Unnamed Series: Pt.2 "Jack"
The Knight of Gildesh stood at the edge of the forest, muttering under his breath. Though, in truth, he wasn't a true knight of the lord Gildesh. The lord had no need for sending knights to patrol the borders of the land, for anyone who attempted to leave was quickly taken care of regardless. More than a knight, he was a scout for the village. He also loved that he could sit around and do as he pleased.
The problem was, during the more difficult to tolerate seasons, the job became more a chore than a relaxing break from the hustle of the town, such as when it snowed. The town didn't get so much snow, as it was lower than this particular side of the forest. Unluckily for him, though, he had forgotten that fact, and instead packed lightly without enough to warm himself. The fire crackled lazily up at his face as he kept just close enough to avoid setting his beard into a blaze that would be rather unpleasant. He swore under his breath, the warmth doing little to calm the urge to lay down and fall asleep. The silence was also rather unsettling, the darkness looking to consume him from all around. No wolves, no owls, no bugs. Just dead winter chill.
"Ugh. I'll die out here, I will!" Thoughts flashed to his family, his children. He looked to the town below, the soft glow of fire and magical light illuminating the city below. "S'not like anything happens out here anyway." The guard began to pick up his belongings, long since abandoned to the snow, and since buried. He remembered their position well enough, only out and about for a few hours in the cold he held so much contempt for.
"Get a damned fire worker to do this, not an arcane." He took one last look behind, the dark glow of the barrier glimmering in the deep forest, and started off towards the town.
The sound of shattering made his head want to explode. He looked up, not remembering hitting the snow below, or even drawing his sword. Likely, he had used magic to put it there. Beyond him, he saw something moving in the darkness, right near the edge of the barrier. The smell was terrible, as if some great funeral pyre emerged from the shattered bit of the magical wall before him.
The giant thing before him, standing three men tall, and at least two wide, wore no expression. It was sewn from other men, women, perhaps even children. Faceless, muscled, and a true horror. He couldn't move, couldn't get up to fight it, and did not scream. He tried to, and even to teleport, or use his magic to cast illusions. Something. Anything.
The fleshy golem walked forward and stood over him. Great gauntlets of steel, both ringing with magical power in his ears, was all it wore. It raised its arms, its stance changed, and began to swing downward. The great gauntlets struck the magical shield he had created as iron on an anvil, the sound and pressure of the blow stunning his senses, yet it held. The knight held his hand towards the horrific monster before him, and screamed. Magic washed over the great creature in bolts, all creating small explosions that ripped and tore huge chunks of dead flesh from it. Though the knight saw no discernible mouth, he heard the thing let out a throaty moan, faltering.
The knight took the advantage, throwing more and more of his remaining power into the spell. Soon, the golem was reduced to a pile of burned and battered flesh, his magic having torn it to ribbons. He stood, panting heavy in the dark night. He could feel his physical exhaustion coming. Rarely had he spent quite so much to do much of anything, yet it was a testament to his own power that he stood, unshaken, over what was left of his foe. He looked to the broken barrier, the hole still giving him a sense of awe.
Such a beast... was it truly the one capable of breaking through?
He pondered a moment longer when the chill set in. He was still standing in the snow, two feet deep here in the northern forest. He turned, and started into a run. An explosion rocked him again. This time, he turned, but saw it coming. His barrier wouldn't be enough for this one. Too fast, too soon after the fight with the golem, and much too strong. His arms covered his face, and it hit him.
The nearby snow had been caked thick with blood, some of the ice crunching under the dark robed figure moving through the night. The corpse of the knight sat frozen in time on the ground, his arms hefted into position, his face turned away from the blow that killed him. Even now, frozen though he was in some other time, he was very dead from the magical power that had struck him.
The figure lowered himself, looking steadily into the face of the knight. Under his thick hood, dark eyes surveyed the dead man coldly, a look of panic and pain frozen on his face. "Strange... how such a terribly average person for this city could possibly-"
"It is not in your job description to question, comprehend, or even know anything, Dreg." The other cloaked figure emerged from the barrier, his face uncovered. White hair cascaded past his shoulders, his bright eyes glimmering in the soft magical glow surrounding the nearby area upon his entrance into it. He wore a scowl, and looked disgusted by the sight of the golem, the dead knight, and the man before him.
The man spat at the insult. "I do have a name, my-"
"Yes, and I will use it when I believe you are worthy of more than a mere title, Dreg." The emphasis on the word ended the matter for him. Should the king wish to use such a title, he would learn the consequences of such.
Soon. "What are we to do with the body, my liege?"
"Take it with us."
"Won't they notice it missing?"
"Why, Dreg, I didn't believe you that idiotic." The words sent revulsion through him, but the king before him seemed not to notice. "That they notice is precisely the point."
The problem was, during the more difficult to tolerate seasons, the job became more a chore than a relaxing break from the hustle of the town, such as when it snowed. The town didn't get so much snow, as it was lower than this particular side of the forest. Unluckily for him, though, he had forgotten that fact, and instead packed lightly without enough to warm himself. The fire crackled lazily up at his face as he kept just close enough to avoid setting his beard into a blaze that would be rather unpleasant. He swore under his breath, the warmth doing little to calm the urge to lay down and fall asleep. The silence was also rather unsettling, the darkness looking to consume him from all around. No wolves, no owls, no bugs. Just dead winter chill.
"Ugh. I'll die out here, I will!" Thoughts flashed to his family, his children. He looked to the town below, the soft glow of fire and magical light illuminating the city below. "S'not like anything happens out here anyway." The guard began to pick up his belongings, long since abandoned to the snow, and since buried. He remembered their position well enough, only out and about for a few hours in the cold he held so much contempt for.
"Get a damned fire worker to do this, not an arcane." He took one last look behind, the dark glow of the barrier glimmering in the deep forest, and started off towards the town.
The sound of shattering made his head want to explode. He looked up, not remembering hitting the snow below, or even drawing his sword. Likely, he had used magic to put it there. Beyond him, he saw something moving in the darkness, right near the edge of the barrier. The smell was terrible, as if some great funeral pyre emerged from the shattered bit of the magical wall before him.
The giant thing before him, standing three men tall, and at least two wide, wore no expression. It was sewn from other men, women, perhaps even children. Faceless, muscled, and a true horror. He couldn't move, couldn't get up to fight it, and did not scream. He tried to, and even to teleport, or use his magic to cast illusions. Something. Anything.
The fleshy golem walked forward and stood over him. Great gauntlets of steel, both ringing with magical power in his ears, was all it wore. It raised its arms, its stance changed, and began to swing downward. The great gauntlets struck the magical shield he had created as iron on an anvil, the sound and pressure of the blow stunning his senses, yet it held. The knight held his hand towards the horrific monster before him, and screamed. Magic washed over the great creature in bolts, all creating small explosions that ripped and tore huge chunks of dead flesh from it. Though the knight saw no discernible mouth, he heard the thing let out a throaty moan, faltering.
The knight took the advantage, throwing more and more of his remaining power into the spell. Soon, the golem was reduced to a pile of burned and battered flesh, his magic having torn it to ribbons. He stood, panting heavy in the dark night. He could feel his physical exhaustion coming. Rarely had he spent quite so much to do much of anything, yet it was a testament to his own power that he stood, unshaken, over what was left of his foe. He looked to the broken barrier, the hole still giving him a sense of awe.
Such a beast... was it truly the one capable of breaking through?
He pondered a moment longer when the chill set in. He was still standing in the snow, two feet deep here in the northern forest. He turned, and started into a run. An explosion rocked him again. This time, he turned, but saw it coming. His barrier wouldn't be enough for this one. Too fast, too soon after the fight with the golem, and much too strong. His arms covered his face, and it hit him.
The nearby snow had been caked thick with blood, some of the ice crunching under the dark robed figure moving through the night. The corpse of the knight sat frozen in time on the ground, his arms hefted into position, his face turned away from the blow that killed him. Even now, frozen though he was in some other time, he was very dead from the magical power that had struck him.
The figure lowered himself, looking steadily into the face of the knight. Under his thick hood, dark eyes surveyed the dead man coldly, a look of panic and pain frozen on his face. "Strange... how such a terribly average person for this city could possibly-"
"It is not in your job description to question, comprehend, or even know anything, Dreg." The other cloaked figure emerged from the barrier, his face uncovered. White hair cascaded past his shoulders, his bright eyes glimmering in the soft magical glow surrounding the nearby area upon his entrance into it. He wore a scowl, and looked disgusted by the sight of the golem, the dead knight, and the man before him.
The man spat at the insult. "I do have a name, my-"
"Yes, and I will use it when I believe you are worthy of more than a mere title, Dreg." The emphasis on the word ended the matter for him. Should the king wish to use such a title, he would learn the consequences of such.
Soon. "What are we to do with the body, my liege?"
"Take it with us."
"Won't they notice it missing?"
"Why, Dreg, I didn't believe you that idiotic." The words sent revulsion through him, but the king before him seemed not to notice. "That they notice is precisely the point."