Zombie Mage (27 page)

   Olligh remained sitting and felt around in the long
grass for the eye.  Just as he grabbed it, Hetty and Michael materialised on
the ground by his side.

"We made it!" Michael said, grabbing Hetty's
hand.

Hetty grinned broadly and hugged Michael.

"I didn't like the look of Cuthbert,"
Michael continued. "What a strange place to sit, and all those skeletons really
spooked me out."

"Indeed," Olligh agreed, struggling to his
feet, "but he's got every right to be suspicious of the Dark Cloaks, just
like we should be."

"Well," Gull said. "If they mean well,
which I sincerely hope they do, I'll be happy to do as they ask. I'm not going
to lie; it's not easy living like this."

Marvin snorted. "Yeah, I can only imagine."

Olligh plonked the eye into Marvin's empty socket and
began walking through the graveyard towards the crypt.  "Come on, follow
me.  Let's finish this."

They soon reached the hole in the side of the crypt
but it was now boarded up from the inside.  Grumbling to himself, Olligh
decided to try the main entrance to the old church.  Much to his delight,
nobody stood guard outside and one of the great oak doors stood ajar allowing
them to enter without interference.  A long corridor with a marble floor
stretched out before them and wooden chairs stood against the stone wall. Olligh
sat on one of the chairs and attempted to untie the rags holding Gull to his
back.

"If you don't mind, Gull, I'm going to un-strap
you now. You've been on my back for what seems like an eternity and it might be
best if you wait here until I find out more information."

Gull shrugged. "Sure, whatever you feel is for
the best. We're here now.  I'll be fine."

"If you don't mind," Marvin asked Olligh,
"I'd like to hang around your neck for a bit longer. I need to ask these
Dark Cloaks about what they have planned for me."

Olligh nodded. "Of course, Marvin, you're a
special case.  As for Michael, would you mind staying here with Gull?  He'll
need some company."

"Erm, sure, as long as I don't have to carry him
everywhere."

"Cheeky!" Gull responded with a grin.

"Hetty, you’d better come with me.  I’m sorry but
we’ll need to watch over you just in-case you begin to deteriorate."

Hetty nodded and reached over to help Olligh up from
the chair.

Marvin chuckled. "Yeah, you can be our body
guard."

Hetty followed Olligh through the corridor with a big
smile on her face.  They soon reached an archway which led to the Great Hall. 
Olligh spotted Denlik and a few other Dark Cloaks kneeling in silence next to
the dancing pig idol.  Coughing gently, he watched in amusement as they all
turned to face him with looks of wonder.

"You're back!" Denlik said.

Olligh smirked. "Is this all you do each day?  Spending
hours sat in front of a pig idol hardly seems worthwhile."

"Prayer is but a small part of our worship but,
nevertheless, a vital part.  It prepares us to receive Chektri's eternal
blessing."

"A blessing I can do without," Marvin said.

Denlik peered at Marvin, a glimmer of intrigue in his
eyes. "Oh, alas, poor Walker.  Your life after death has been a tragic
experience, has it not?"

"It was fine until I spotted a dancing pig.  Now
that's tragic!"

"The pig is merely depicting the celebration of
both life and death.  The face of this idol is sculpted from pure bone."

Marvin chortled. "What's a dancing pig got to do
with celebrating life and death?  It all sounds a bit insane to me."

 "A pig's life is full of woe and terror. Their
wild eyes constantly watch with fear and suspicion and their lives are often
cut short well before their time.  To a pig, their way to a better life is
through death."

"Bah," Marvin uttered. "Pigs are
brought up to be brought down.  They know no different.  Did you know the
tastiest bit on a pig is their brain?"

Denlik stood and clenched his fists together. 
"Regardless, this is why we conduct our rituals around the statue.  Now, let
us discuss more important things.  I see only two Walkers here with you. Where
are the remaining three?"

"Two more are waiting by the entrance,"
Olligh said. "However, one Walker, Cuthbert, doesn't wish to return."

"Oh? How did you return here without all five?  We
set up an energy field near the trail end.  It shouldn't have allowed you to
pass through without all five Walkers."

"We have our ways.  I would've quite happily
returned with Cuthbert as well but, quite frankly, he doesn't trust you."

"And you couldn't convince or force him to return
with you?"

  Olligh shook his head. "No, I couldn't.  He has
his own reasons for not returning here and they should be respected. Now, as
per our agreement, would you provide me with a potion and allow me to rest next
to Lara?"

Denlik crossed his arms, his deeply furrowed face
outlined in the candlelight. "No!"

"What do you mean, no? You can't deny me what we
agreed upon."

"We agreed on you returning all five Walkers.
Without them, the cosmos will continue to act irrationality and this has the
potential to cause more harm to innocents."

"Well, you go and get him.  I'm sure you're quite
capable of navigating the cosmos.  In fact, haven't you already been
there?"

Denlik frowned. "I never realised you were such a
fool, Mage Selthnik. I've been nowhere. Only the dead can travel through the
cosmos. Why don't you understand that we're merely trying to help put a bad
situation right?"

"You're lying. We know you've been watching our
progress and following us through the cosmos.  Summoning that filthy creature
to kill us was the final straw!"

"What are you talking about?" His voice
echoed around the Great Hall. "You're becoming delusional. Look at
yourself!"

"The Dark Cloaks don't care about the
Walkers," Olligh continued. "Nor do they want to take responsibility.
 Admit it, you want rid of us and you've even resorted to poisoning us to
achieve this goal."

Denlik shook his head angrily. "How dare you! If
we’d wanted to get rid of you quickly, don't you think we'd have simply forced
you to drink the poison?"

"Ah, so it is poison!" Olligh shouted.
"You and your cult belong in the gutter. I knew I shouldn't have placed my
trust with you."

"No, it isn't a poison.  You put those words into
my mouth.  It's a strong sedative with some mind numbing properties. What's
your problem?"

"I'll tell you what my problem is, Denlik-"

"He's the problem!" Marvin interrupted.
"I reckon he's the one responsible for all of this. He probably even knows
the thugs that done this to me."

"Exactly," Olligh continued. "I've
returned four Walkers to you and still you won't let me rest.  All I want to do
right now is spend my final days with my loving wife. Is this too much for me
to ask after all I've been through?"

Denlik looked as though his face was about to burst
with rage. "We had a deal and, as you're the source of this trouble, I
expect you to help put the wrongs to right."

"Why does one more Walker matter so much to
you?"

"The cosmos will not settle until these trails
are sealed.  At the moment they're left open and therefore a danger to us all. 
Besides, you brought Cuthbert back from the dead.  Don't you think you owe it
to him to let him rest in peace?"

Olligh frowned and folded his arms. "Don't be
ridiculous. I haven't brought anyone back from the dead - only rats."

"Hetty back!" Hetty interrupted.

Olligh turned to face the towering woman.  "What?
What you trying to say, Hetty?"

"Yes, you." She pointed at Olligh."You,
Hetty back."

"I brought you back from the dead?"

Hetty nodded, her face sullen.

"Oh dear," Marvin said. "It's all
coming out of the woodwork now, isn't it?"

Olligh returned his gaze to Denlik.  The High Warden
smirked, turning his head slightly to one side, perhaps not wanting to appear
too pretentious. 

"Do you find this amusing?" Olligh asked
with a glower. "Are you enjoying this?"

Denlik began to pace the room. "Mage Selthnik,
you're the one responsible for all of this - only you, nobody else!"

The words thrashed in Olligh's head.  He didn't want
to believe them. He turned to face Hetty again. "Hetty, are you sure it
was me that brought you back from the dead?"

 "Hetty sure," she replied.

Olligh shook his head and stomped on the stone floor.
"No, you must be mistaken. I've had enough of this.  I'm going to get
Lara, find a potion and then I'm leaving whether you like it or not."

"Mage Selthnik! I'll ask you one more time to
reconsider this."

"I don't wish to reconsider anything.  All I want
is to die next to the woman I love!"

Olligh walked towards the passageway with the red
curtain draped across it but Denlik had other plans.

"Grab him!" Denlik commanded his cultists. 
The Dark Cloaks stood and rushed for him, trying to stop him before he could
recite an incantation.  Olligh quickened his pace and managed to reach the
curtain before they leapt on him and forced him to the floor. He struggled but
was quickly overpowered. Someone held his head and forced a hand over his
mouth.

"Hold him!" Denlik yelled. "I'll stitch
his mouth. He's no good to us like this."

"Help him!" Michael shouted from the
archway, alerted to the hall by the noise.

One of the cultists screamed in agony and rolled over
in pain.  Marvin clung to him, his jaw clamped tightly to his arm. "Yeah,
that'll teach you. I might not have legs but I've got a nasty bite."

Olligh managed to boot another one in the stomach but
three remained, desperately holding on to him. Denlik reached him and knelt by
his side. He removed a small metal container from his pocket. Flipping the clip
on it, he opened the lid and removed a needle with green thread.  

"No!" Hetty screamed, yanking two of the
surprised cultists from Olligh. "No hurt!"

With little effort, she hurled them away.  They landed
with a mighty thump on the floor next to the pig statue.  Denlik and the
remaining cultists stood and backed off, their faces gripped with fear.  Marvin
was now on the floor, gaping up at them, snapping his jaw.  Olligh wiped his
mouth and struggled to his feet.

"Mage Selthnik!" Denlik yelled. "I
can't allow you to see Lara."

"I will. You can't stop me!"

"Listen to me. This is pointless... She's dead. 
She passed away this morning."

Olligh felt a cold shiver run down his spine. 

"Oh no," Marvin said. "Not good."

"So," Denlik continued. “There's no point in
taking her.  She won't be able to see or hear you."

Olligh scowled. "You knew this!  I came here and
you already knew this."

"I thought it best not to tell you considering
the circumstances."

A burning anger surged inside him, filling him with
dark thoughts.  He felt the urge to go somewhere - anywhere - to get away
before he did something he might regret.

Denlik stepped closer. "Besides, even if she was
alive, she'd be better off not seeing you again.  You'd only have scared her
with your pox-ridden face."

"How dare you!"

Olligh reached out and began to summon the energies of
the cosmos with intense vigour.

"He's casting!" Denlik yelled. "Stop
him!"

Two of the Dark Cloaks rushed forward just as the words
escaped from Olligh's mouth.

 Linkthus Shethkin!

They smashed into a shimmering shield which appeared
in front of them and fell back clutching their faces in agony.

"Excellent tactics!" Marvin said. "Most
effective."

Denlik twisted his face in disgust and raised his
hand, ready to counter Olligh with his own spells.  The three remaining Dark
Cloaks joined by his side, eying Olligh warily.

Olligh wasn't fazed by their quick recovery. If
anything, it angered him more.  He pushed his hands forward, manipulating the
energies with intense fury, and yelled another incantation -

Linkthus Victrist!

The shimmering shield flashed blood red and, with
incredible speed, lurched forward towards the huddle of Dark Cloaks.  Before
they had a chance to jump out of the way, it smashed into them, crushing them
against the wall. The once quiet Great Hall came alive with screaming as their
bones were crushed and blood spurted from their twitching bodies.    Its goal
achieved, the shield vanished as quickly as it came leaving the remains to flop
lifelessly to the floor.  A sudden quiet settled in the hall. Olligh stood
motionless, the gravity of what he'd done weighing heavily on his mind.  To his
side, Hetty continued to gape at the splatter on the wall. She was unable to
take her eyes off it, her face expressionless.