together and fell off onto the dirt below, sinking into the ground. Afterwards, the skeletons of the dead began to shudder as they started to simultaneously rise.
Volodar, so grandiose in his appearance just a moment ago, staggered backwards as he held his head.
“My lord, are you okay?” Adelia asked.
“It’s needed to be done to expand my limits of mana. I will be fine.”
Volodar’s gait appeared strange as he stumbled for a bit as he walked towards one last body. “This is apparently the man who shot me with a poisoned arrow. I suppose he deserves something grander, yes?”
Adelia remained silent as she watched Volodar stare at the body. “The stronger they were in life,” Volodar muttered, “the better they will serve in death.” Volodar raised his hand once more, “Marksman. You may have wounded me in life, but you will give me everything you have in death! I grant you the name, Hunter.” With this, the dark energies surrounded the body as it shook and seemed to rise off the ground. The corpse stood there with pale skin and scars across its chest as it kneeled to Volodar.
It cleared its throat as a raspy noise could be heard coming from the humanoid. “My lord, I am ready to serve.”
Volodar fell backwards and caught himself as he sat on the ground next to the humanoid. “Ah, yes.” Volodar said in between catching breaths, “You are a ghoul now, Hunter. First of your kind that I have created.”
The ghoul, Hunter, grabbed the hand of Volodar and helped him to his feet before kneeling once more. “I am honored to be the first ghoul you have created. I will not let this honor go to waste.”
Volodar shook of the grogginess as he propped himself up with the help of Adelia. “Master Volodar,” Adelia said, “we should go back and have you rest. You need to rest. There are plenty of people who can do tasks for you now.”
Silently, Volodar limped back to the tower with the help of Adelia and Hunter before going to bed. Eyes still heavy, Volodar opened his eyes as he could see Adelia standing beside his bed. Sitting up and leaning against the tower wall, he sat in silence.
“Good morning, my lord.” Adelia started, “You slept through yesterday and it is noon currently.” She walked towards Volodar and looked down towards him, “How do you feel?”
“It’s a familiar feeling. One of being ripped apart within.” Volodar placed his hand around where he was shot as he looked down, “Where are my normal clothes?”
“I thought that you would want it repaired. I’m not the best at it, but I tried.” Adelia handed back the black raiment that Volodar wore. A simple patchwork job done to the exterior as he could see her fingers were also wrapped in bandages.
“I see,” Volodar paused as he ran his fingers along the patched up clothing, “you continue to serve me well at every turn.”
“Do you need anything, my lord?”
“I only need to know what my creations are doing at this moment. With that I can rest easy.”
“Well,” Adelia’s voice trailed off, “Hunter gave information to Lucas about the bandits who attacked us.” Her voice seems to choke up as she continues, “It’s the people who attacked my town. They followed Lucas’ tracks. They hurt you and the rest of them know where the tower is located. Hunter took some men to bring you to ‘justice’. That’s how this all started.”
Volodar closes his eyes as he grips the edge of the bed, “I see.”
Adelia kneeled next to him looking down at his knees, “I’m sorry sir, it’s my fault that you’ve went through this.”
Volodar looked at her for a moment in silence before resting his hand on her shoulder. “It is not your fault,” he stated as a matter of fact. “It’s their fault for believing that they would touch what is rightfully mine. I’m a greedy man and those who are subservient to me are mine and mine alone. I would slaughter every bandit in the kingdom of Strosa and three great forests if that’s what it would take to secure my peace.”
Adelia looked at him with tears welling up in her eyes as she wiped them away and stood up. Volodar followed suit as he clutched the black raiment in his hands, “I will simply have to get stronger and meet them in person.”