The Chronicles of Rapina, Chapters 10-17

New Beginnings
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[Rapina]010 New Beginnings
[Rapina]011 Hall of the Dead
[Rapina]012 Shadows of the Dead
[Rapina]013 Night Terrors
[Rapina]014 The Noble Jaws of Death
[Rapina]015 Death Battles the Living
[Rapina]016 Defeat in Darkness
[Rapina]017 A Captain in Chains
[See a sketch of Graveston Isle (Dead Man's Isle)]


[Rapina]010 New Beginnings

As Red Jack scanned the horizon with his spy glass, he
liked what he saw. The outlet from the lake flowed into
the North side of the River Augustana between high,
widely-spaced granite cliffs. The lake itself was quite
large, and did not neck down much as it joined the
river.  This would make it near impossible to blockade,
since the entrance to the lake, the lake itself and the
river Augustana were both wide and deep in this area
owing to the granite cliffs, riverbed and lake bed.

The island was situated a good 5 miles away from the
east and west shore of the lake, about 8 miles from the
Northern lakeshore, and around twelve miles from the
entrance to the lake to the South.  The isle in the
middle of the lake was a pirate's dream.  It rose out
of the lake like a fortress roughly three miles in
diameter.  To the South, West, And East the isle faced
the water with high cliffs.  To the North the cliffs
gradually became lower but remained quite defensible.
There was a double notch in the cliffs at their lowest
point to the North.  This proved to be the entrance to
a cove just large enough for a few ships.  The entrance
to the cove was shallow, and the men had to spend quite
a while measuring depths before they were able to get
the merchant ship into the cove.  The longships, with
their shallow drafts and narrow beams were an easier
matter.

As one might have expected, the cove was the lowest
part of the isle, and the terrain rose, sometimes
gradually, sometimes abruptly as one went farther
South.  There was a forest growing near the cove in the
north central area of the isle. To the south as the
terrain rose and became rougher and more rocky, the
trees gave way to scrub, and thence to rocky, open
terrain punctuated with a few scattered bushes and
trees.

The longships were anchored in the cove and rowboats
with supplies were launched.  Captain Red Jack's
pirates busied themselves with setting up a new camp.
They were quite efficient for a bunch of pirates.  By
early evening, the temporary camp was mostly set up.
Tents and lean-tos would provide shelter until the the
pirates obtained lumber for more permanent structures.
The captain and his officers marched through the camp
discussing layout of guard posts, traps, and other
defensive strategies. Most of the recruits were too
busy unloading supplies or pitching tents to take
notice.

"First thing I'll be needin' is a map of th' area.
Think ya can handle it Roger?" Jack asked.

"Yes captain.  Ill get right on it."  Roger turned with
scarcely a nod and headed off into the camp.  He had
been teaching Kent mapmaking before they had packed up
camp to move here.  One of his trainees was carrying a
large coil of rope. The first mate walked up to the boy
and clapped his hand on the boy's shoulder.

"William!  I need you, Kent, and Rolf to meet me back
here in five minutes." That said, Roger headed off to
get his mapmaking equipment.

"But, sir...I don't know where Kent and Rolf are... "
The slightly confused recruit stammered.

"Well then you had better find them...and quick!" Roger
shouted over his shoulder.

Minutes later, three to be exact, the three recruits
were assembled and awaiting Rogers arrival.  Roger
smiled as he watched them through his tent flap.  They
were all coming along nicely, especially Kent.  Kent
had a sharp mind and that was a rare commodity among
pirates.  Satisfied that they were nervous enough,
Roger walked out to brief them on their next duty. The
first mate handed out the necessary equipment and led
the recruits towards the outskirts of the camp.  "It'll
be gettin dark soon so were goin ta have to hurry."

Drake watched as they walked off.  He was worried about
Kent. Lately he seemed to be more distant from Drake.
He was troubled, but had no idea of what to do. "Ya
ready on your end Doanthalas?" Drake asked as he got a
better grip on the handle of the chest.  The tattooed
elf just nodded.  "Okay.  On three then. One. Two.
Three." They both grunted as their muscles strained to
lift the chest full of weapons off the ground.  This
was one of the last weapons runs that needed to be
made. Soon everything would be unloaded and ready for
sorting and storage until needed.

Drake glanced down at Doanthalas belt.  He wasn't
carrying any weapons. That wasn't surprising.  The
pirates were still deathly afraid of the elf. Its
amazing what a few rumors will do to superstitious
people. The young pirate recruit smiled; he had
believed the rumors himself.  At least until he had
gotten to know the savage-elf better.  Drake found it
amusing that the so-called savage was more well-
mannered than any of the civilized pirates. Still Drake
didn't know the elf very well either.  Doanthalas had
yet to say more than ten words to him. He had a lot to
tell, though.  Drake could tell. The look in his eyes
alone was testament to that fact. He shrugged.
Doanthalas would talk when he was ready to.

Sunset came and the pirate camp was still alive with
activity. Jack would be very upset if the camp was not
in working order by morning.  The pirates hurried about
their tasks, as none of them wanted to be the focus of
Red Jack's anger.

The captain looked around the large tent at the
assembled faces: Roger, Sak, Logan, Leech Kennon, Hock,
Arzeal, and Brackston. All of the officers were
accounted for. Jack looked at everyone for a moment
before beginning. "From what I can see we've got
ourselves a good spot here.  Its a good defensible
position.  What we need now is a good defensive plan. I
have Roger working on a map of the area for us.  How
goes the mapmaking?"

"Good sir.  We've staked out four good reference
points. Tomorrow we will be able to get some
measurements and by afternoon we will have an accurate
working map of the area.  For now we have this rough
sketch of the area."  The first mate stood up and
approached the captain.  He held out a rolled up piece
of parchment to the captain.

Red Jack took the parchment and unrolled it.  He
perused it and the look on his face told the others
that he was pleased.  "This is a fine sketch Roger. The
best I've seen you do so far."

"Thank you captain, but I didn't draw that map.  Kent
did.  He has an amazing eye for detail.  I'm guessing
that the finished map with accurate measurements won't
be too different from that map in your hands."

"Really?  That's what I like to hear, but Roger..."

"Yes captain?"

"Lets schedule some extra weapons training for that
lad. Shall we?"  Everyone in the room snickered.  "Gods
know he needs it!"  More laughter filled the room.
Roger just nodded and sat down. "Everyone gather around
and look at this map.  You especially, Logan."  The
captain unrolled the map and set it on the ground.  He
weighted down the four corners with rocks and looked up
at Logan. "Alright. How do ya want to lay this camp out
Logan?  You're the one who's got ta run it while I'm
out plunderin"

Logan looked at the map for a long time.  He pointed to
eight different points on the map.  "Guard posts should
be set up here.  We should stick with three guard
changes per night.  It keeps the guards fresh and alert
and it worked out well for us at the last camp.  And
during the..."

"Speakin of guards and such...why don't we use the elf
as much as possible for night watch...after all he can
see in the dark..."

"That's a good idea, but do you think we can trust him?
I don't think the men would sleep very well with him on
watch," Logan said.

"I agree," Brackston said.  "Yew know they're all
afraid of I'm.  He's like some sort of demon.  We
should lock 'im back up or kill em.  Either's fine by
me."

"You'd like that.  Wouldn't you Brackston?" Arzeal
asked. "What are you afraid of?  If he had wanted you
dead he would have killed you by now."

"Why you sonuva mother..."

"Okay!  Knock it off you two! The captain interrupted.
"I know he's dangerous and I know the men fear him, but
don't worry.  It'll do the men some good to be
constantly on their toes.  Besides Rapina seems to
trust him and from what I've seen she's a good judge of
character."

"Drake seems to have developed a bond with the elf as
well. It's the strangest thing.  They're together a
lot, but I've yet to see them speak to each other. They
usually just sit there or go about their duties in
silence.  I don't get it."

"Maybe he likes tha boys too.  Hmmm?" Brackston
conjectured.

"In yer dreams Brackston.  You'd love a good piece of
elf meat like that wouldn't ya?  Heh."  The room
erupted in raucous laughter.

"I'm still not convinced.  You all saw what he did
to...to..." Sak didn't have to finish.  They all knew
what he was referring to.  "Who's to say that he won't
rip my face off next?  And what's to keep him from
escaping?"

"Those are two very good points Sak.  Rest assured that
I have already addressed them both.  First, I have made
it known that no one is to arm the elf under penalty of
having their balls cut off!  Second, I have assigned
two crewmen to watch him all day and night.  Two other
crewmen relieve them once daily.  I guarantee you if he
tries anything we'll know it."

Those recruits who missed training because of being
wounded during the raid were given a chance to make up
on lost practice time.  Doanthalas was given the
opportunity to hone his fighting skills as well. The
recruits performed as well as any green sailor could be
expected to.  They were slightly better than lousy.
Doanthalas, on the other hand, handled his weapons with
considerably more skill.  The practice sword rested
easily in his hand and he seemed to breeze through the
practice session. His archery skills were excellent as
well.  More arrows found their mark than not.  Hock and
Arzeal were impressed.

After arms practice it was time to eat.  The sylvan-elf
got his plate of food from the mess hall and walked
outside to eat. Most of the other recruits chose to eat
outside as well, but moved away when Doanthalas walked
by.  The elf paid them no mind and sat down under a
tree by himself.

Drake noticed the elf and went over to sit down next to
him. "Hey there Doanthalas.  Mind if I join you?" Drake
heard only silence.  "I'll take that as a sure, sit
down and enjoy yourself, okay?"  The young recruit sat
down and noticed Kent walking past. "Hey Kent! Why
don't you join us?"

Kent barely glanced in Drake's direction as he walked
by.  He found William and Rolf and sat down to eat with
them.

"What's his problem?  I thought we were friends," Drake
said.  He's been acting this way ever since we picked
up to move here.  I don't get it."  Drake looked in
Doanthalas direction and shrugged.

The tattooed elf just looked at Drake with his emerald
eyes for a moment.  He shrugged as well and then went
back to eating.

"Hi Drake, Hi Doanthalis," Rapina walked up with her
dinner and found a spot to eat next to the boys.  "The
good news is, we are not trapped on a moving boat
twenty-four hours a day, the bad news is Captain Red
Jack wants the camp done yesterday.  I see you two got
put on unloading stuff from the merchant ship duty.
I've been helping the leech set up a temporary
infirmary. Pretty soon we'll all be turned into amateur
carpenters, I think."

Evening arrived and the recruits made their way to
their tents for a much-deserved sleep.  The guards were
changed and all unnecessary fires were doused. A
solitary figure made its way towards a copse of trees.
A few of the straggling pirates noticed it was the elf.
Doanthalas never slept with the other pirates.  He
always spent the night outside.  The pirates wondered
if the sylvan elf even slept at all.  Whatever his
reason for not sleeping in the same tent as the others
the pirates didn't care.  They felt much safer with him
somewhere else.

The tattooed elf surveyed the new copse of trees he had
chosen for the site of this evenings reverie.  It would
do.  The trees would provide minimal protection from
the elements as well as a convenient escape route if
trouble arose. Doanthalas turned his emerald eyes to
the sky and breathed deeply.  It had been many years
since he had smelled air so sweet.  The stars seemed to
twinkle to some silent melody.  For a moment, his heart
soared.  For a moment, he almost forgot.

The elf contemplated not entering the reverie at all
this evening.  Without the reverie he would forget. All
the horrors and torments would be forgotten. Gone. And
his spirit would be at peace once again. Unfortunately,
there was a price.  Not only would he forget everything
bad, but he would also forget everything good.  His
family, friends, loved ones, and every moment of
happiness he had ever lived would be gone.  They would
fade away like a forgotten dream.

He shook his head.  It was time to enter the reverie.
Doanthalas sat cross-legged on the ground and assumed a
meditative pose.  His chest rose and fell with every
breath he took.  It wasn't long before the present
faded and the past came flooding back. Doanthalas
looked peaceful and serene sitting there on the ground.
His hair waved as the wind blew through it.  He wasn't
sleeping nor was he awake; he was somewhere else
entirely.

About twenty minutes after he entered the reverie the
sylvan-elfs body began to shake.  A casual looker would
have thought he was just cold.  Considering how lightly
dressed he was it would not have been a surprise.
Nevertheless, he was not cold.  In fact, he was
sweating. As time passed, his body shook more and more
violently.  He seemed to be having some sort of fit.
Suddenly his eyes opened and his arms shot out to his
sides.  He looked about wildly a look of utter fear on
his face.

Although Doanthalas was looking from side to side his
eyes didn't seem to be focusing on anything.  In an
instant he was on his feet and backpedaling away from
the camp.  A root caught his heel and sent him crashing
to the ground. He struggled to get back up, but could
only manage to crawl backwards.  When his back hit the
tree he stopped backpedaling.  The elf curled up into
the fetal position and screamed,"NOOOOOOOO!!!!!"
Tremors seized his body as the elf began to sob.  For
almost an hour he just lay there shaking and sobbing.
He didn't utter a single word the rest of the night.

"What's 'ee doin' now Skitch?" Guts asked.

"Jus' sittin there shakin.'" Skitch whispered.


"Is that all?  I might as well sit down and get some
rest."


"Don't fall asleep.  'Captain wants the elf watched 24
hours."

"Yeah, yeah," Guts sat down and yawned.  Just watching
Skitch walk around was enough to keep him up, at least
for a while.

When morning came Doanthalis just stood up, dusted
himself off, and reported for his duties.

Doanthalas breezed through the morning's weapons
training session.  He had used all of them before.
Experienced as he was with the weapons he was by no
means a master.  For that reason he applied himself
fully to the practice. In the afternoon he had a more
difficult time.  The pirates explained and demonstrated
the basic workings of a ship.  It looked easy enough to
Doanthalas, but the actual doing was very difficult.
The sylvan elf had never been on a ship before much
less tried to sail one.  He had never had a reason to
leave the land.

On land Doanthalas was as agile as a cat.  At sea he
was more like a fish out of water.  He almost tipped
the rowboat twice and the swaying of the ship made him
sick.  The men would have laughed if they hadn't feared
for their lives. At dinnertime the tattooed elf hobbled
to the mess tent with the rest of the recruits.  The
sun was setting in the distance and clouds were forming
on the horizon.  Meanwhile the captain was meeting with
his officers once again.

"I'm sure that ye all know tha reason I called ye
here," Jack said.  He paused as his eyes scanned the
room.  "I've been hearing some things about tha elf
Doanthalas.  Rumors is rumors and they don't concern
me.  What does concern me is any truth behind those
rumors."  The Captain took another dramatic pause as he
paced up to Armsmaster Hock.  "So tell me tha truth. Is
what I'm hearin true?  Hock?  Arzeal?"

"I take it yer referrin ta his fightin skills..." Hock
paused to see if the captain would answer him.  The
captain didn't so the armsmaster continued, "He handles
the weapons with a skill far superior ta that of our
best recruits. If'n I had ta guess I'd say he was some
sort of soldier or mercenary."

"I agree," Arzeal said. "He knows his way around bows.
That's for sure.  He picked the best one out of the
bunch without any help from me or anyone for that
matter.  And his aim was too accurate for anyone but a
soldier...or a mercenary."

"So yer sayin that he's good with weapons eh?  Which
ones?" The captain asked.

"Far as I can tell, captain, he's good with all of em,"
Hock said.

"ALL of em?" The captain asked.

"Yes sir.  All that we have anyway," Hock replied.

"Well I guess its good that we haven't allowed him any
weapons so far.  Eh boys?  Else he might have skewered
us all.  Heh."

"Well although he IS proficient in all the weapons we
have...he ISN'T the best at using them.  Don't get me
wrong...he IS good. But he still has a lot to learn.  I
just thought it interesting that he would be so good in
so many different weapons." Hock said.

"Elves do live for hundreds of years so it doesn't
surprise me that much, but what does surprise me is
that an elf as young as he is would be that proficient
in them." Arzeal said.

"What do ya mean Arzeal?" Jack asked.

The half elf paused to consider his words for a moment,
"Most elves spend their youth enjoying life and
learning about things like music and history. They
don't usually begin training elvish children in warfare
until they're two hundred to three hundred years old.
Doanthalas doesn't look a day over one hundred and
fifty.  He's practically a child..."

"A child?!?!?!?"

The half-elf laughed.  "Well a child by elvish
standards is more like an adult by our standards..well
your standards.  Still....since they outlive humans by
generations they have more time to devote to learning
the skills they need to survive," Arzeal said.

"Why do they wait so long to learn how to fight?  You'd
think they'd need it at an earlier age," Hock asked.

"The adult elves protect the younger elves when
threatened. Besides elves don't like to fight.  They
find it barbaric and distasteful."

"Well that wild elf out there sure had me fooled!  Ya'd
think he was born to fight!  Distasteful my arse!  Ha!"
Brackston said.

"There are always exceptions, but...I don't think
Doanthalas is an exception. I think he fights because
he has to, not because he wants to," Arzeal said.

"what makes you say that Arzeal?" the captain asked.

"I'm not sure.  It's mostly a gut feeling, but he
doesn't have the look of a cold blooded killer in his
eyes.  He has more of the look of a lost soul...besides
he had the perfect chance to kill me and Rapina back
when we recaptured him."

Brackston frowned and grumbled to himself at Arzeals
words.

"But he didn't kill you...or Rapina for that matter.
Drake seems to think the world of him."  Logan smiled,
shook his head and laughed.

"What's so funny, Logan?" Captain Red Jack asked.

"Just some of the stories Drake has been telling me
about the elf's sailing skills...or should I say LACK
of sailing skills?" Logan said.

Roger, the normally stoic first mate couldn't help but
smirk.  "It's true captain.  He may be a natural when
it comes to fightin,' but I've never seen a more clumsy
sailor."

"He hasn't got his sea legs yet?" Red Jack asked.

"More like he's gotten his sea legs amputated!" Roger
laughed.

Laughter filled the tent at Roger's joke.  A few
stories of Doanthalas' misadventures on the water
followed.

"That's all well and good, but the fact remains that
the men fear 'im.  I don't blame them.  He gives me the
willies.  And those tattoos of his...he looks like a
demon he does.  I'll betcha that none of them sailors
laughs at I'm when he's bumblin around the boat.  Do
they?"

"No.  They don't." Roger replied.

"Well if the men don't trust him then how can we?" Sak
asked.

"That's a very good question Sak.  I'm hoping that
they'll come around sooner or later," the captain said.

"And if they don't?" Sak asked.

"We'll deal with that when and if it happens," Captain
Red Jack replied.

"Besides Drake's already taken a liking to him," Logan
said.

"And so has Rapina...and...and I think he's ok," Arzeal
said.

"We'll see.  Three pirates out of a camp of almost a
hunnerd ain't even a drop in tha bucket!" Sak said. ---
------

That evening a few of the pirates were drinking as
usual.  Only this time they were discussing the elf.
Pike was part of the group as was Fishy, Milo, Grulka,
and Targ.

Targ was a beefy pirate with a prominent brow and no
noticeable neck.  He was having trouble speaking after
his seventh mug of ale.  "Now that alf e fights like
the devil e does.  I'd hate ta be facin I'm in battle."


"I agree," said Grulka, a lanky pirate with a pinched
face.  "He'd tear me limb from limb he would."

"Ha.  Yer a buncha scaredy cats!  Afraid of a little
elf," Fishy scoffed.

"Sure the elf's a tough one, but he's not invincible,"
Pike said. "I'm sure a good number of the pirates here
could beat him in a fair fight."

"Ha!  Ya wish!" Grulka said.

"Okay.  Goin find one then," Targ argued. "Ya won't!
Thar all scared of I'm."

"I'm not," Pike said.

"Oh.  Big talk from that big man.  Why don't you go
fight I'm then?" Tark asked.

"Because I have no quarrel with him," Pike said.

"Or is it cuz yer scared?" Gulka asked.

The large Norseman stood to his full height and glared
down at Grulka.  "What did you say?"  He growled.

"Easy Pike.  He didn't mean it.  It's the ale talkin,"
Fishy said.

"If'n yer not scared of the alf then...how's about we
make a little wager?" Tark asked.

"Now yer talkin,' What's the bet?" Fishy asked.

Bets were made and when everyone was in agreement they
headed off to find the elf.  Grulka pulled Fishy aside
when they started walking.

"What got Pike so steamed before?" Grulka asked.

The lame cook flashed a toothy grin.  "Ya insulted him
when ya suggested he were scared.  An that's somethin
ya don't do to a Norseman.  Insult their honor and
their pride and they'll rip yer legs off.  Ha!" Fishey
said.

The four inebriated pirates walked around the camp
until they found Doanthalas.  He was sitting on a rock
watching the water. Drake and Rapina were there with
him.  None of them were talking.  They just seemed to
be silently enjoying the evening air.  Pike stepped
forward and issued his challenge.

"Elf!  I challenge you to a fight.  I've been hearing
stories about how tough you are.  Talk is nothing so
I'm here to find out for myself.  What say you?" Pike
asked.

The elf turned and walked over to Pike.  He looked from
face to face before finally resting his eyes upon Pike.
He removed his shirt, nodded his head, and adopted a
fighting stance.

The pirates cheered since they were going to get a
fight.  Drake looked worried and shot Rapina a glance
that told her so.  Pike removed his shirt and adopted a
fighting stance of his own. It looked like the fight
wouldn't last very long.  The Norseman towered about
three heads above the tattooed elf.  And although
Doanthalas was big for an elf he was dwarfed by Pike.

The fight was clean and lasted longer than anybody
would have guessed. Although Pike was easily able to
swat the sylvan elf away with his longer reach and
stronger arms Doanthalas did not give up.  Every time
he got knocked down he would get right back up and go
at Pike. Doanthalas was able to land his fair share of
blows, but it was obvious that he was not going to win.
Pike was just too powerful and experienced for
Doanthalas.

The sylvan elf could barely stand by the time Pike
called the fight. Doanthalas had just hobbled to his
feet and was shuffling back towards Pike when the
oarsmaster held up his hand and said, "Draw!"

The assembled pirates looked at him in disbelief.  Why
had he done that? Clearly he would have won and
collected his share of the betting money.  They didn't
know what to do.

The oarsmaster put his arm around Doanthalas for
support and guided him towards the center of camp.  "I
have to hand it to you elf.  You're a tough one.  Not
too smart...but tough.  Most men would have given up
long before you did and for good reason too.  You've
got guts.  I respect that.  My name's Pike.  What's
yours?"

Doanthalas turned his tattooed face towards Pike but
didn't say anything.  He just stared at him with his
emerald eyes.  After a moment, apparently satisfied
that Pike was someone he could trust, the elf replied,
"Doanthalas."

At first Rapina had been nervous about Pike's
challenge, but now her faith in the Norseman was
renewed.  He had tested Doanthalas' mettle and liked
what he saw enough to embrace Doanthalas as a comrade.
Pike was a strong and popular junior officer, well-
liked by the men.  Rapina hoped that the new friendship
Pike seemed to be striking up would spread to the
Norseman's comrades.

It was a few hours before dawn and Skitch was busy
chinning himself on a tree limb keeping awake while on
elf-watching detail.

Guts sat against a tree trunk snoring softly.

Skitch contemplated waking Guts up for the fifth time
when he realized that Doanthalas was no longer where he
had been. "Damn, where'd he go, I just looked at him a
few minutes ago. " Skitch kicked Guts.  "Wake up,
stupid, the elf was just over there quakin' a few
minutes ago, and now 'ee's gone."

"The large, dim pirate awakened.  "Ouch, what'cha
kickin' me for?"

"Yer sleepin' on the job again, lout.  We got ta find
the elf quick, an' I have no idea which way he went.
You know how quiet 'e is when he moves through the
trees.  Damn it, we'll have ta get Brackston, an' 'e
ain't going to like it."

Skitch ran off full tilt and returned with Brackston
and Thumper a few minutes later.

Thumper tracked the elf to the Southeast.

"Damn demon elf! Look at this, Blade and Cudge were
here on watch.  Look at all the damn blood," Brackston
said.

"Track 'Im thumper, track 'I'm."

Thumper sidled away from the area, whining and
whimpering.

"What the hell's wrong with yew, dog?  That elf cast a
hex on yew? Brackston asked. "Damn it, yer not sneezin'
so it ain't them herbs 'e used on yew at the other
camp.  What in hell happened ta my fearless fuckin'
dog!?  Well come on, it's a cinch he didn't go back in
the direction of camp.  Let's head South."

About five minutes later Skitch pointed out the elf's
tattoos in the moonlight, and the group ran up to him.

Doanthalis was bent over something.

Skitch heard Brackston's infamous neck shackle lock
over the elf's neck.

"Demon elf!  I got yew, caught yew red-handed!  We'll
see what the captain says about yew now." Brackston
said.

Skitch caught hold of Guts.  "Hold on, take a look at
this..."

Logan let the matter rest until morning, but first
thing, the Captain conferred with Brackston, Skitch and
Guts.


"'e murdered 'em, I tell yew, 'e's a demon!" Brackston
practically hollered.

"Hold yer horses, Brackston, tell me the whole story
from the beginnin'" Captain Red Jack snapped.

"Skitch came an' got me ta track the elf.  He slipped
'em a few hours 'fore dawn.  We tracked 'I'm ta the
Southeast guard watch post an' there was blood
everywhere, yew should'a seen it!"

"Thumper was actin' real funny and wouldn't track th'
elf anymore, so we went South an' found 'Im areselves.
There 'e was bendin' over th' corpse.  I tell yew, I
caught 'im red handed."

"Skitch, is that how it went?"

Skitch nodded.  "Yeah, Brackston's got the story right,
but I don't like 'is conclusions.  'ee wasn't outa my
sight long.  I just did some chin-ups ta keep awake.
Guts was watchin' me 'stead of the elf.  Then I
realized the elf wasn't there so I ran an' got
Brackston.  The rest is like 'e said, but I seen the
body.  I got no idea whether it was Blade or Cudge,
'cause there ain't a lot o' meat left on th' carcass,
understand?"

"If that elf killed 'I'm 'e set a new record fer eatin'
raw meat. I checked 'is belly when we got back ta camp.
I'm tellin' ya, if that elf ate most of a 200 pound
pirate, 'ed have ta 'ave a belly out ta here, but that
weren't the case.  I'd say it'd be worth askin' the elf
what happened.  Me an' Guts looked for th' other
corpse, but we couldn't find it nowhere.  I'm hopin'
now that it's gettin' light, we can figure out where
it's gotten to."

"It's magic, I tell yew, the elf just withered the
corpse away after guttin' it, an 'e cast a spell so's
my dog turned as yellah as 'is coat."

"Get me Rapina, and I'll see what the elf has ta say
for 'imself soon enough."

"Mean time, Skitch, take a few men an' see if ye can
find the other corpse, but first, show me the one ye
got."

A little while later the captain came to the tree
Brackston had chained Doanthalas to not far from the
Barracks tent. Rapina arrived from the infirmary tent
at about the same time.  The camp was already abuzz
with rumors of how the demonic elf had chewed the meat
off from Cudge's bones.

"Brackston has it that ye killed an' ate two o' me men
early this mornin.'  Skitch wasn't so sure ye did it.
Ye don't look like yer stuffed wif 400 pounds 'o
pirate.  I'd like ta hear yer side o' th' story
startin' when ye left yer sleepin' spot.

Doanthalas was sitting on the ground holding the chain
in his hands.  He was staring at it with a resigned
look.  "It seems I shall be bound for life.  The path I
walk is forever soaked with blood."  The sylvan elf
paused and then looked up at the captain.

"I...awoke...from the reverie to the sounds of the wolf
pack feasting.  I thought the pack had made a kill to
the unereif...south...east.  To chase away the clouds I
followed the feast music.  The scent of life lost
caressed the air.  There was no wolf pack...only the
shadows of men.  My presence was known for the shadow
men were removing the life husks when I arrived.  They
dropped one as they faded to the...south...east.  Their
spirits were tired... or... sleeping... their bodies
were cold like shadows.  My eyes could barely glimpse
them."

"Well ya sure do speak funny, but I think I understand
ya.  No offense ta yer combat abilities, Doanthalas,
but I'm inclined ta believe ye.  Those were good men.
I'm hopin' even someone like you could not have killed
'em without sa much as a scream out 'o 'em. As fer the
men ye saw, I can't make heads ner tails o' it.  I
suppose they could 'ave been wearin' heavy coats ta
foil yer vision, but in this weather, it don't make
sense."

"Any ideas Rapina?  Is their magics fer such?"

"I've read about illusions and things that can fool
vision. I've also read about elementals, golems and
creations of necromancy that would not have body heat.
Any of those could be basically human-shaped."

"Aye, likely it's nothin' more'n island men wearin'
coats.  Just the same, get me Pike, Donal, Backster,
Drake, an' Kent. Brackston, unchain the elf.  I have ta
agree with Skitch.  If Doanthalas had the kind 'o magic
ye're conjecturin' 'ed of got out o' that old cage at
th' other camp in short order and ate us all.  I'm
thinkin some 'o the island's natives just gave us a
good pirate's welcome."

Brackston glowered but did as he was told.

A few minutes later Rapina had fetched the various
people the captain wanted.

"All right.  I want ye ta arm up, an' head South an
East. Backster, you an' the elf see if ye can track
whoever done the deed.  See if ye can find their camp
'an see how many there are. Don't engage 'em unless yer
pretty sure o' the odds."

"Pike, yer in charge.  Rapina, yer along 'cause ye've
read most anything I own concernin' th' supernatural,
an' I'm too busy ta go meself.  Kent, yer ta map the
trip as best ye can as yer goin'.  The rest o' ye are
soldierin' so look alive.  Get yer gear an' meet over
at the mess tent.  Fishy an' Piggy'll fix ye up with
provisions 'an I'll have some climbin' gear left for
ye. Be snappy about it.  I'd prefer ta see ye back here
before night fall."

Rapina got her Rapier, main gauche, knife, bow and
quiver and met the others back at the mess tent.

Doanthalas checked his gear as he led the group to the
spot where he had found the first body.  Although the
body had been removed there was still plenty of dried
blood on the ground.  The sylvan elf examined the area
while the group stood back.

Whatever or whomever was responsible for the death of
Blade and Cudge hadn't been too worried about hiding
their presence.  There were footprints all over the
place.  Some had been obliterated by the pirates when
they came to investigate and collect the body.  But
Doanthalas had no trouble picking up the trail that
would lead them to the murderers.  The footprints
headed off to the Southeast.

"The men of shadow returned to the darkness this way."
Doanthalas said as he pointed towards the cliffs to the
Southeast.  Those in the group who were not used to
hearing Doanthalas speak. After hearing the strange
manner in which he spoke, they looked at each other
curiously.  They followed the elf through the forest
even if they had not understood his speech.

The murderers had left plenty of evidence of their
passing.  Deep footprints, dried blood, broken twigs
and branches, and shreds of old dry-rotted cloth led
the elf and the party through the forest and on to some
low cliffs and more rocky terrain.

It was harder to track the "men of shadow" through the
cliffs and rocky areas.  Doanthalas was hard pressed to
find any sort of evidence.  Luckily he spotted a few
scuff marks on the rocks and some drops of dried blood.


Eventually the vegetation all but disappeared, as did
the trail.  It was far too rocky to make heads or tails
of any kind of evidence.  Doanthalas stopped and
scanned the area for possible escape routes.  He
spotted some higher cliffs and headed for them.

"Their shadows have faded in the light.  We must climb
those cliffs to see with the clarity of the hawk.  Then
we may be able to find our quarry."

Drake pulled Rapina up a seven-foot cliff onto higher
terrain and the others followed.

Oarmaster Pike pointed, "what do ye make o' that?"

Rapina walked up a steep hill to where Pike was
standing, there in front of them was a large, flat,
rocky field nearly devoid of trees.  Oval piles of
stone littered the field to the East up until it ended
at the base of cliffs to the East and South.  To the
North the terrain sunk.

"Burial mounds?" Rapina asked.

"Only one way to find out."  Pike walked North and
found an older, smaller pile of rocks and began tossing
the ones on top aside.  Donal and Drake Joined in.

"Yer right, looks like it was a kid.  The bones are
mostly crushed and plenty old, looks like.  I guess we
just found ourselves a graveyard on th' isle of the
dead."  Pike shifted the large double-edged battle axe
slug over his back, and pursed his lips. "There's a
trail here through the mounds leadin' North and South,
I think."

The group went Northeast and found that the trail
descended into a box canyon at the Northeast edge of
the isle.  The trail had obviously been modified by
ancient chisels and was in some cases cut into the side
of the canyon.  At the bottom was a pool of water with
some sort of sunken funeral boat in it.  A natural
archway led from the canyon out through a short cave to
the lake.  The opening was hidden from those viewing
the isle from the waters Northeast of it by a spur of
rock.

"A side door ta the isle," Pike said. "This'll be handy
ta know about.  If they left from here, we'll not be
tracking 'em.  Hey look," Pike pointed to some ancient
characters carved into the canyon wall to be visible
from boats sitting in the water. "Any ideas."

"They're runes.  This one means death, and this
sanctuary. Hmmm, maybe something like sanctuary of the
dead?  These others are more obscure, some sort of
warning maybe, and this one means respect.  That one is
the sun or day.  I think that it is warning us to
respect the sanctuary of the dead and to drop off our
dead only by day. How creepy."

"It's been my experience that dead men're less trouble
than the living, and my guess is whoever carved those
letters was just trying ta cow any would-be grave
robbers," Pike said.

"There could be some serious booty up in those mounds.
Sometimes they bury people with their gold rings and
such on 'em," Backster said.

"Let's go have another look at the graveyard and see if
this warning did the trick 'r not," Pike said.

After the group climbed their way back up to the field
of stones, Pike led the way South.

"These mounds closest to the canyon are a little
smaller and flatter.  I'd say they're older.  Let's see
if we can find something newer."

The search led to the Southern edge of the field.

"Give me a hand here.  None of these looks real fresh,
but they're taller and newer than the ones to the
North," Pike said.

Rapina helped the others move the stones.

"Hehheheh, it don't look like that warnin' was very
successful. All we got here is a few scraps o' old
linen.  There ain't even a body."

"But what kind of grave robber takes the valuables and
the bones?" Rapina asked.

"Likely they ditched the bones in one of these other
mounds," Backster replied.

The tattooed elf was staring at the ground intently. He
kept looking from the ground to an outcropping of rock
a short distance away.  "I sense the caress of the
shadow here." Doanthalas stood up and walked over to
the rock outcropping.  He discovered that the
outcropping hid a cave entrance.  The elf beckoned the
others closer and pointed at the runes chiseled into
the rock.

Pike and the others came to look.  "More letters,
Rapina."

"Hall of the Dead," Rapina said matter of factly.  "It
must be a cave that's been turned into a mausoleum. Let
me take a look at these smaller runes just above the
entrance." ---

[Rapina]011 Hall of the Dead


Backster opened an ancient bamboo gate that fit into
the entrance and stepped in.

"Hold on, you're supposed to intone some sort of prayer
before entering, at least that's what I think it says
here," Rapina said.

From inside the cavern Backster's voice echoed, "Oh
sure, gods grant me a heavenly hoard 'o booty. Damn
it's dark in here."

Rapina sighed. "That's no kind of prayer. Besides,
you're supposed to do it before you open the gate,
silly."

Rapina fished the crystal pendant out from beneath her
tunic. She took the little black leather sack off the
lighted crystal and put it in her belt pouch. She wore
the crystal light outside her shirt to provide light
for her party.

"Gold!" Backster shouted.

"Hold up Backster, yer gettin' too far ahead of us."
Pike unslung his axe and went into the tunnel with
Donal next to him.

Rapina followed, her light allowing them to see.

"AAAAAiiiiiih!" Backster screamed.

Just inside, the cavern was like a narrow hall that
slanted downwards. After about twenty feet the corridor
widened and leveled off. Carved into the sides of the
level main tunnel were tiers of Coffin-sized dead-end
tunnels. There were three tunnels to a column, one near
the floor, one about waist-level and one above the
level of most men's heads. Each tunnel held a corpse.
Column after column of coffin tunnels lined the walls.

Currently Backster flew backwards out of one of the
waist-high tunnel entrances about fifteen feet down the
wide hall and on the East side. He held his face as
blood gushed from his eye sockets. A golden ring
clattered to the floor as he pulled out of the side-
tunnel. ---------------[click to see a rough sketch of
this room]

[you can only see the top side tunnels in this view
from above, but there are two more side tunnels below
each one pictured. All of the skeletons are on the map
though. If it looks like there are 2 or 3 in a side
tunnel, there is really only one in a tunnel but there
are 3 tunnels in a column.] ---------------

A boney hand dripping blood emerged from the tunnel
after Backster. A skull followed, then a bony hand
holding a dagger. The unholy skeletons of the dead
awakened from their slumber and began to boil out of
their resting-places. They were armed with ancient
blades, or wooden cudgels. The only sound they made was
the ticking of their boney feet on the stone floor.

For an instant, Rapina froze in horror. In some
rational corner of her mind, she idly wished she had
brought her big Roman shield.

In front of Rapina, Pike sprinted forward to try to
rescue Backster. The Norseman dodged the bony hands of
the emerging skeletons and got to Backster just as the
first of the emerging skeletons stood and lifted their
weapons. Pike cleaved the skull and rib cage of the
dagger-wielding skeleton about to spit Backster, then
tossed the pirate over his shoulder like a screaming
sack of potatoes.

It was then that the Norseman realized that numerous
skeletons had sealed off his retreat back to the party.
The skeletons had him trapped. Red rage swam before the
Norseman's eyes as he yelled a blood-curdling battle
cry.  In a single blow he shattered the skull and rib
cage of the skeleton coming out of the side tunnel at
the level of his head and danced to avoid the grasp of
the one emerging at his feet. Thankfully, he had
already dispatched the one from the waist level tunnel
on his side of the room, but the skeletons from the
other side were quickly emerging.

Pike's battle-cry snapped Rapina out of her dumbfounded
state. She flattened herself against the wall allowing
Drake, Donal and Doanthalas to get by her. At the same
time she drew her rapier and main gauche. From the
corner of her eye she saw Kent pushing on a slab of
stone that had slid from the ceiling near the entrance
to block their escape.

Donal rushed to within striking distance of the first
tier of side tunnels. As a skeleton emerged from the
top tier, Donal relieved it of its head with his broad
sword. To Donal's horror, the headless skeleton jumped
to the ground and swung its oaken cudgel at him, nearly
braining the pirate before he ducked -just in time.

The pirate brought his sword up chopping through
several ribs and sundering the spine of the skeleton.

Another skeleton from one tier lower came out of its
side tunnel and stood as the one from the tier near the
floor grabbed Donal's boot. In addition, the skeleton
that Donal had been fighting, now lacking a pelvis and
legs, swung its cudgel at the pirate's knees from its
position on the floor.

Donal parried the cudgel by slicing off both of the
skeleton's hands with a single stroke of his
broadsword. Simultaneously, he blocked the blow of the
ancient dagger of the second skeleton with his buckler.


The skeleton near the floor pulled itself out of its
side tunnel and bit into Donal's boot.

The pirate yelled obscenities as he dropped his sword
and grabbed the cudgel of the first skeleton.

Rapina realized the ever-valiant Drake was charging
forward to try to save Pike. She steeled herself and
slipped to the right. She used her main gauche to parry
the sword of the skeleton that tried to skewer her, and
severed its spine just below the rib cage with a swipe
of her rapier. As it's upper half fell, Rapina jumped;
pretending she was stamping on Trevor's instep, she
managed to largely shatter the monster's rib cage.

Although she was paying little attention to it, Rapina
saw Donal's fight and realized that swords were not the
best weapons against these creatures.

With cudgel in hand, Donal shattered the upper ribs of
his second skeleton while trying to stamp on the neck
of the third that was now biting into his foot.
Unfortunately, his stomping was unsuccessful and the
third skeleton pulled his legs as he tried to trample
it.

"Aaaagh!" The pirate toppled over.

Doanthalas slid the bastard sword from the scabbard he
wore on his back. The sword had an extra long handle so
that it could be wielded with one or two hands. He
opted for a two handed grip as he moved to help Donal.

The skeletons raised their weapons as Donal tried
desperately to escape. The skeleton that had brought
Donal down released its grip only to sink its teeth
deep into Donal's leg.

The young pirate screamed in pain and tried to kick the
skeleton away. He was unsuccessful. Donal closed his
eyes in anticipation of the killing blow that was sure
to come at any moment.

He flinched as a loud cracking noise filled the air and
shards of bone rained down around him. Donal opened his
eyes in time to see the remains of his attackers
clatter to the floor. The tattooed elf was standing
over him cutting swaths of destruction through the
ranks of the skeletons.

Drake noticed Doanthalas' technique from the corner of
his eye. Instead of fighting the skeletons as one would
fight a normal fleshy opponent, Doanthalas was aiming
his attacks at their rib cages. Instead of stabbing and
hacking in a downward motion, the elf was swinging his
sword in a side to side sweeping motion. It seemed to
be working so Drake adopted this technique and stepped
up to give Pike a hand.

Pike's heavy axe shattered skeletons right and left as
the Norseman whirled and side-stepped to dodge the
clubs and blades of his supernatural foes. He stayed
near the wall, jumping past columns of openings when he
could.

The Norseman swung again, another opponent shattered,
its bones tangling with the bones of the creature
behind it, but the stupid creature came forward just
the same. Pike caught its club and kicked it backwards
breaking its hold. At the same time he shattered one of
it's comrades to his right as his axe continued to
weave patterns in the air. Pike roared and jumped
forward as a third skeleton opened a gash in his side.

The Norseman flipped the big club he had wrested from a
skeleton end for end, caught it and swung it with
gusto, his mighty muscles sweating with red rage. The
skeleton that had cut him disintegrated into a hail of
bones as the mighty Viking's club came down through
both skull and rib cage.

"Hang on Backster, I got ta use both hands 'er we're
both dead men!" He bellowed.

The next skeleton Rapina encountered swung a heavy
club. So heavy that the parrying strength behind
Rapina's main gauche was not sufficient. The blow drove
Rapina's left hand side. Her main gauche clattered to
the floor as her nerveless hand released it.

With her good hand she swung hard and shattered one of
the hands of the monster. Her blade bit into its other
wrist but did not sever it.

With only one hand, the creature brought up its club to
strike again, but it was much too slow. Rapina severed
it's good arm at the shoulder with her rapier and
kicked it hard in the ribs. It flew back into one of
its advancing comrades and they both went down in a
tangle of bones. Rapina grabbed the skeleton's cudgel
and sheathed her rapier while the two tangled skeletons
struggled to get up.

Her left hand was weak, but she directed healing energy
to it and swung the cudgel with both hands and all her
strength. One of the skeletons shattered, the other
flew to the side with pieces of the first entangled in
its ribs. She advanced trying to protect Drake's right
flank as he charged forward.

The skeletons advanced steadily. They did not plan
their attacks defensively for they had no brains and
they did not fear for their lives. The search party,
however, did fear for their lives and rightly so.  The
skeletons outnumbered them by more than three to one.
They needed some kind of strategy if they were to
survive. As it was the skeletons had them separated
into two small groups. Kent, Rapina, Doanthalas and
Donal were fighting with their backs to the cavern
entrance.

Drake had fought his way to Pike and Backster. Pike and
Drake were in a bind. Skeletons surrounded them and
Backster was in no condition to fight. The members of
the search party knew how to fight, but none of them,
except for one member, had any experience in the
tactics of large scale battles. This hardly qualified
as a large scale battle, but the idea was the same.
Whoever fought harder and smarter would be victorious.

"We're Trapped!" Kent screamed.

"We can retreat back towards the closed entrance, it's
much narrower there but we have to get to Pike and
Drake, They're only ten feet away now but there are so
many skeletons! Rapina shouted.

Donal came limping back to Rapina and Kent. "Damned
pile o' bones bit me!" He swung his cudgel and
shattered another skeleton that stepped too close to
him.

The sylvan elf deftly swept his leg in a half circle as
he crouched near the ground. Two skeletons went
tumbling to the floor. Doanthalas brought his sword in
a powerful upwards arc and cleaved a third skeleton in
two.

A few quick steps and shattered skeletons later the
tattooed elf had fought his way back to Rapina, Kent
and Donal. The three of them looked fine, but Pike,
Backster and Drake were in deep trouble. Soon the
skeletal warriors would overrun them.

"Rapina, Donal With me!" The elf shouted as he stepped
forward and swung his bastard sword in a tight arc
shattering the torso of another skeleton. "We must
clear the way for our comrades! Kent, guard our backs!"


terror paralyzed The young pirate. Otherwise, he might
have told the presumptuous elf where to go. For the
moment, it was all Kent could do to hold on to his
weapon. His hands were shaking so badly.

Rapina ducked and swung the cudgel she had rescued from
one of the skeletons she had fought. Several of the
upper ribs of the nearby undead monster broke and fell
away, but unlike Doanthalas, Rapina lacked the strength
always to shatter a skeleton with one blow. It often
took Rapina two or even three blows to destroy a
skeleton, and the floor was treacherous. Some of the
skeletons Doanthalas had cut in half at the lower ribs
were still animated. Although they had no legs, they
still tried to swing weapons, or crawl along the floor
towards their opponents.

Rapina tried a different tactic, she held the club with
both hands wide, using it to parry the heavy club of
the skeleton while she kicked the skeleton in the ribs.
Her kick did little actual damage, but the skeletons
were not very heavy and a good kick sent them flying.
They usually fell or got entangled with their comrades.
For one of her strength, the tactic worked better than
trying to hack away at a skeleton while others got too
close.

Although he was hurt and more than a bit scared Donal
heeded the elf's words. If he had thought about it, he
might have given Doanthalas attitude. After all who had
put him in charge? However, for the moment his words
seemed to make sense.

Pike yelled to Drake above the din of weapons and
skeletons, "Back to back, mate an' stick w' me an the
East wall. If ye can cover my butt, I can cut are way
back ta the others."

The number of skeletons coming in from the South nearly
overwhelmed Drake but he gritted his teeth and kept his
broadsword in constant motion, straining his powerful
arm to do maximum damage.

His back protected for the moment, Pike directed both
of his weapons forward. When Rapina struck, she was
lucky to break away several of a skeleton's ribs, but
when the mighty Norseman struck, a skeleton positively
exploded with every blow. Pike saw Doanthalas fighting
his way towards him as he fought towards the elf.

Rapina was so happy with the way her kicking strategy
was working that she turned her head to see if Kent had
seen it and taken it up. Her moment of vanity saved her
life. As she looked back she saw a cudgel descending to
brain her, she ducked just enough that the blow hit her
across the shoulder blades rather than shattering her
skull. The wind was knocked from her and she was driven
to the floor with an oof!

Although wounded when the headless skeleton surprised
him and its two buddies got the best of him, Donal was
a good fighter. Captain Red Jack was a wise man and had
made sure that three of the pirates he had sent out
were seasoned veterans. His bit foot hurt like the
devil but Donal turned when he heard Rapina go down,
parried a club blow and kicked the skeleton West to
clear some room.

Kent had taken a fright. a skeleton swinging a cudgel
had him cornered in the Northeast corner of the room.
The only trouble was, the skeleton did not seem to have
a brain in its head and its back swing kept knocking
into the wall. Without a back swing it was not
inflicting bone-shattering damage on the recruit, it
was just giving him a good beating with short swings
and scaring the daylights out of him with its gnashing
teeth and vacant eyes. Donal's kick bounced a skeleton
against the back of the one trying to pummel Kent to
death and drove it forward so it momentarily bashed
into Kent, it's boney teeth bruising his jaw.

Rapina gasped as she hit the floor. Skitch had taught
her how to take a fall when a big boy hit her in order
not to add insult to injury. As she went to stand, she
saw boney feet advance on her. She was weaponless; the
blow to her back had knocked the club out of her hands
along with her wind. Rapina grabbed the ankles of the
skeleton and swung it as she stood. She released it and
it skidded off the top of one of its compatriot's
skulls and slammed into the opposite wall where it
struggled to stand, oblivious to its cracked skull.

Donal grinned, "now thar's a wench!," he said as he
shattered another skeleton with his cudgel.

Drake was fighting with every ounce of his strength and
speed. He had been forced to sheath his parrying dagger
so he could use his broadsword in both hands. The
dagger was useless against the skeletons anyway. He
found his feet were a better weapon. When the skeletons
got especially thick, driving them back was a better
idea than cleaving them. They were so stupid they all
crowded into each other and a good kick would send a
bunch of them falling to the floor like dominoes. Then
Drake could shatter one that did not fall with his
sword while the dupes got up.

Pike exploded the last skeleton between Doanthalas and
him.

"Slip behind me along the wall, Drake. We've made it to
our mates."

Pike stepped forward just enough to let Drake by. He
turned and shattered a skeleton with his club while the
flat of his battle axe turned a second into a shower of
bones. All the while the Norseman moved slowly sideways
toward the North wall. When Drake was by him, he turned
to face fully south and backed North in a fighting
retreat.

Rapina grabbed the rear ribs of the skeleton that was
terrorizing Kent and heaved it. Luckily, the skeletons
were quite light.

After slipping by Pike, Drake helped Doanthalas fight
the skeletons attacking from the West as Donal and
Rapina cleared the Northeast corner, turning it into a
safe zone.

Seeing Drake and Doanthalas now protected him, Donal
took his broadsword from the floor of the Northeast
corner of the room and quickly sheathed it. At the same
time, he picked up Rapina's cudgel and handed it to
her.

Rapina saw Drake run into the entrance tunnel and
followed.  Donal behind her pushing Kent in front of
him.

Pike and Doanthalas took up positions at the southern
end of the narrower entry tunnel just before the point
where the tunnel widened and leveled off.  They fought
a pitched battle with a hoard of skeletons coming at
them from the main room.  Fortunately, the tunnel would
only admit two or three skeletons abreast, so the
number of opponents the men had to fight at a time was
much more manageable.

Drake faced two skeletons that had already been in the
entry tunnel when he entered and Pike and Doanthalas
had cordoned it off. As Rapina entered the narrower
corridor, the light she carried provided better
illumination. To Drake's horror, he saw that one of the
skeletons still had bits of flesh clinging to its
bones. "Cudge, is that you?"

The Skeleton vacantly swung a broadsword at Drake who
parried with a clang.

Rapina ducked as the second skeleton took a swing at
her. She drove the end of her cudgel forward into the
pelvis of the skeleton like a battering ram and knocked
it backwards. It fell against the slab that blocked the
entryway and began to scramble to its feet. While it
was scrambling, Rapina jumped forward and shattered its
right shoulder.

As he parried, Drake stepped in and kicked the knee-cap
of the skeleton. The bones snapped and the skeleton
fell sideways still swinging its blade. It cut into the
side of Drake's boot and slightly wounded his calf as
he tried to dodge.

Drake's sword severed the neck of the skeleton and its
skull went rolling across the floor. Undaunted, it
lifted its blade to take another swing. Drake drew his
parrying dagger and jumped to the right.

Rapina dodged right but took a glancing blow to the
hip. Her cudgel took out four ribs on the left side of
the skeleton. The skull from Drake's opponent rolled
towards her, its teeth still gnashing.

Rapina jumped back, and when her Skeletal opponent came
forward she was ready. She crouched and took out one of
the skeleton's knees. It fell and she shattered its rib
cage before it could rise again.

The Norseman grinned at Doanthalas as three more
brainless bags of bones approached and were shattered
by the two muscular fighters. Pike's eyebrows raised -
the rib of one of the skeletons he had shattered did
not fly right. "Heads up back there."

Donal looked in Pike's direction, his mouth opened as
something whistled like breath blown over the mouth of
a bottle. A flying rib stabbed him in the gut with much
more power than a simple flying object. Donal
instinctively dropped his cudgel and grabbed the bone.
His quick reflexes saved his life. He bled profusely,
but he muscled the bone out of the wound in his gut and
got a two- handed grip on it. It was alive as though
the entire strength of a skeleton had clung to it.
Donal muscled the bone against the stone wall and
rubbed it there, but all he did was work off it's
jagged point.

Damn, Drake thought. The new skeleton, whichever pirate
it had recently been, had bones stronger and less
brittle than its drier and more aged comrades did.
Drake realized his last swing should have gone through
the neck and shoulder of the skeleton but it had not.

Drake charged in, parrying the blade of the skeleton
and severing its arm near the shoulder. The skeleton's
broadsword clattered to the floor and Drake swung and
swung again, this time severing the other arm of the
creature. The arms crawled towards him pulling
themselves along with their fingers. Drake swung again
and again slicing the ribs off the creature and
sundering the pelvis. He was about to stamp on the
creature's fingers when Rapina called out.

"Wait! No one is going to believe this unless we have
proof."

Drake nodded. He grimaced and picked up one of the
arms.

Rapina picked up the other arm and the skull. The
fingers and jaw were still moving, trying to kill.

Donal took a stout burlap bag from his belt pouch.
"Here, put those in the bag, Drake, and Rapina see what
ye can do fer Backster.

Rapina found that Backster's right eye was a ruin, but
his left eye would be okay, there was a deep cut just
above it where a skeletal finger had glanced off.
Rapina cleaned the wound and applied a bandage. She
gave Backster some herbs for the pain from his ruined
eye.

Pike and Doanthalas shattered skeleton after skeleton
until finally the last one lay in pieces at their feet.
"Damn! I'm bruised or bleedin' on most parts of my
body, but that was one hell of a fight," Pike said.

"That was the best fightin' I've seen a 'green' recruit
do in years," Pike winked at Doanthalas. 'Course the
important thing for fighting these brainless bags o'
bones seems ta be strength and endurance, and I know ye
got 'em both from havin' had that bout we had
tagether." Pike grinned and turned to Rapina. "What do
the wounds look like?"

"Backster's lost an eye, but I think the other eye will
be okay as soon as the gash above it heals. Donal has a
bad belly wound and a deep bite in his foot. I got hit
across the back and on the hip, but I was pretty
lucky."

Pike helped himself to some bandages and supplies from
Rapina's pack and patched up several nasty gashes he
had received.

Rapina finished Donal and looked at Kent while Drake
and Doanthalas patched up their own hurts. Kent was
severely bruised all over his upper body but Rapina
could not help but realize that Kent's pride had taken
a worse beating.

"The way I see it, we better see if we can get out 'a
this place. That slab's real stone. Before today I'd 'a
said there was no magic about it. Now I figure there
could be.  On the other hand, one of these skeletons
might a triggered it from one o' these restin' holes.
Those of ye who're not too badly wounded, lets give 'em
a search. Any booty ye find goes in this bag,
understand? We'll take a look at the skeletons fer
rings, daggers 'an swords too, though most of 'em had
clubs."

There were a number of silver and several gold rings.
Most of them were on the fingers of shattered
skeletons. Rapina retrieved her main gauche and went to
the Southern end of the wide hall of the dead. There
was another doorway there blocked by a slab of stone.
Above the doorway were more runes.

When Doanthalas climbed into the top-most resting place
on the Northwest wall, his weight triggered something,
and the slab slid up and out of the way of the
entrance. Everyone was much relieved. It turned out
that even the weight of a skeleton in that side tunnel
would keep the entry open, but when the weight was
removed, the slab slid back to block the entryway.

Still deciphering the runes above the door, Rapina
said, "No wonder there was not much booty here, these
were probably all commoners. This next door leads to,
"The Hall of Eminence," and we're supposed to make the
sign of man to enter." There was a pentacle carved into
the wall next to the door. At each point, a stone stud
could be pushed.

Pike waved his hand. "We'll go no farther now. Are
first duty is ta get Backster and Donal back ta camp
and make our report before dark."

Rapina nodded. She wanted to make sure she had the sign
of man right anyway. She had not really been paying a
lot of attention to signs, but she was pretty sure that
one of Captain Red Jack's old holy books had several
different signings in it for banishing evil spirits and
such.

The still-animated arms and skull of the fresh skeleton
were put in a bag tied to the end of a cudgel for Drake
to carry. All other still-living pieces were destroyed
save the, "singing bone," that had stabbed Donal. He
had worn the jagged, pointed ends of the bone smooth
against the stone wall and worked the marrow out of the
bone with his boot knife and small shards of bone. He
stashed the six-inch piece of bone in his stoutest belt
pouch with the strings tied tightly closed. The bone
was ever intent on stabbing him but now lacked points.
Just the same, it pushed on him with a fair amount of
force. This made the pirate stagger even more than he
should have, given his wounded foot. The singing bone
was unique in that it seemed to have nearly the full
strength of a skeleton to it. Whereas the other still
animated bones could not lift off the ground and fly,
the singing bone seemed to be able to fly around
without trouble. The party hurried back to the pirate
camp and arrived just as the sun sank below the
horizon. With the wounded, the going had been much
slower on the way back. When they arrived, Pike
reported to the captain. After a few minutes, he called
the others in.

"So, I hear ye had an adventure. I'm hav'in a heap 'o
trouble believin' what Pike has told me, but 'e says ye
insisted on keepin' some souvenirs for me ta see, did
ye lass?"

Rapina nodded. "Drake is carrying them in that sack."

"Good thinkin' girl, let me see 'em. I'm 'bout ready ta
have Pike put in a cage fer bein' daft."

Drake opened the sack and dumped the contents carefully
out onto the captain's table. The severed bony arms
wasted no time pulling themselves along by their
fingers towards the Captain who was the closest person
to the table after Drake stepped back. The scull rolled
a bit then rocked as it gnashed its teeth. The skeletal
fingers seemed slower and weaker, though the skull
still seemed to gnash its teeth with exuberance.

"Mother o' all the gods, Pike is a sane man after all,"
the captain grinned. So this is what happened ta Blade?
What a harrible end he most 'o met. He'll make a grisly
souvenir though, 'e will.

Now what o' this flyin' bone that pegged Donal?

Donal limped forward and removed his belt pouch. "It's
in here captain, but it's been trying ta stab me ever
since it did the first time. Donal held his belt pouch
out to the captain who took it. The pouch pushed on the
captain as it sensed a presence nearer than Donal and
attempted to stab it.

The captain's eyebrows shot up. "That be strange
stuff." The captain kept the pouch. Ye can take that
back later if ye want it, ye earned it takin' th' belly
wound. Fer now let's keep it out 'o the men's sight.

The captain looked at Rapina. "Pike says ye read some
old runes fer the group 'an there's another door with
writin's as well. Do ye know how to open it?

"I think so sir, but I need to check one of your books
to make sure I have it right."

"Ye did good. Pike said ye killed yer share o'
skeletons an kicked many o' 'em back when ye found that
warr easier for ye than killin' em outright."

"Yes sir, Pike and usually Doanthalas and Drake could
make them shatter by hitting them hard, but I could not
hit them hard enough to finish one in a single blow.
They were very light, though, so once I discovered
kicking them, I usually did that and I threw a couple
too."

The captain chuckled. "Ye got guts Rapina, some would
'ave bet ye would freeze first time ye saw real
combat."

Rapina blushed, "Well, actually I did freeze, but
Pike's battle cry snapped me out of it."

"Well, well, I guess that old battle roar 'o yers is
worth somethin' after all, Pike," the captain smiled.

"Kent, yer maps 'r excellent, but ye were a liability
in th' combat. A pirate that can't fight gets dead
fast. Th' way I heard it, the fact ye were in a corner
and the skeleton attackin' ye was brainless, saved yer
life. It would be a shame ta loose one w' yer talents.
I know th' enemies ye fought taday weren't exactly
normal and ye didn't have combat instincts ta fall back
on like Pike, 'er Donal, 'er Doanthalas.  Nevertheless,
Rapina did okay, an' Drake helped Pike outa a spot
although he's green. I know I'm comparin' ye ta the
best in yer basic class, but ye got ta git yer combat
skills up. Usually, I just let a kid like ye sink 'er
swim on 'is own, but I don't get many men w' a head
like yers on their shoulders, so I've given Roger
orders ta get ye more combat trainin'. See that ye
apply yerself, as ye've seen, yer life depends on it.

The rest of ye, listen up. Pirates can be a
superstitious lot, 'an what ye encountered weren't at
all natural. I want ye ta keep a tight lip. Anyone asks
ye how ye got wounded, ye tell 'em it were, "natives 'o
the isle," and don't tell em they tried ta carve ye
even though they were already dead. I'll make sure the
guard posts have some hefty clubs around in case any o'
these boney nightmares attack.

Pike has told me about the other water entrance ta the
isle Southeast 'o here. Soon as we can we'll set up a
base camp there and ye can try ta get ta the bottom o'
this. In the mean time, lick yer wounds and I'll have
Rapina study up on this matter again before ye go out.
Remember ta keep the lips buttoned, I don't want the
men spookin' on me. Don't talk about what happened even
if no one else is around. Save it fer later.

Fer now, I see ye've brought me some booty. I'll be
givin' ye some money out of it if ye earned it. Drake,
I know ye have weapons, an' I loaned Doanthalas that
bastard sword. Far as I'm concerned, Doanthalas, ye
have a couple 'o weapons comin' to ye. Logan will show
ye through the weapons crates tomorrow an' ye can pick
out a set 'o hand weapons for yer own, includin' that
sword if ye can find nothin' better."

"Rapina, I'd like ta talk ta ye more about these
supernatural creatures an' such. Please come by after
yer bath."

Rapina nodded.

"Good work, mates. 'Less ye have somethin' ta add, yer
dismissed," the captain said. Doanthalas, watch yer
back.  That damn Brackston has half the pirates
thinkin' ye summoned those demons last night, an I
can't tell 'im what really happened or the other half
'o me men'll be shakin' in their boots just as hard as
the ones Brackston's got to. Stick w' yer friends. ---

Later that night after seeing, Beck, Fishy and Pike,
Rapina arrived at the captain's clean from her bath.

Scary day ye had wench. Sit down an' 'ave a glass 'o
wine.

Rapina sat down on Red Jack's couch and snuggled
against the captain as she drank wine from a glass he
had handed her.

"What do ye make o' these skeletons. Where do ye
suppose they're comin' from an' how do ye figure one o'
me own men was turned into one of 'em.

"It has to be necromancy, I think. The magic book talks
about the theory behind necromancy. It all has to do
with life force. People have it, dead men don't, and
undead men have less than none, like a suction or a
debt. That's why they try to kill, they want the life
force of the living. I wish I knew more, but your
library isn't the best where supernatural monsters are
concerned. I think some of the holy books may talk
about the undead. A lot of priests feel it's their duty
to destroy them, and I guess some evil churches train
their priests in necromancy so they can create and
control the undead."

"Aye, I think ye're right. Those chests be full o' me
books, why don't ye get a start on findin' th' volumes
ye need while I finish the night's logs."

Rapina nodded. "Okay, I'll look for that one with the
signs too." Rapina found one or two of the books she
needed that night, but spent little time reading and
much more time moaning with pleasure beneath the
captain's capable hands.

[Rapina]012 Shadows of the Dead

It was three or four in the morning when there came a
scratching on the tent flap accompanied by the dim glow
of an oil lantern turned down low, and the whisper of
Logan's voice. "Sir, we have a problem."

"Nay, again? Come in an' tell me about it."

"We've lost the Southeast watch post, sir," Logan said
opening the tent flap. Suddenly Logan dropped the
lantern he was carrying and lurched to catch it in mid
air before it spilled. The light flickered and shadows
danced but Logan caught the lantern before it hit the
floor. "Aai! Jus' had the mother 'o chills, been having
'em off and on since we checked the post."

"Didn't we double the guard ta tha Southeast?" the
captain asked while getting out of bed and fetching his
robe?

Rapina held the covers to her neck with one hand while
she got her sheathed crystal light pendant from the bed
post and slipped it on over her neck with the other.
She hoped whatever was attacking would stick to picking
off guard posts as it had last night, but she felt a
foreboding presence and feared that would not be so. As
soon as Logan left, Rapina thought maybe she would get
up, but right now, she was not wearing even a stitch of
clothing.

"Aye, an' had we not we'd 'ave never heard the single
scream that marked the passin' o' the men," Logan said.

"Did ye re- iiiiee! aaa! ssss!, I got yer aaaa! oooh!
rrrr! chills! Damn it what's aaaaiiiuuuooou! gonin' on?
The captain grimaced and cringed this way and that as
chills struck him.

Rapina could hear yelling outside the tent in the
direction of the water that was only about two or three
score paces away.

When the guards at the Northeast guard post had
mysteriously disappeared with only a scream to mark
their passing, Logan had sent a man to rouse the
pirates early.  Someone had gotten past the sentries,
and Logan did not want the men killed in their sleep. -
--

The sylvan elf splashed cool water onto his face. He
stood there for a few minutes basking in the
invigorating feeling of cleanliness. Doanthalas opened
his eyes and stared at the stars. They twinkled, as
they seemed to dance in the heavens. It felt as if they
were beckoning the tattooed elf to come dance with them
in the sky. Some of the burden lifted from his heart as
his spirits soared for a moment.  A moment later they
came crashing down as his thoughts turned to the recent
encounter with the skeletons. Although his body was
clean of the dirt and bone fragments from the fight his
soul still felt tainted.  Something was dreadfully
wrong if the dead walked this island.

Doanthalas seemed to be lost in thought again. Drake
noticed that the elf would frequently stop whatever he
was doing and stare at some fixed spot somewhere in the
distance. The muscles in his face would move in such a
manner that his facial tattoos seemed to come alive. It
was a bit disconcerting at first, but Drake was getting
used to the strange elf and his ways. In spite of the
fact that Doanthalas did not engage in conversation
often Drake was taking a liking to him.

"So...Doanthalas....what's it like being the only elf
around so many humans? Doesn't it make you
uncomfortable?"

The only reply the elf made was a slight shaking of his
head. There was no way to describe to Drake the horrors
he had borne witness to. The battle with the skeletons
had been a walk in the park compared to some of the
battles he had fought. Living with humans was far
preferable to being the slave of fiends so grotesque
that their faces haunted Doanthalas' reverie every
night.

Seeing that nothing more was forthcoming from
Doanthalas Drake continued, "I know we're not supposed
to talk about it, but..." He looked from side to side
and whispered. "Do you think there are more of them up
there? There's got to be. When we found the
other...er...body and those skeletons... well... I
don't think it was them that dragged the body away.
What do you think?"

Doanthalas dunked his head under the water and then
threw his head back spraying water into the air as his
long hair whipped backwards. He fixed his emerald eyes
on Drake and spoke in the clear methodical manner he
always did, "When the dead walk the earth the living
must rise up and put their spirits to rest. Otherwise
the living are doomed to join the dead in their
tormented walking..."

Had anyone else said those same words Drake would have
dismissed them as being drunk or crazy or both.
However, Doanthalas said it with such utter conviction
that there was no doubting his words. The young man
fell silent and looked off in the distance towards the
cliffs. A feeling of dread was fast descending upon
him. All Drake wanted to do was get off the island as
fast as possible.  The noise made by some of the other
pirates bathing a little further down distracted him.
The other pirates still didn't trust Doanthalas enough
to linger too close to him. This annoyed Drake, but
what annoyed him more was the sight of Edgar and Kent
talking in hushed tones and looking in his direction.

"He's a demon I tell ya. Look at him! You're right for
not trusting him! He's a danger to us all. That story
about shadow men or whatever he called them was made
up.  We both know it was him who killed the two guards.


Kent looked at Drake and Doanthalas bathing in the
distance. The elf seemed to be oblivious of his
watchful gaze, but Drake noticed Kent watching them.
The young man averted his eyes and turned to talk to
Edgar. "What do you care Edgar? You don't give a damn
about anyone in the camp except for maybe Trevor."

Edgar scowled and grabbed Kent roughly by the arm.
"That's not true and you know it! You and Drake were
like brothers to me until we ended up here. As soon as
we were here you both turned your backs on me! Sure I
started a lot of trouble myself...I don't deny it. I
like trouble! But, not once did you or Drake stand up
for me. When that pirate beat me down you and Drake
just stood there like cowards! At least Trevor cared
enough to see that I was okay. And not once did you
check up on me to see how I was coming along. Not once.
I've been watching you and Drake every step of the
way." He stopped for a moment to catch his breath and
stared at Kent.

The young man lowered his eyes. He knew there was some
truth to Edgar's words. Some of the facts had been
distorted, but the meaning remained unchanged. "You're
right...Edgar. I'm sorry. I've been so wrapped up in
what I've been doing that I have totally neglected
you."

"Don't worry about it too much runt. Drake obviously
isn't. Look at him over there being all buddy buddy
with that damnable elf." He hissed the last word like
it left a bad taste in his mouth. "There's been nothing
but trouble since the elf was released from his cage."

"Yeah, but do you think he's the cause of it all?" Kent
asked.

"Hell yeah! And the question is what are we going to do
about it..."

Kent was about to respond when he felt a sharp pain in
his leg. It was like his flesh was being ripped open.
He tried to scream, but his body went rigid as all his
muscles tightened. His eyes darted around in terror as
his mind tried to come to grips with what had just
happened.

Edgar saw Kent's body jerk suddenly and his eyes
looking about wildly, but Edgar did not know how to
react. He was not sure what was going on until he saw
the hideous face of Kent's attacker rise from the
water. In his moment of terror and surprise, Edgar
backpedaled onto land falling backwards into the water
twice in the process. He grabbed his sword and leapt
back into the water with a loud cry.

By this time a few of the other pirates knew something
was amiss. They had heard Edgar's cry and also
witnessed another of their number being dragged under
the water. Chaos erupted as more of the hideous
creatures emerged from the water. Pirates scrambled for
their weapons as the creatures advanced. The creatures
skin had a pale sickly color to it and their teeth were
long and pointy. Long tongues twisted like serpents in
their mouths and their wild eyes scanned the camp. Any
clothing they wore was in tatters.

Drake turned as he heard Edgar's scream and started to
run in that direction. An iron grip on his shoulder
stopped him. He turned to shake off the hand only to
come face to face with the sylvan elf.

"Death comes to the foolish more swiftly than to the
prepared...man. Arm yourself my friend." Doanthalas
released his grip and raced onto the land. He knew that
the enemy they faced was more dangerous than the
pirates realized. These creatures were familiar to the
elf; he had seen and fought them before, but back then
he had been better prepared. He scooped up his sword as
well as Drake's. When Drake was close enough he tossed
him his sword and then raced off to engage the ghouls.

Edgar tried to position himself so that he could attack
the ghoul without harming Kent, but the ghoul seemed to
sense this and kept moving so that Kent was constantly
between it and Edgar. "Hang on Kent!" Edgar shouted.
"I'll get you out of this." As he said those words,
another ghoul emerged from the water beside him. He
turned and swung at it with all his might. The creature
jumped back well out of the way of the wild swing.

Drake saw the creature with Kent start to drag him
under the water. Drake Hoped he would get there in time
to save Kent.  Doanthalas' strong legs were carrying
him to the battle more quickly than Drake could manage,
but that did not matter. Drake could only think of
helping his friend.

The sylvan elf raised his sword to attack as he closed
on the two ghouls engaged with Kent and Edgar. He was
going to help Kent, but the ghoul on Edgar succeeded in
slashing its claws across the young man's chest.
Doanthalas saw Edgar go rigid and knew that the ghoul
would devour him if he did not do something fast. Drake
would have to help Kent. The tattooed elf brought his
sword down swiftly slicing the ghoul's arm off neatly
at the shoulder.

The fight taking place in front of him didn't register
at all. The only thing that Edgar could see was the
ghoul dragging Kent under and Drake struggling feebly
to stop it.

"Let him go!" Drake screamed as he sank his sword into
the ghouls back. The ghoul didn't even flinch. It just
kept walking further out into the water dragging Kent
with it. Drake hacked at it some more and knocked off
big chunks of flesh, but the ghoul just turned and
swatted him with its meaty hand. Drake only felt the
sting of the blow for a moment. His muscles tightened
immediately as the claws on the ghouls' hand scraped
his face. He could do nothing to stop his fall as he
fell backwards into the water. The sounds of battle
faded as the water enveloped him. Try as he might, he
could not will his muscles to move. "Gods! I'm going to
drown!", he thought. Fear gripped him as surely as the
paralysis had.

The ghoul had turned on Doanthalas after the loss of
its arm. It pressed its attack with a cunning rivaling
that of some of the best pirates in the camp. A clawed
hand raked across his chest, but apart from the blood
flowing from the wound, Doanthalas seemed unaffected.
He swung his sword deftly and proceeded to dismember
the ghoul. The severed pieces of the ghoul sank swiftly
to the bottom. Doanthalas turned and lifted Drake's
rigid body from the water. Luckily he was still
breathing. As the elf hoisted the form of Drake from
the water he scanned the area for any sign of Kent. For
a moment there was no sign of him. Then a large group
of bubbles broke the surface of the water off in the
distance. Doanthalas knew that all hope of rescuing the
boy was lost at that moment. He grabbed the rigid forms
of Edgar and Drake and dragged them to shore.

What was he doing? The elf had just left Kent to die.
He could have dove in after them and saved him, but he
didn't. That damned elf! Tears streamed down Edgar's
eyes and he would have sobbed if he had control of his
body. At least Drake had tried to help.

Drake was feeling the same grief that Edgar was,
although he wasn't blaming Doanthalas for Kent's fate.
He knew there was nothing the elf could have done.
Instead, he blamed himself for getting there too late
and allowing the ghoul to paralyze him.

The elf turned quickly as a noise caught his attention.
Another ghoul had crept up on him while he was dragging
Drake and Edgar out of the water. He stood there
weaponless trying to figure out what to do. He had left
his sword a few paces back so he wouldn't accidentally
stab one of the boys. Time seemed to slow down as he
turned and prepared to make a dash for his sword. A
combination of water and sweat rolled down his face
tracing the contour of his cheek. A rivulet of blood
ran down his chest as he turned and dug his feet in.
The ghoul slashed at Doanthalas with its clawed hand
just as a point of light caught the elf's attention. A
drop of blood hung off of his chest for a split second
before falling. It spattered to the ground just as a
flaming arrow embedded itself into the back of the
ghoul with a loud thunk-poof.

Doanthalas seemed to have a demonic look to him as the
light from the flames danced across his tattooed form.
The tattoos seemed to come alive and writhing and
twisting around his body as he embraced the ghoul and
they both burst into flames.

Arzeal nocked another flaming arrow and took aim. These
arrows were special, and Arzeal had bought many of them
from a tinker.  They had proved invaluable against the
rigging of enemy ships. Each was tipped with a glass
bulb full of resinous spirits and coated with the same
sort of pine tar used for torch-heads. The archer set
the bulb aflame and fired. When the arrow hit, the bulb
burst - splashing the target with a cloud of flaming
resin.  He did not want to hit Doanthalas, but that was
a chance he would have to take if he wanted to save
him. "Damn!" He muttered as the ghoul bowled the sylvan
elf over and they both burst into flames. He would have
to grieve for his friend later, for now he targeted
another ghoul.

Two other ghouls had surfaced a little further down and
were wreaking havoc on the few pirates that had been
bathing there. One pirate fell quickly to the ghouls
attack and was dragged to a watery grave like Kent had
been. the other fought the remaining pirates. Had they
not been gripped by sheer terror the pirates might have
mounted a formidable defense and defeated the ghoul.
But the ghoul managed to paralyze most of them before
being driven back into the water by a combination of
attacks from the remaining pirates and a flaming arrow
embedded in its neck. Reinforcements arrived in time to
see the last ghoul disappear beneath the surface of the
water. They tended to their wounded comrades and
watched as the flaming ghoul and Doanthalas struggled
near Drake and Edgar.

The heat from the flame was unbearable, but the elf did
not worry. He focused on the task at hand, ripping the
ghoul limb from limb. He managed to maneuver the ghoul
close to his discarded sword as they struggled. The
ghoul had managed to inflict a few moderate wounds
during the struggle, but it was clearly distracted by
the fire. Doanthalas took advantage of the distraction
and reached for his sword. After a few tries, he
managed to grasp it. He hacked at the ghoul as they
struggled. His flesh felt like it was melting off his
skin, but the ghoul seemed to be in much worse shape.
Its skin was blackened and had melted completely off
some parts of its body. With a few agile strokes, he
managed to extract himself from the flaming creature.

The group of pirates that had witnessed the struggle
stared in awe as the flaming elf stood up straight and
tall apparently unharmed by the fire. As the last lick
of flame dissipated, they noticed for the first time
that his demonic looking tattoos were glowing an
unearthly shade of red.

The sudden silence was deafening to the elf. He looked
up and saw fear painted across every face in the
camp...including Pike who had reached the fight a
little too late to help. Doanthalas stood there
silently staring at the assembled crowd with his
emerald eyes. They knew nothing of what he had been
through...what he had gained and what he had lost.
There was no way he could make them understand so he
stood there in silence waiting for them to do
something.

Arzeal could not believe his eyes. Doanthalas was
unharmed! The flames had not so much as singed a hair
on his head. He was scared, that much was true. At the
same time he was fascinated. He stood at the head of
the group and studied the elf. He had no idea what he
should do or say, but he knew that he had to say
something before the frightened pirates took action.

---------------

Maybe it was instinct, or perhaps some part of Rapina's
intellect had noted a discrepancy in the way the
shadows had danced when Logan nearly dropped the
lantern.  For whatever reason, Rapina pulled the sheath
from the crystal light around her neck.

Light flooded the tent; the shadows disappeared - all
except three of them surrounding Captain Red Jack.

"Bastards!" the captain bellowed.

Logan drew his sword and lunged for the nearest shadow
as quickly as any man could have.

Red Jack slammed into one of the shadows with his foot,
which took a horrible chill. He jumped clumsily past
the downed shadow and drew his blade from where it hung
on the bedpost while the creature tried to regain its
feet.

Rapina jumped up in bed. The covers were still in her
hands and she threw them over the downed shadow as she
hopped over to Red Jack's side of the bed. Jack had
hung all of the weapons there. After throwing the
blankets, Rapina hurriedly drew her rapier.

Logan's blade pierced the monster nearest him. Wisps of
shadowy vapors erupted from the creature's chest as the
sword passed through it, but the thrust did not destroy
it. It turned and lunged, touching Logan's neck.
Iiieee!

The captain felt weak as a baby. It was all he could do
to muster an effective two-handed swing with his
broadsword, but muster he did, chopping down beside the
abomination's neck. The sword easily passed through the
neck, shoulder and upper chest of the creature that
spewed shadowy vapors with the passing blade, but the
creature seemed undaunted.

The shadow was too intent on the Captain's life force
to worry about the assault. It grabbed one of the
captain's arms and drained, regaining some of the life
force lost to its wound.

Aaaah! The creature's touch was so chill, and the
pirate captain could feel his strength being drawn away
from him.

Rapina swung her rapier like a baseball bat with both
hands and easily chopped right through the creature's
neck. A flood of shadowy vapors fountained from the
creature's neck around Rapina's moving blade, but its
head did not drop off.

Surprised for only an instant, the shadow tangled in
the blankets fought it's way out from under the covers.
Rapina heard more screams and yelling from the
direction of the water.

The shadow touched Logan's upper arm. The chill was
unbearable. Logan swung his sword right through the
creature's chest. vapors burst out from around the
blade as it sliced.

The shadow reached out and chilled the pirate captain
to the bone before his opponent's blade could touch
him.

Rapina reversed the direction of her swing and chopped
across and down through the shadow's neck and chest.

Jack felt so weak, his swing was slowed but as his
blade joined Rapina's already slicing through the
creature. The creature exploded into a harmless puff of
vapor.

Aaaaaa! The captain roared as the shadow that had
crawled out from under the blankets Rapina had thrown
over it grabbed his ankle. -

Logan went to swing his blade back through his shadow,
but the creature grabbed his elbow, the horrible chill
temporarily froze his joint. The pirate lieutenant
sidestepped towards his captain, he could see the other
creature was making a mess of him.

Now that Rapina realized the semi-ethereal nature of
her foe, she abandoned the two-handed swing, snapped
into a proper fencing stance and aimed her rapier at
the shadow that had just touched the captain's ankle.
Her blade entered the shadow's neck and sliced all the
way down through its back. Vapors erupted everywhere.

The shadow sprung away from the pain lancing its back,
turned and lunged to touch The captain.

The captain moaned as still more strength was torn from
him. Weakly he whirled around and brought his blade
through his tormenter -

Logan's shadow ducked unexpectedly and grabbed his
belly as Logan took up his sword with the other hand.
His swing only nicked the creature's head, but
thankfully, his elbow unfroze in the few seconds the
exchange took.

The mindful creature in tent on killing Jack dodged
Rapina's blade.

The captain swung weakly, but connected. Vapors poured
out as he cut a swath through the shadow.

The shadow's hand darted out and touched the captain's
face.

Logan's shadow jumped, sucking rich life force from his
victim's side and taking only a nick from his dangerous
blade.

A quick lunge to the pirate captain's vitals brought
another small taste of life force to Jack's shadowy
foe.

The captain felt so weak he could barely stand. Only
adrenaline held him up, but he was unable to muster an
effective blow.

As the captain staggered, Rapina stepped in between him
and the shadow and sliced a diagonal through the
shadow's upper chest.

The captain staggered a few steps backward then fell
when his legs failed to hold him up. All he could do is
lay helplessly by and watch the battle.

Logan was chilled to the bone, the horror he was
fighting was dodging too well. It touched Logan again
strengthening itself, and all he was able to do was
nick its side. A faster lighter weapon might have been
a better choice, he thought.

Rapina's blade hissed through the air and through the
shadow's chest leaving only a puff of vapors where once
the creature stood.

Logan spun and struck, but the shadow's lunge chilled
him again. It seemed that every time he struck the
monster, it struck him and used his energy to regain
its strength.

A tune Arzeal had played during her training was
singing though her head. Rapina leapt, and landed as
her rapier carved an "s" in the back of Logan's shadow.


Rapina almost felt guilty attacking the creature's
back, but not really, she struck again passing her
blade through the shadow from shoulder to waist.

The shadow took two vicious strikes to it's back, it
turned trying to touch it's victim and dodge the
terrible blade from behind at the same time, but in
doing both, it accomplished neither.

Logan felt so weak, but he was a fine swordsman.  He
took advantage of the creature's confusion and struck
successfully.


Rapina saw Logan was now holding his broadsword with
both hands and wavering a bit on his feet. As long as
the shadow had to face two opponents at once, it would
be at a disadvantage, but if Logan went down as the
captain had, they were doomed. Rapina steeled herself
and launched blade and body in an attempt to get
between Logan and the shadow.

Rapina's jump was too late! She knocked into the
creature's arm as it touched Logan.

Ahhhhh! Logan hissed as the creature nearly froze his
neck and shoulders. Just for a moment, the creature
paralyzed his arms with cold.

When Rapina's body hit the shadow's arm, it was already
draining Logan. Rapina's lust senses tingled wrongly as
she actually felt Logan's life force and just a bit of
her own travel up the creature's arm. It was like a
much less delicious rendition of the life force
traveling down a lover's manhood. Her mind reeled, was
she nothing more than a pretty shadow, draining men's
strength from them? Her blade whipped through the
creature's shoulder doing only a little damage but
helping her get firmly between it and Logan.

The woman that had cut its back so grievously had now
cut it off from its intended victim.  Nevertheless, he
had drank deeply of him before they parted. The shadow
reached out to relieve the woman of a portion of her
life energy.

Rapina gasped as the Shadow ducked her blade, grabbed
her lower thigh and ripped at her life force. She felt
nearly all of what little sex-magical energy she still
had stored in her breasts after the skeleton battle
leave her, but her strength was untouched. It was
obvious that what Rapina stored was some form of life
force. Rapina's rapier whipped back with a vengeance,
sundering the back of the creature for bringing her
such an unsettling realization.

Logan felt like a child, his sword was so heavy in his
hands, but as a child he had played with wooden swords
whenever he could. His weak two-handed blow cleaved
through the shadow's rear end spewing vapors in its
wake.

Logan watched as the shadow reached out to grab
Rapina's breast. He knew why she had put herself
between him and the shadow. His strength was nearly
gone, but as long as both pirates were standing, the
shadow would be taking double hits, and Logan meant to
make this one count. He grimaced as he put every
pitiful ounce of strength he had left into the blow and
cleaved through the shadow's side.

The shadow sensed a rich source of life force and
lunged to grasp it. Had it been any slower, it would
have died from Logan's blow, but the sustenance it
gained held it together just for an instant.

Rapina felt the last vestige of her stored power leave
her and then the horrible chill of strength being
wrenched from her. As the creature drained her, she
forced herself to remember what it must feel like when
a person gave more life force than she could afford.

Her rapier sung as it whipped through the shadow on a
diagonal. There was a puff of vapor and the monster was
no more.

Rapina rushed to see how the captain was faring. He was
sprawled on his back at the foot of the bed. "Jack, are
you okay?"

"I'm weak as a kitten girl, but I'm still barely
alive."

Logan staggered over to the captain and Rapina and sat
on the foot of the bed just above the captain.

"How are ye mate?" The captain asked.

"Nearly too weak ta stand, but alive as ye are,"
replied Logan.

"How about you, wench?"

"My chest feels like it's frost bit inside. My leg
wasn't hit as bad, but it's not so good either. Luckily
the shadow only hit me a couple of times.  I'm not as
weak as you guys are."

"I heard some commotion outside girl, but ye can't
leave us in this condition. Go ta the flap and see what
ye can see. Yell fer Drake 'an Pike or Arzeal. I need
ta know what's up and I need gardin' by someone I can
trust, cause I'm in no shape ta fight."

Rapina ran to the flap and opened it. She couldn't see
beyond the radius of her light so she just yelled out.
"ARZEAL! PIKE! DRAKE! Report to the captain's tent soon
as you can!"

Just then Rapina saw arms master Hock on the outskirts
of the illumination cast by her light. Rapina turned
back to the captain. "How about arms master Hock?"

"Is 'e out there? Bring 'im in."

[Rapina]013 Night Terrors

Rapina grinned and reopened the flap, "HOCK, in here on
the double! She relished giving the arms master an
order. It was a rare treat.

Hock came running up and blinked at Rapina and her
bright light.

Rapina felt her lust sense tingle, then realized that,
unless you counted a Rapier and two pendants, she
wasn't wearing any clothes.

Hock burst into the tent. "What's with th' naked
Valkyrie?"

Rapina blushed crimson

"It's th' latest in pirate-wench fashion," Jack
chuckled weakly. "See if you and Rapina can hoist me up
onto the bed an' prop me up. While yer at it, tell me
what's happenin' out there."

Hock looked at Logan, "aren't ye gonna help?"

"Sorry mate, I can barely lift a broadsword. I'm near
as wrecked as he is."

"What happened ta you men? I'd say ye'd been wenchin' a
bit too hard."

Logan started laughing, and he could not seem to stop.
Trouble was he was so weak already that the laugher
laid him out on the bed.

Rapina giggled and took the captain's feet while Hock
lifted him from behind under the arms. They carried him
to the head of the bed and propped him in a sitting
position against the headboard. Once they had the
captain situated, Rapina started dressing hurriedly.

"I just got done puttin'' a quadrupled guard on the
Southeast post 'an on me way back I heard a commotion
from the water front, an' then the wench ordered me in
here like a soldier."

"Careful Hock, any wench 'can last through me an Logan
at are best deserves a ton 'o respect," the captain
said firmly, trying to keep from laughing and failing
miserably.

Logan shook the bed with renewed laughter.

"We were attacked by somethin' in here, Hock, damndest
thing ye ever saw, livin' shadows with a touch chiller
than a winter day. Ye couldn't see em at all, an' their
touch drained yer strength an hurt ye too. They must
'ave come back from the Southeast guard post with
Logan, and I dare say they were lookin' fer me an
almost had me an Logan both dead ta rights.  Me lucky
wench saved are ass. Otherwise ye'd be runnin' th' camp
without us.

Hock raised his eyebrows. This was the first time he
had heard of a green recruit saving the Captain and his
right hand man.

"I know what yer thinkin' Hock, how could a recruit
just out o' basic save two seasoned pirates like us. Ye
have ta understand, fer some reason when I yelled out
about the chills, the wench got her mage light right
quick and opened it up. All the shadows in the room
disappeared but three and those three seemed ta all
want ta touch me some more. Logan drew on one, Rapina
jumped up an' tossed the covers over one I kicked out'
o' my way so I could get to me sword. She an I drew
steel and we was fightin' first the one, an' then the
other when it found it's way out from under the
blankets. The things were hittin' on me not her so I
warr the one gettin' weaker by the second."

"Near the end of the second shadow I was done for.
Rapina shielded me an' I staggered out o' the way and
went down, too weak ta stand. All I could do was watch,
but I had one hell o' a view from down on the floor
there," Jack grinned saltily. "She finished the second
one off 'an went an' did the same fer Logan as she did
fer me. By that time he was weak as a two-year-old."

Pike burst into the captain's tent visibly shaken. This
worried those present because not a one of them had
seen Pike shaken before. Ever. "Sir." He gasped as he
caught his breath. "There's been trouble down by the
water...we...were attacked by...by...hideous creatures.
We got two of them but they made off with two of our
men..." He paused and gave Rapina a meaningful look.
"Kent was one of them." Before the captain could say
anything he continued, "And there's something else
sir...The elf...Doanthalas...well he was fighting one
of the creatures when Arzeal sank a special flaming
arrow into it. It grappled with Doa...the elf...and
they both burst into flames."

"AND!!!" The captain said with an annoyed tone.

"Well sir. The ghoul was burned to a cinder,
but...but...the elf...he doesn't have a mark on
him...except for the claw and bite marks. The fire
didn't hurt him one bit! And that's not all! All the
men who the creatures struck were paralyzed. The elf
wasn't affected by that either. The men are scared sir.
'Can't say that I blame them, but they might do
something drastic. Arzeal has them under control for
the moment, but you'd better hurry." Pike paused as he
noticed for the first time the state that the captain
and Logan were in.

"So th' elf 'as been holdin' out on me, 'e failed ta
mention a magical power. Hock an' Roger always ask
about skills an powers. It'll go rough on 'im, but 'e
'as the skeleton battle 'an fightin'' th' ghouls ta 'is
credit.  Was 'e valuable in the ghoul fight?

"I think so, sir, I arrived after the battle had begun.
He helped kill the one ghoul I saw killed - the one
Arzeal set aflame with a special arrow.  The others
were only driven back under water by being set aflame.

"If I weren't weak as a babe, I'd have ye clap that elf
in chains an' bring 'im 'ere; 'e's got some serious
explainin' ta do.  Seein' as how I'm an invalid, I'll
deal w' him later. No one's ta see me like this but me
officers.  I need guards I can trust outside th' tent
flap.

'An believe me Pike, I'd be out thar ta beat th' men
down ta order in a heart beat, but I'm weak as a
kitten.  The things that killed th' Southeast guard
post followed Logan back ta me tent an' attacked us
here.  If it weren't fer me lucky wench, Logan an' I'd
be dead, 'er shadows, 'cause that's what th' creatures
that about killed us looked like.  Hock, what do ye
know about the undead?"

"Precious little, sir.  I've heard a few tall tales,
but nothin' I could put any stock in.  The way I hear,
most of 'em slink around at night.  They don't like the
daylight."

"Good, yer just the man fer the job.  Whip those
pirates inta shape, arm 'em up, move 'em back from th'
water, an' have 'em make a tight camp in a ring right
around this tent.  We need ta hold out till dawn.  Tell
'em th' water front weren't th' only attack we suffered
tanight.  Make sure they realize that the enemy so far
has only attacked at night, an' let 'em know I'll be
talkin' to 'em soon as me officers brief me on th'
various battles."

"Plant torches an' make fires.  We need plenty o'
light.

"Pike, send me Drake, an' Arzeal.  I need men I can
trust in here ta guard me."

"Speakin' o' answers, Rapina, get into them books, find
me everything ye can about undead monsters,
particularly any o' the ones we've seen."

"Everyone's got 'is orders, now go too."

There was a chorus of, "Yes sir," and everyone rushed
off, save Rapina who began to delve into the captain's
books there in his tent, and Logan who was too weak to
move much.

Rapina sniffed back her tears and told herself she
would cry for Kent later.  Her expression became very
serious, Kent was dead, and Doanthalas was in big
trouble.  She went to one of the chests of books and
began digging almost frantically, but the look in her
eyes was pure determination.

Soon arms master Hock's voice could be heard barking
orders rapid-fire outside.  Intermingled with the
orders were blood-curdling screams from here and there
around the periphery of the camp.  A little while later
Pike came into the tent.

"Here is Drake, sir, but he's in no condition for guard
Duty. One of those creatures on the water front gashed
him and froze him up solid. Edgar and a half dozen of
the men are the same way.  I had a devil of a time just
getting the sword out of Drake's hand so I could put it
back in his sheath."

"Damn! Organize a detail ta bring the other frozen men
up here," Jack ordered.

"How ye doin' Logan?" the captain asked.

"I think me strength is seepin' back, but it's sure
takin' it's time. How 'bout you?"

"Hard ta say yet, but I think ye're right.  Rapina,
Give Logan here a book that needs searchin'.  Might as
well put 'im ta work."

Rapina handed a book to Logan from the stack she was
building.

Just then, Arzeal came into the tent.

Arzeal, good ta see ya, what's happenin'' out there,
Logan an' me got attacked by things lookin' like
shadows an' we're pretty much laid up fer the moment.
'Tweren't fer me wench we'd both be dead men.

Arzeal cocked an eyebrow at the captain's remark but
knew that captain had better things to do than explain.


"The men are real restless, sir.  They've seen that
Doanthalas is impervious to flame and they were going
to lynch him, but I told Brackston to chain him up,
that you wanted some answers out of him.  He was the
only person I figured could keep the elf from being
lynched since he was the one who got the men all scared
of him in the first place.

Kind a' oversteppin' yer authority, don't ya think.

"Yes, sir but it was that or let them kill him.  I
don't know what to think about Doanthalas myself, but
when I saw him, he was fighting those creatures on the
waterfront, not conjuring them.  The men are sure he's
a demon, and they want blood.  Only the fact that he
was chained and a prisoner of Brackston and on his way
to answer to you kept them from lynching him."

"Aye, e's got some grave answerin'' ta do.  'Ave
Brackston steak 'im down outside the tent.  I'll deal
w' him later.  What're those screams I keep hearing.

"Men keep getting chills sir."

Listen up, Arzeal, those aren't chills, they're the
attack of a nearly invisible critter that looks like a
shadow, ye can only see 'em in strong light an three o'
'em nearly killed me an Logan.  Th' fact that ye can't
really tell anything's attackin' ye an' ye can't see
'em is what makes 'em so dangerous.  They drain
strength every time they hit 'an the cold gives ye a
real wound if ye'll look under yer clothes ta see it.
Ye can hit 'em with swords, but ye can only see 'em in
good light. Go on an' warn 'em.  It'll scare 'em ta
death, but at least they might be able ta save their
own skins.

Arzeal nodded and left the tent in a hurry.

Not too long after Arzeal left, Brackston's voice could
be heard outside the tent.

"I told 'em all this elf was a demon, but no, they
didn't believe me.  We'll see what kinda trouble ye're
in now freak! "

Gods! He's bleedin' bleedin out 'is tattoos.  Yiiii!,
'e's possessed! Run! Woof! Grrrr, woof!  Aaaaagh!

"Well I'll be damned!" Brackston said.

"Step out there an' see what's up Rapina - an leave the
light."

Rapina set her book and light down and jumped up.
Outside, the torches that often illuminated the area
around the captain's tent had been lit.

Brackston was standing and staring at Doanthalas whose
tattoos were bleeding all over his body.

Brackston was dumfoundedly holding the other end of his
infamous neck chain and staring at Doanthalas.  Thumper
was barking wildly.  Several pirates had drawn back and
a few were running away.

Rapina crouched down and lifted Doanthalis' sagging
chin. "Doanthalis, What's happening to you?"

The elf barely had any strength left.  He had lost a
lot of blood yet he still managed to speak.  "My...
curse... a 'gift' from... from... those of... the
flaming... black... heart... I..." Doanthalas collapsed
as unconsciousness enveloped him.

When Rapina came back into the tent about five minutes
later, Brackston could be heard pounding a huge steak
into the ground with a sledge hammer.

"Gods girl, ye're covered w' blood, what happened?"

"It's Doanthalas, sir, he bled profusely from his
tattoos and passed out.  It scared the men badly.
Brackston's chaining him to an iron post outside."

"There's a rag over there, wipe yerself down an' use me
basin. Then get me old Blue shirt from me chest an' put
it on.  No sense in ye gettin' the books bloody.  Damn,
all this goin' on an' me weak as a wilted flower."

Once Rapina got back to the books she and Logan began
to find some references to the undead.  Whenever they
located a passage, they read it aloud to Captain Red
Jack.

About a quarter hour after Rapina got back to the
books, Hock stuck his head into the tent.

"I tried recallin' the watch posts, but the central
post is gone and one man on the Southwest came runnin'
in here telling me his partner started complaining o'
chills then disappeared right before 'is eyes.  My
messenger for the quadrupled Southeast post an' six o'
the eight men from the post came back runnin' here like
a ghost was chasin' 'em, an they said the other two'd
been killed by walkin' skeletons.  Is everybody goin'
daft?" Hock asked.

"Those are real Hock, I got me a skull an' two arms
that still move in that bag over there from th'
scoutin' mission.  'Found out last night, the South o'
this isle's a grave yard.  Ye'd best set up a defense."


Hock did a double-take.  "I'll believe it when I see
it."

"Believe it, Hock.  The best weapons again' 'em are
heavy an' blunt.  Ask Pike if ya need any pointers."

Rapina heard Renewed screams and the clash of steal
from the Southeast.

Hock left shaking his head.

Before long Pike's battle cry could be heard loud and
clear. "Blood an' Bones! Hold yer ground an' drive
these bags a bones back ta the hells they came from."

It had been nearly an hour since the attack started
when Drake felt his muscles ease.  Some time ago, Pike
had carried him up from the waterfront and left him
standing in the captain's tent like a statue.  He could
see and hear what was going on, but he could not move.
The scratch of the ghoul had filled him with
supernatural fear that had locked up every muscle in
his body.

"Uhhh!" he said as he collapsed to the floor.  His
muscles were so sore it felt as if he had just worked
two days and two nights on his father's farm without a
break.

"Can ye speak Drake?"

"Uh, yes sir," Drake said quietly; "'muscles all hurt,
sir."

The captain swung his legs off the bed.  "Damn, I'm
still weak but gettin' better."

"Rapina, I need ye ta help me up.  I'm going ta get
dressed an' I'm going ta talk ta the men.  Hopefully by
the time I'm ready, I'll 'ave the strength o' a four-
year-old 'stead of a two-year-old."

Once he was up, the captain put on his trousers and got
some keys from the pocket.  He opened a strong box and
took out a vial.  He drank half and gave the other half
to Logan."

"Drink a third o' what remains an' give th' rest ta
Drake an' Rapina.  That there is a magical potion I got
off th' noblemen who was in charge 'o that blockade we
broke.  Seein' as Rapina was wieldin'' 'is blades
tanight, I'd say killin' 'im helped save me life twice
so far.

Drake drank about half of what was left, then passed
the rest to Rapina.

Rapina tipped back the vial heartily, but only drank a
bit of the potion.  It tasted somewhat odd and made her
nose and lust sense tickle.  Rapina knew it must
somehow contain healing life force.  She could feel her
wounds shrinking as warmth flooded her belly. She paid
a great deal of attention to the feel of the potion. It
was not too unlike the feel she got when healing her
wounds using the power men gave her. Rapina wondered if
there might be a way she could heal others with life
force she stored, just as the potion was now healing
her.

"There's a little left, may I save it for later?  I
don't have as much meat to wound as you big men."

"Aye, it's yers girl, save some if ye want.  It seems
ta be helpin' me wounds, but it ain't doin' much fer me
strength. Just the same, it were a good draught."

The captain dressed very slowly as his wounds
disappeared.

"How ye feelin' now, Drake? If ye're up to it, tell me
about the battle earlier this night at the water
front."

"Well, sir.  The battle was quick and deadly.  Those
creatures...I'm not sure what they are...they are
hideous looking...I'd call them men, but whatever they
were they weren't men. I was bathing in the water along
with a few other men...and Doanthalas.  We heard some
screams and saw... them... rising out of the water.
They caught a few of the men by surprise.  Kent...
Kent... was one of them."  Drake paused as the tears
flowed down his face. When he had regained his
composure he continued, "They carried no weapons, but
they had claws that would cause your muscles to freeze
up if they scratched you.  I was clawed by one of
them... It was terrifying!  All I could do was stand
there and watch as the ghouls dragged... they... I
couldn't do anything to help Kent... I tried, but...
The creature paralyzed me and I'd be dead if Doanthalas
hadn't saved me. I fell over in the water and would
have drowned because I couldn't move, But he saved
me...me and Edgar...but there wasn't anything he could
do for Kent..."  The young pirate stopped and wept for
a few minutes.  The captain respected his grieving
silence before speaking.

"Good then, Drake, 'least I know what happened.  Step
outside an' See what's up.  If they're free, get me
Arzeal, Pike an' Hock.  If th' elf's up, take this key,
unlock th' chain from th' steak an haul th' elf in here
yerself.  It's damn near dawn but I still need a bit o'
time more ta recover me strength fer me speech, but
there's goin' ta be a lot ta do soon as I step outside
that flap. Might as well do what I can do sittin' down
right now.  And Drake...I'm sorry about yer friend. But
right now I need ya to be strong.  Our very survival
just might depend on it.  Now get gone boy!"

Arzeal was the easiest for Drake to find.  He was doing
his best to keep some semblance of order in the camp.
The half-elf reluctantly left the frightened pirates
behind and reported to the captain. Pike and Hock were
busy breaking out weapons for the defense of the camp.
They grabbed what they needed and left another pirate
in charge until they returned. Doanthalas was barely
conscious when Drake reached him.  He was grateful that
the elf had saved him, but he was also scared.  There
was something to the elf that Drake wasn't sure he
wanted to know about. The young pirate unlocked the
chain from the stake and reluctantly lifted the elf in
his arms.  Doanthalas' skin felt cold and clammy and
bits of dried blood flaked off as they headed towards
the captain's tent.

After about fifteen minutes, the birds could be clearly
heard heralding the coming of the dawn.  Hock, Arzeal
and Pike came into the tent.  Drake followed holding
the elf in his arms the chain dragging on the ground
behind him.

"Yer in a heap 'o trouble Doanthalas.  Holdin' out
information on powers ye 'ave when Hock an Roger ask ye
ain't healthy, an' holdin' out on magical powers can be
a killin' offense.  The best thing ye can do now is
come clean an' tell me all about every power ye 'ave.
Ye can start by tellin' me what ye know about them
creatures that attacked on the waterfront, an why th'
other men who got raked by 'em froze solid, but ye
didn't."

It was obviously a great effort for the elf to even
speak, but after a short pause Doanthalas did speak,
"power... is... not... not... tis a curse.  Bestowed
upon... me... by those of the... flaming black...
hearts.  To me the... sun... flower does not kill,
but... it does burn... and in exchange for... my
life... my life... nectar flows freely... from..." The
elf managed to feebly indicate one of his many fiendish
looking tattoos. "The... creatures... ghouls... dead
men walking... hungering for the... life nectar...
and... flesh they lack.  The foul touch of their...
tainted flesh... causes men to take root as the oak.
My... people have... always been... immune to the
foul... touch of... the ghoul.  Why?  I know not.  It
just... is... as the sun is... so is this..." That said
the elf laid his head back and closed his eyes for a
moment.

"Sir, I can vouch for elves being more resistant to
magic that warps a man's mind or makes him sleep, but
that's as far as I know." The half-elf cast a worried
look in Doanthalas' direction.  "Sir.  He's in bad
shape.  I've got a little something I learned from an
elf a while back that should help him."

Red Jack looked at Arzeal and nodded, "Okay.  Do what
ye need.  I'll be needin' im healthy and soon.  Go now!
Doanthalas, I don't know if I can believe ye about th'
undead 'r at all anymore since ye held out on me, an
yer in deep w' the men's superstitions.  Fer now yer
the best source o' information we got, so I'll have ta
take what ye say as true whether I like it or not.  If
bein' impervious ta flame ain't an elven
characteristic, then I want ye ta fill me in on where
ye came by it 'an any other powers ye been hidin',
understand?"

The elf's body shivered for a few moments before
Doanthalas regained his composure and continued.
"Countless seasons ago... I and... my... brother lived
amongts our... people.  Here.  One sun cycle we... were
gathering... herbs for our parents when... when we were
surrounded... by a radiant... pool of magical waters.
The forest... seemed to fade like the light... as dusk
approaches.  The earth mother had... lost all color.
All was grey.  The sky... the earth
mother...everything.  Except my brother, me... and...
and one of the flaming dark hearted.  I believe... you
word... for them... is...Dee-mahn... or Fiend. My...
brother..." Doanthalas paused as a lump caught in his
throat.  "My brother... my elder... tried to bargain
with... the dar... feend... so that we might return
home... we were lost... later we would... discover...
just how lost we... were."

"Ya mean ta tell me ye were captured by DEMONS!?!?!?  I
find that a little hard ta swallow."  The captain said
with a snicker.  Most of those assembled nodded their
heads in agreement thinking this to be some sort of
elaborate fairy tale.

Doanthalas waited for the gathered pirates to scoff for
a bit before he began speaking.  The words that the elf
produced were horrible to hear and left a sickening
feeling in the stomach of those assembled.  Images
flooded into the minds of the pirates.  Images so
horrible that many of them covered their ears and
shrank back fearing the elf was attempting to cast some
sort of evil spell. The tattooed elf stopped and let
the pirates compose themselves.  "I... just spake to
you... in their tongue... the wicked tongue of the Dee-
mons.  It is a horrible... tongue that no... mortal
should... ever hear... much less learn... I have done
both... be grateful that... you only had to... hear it.
Your nightmares will be strong, but... nothing like..."


Doanthalas shook his head and continued his story, "The
feend... my brother thought he... could trick him
into... helping us... but that was just... youth...
ful... arrogance.  We both paid for it... in the
end..." Doanthalas paused as horrible images came
flooding back into his mind. Images of rivers of blood
and towers built out of the broken living bodies of
countless races.  He saw their tormented faces as they
screamed in agony and begged for a quick and merciful
death.  He felt their flesh on his feet; their feeble
struggles to achieve freedom.

More and more dreadful images assaulted him, but he
fought against them and pushed them to the dark
recesses of his mind. He did not know how to make them
understand how to adequately describe what he had been
through.  What they had heard of the fiend's language
gave them a little insight, but nothing more.  He
swallowed hard and continued, "We were held... captives
by the dark ones for... many seasons.  They tortured
us... and forced us to... fight in their... vile...
war.  They... 'gave'... me these tattoos so that... I
might survive...in a few... of their... hostile
environments.  But they also made... sure... there
was... a... a... price.  Though my flesh does... not
melt... I still feel... the pain.  I still pay the...
price... in blood.  My blood.  I would gladly
embrace...death... rather than endure... this. That
was... how... I acquired... my... 'powers'." Doanthalas
decided that he had told the captain enough. Besides he
did not want to relive any more of his experiences at
the hands of the fiends that night.  All he wanted was
sleep. He was so weak from the loss of blood that he
could barely move.

"Tanight we got attacked by things that look like
shadows an are nearly invisible.  Tell me what ye know
about 'em."

"They... are shadows.  They... feed off... of your
life... spirit... soul... yes.  I believe... that to
be... the correct word.  They are weakest in bright
light... and strongest in the... darkness from
whence... they came.  That is... all that I know...
about... shadows."

"All right, put Doanthalas back out on th' steak.
That's probably the safest place for 'im w' th' men as
riled as they are by now."

"Hock, what's been goin' on out there?"

The arms master looked as though he'd aged a couple of
years in the last couple of hours.

"Well sir, first it was shadows.  They took out the
central guard post and half of the one on the
Southwest.  When they attacked the men in camp, they
seemed to like to hit and run. I've never seen the men
so terrified, sir, and we lost a few even though we
used the torches and the fires and flailing around with
weapons once I managed to get the men organized."

"Just a little later during that mayhem a dozen
skeletons came from the Southeast, routing the guard
post.  When the skeletons got here, some of the men
ran.  I wouldn't count on ever seeing 'em again. I got
the lion's share of 'em ta stand an' fight by yellin'
myself hoarse.  Pike and a squad of men that had been
moving supplies in from the waterfront ran ta bolster
my forces, then all hell broke loose when we saw what
was following 'em - forty more bags of bones wet from
bein' in the water were followin' them."

"The men were stunned, sir, Pike turned back the way
he'd come, stepped forward a few paces with that battle
axe o' his an' that old club he brought back from the
scoutin' mission.  He screamed bloody murder an' lit
into 'em. They practically exploded when 'e hit.  Not
ta be outdone, Brackston lit into 'em with a broadsword
an a Roman shield.  I previously had the men arm up,
an' many o' em' had been usin' shields tryin' ta keep
the shadows off em. I just started yellin' again,
"Shield bash an' strike! Shield bash and strike!"

"Th' men were terrified, at first it were a rout, but
as soon as some of em' saw Pike annihilatin' skeletons
like there was no tomorrow an heard me yellin those
familar orders I drum into 'em in basic, fewer of 'em
ran an' we stopped givin' ground.  The tide turned and
we beat those skeletons ta bones.  We got more wounded
than I can count. Leach Kennon's goin' crazy an we got
plenty o' dead too sir, we'll have ta pick em' up an'
burn em so's they don't get up on their own," Hock
grimaced.

"Arzeal?"

"I was keeping an eye out for Pike's men moving
essential supplies up from the waterfront. It's only
fifty paces, but we were tightening the camp up.  One
thing you should know, sir. I haven't told anyone
because there wasn't a thing any of us could do about
it. Every boat you own is sunk in the cove."

The officers drew a collective gasp.

"Ghouls from under water, I expect, sir," Arzeal said.
"There wasn't a thing we could do about it.  At best
maybe the rowboats and the fishing boat are okay, they
were pulled up on shore."

"Me ships."  The captain's face and ears went red and
anger leaked out of his every pore.

"Pike, carry me table just outside, plant a couple o'
torches next to it and assemble the men in front o' the
tent."

Pike left to get things ready, then came in and
whispered something in the captain's ear.

As the men were assembling for the captain's speech
Rapina's determination paid off.

"Sir, look at this.  She handed an old crusty holy book
to the captain and pointed to a passage."

Jack took the book and red aloud,  "The touch o' th'
ghoul or barrow fiend freezes a man's mind an' muscles
w' supernatural fear.  Only th' wisest an' most
courageous men can resist.  The touch o' the barrow
fiend is a supreme test o' a priest's faith.  Those who
resist magical influence on th' mind, such as wise men
an' th' elves o' the forest are like ta resist the
paralyzin'' touch o' the ghoul.  Ghouls inhabit
graveyards where they tunnel to feast on the flesh of
the dead.  When possible, they also feast on the
living."

"I found a reference to shadows, sir," Logan added. "It
doesn't say much we don't already know from Doanthalas
and the battle, but it does say if ye loose all yer
strength, yer body decomposes inta dark vapors and
reforms as a shadow.  If I hadn't seen 'em with me own
eyes, I'd think this book was tellin' tales taller than
a tower, but I'll bet this tail is true."

Red Jack nodded, "Aye then, Rapina, ye've proven
Doanthalas right on one count.  Bein' an elf is likely
why 'e didn't freeze up.  That cuts th' charges again'
him in half.  Seems like I'm about ready ta talk ta th'
men.  Keep up th' good work.  We need every scrap o'
knowledge we can get on th' undeads, an' we don't have
much time ta get it.  I know in me heart that elf had
nothin' ta do w' th' works o' th' undead.  This ain't
random conjuration 'r consortin' with demons, this is
low down, cut throat military-grade strategy."

With that, the captain shoed everyone out ahead of him
and stepped out the flap to make his speech.

"Rumors an' superstitions 'ave been flyin' aroun' this
camp like stones in a hail storm.  Grown men 'ave been
shakin' in their boots an' peein' their pants like kids
because they were afraid o' a stupid damn elf.  Well
now ye got somethin' *real* ta be afraid of, an' it
ain't no elf!"

"Remember Cudge an' Blade.  Brackston caught th' elf
hangin' over Cudge's body, an jumped to a few
conclusions, but me an' Skitch weren't so sure the elf
had eaten th' meat off two big men an left only one o'
their skeletons behind.  It was easy ta see somethin'
dragged the other body off.  Ye want ta know what
happened to it, what happened ta yer friend Blade? I'll
show ye what happened to 'im."

The captain dumped the animated arms and skull of Blade
onto his table, then scooped up the scull and held it
from the back so the men could see its teeth gnashing.
The arms crawled towards the captain on their fingers
but the captain kept moving and forcing them to change
directions."

"I bet yer all wonderin' why Pike is so damned good at
fighting skeletons.  'Cause practice makes perfect!
They tracked Blade's missin' body yesterday.  It wasn't
hard 'cause the ghouls that got 'im left a trail 'o
blood.  Ghouls, you know, them creatures that froze a
number of ye like statues.  They're undead, they hang
around haunted graveyards, an yesterday I found out the
whole damn Southeast o' this island is a big fuckin'
graveyard."

"Whoever got Blade's skeleton here made it walk.  An
how much do ye want ta bet we might be seein' Kent an'
some o' the other men we lost this night again real
soon?  I'll bet some o' the men from the guard posts
were givin' ye chills an' drainin' yer strength last
night, because a man that gets killed by a shadow,
turns into a shadow.  Just by havin' the ill luck of
choosin' this isle ta camp on, we've given its lord
plenty o' fodder ta swell 'is armies.  Why am I so sure
this isle has a lord?  Is it the fact that on this isle
there are mausoleum caves carved out o' the granite and
adorned with runes and equipped with traps? That might
o' had a bit ta do w' it."

"I'll tell ye why I know this isle ain't run by a bunch
o' these ol' bone heads or a kid elf w' enchanted
tattoos.  The captain pointed at the gnashing skull and
Doanthalis in turn.  "'Night before this last one, some
ghouls bumped into a guard post, Two men were no
problem for ghouls, just a light snack.  Doanthalas
here was bein watched, but 'them that were watchin' 'im
didn't look at 'im fer a second an 'e was gone, so they
ran fer Brackston ta track 'im."

"Doanthalas heard the damn ghouls eatin' my men -ghouls
do that, drag ye off an eat ye.  The wild elf tracked
'em, an got in a hell of a lot o' trouble for it from
bloody Brackston.  He didn't know shit about this
island, an' everyone knows he don't like th' elf. But
those ghouls, they brought a body an' a little news ta
their master, an th' next night what happened?"

"I'll tell ye what happened, a doubled Southeast guard
vanished with only one scream that could be heard from
camp, and then the pack o' shadows that killed 'em did
somethin' awful damn intelligent for a collection o'
dark vapors.  They came back through the camp, snackin'
a bit on Logan but not botherin' another soul, an then
when he stepped into my tent ta tell me what was goin'
on, they all jumped on me - a surgical strike, couldn't
a planned it better meself."

It's a cinch me an' Logan were dead 'cept I invited are
favorite wench ta me bed that night.  She has that mage
light o' hers, and when I doubled over w' chills, she
turned it on straight away ta see why 'er captain was
actin' so strange.  Well, in good light it was obvious
-shadows.  Bein' able ta see 'em, was nice, but they
'ad already drained most o' me strength, an Logan's. We
fought 'em, an while they were drainin' us silly,
Rapina killed em, even shielded each o' us near the end
there w' her body.  Could' a easily got 'erself killed.
By all rights, I should be dead right now 'an so should
Logan."

"At th' same time the lord o' the isle sent a ghoul
attack ta distract you men from th' fact that shadows
was killin' me an' Logan -nice little diversion.  Was
that effective 'er what? Without, the damned 'demon'
elf, and the damned half elf an' his damned special
fire arrows, them ghouls woulda stacked you men up like
cord wood an' hauled ye off ta the ghoul farm. Ye
better open yer eyes and think about how yer treatin'
them that saved all o' yer miserable lives, stead o'
worryin' about them elven differences that make ye feel
uncomfortable.  Without them differences, a dozen 'er
two o' ye'd be corpses."

"'An if that wasn't enough, when th' enemy's troops
weren't quite as effective as they should 'ave been
'cause o' a wench an a couple o' elves, th' lord o' th'
isle had a fuckin' back-up plan.  Fifty skeletons!  'An
what 'appened?  It was a rout, men ran like scared
children.  Me mistress Rapina did bettern' that when a
score o' skeleton's attacked the scoutin' party. An ye
know we'll be seein' the men who ran again, they'll be
walkin' an' fightin' but they won't be alive, now will
they?"

"I know what yer thinkin'.  Yer thinkin', "Are you
daft, Red Jack?  We'll never see those goddamned men
again 'cause we're gettin' the hell off this isle
quicker than ye can light a fire under us."  Ye're
forgettin' one thing.  The lord o' this isle is one
hell o' a fine general, an 'is troops don't need ta
breath.  They're dead! Stayin' under water ain't a
problem fer them.  The captain pointed to the
waterfront.  It was still too dark to tell much, but
that was rapidly changing."

"Every fuckin' ship in me fleet is sunk in that cove!"

The men blanched.

"We got a couple choices.  We can put are tails between
are legs an' make some rafts 'an see if any 'o the
smaller boats are seaworthy 'an try ta get off this
isle before night falls.  In that case we will be
hopin' beyond hope that the lord o' the isle doesn't
send a party ta wipe us out on the shore."

"That or we can fortify the hell out of some ground an
hole up tanight."

"Either way, if any o' ye are brave enough, ye can form
a party ta try ta root the devil pullin' the strings on
these undeads out o' his catacombs an' cut the head off
his army o' undead before 'e has time ta stage another
brilliant attack tanight."

"Regardless, If we don't best the lord o' the isle we
forfeit are ships.  Right now, my guess is they've got
a few holes stove in 'em so they'd sink.  We'd have ta
build us a make-shift dry dock, but we could fix 'em if
we can tame th' isle."

Whether the rest o' us go or stay, if any of ye are
goin' after th' general who routed us last night, ye'll
need ta be packin' up an startin' off soon.  I don't
need ta tell ye this mission is goin' ta be dangerous.
Th' best I can do is appeal ta yer greed.  Men who go
can split half the booty among 'em, er ask me fer a
really big boon in exchange fer their share. A boon
like forgettin' about them not tellin' me about their
magical skin, fer instance.  The captain glared at
Doanthalas.  Volunteers, form up w' Pike, 'e's yer
leader.

[Rapina]014 The Noble Jaws of Death

The giant Norse man stood off to one side.

There was a hesitation in the crowd.  The captain's
speech had set the record straight, but the men had the
hollow look of terror written all over their faces.
They were trapped on the isle of the dead, and they'd
already had a taste of its bitter medicine.

Brackston was the first in the crowd to stand and walk
to Pike's side. I'd sooner die makin' a difference than
cowerin' behind th' wall of a fort."

The diminutive pirate approached the Norse giant,
"Could be ye'll need a man who can climb inta tight
spots an' handle locks an' mechanisms.

"Could be," Pike smiled.

The elf was feeling much better after partaking of the
elven mixture Arzeal had prepared for him.  Though
still very weak he could at least stand up by himself.
Doanthalas stood fighting off a wave of dizziness and
spoke, "I will go."

"You might need someone who can read runes," Rapina
said.

"That proved handy last time," Pike grinned.

"I'm in too.  I have to...for Kent..." Drake said.

Edgar stepped forward and cast a meaningful look at
Drake, "Hell.  Ya'll know that I'm always up for
kickin' ass."

Several other pirates including Trevor stepped forward
to reserve their place in the assault party.  When all
the members were assembled they were hastily outfitted
with provisions and equipment enough to last half a
week on the trail, and torches for caverns and tunnels.
Some of the men also carried ropes, grappling hooks and
spikes for climbing. As soon as the first hint of light
appeared on the horizon the assault party led by
Doanthalas headed off towards the caverns of the dead.

While the others were getting ready, Rapina stole an
intimate moment in a supply tent with Beck, Jake, and
Jonas.  All of them knew this might be their last time,
and they were happy to be doing something life-
affirming, if only for a few precious moments.  For her
part, Rapina felt a little bad taking as much from them
as she did, but she was careful to go to the men she
knew had iron constitutions.  Rapina left the tent
fully healed with a little something to fall back on.
She gave the quite appreciable amount that remained of
the captain's potent healing potion to Pike.  He had
seen two battles in the last twenty-four hours, and
even as skilled as he was, he had not escaped battle
without wounds.

Every step was sheer agony for the elf.  He was still
weak from the loss of so much blood, but able to carry
on because of Arzeal's elven elixir.  Where Arzeal
learned how to prepare it he didn't know.  He'd have to
ask the half-elf if they survived. Elixirs like that
were closely guarded secrets of the elven people.
Doanthalas was glad that Arzeal knew how though, it had
saved the elf the trouble of making it himself.

Doanthalas leaned heavily on his walking stick for most
of the way.  Pike had to help him scale the cliffs to
reach the cavern. Eventually they arrived at the
entrance.  Sitting down on a rock the Elf glanced at
the party.  He saw Rapina advance along with Drake,
Grom, Edgar and Yanosh.

This time, Rapina made sure she made it to the cave
first, and recited a prayer to Mortaebius, god of the
dead.  Then she opened the gate and let the warriors in
to check the place out. The first room was as they had
left it. Buck and Rage wedged stout timbers in the
first doorway as Rapina took a deep breath, crossed the
room and pressed the studs on the pentagram carved in
the wall as if signing the sign of man.  When she
pushed the last stud, the inner-door slab groaned and
slid upwards.  Buck and Rage rushed forward to set
timbers in the new door.

As the inner door slid open the party was assaulted by
a quick rush of air strong with the smell of decay. The
faint outline of a statue was barely visible towards
the front of the room.

Outside in the sunlight, a pirate named Rebel stood
guarding the timbers set in the first doorway while the
others gained access to the hall of eminence.  He heard
a sound like a few stones rolling off a burial mound,
but the outcropping of rock in front of the doorway to
the mausoleum cave blocked his vision.  He stepped out
to get a look.  He saw a pirate who'd run during the
battle with the fifty skeletons last night.  Brad!

The pirate hissed and a long tongue came out of his
mouth.  One scratch from the new ghoul and Rebel froze.
From nearby mounds, two more ghouls cowled in dark
robes, emerged and followed Brad into the tomb.  Brad
cut Rebel's throat with a claw as the other two ghouls
quietly removed the timbers from the doorway.

Meanwhile, the pirates advanced into the room with the
statue, and took out a few more torches.  Rapina
entered behind most of the men, her mage-light
illuminating the front of the statue.

"It's Mortaebius, god of the dead, Rapina said."

Ah, so what, it's 'is gold I want, not 'is name.

The mean yellow dog sniffed the air and growled.

Rapina blinked.  She could swear she saw the statue's
eyes move, but now they seemed to be staring straight
ahead, right at her.

"I could swear I saw the statue's eyes move," Rapina
said.

"Look mates, that statue's robe is buttoned an' chased
w' real gold an' is ring is set w' a ruby! Flint
whipped out a chisel and went to pry.

"Defilers!" The statue of Mortaebius shouted.

Somewhere on the other side of the room doors opened
and skeletons began pouring out.

"Retreat back past the doorway to the first room!" Pike
said running for the doorway.  "They die easy if only
one or two can come at ye abreast!" Pike ran back into
the first room and took up a position just inside next
to the doorway.  Brackston slipped to the other side as
he ran in and prepared to slaughter the bone-brains.
The other pirates ran between their mates, trying to
get back into the first room before the skeletons from
the second reached them.

A loud rumbling could be heard coming from the entrance
to the outdoors.  By this time, most of the pirates
were back in the first chamber or running through the
doorway.  On the other side of the hall of the dead a
slab slid over the entrance cutting the shaft of
sunlight leaking in to nothing.  Three ghouls charged
towards the pirates hissing.

"Aye Doanthalas!  We got ghouls back here by th'
entrance," Skitch hollered.

Doanthalas ran through the door from the room with the
statue. The elf shouted as he fished through his pouch
for the flasks of oil he had brought.

"Spearmen, Doanthalas, back there on the double," Pike
ordered.

After reentering the entry chamber, Rapina had made her
way to the Southeast corner.  She had been looking at
the statue and had been one of the first to retreat as
Pike ordered.  She realized that, previously, weight in
the top coffin-tunnel had opened the door. Rapina
hastened to climb up into the tunnel to see if she
could reopen the entrance.

The last pirate ran through the doorway from the statue
room.

"Brace up Brackston, here comes a flood 'o bones, an
look what's behind 'em.  Our own walkin' dead!

Brackston growled as he realized that the zombies were
all pirates he once knew.  Some of the bodies from last
night's battle had evidently been spirited off just
before dawn.

The skeletons advanced but exploded to pieces as they
were hit by Pike's mighty ax and club from one side,
and the sword and club of bloody Brackston from the
other.

"Demolition!  We got 'em licked, Pike!"

Rapina scowled, her weight was no longer triggering the
reopening of the entrance.  Somehow, the mechanism had
been jammed elsewhere.

Doanthalas found the flask of oil he was looking for
and stuffed an oil soaked rag in the end of it.  He lit
it on one of the remaining torches and hurled it into
the oncoming group of ghouls.  The flames were
spectacular as the ghoul Doanthalas nailed burst into
flames and the others flanking him suffered from
splashes of burning oil.

Doanthalas fought with every ounce of strength that he
still possessed, hacking at the head of the ghoul on
his right as Vanosh and George attempted to hold the
flaming ghoul at bay with spears.

Edgar ducked the ghoul's claws and simultaneously
launched a leg-breaking kick at the creature's knee. As
it staggered backwards Edgar opened the creature's guts
with his sword.

Brad, the flaming ghoul spun his way between the two
spears, nicked Yanosh's chin, and poked George in the
eye.  Both men froze in magical terror.  Still flaming
from Doanthalas' oil Brad jumped on the elf who had
just decapitated the ghoul next to him. If he was to be
destroyed by fire, he would take his destroyer with
him.

Rapina was climbing back down from the upper coffin
tunnel in the Southeast corner of the room when she
heard Pike bellow to Brackston as they fought at the
doorway to the statue room, or the "Hall of Eminence,"
to quote the runes on the wall.

"What the hell?  Back Brackston, It's a ghoulified
Kent, an' he's swingin' a cresset full o' burnin' oil!"
Pike bellowed.

Brackston shattered a skeleton and jumped back as the
cresset arced over the heads of the skeletons and
zombies bunched around the doorway and flew through it
into the entry room.

Rapina saw the cresset from the corner of her eye as
she watched the flaming ghoul jump on Doanthalas and
knock the both of them into the path of the flaming
cresset.  There was a clang as the cresset deflected
off the ghoul's shoulder and showered the pair of
combatants with burning oil.

Trevor skewered the remaining ghoul through the eye
with a spear as it fell from Edgar's kick.

Edgar swung his sword chopping into the ghoul's chest,
laughing mightily. "That wasn't so hard.  Fear is the
ghoul's real weapon.  Get past that an' they're
nothin'"

Rapina felt a tingling up her spine, and then she heard
deep laughter coming from the statue in the other room.


Suddenly the conflagration that had enveloped
Doanthalas and the ghoul blackened as a cloud of
choking black smoke billowed forth from it. In seconds
the room was filled with smoke and half-blind coughing
pirates.  The smoke just kept getting thicker.

Whoever had sprung this trap knew how Pike and the
scouting party had retreated into the narrow entryway
to defeat the skeletons before, and knew that Pike
would retreat beyond the doorway to use that trick
again. Now the entry room was filling with smoke fast.
It was already so choking it made speech difficult for
the coughing and filled the eyes with tears.

Into the statue room! Pike surged through the oncoming
skeletons, weapons cutting a swath of destruction
before him. The Norse giant swung steel and wood like a
maniac for a second before he suddenly hit flesh - the
zombies; they were not so easily destroyed. They were
the cork on the bottle.  No doubt they had been
instructed to remove any obstructions in the doorway as
well.  Pike wasn't about to let them get near it.

"Defend a path out ta the left o' the door, concentrate
our forces.  Brackston, cover me right flank, we have
ta hold the doorway and keep these monsters from
removing the timbers before we're ready.

Bloody Brackston sprung through the door and fought
beside the Norseman.  Thumper tore chunks of meat off
the zombies as he helped his master.

The tiny pirate was one of the first to race through
the door. He dodged and wormed his way around, through
and between the legs of the zombies. Once through, he
got to the statue in a hurry.  Originally he had
brought the hammer and chisels in case he had bad luck
with a lock or needed to place a piton. Now he hopped
up on the pedestal and the statue's feet, stood on his
tip-toes, put the chisel to the statue's eye and
slammed it with the hammer.  The wily pirate heard a
startled yelp when the chisel struck the socket, but he
did not know if he had driven it in hard or fast enough
to kill who or whatever was hiding inside.

"Sound off as ya get through the door!" Pike ordered.
"I need to know when we're all in here.  Rapina stay by
the opening studs an' give me a hand with the count!"
the Norseman bellowed.

One by one the pirates called out their names:
Brackston, Skitch, Trevor, Grom, Flint, Gape, Henry,
Buck, Rage, Edgar, Drake and Rapina.

"That's all of us but Doanthalas, Pike. The others are
paralyzed or worse!" Rapina hollered.


"One last good flurry friend and we step aside and hope
they remove the timbers for us." Pike said to
Brackston.

Brackston pushed himself to the limits, then stepped
aside as he heard Pike yell.

"Timbers away. Nothin' we can do for Doanthalas, he's
part o' the fire," Pike ordered.

With tears in her eyes from more than the smoke, Rapina
fought her way along the left wall of the statue room
though the press of zombies.  Luckily, Pike was right
next to her.

The stupid zombies, followed their instructions to the
letter. While a few of them continued into the entry
chamber, a couple of others pulled the timbers from the
doorway into the hall of eminence.  They capped their
trap even though only three living pirates -Doanthalas,
and the paralyzed pirates Venosh and George, remained
within the entry chamber.  The door slab slammed into
place.  The cork was on the bottle, but most of the
grasshoppers had sprung.

The pirates fought a fast and furious battle with heavy
losses, for they had thrown caution to the wind.  They
fought half-blind using every ounce of their strength
to get by the zombies who had tried to cage them in the
room of smoke. Grom was the first to fall followed by
Flint and Henry.  To his credit Trevor fought bravely
and took many zombies and skeletons with him before
succumbing to their onslaught.

"Back against the left wall, and keep that steel
moving! Hurry, if we can get into the room where some
of the skeletons came from, we'll have areselves
another doorway an' this one likely not a trap!

The party was able to make it to the door with few
lost. Because of an altercation with a particularly
tenacious zombie, Drake and Edgar were the last two to
reach the door.  As Drake turned to see if Edgar was
coming he froze.  Standing directly behind Edgar was
Kent.  Or the bloated and drowned body of what used to
be their friend Kent. Edgar had an odd pained look on
his face.  When he didn't rush for the door it became
obvious to Drake that his friend was paralyzed.  A sick
feeling washed over him as he watched the Kent-ghoul
traced a line across Edgar's neck with a claw.  The
light in Edgar's eyes faded just as quickly as the
blood flowed from the fresh wound in his neck.

Drake stood paralyzed, not by the touch of the ghoul,
but by grief for two friends lost.  The screams of
Doanthalas did nothing to alleviate this feeling.  in
fact Drake was really beginning to understand what true
fear was for the first time in his life...

Tears flowed from Rapina's eyes as she tugged Drake
through the doorway. Pike and Brackston were standing
on either side of it ready to demolish the first zombie
to try to breach the opening.

[Click here for a sketch of the tomb.  The entry
chamber is the same room in which the scouting party
first met and fought skeletons, but the side/coffin-
tunnels are not pictured.]

The room the pirates entered was some sort of family
mausoleum.  It was richly decorated.  Tapestries
adorned the walls and six suits of bronze plate mail
equipped with halberds or two-handed swords stood
around the periphery of the room on small stone
pedestals.  On the west side of the room were two stone
sarcophagi, each had a lid with a relief sculpture of
the way the occupant had looked in life.  The corners
and trim of the sarcophagi were solid gold, and the
likenesses were chased with gold leaf. Bronze
candelabras adorned the walls.  On the East wall were
many bronze plaques, some with lettering on them. On
the South wall was a large coat of arms with a plaque
beneath it. Parts of the coat of arms were studded with
gems.

"Nobody move, This looks to be some noble family
mausoleum.  I know ye see some booty around ye, don't
touch it till we kill our enemies.  That's the way
Backster set off a trap in that first room.  Buck,
Drake, help me an' Brackston at the doorway here, we
still got plenty o' customers, just that this time we
got 'em one at a time through the doorway. Rest of you
Cluster aroun' Rapina and keep an eye out 'case of
shadows.  Rapina, patch wounds while we got the time,"
Pike ordered.

Rapina worked as rapidly as she could, and by the time
Pike and his warriors were through demolishing the last
zombie, Rapina had patched the wounds of the other
warriors.

"All right, lets check this room out.  The zombies and
skeletons that came from this room and the one next
door had to have gotten in here somehow.  Could be they
came from somewhere else, or it could be there is a
secret exit out of one of these back rooms.

Rapina began to read the various plaques.  The ones on
the east wall were probably entrances to coffin-sized
side tunnels wherein corpses were stored.  The plaque
on the Southern end of the room talked about the noble
deeds and lineage of the baronial family whose remains
rested within the room.

As the men started opening the plaques on the east
wall, Rapina looked at the sarcophagus in the Southwest
area of the room. The carving on the lid depicted a
woman.  Rapina looked at the runes on carving.

"This was the first baroness of the family Le-"

Rapina's line was cut off in mid stream.  The lid of
the sarcophagus suddenly hinged open.  Inside were the
skeletal remains of a woman, and laying next to her was
Kent, who tossed the dead baroness' golden ring into
the room as a part of the motion of grabbing Rapina
just below the breasts and pulling her into the
sarcophogus.

Rapina had hardly managed a startled screech when
Kent's claws pierced her tunic and a hideous paralyzing
fear surged through her body, stiffening every muscle.

Drake felt a ring bounce off his back.

The six suits of armor standing around the room
suddenly raised their weapons as the brainless minds of
the skeletons within them perceived treasure, in the
form of the Baroness' ring, being removed from the
room's deceased occupants. Each swung its sword or
halberd at the nearest pirate.

Once he pulled Rapina into the sarcophagus, the goulish
Kent activated the lid-closing mechanism with one foot,
while he activated the mechanism that lowered the panel
in the East side of the sarcophagus with the other. The
sarcophagus only seemed to be separate from the wall,
it was actually attached to it. Kent rolled Rapina and
himself Eastward as the East wall of the coffin slid
into the floor.  Once in the area within the room's
East wall, Kent pushed a stud with his finger.  The
East wall of the sarcophagus lifted back into place and
the stone beneath him and Rapina tilted. Down they
slid.  At the bottom of the short slide, Kent pulled a
lever and the slide hinged back up.

The ghoul then opened a door and ran out of the room
for a few minutes.  He returned, hoisted Rapina off the
floor and carried her across the small room at the base
of the slide to a door. He opened the door and carried
her into a narrow, low-ceilinged passageway that went
North and South.  Kent closed the door and shot home a
bolt, then took a few large reaching steps Southward.
He carried Rapina South up a very long flight of stairs
to a room.  In one corner of the room three shadows
cowered, disliking Rapina's mage-light.  The room also
contained a few skeletons and several chests.

Two of the skeletons bore a litter.  Kent placed Rapina
on the litter then opened one of the chests.  He took
some granite-colored grey robes with a heavy hood and a
black lining from the chest and put them on.  The
litter-bearing skeletons were dressed in identical
attire. Kent then left though a doorway in the other
side of the room that led to another staircase up.  The
two skeletons followed carrying Rapina between them.
Kent pushed open a trapdoor at the top of the staircase
and cringed as the light hit his robes.

The daylight stung Kent's eyes and made him feel weak
in spite of the protective cowl.  The ghoul struggled
along a trail that ran atop the granite cliffs into
which the tomb was carved.  The ghoul and his entourage
fled south and followed the curve of the island's cliff
top as it went gradually Southwestward.  The path was
well concealed from watchers in the interior of the
isle, for it usually ran through the lowest area in the
center of the cliff so that there was stone between
watchers from the water or land and the path.

At first Rapina could do nothing but be afraid, but
after a while she struggled to get a hold of her mind.
If Kent was going to kill her, she reasoned, he would
have done it by now. She was not sure where he was
taking her, but it seemed likely that she would soon be
meeting the chief of the undeads.  Rapina supposed it
could be some even more horrible undead monster, but
clung to the hope that it would be a living priest or
magician - a necromancer.

Kent struggled through the sunlight for what seemed
like ages. About every quarter hour he scratched Rapina
in the arm with a claw.  The walk was a mile and a
half.  It was nearly an hour before it took him along
the base of some even higher cliffs that towered above
the cliffs he was on and the rest of the isle.

Just when she thought things were getting a little
better, Kent jumped on the litter with her.


"Go that way," Kent rasped and pointed for the bone-
headed skeletons, then he squirmed around on top of
Rapina and licked her face with his hideous long
tongue.

The breath stuck in her throat, Rapina was terrified
but she couldn't scream.  Kent smelled dead, he even
looked dead.  She could not move a muscle, but she
wanted to escape in the worst way.

Kent directed the skeletons into a hidden fissure in
the Southern rock face.  He jumped off the litter about
ten feet into the fissure. The narrow crack led
downward and eventually forked Kent stopped the
skeletons then walked into the fork on the left. Rapina
briefly heard the grinding of stone on stone such as a
hidden door might make and Kent was gone for close to
fifteen minutes.  When he returned he jumped back on
the litter with Rapina and directed the skeletons to
proceed down the other fork of the fissure.  It opened
up into a much wider fissure - a canyon some fifteen to
twenty-five feet in breadth. Daylight was visible far
above, but the ghoul felt better because the deep
canyon afforded much shadow. The skeletons carried Kent
and Rapina South along the canyon floor.

As time went by Rapina had to force herself to keep her
eyes open so she had some idea of where she was being
taken.  She was a woman, an oddity among pirates.
Perhaps she was being captured because the lord of the
isle felt she was at least as much a victim as a
collaborator, having been abducted by the pirates, or
perhaps he was just hungry for female companionship.
Rapina shuddered, if the necromancer was undead, she
might just be a dainty meal.  She would have to try to
keep her wits about her in spite of her terror.

The skeletons zigzagged along with the canyon in a
generally southerly direction.  When they reached an
area familiar to the ghoul, Kent reached down off the
litter, took up a large rock from the canyon floor and
directed the skeletons to the cliff edge where he
bashed the rock against the stone wall.  Had he not
known exactly where he was, the ghoul would not have
known what to do. Even the ghoul could see no
difference about the walls of the canyon from his
vantagepoint at its bottom.  From Some sixty feet above
him hidden from view by a natural outcropping in the
wall of the canyon, a boom swung out.  On the boom was
a large wicker cage.  The cage was lowered.  Kent
opened a door in the cage and led the skeletons bearing
the litter inside.  Kent closed the door and struck a
cowbell attached to the inside of the cage, with a
metal rod dangling from a chain.  The cage began to
rise quite rapidly.

When the cage struck the boom, it was swung inwards and
the cage was lowered a foot or two to rest on the floor
of a room cut into the face of the granite cliff. One
wall was open to the canyon but the room was invisible
from below because of the narrowness of the canyon, a
natural outcropping just below where the room was
carved into the cliff face, and the height the room was
above the canyon floor.  There was a slit-like window
in the south wall of the room.

Kent opened the cage door and led the skeletons out.

A skeletal hand grasped Rapina's chin and turned her
head from side to side.

Rapina was so terrified she shut her eyes.  She was
sure the lord of the isle was undead, and she would
soon be as well.

"Excellent work, my servant," a smooth baritone voice
spoke to Kent.

Rapina opened her eyes.  The face of a middle-aged man
stared assessingly down at her.  The man was neither
hideous nor handsome. He was actually rather plain.
High on his forehead was a bandage. Otherwise, he would
not have looked out of place behind the counter of a
library, but for the intense look in his dark eyes.
Those eyes were the one thing that marked him as a man
of great cunning and intellect.

"You have a reward coming."  The man Removed Rapina's
bow and quiver, then undid Rapina's weapons belt and
took it and her weapons from her. He hung her things on
a skeleton that wore a steel breastplate and was clad
in wax-boiled leather.  The necromancer then removed
the mage light from around her neck and raised an
eyebrow as he placed it in a pouch on his belt.  After
that he frisked her, found the sheath knife on her calf
and removed it.

The necromancer spoke to Kent as he worked, "Although
the battle did not go as well as planned, you played
your part flawlessly and accomplished this
extemporaneous task as well.  I realize the daylight
must have caused you great pain and weakness, but I
have just the thing to replenish your strength for this
evening. One of the pirates we captured has no tongue
and is thus useless to me, yet I think you'll like him,
he's a fat one."

The necromancer commanded the skeletons to open the
stout oak door in the East wall of the room, the one
opposite the canyon. Two of the breast-plate wearing
skeletons led the way and four others followed.  After
a short distance, the party came to a "T" intersection.
The corridors were lit by an eerie red glow that
emanated from large crystals that hung at intervals
from the ceiling.

"Take the girl to the door to my chambers and keep her
there. You three guards, see that she does not try to
wander off." The skeletons bore Rapina Northwards while
Kent and the necromancer went in the other direction.

Rapina thought about trying to escape.  Had she not
been paralyzed, she felt sure she could outrun the
skeletons.  Even if she could, where would she go,
certainly not back to the cliffside room?  There was no
way down to one who could not control the wicker cage.
Abruptly Rapina's muscles eased.  She felt sore all
over.  She directed the bit of energy she had gleaned
from her morning's tryst to her back and limbs.

Suddenly she sprung from the litter and sprinted down
the hallway to the South.  It took a second for the
skeletons to react, but Rapina heard the rasp of steel
as the skeletons drew swords and clattered after her.
They were fast, astonishingly so, but Rapina was
terrified and had a head start.  Doors punctuated the
hallway at intervals.  Rapina opened one and saw rough-
hewn shelves with various armaments and equipment but
no way out.  She snatched a rusty broadsword and rushed
down the hallway again.  She passed several doors on
her way down the hall.  One, an iron door was just
slightly ajar.  She avoided that one and pulled on the
door at the end of the hall. It would not open but she
could see no lock!

The three guard skeletons were already near her. Rapina
jumped to the left and saw the skeletons veered to the
left as they ran towards her.  At the last minute,
Rapina jumped right and sprinted.  She felt the wind
from a sword blade close to her neck as she passed the
boney trio.  The skeletons were astonishingly fast. She
already felt winded.  In desperation Rapina ran to the
iron door, opened it, jumped in and slammed it as the
impacts of three sword blades rang off the other side
of the door.  Rapina saw a keyhole but no bolt on her
side of the door.  Remembering how light the skeletons
in the mausoleum cavern had been, Rapina braced herself
against the door.

There was a second identical door ten feet East beyond
the one she held, but she was sure that the skeletons
would just keep bashing the door with their swords
forever.  She was wrong. Something started pushing on
the door.  The force doubled and Rapina made a dash for
the next door.  She slammed that one shut as well.  She
found herself in some sort of guardroom with a stout
table and four chairs.  She could reach one of the
chairs with her foot.  She snagged it and used it to
wedge the door shut.

There was a ring of three keys hanging on a peg on the
other side of the room.  Rapina dashed for it, grabbed
it and got back in time to keep the chair from slipping
away from the door because of the force being applied
to the other side.  Rapina tried all three of the keys
in the lock but none of them worked. On the other side
of the room was another door.  This one had a barred
window.  Rapina ran for it, snagging another chair on
her way by the table.  She had the third door shut and
wedged before the last door grated open.  Rapina tried
the shorter of the three keys on the ring and the lock
turned.

The door Rapina had just locked was at the head of a
hallway. There were six other doors leading off the
hallway, three on the right side, and three on the
left.  The door to the cell on the right near the
hall's other end was ajar.  Rapina looked through the
barred window of the nearest cell on the left.  Inside
shackled to the wall was Jonas.

"Jonas?," Rapina asked.

Jonas looked up.  "Rapina?  How in hell did you get
here?"

"I got paralyzed by Kent.  He's a ghoul.  How about
you?"

"There were some skeletons stained black; they were
collecting the dead bodies and the ghouls were
collecting the living.  I spooked when those skeletons
attacked us and before I knew it, some ghoul jumped out
of nowhere.  It dragged me to a black litter borne by
skeletons and I was brought here. What happened to the
others?"

"Pike and Hock rallied the troops and they fought off
the skeletons.  I'm not sure what they're doing now,
either fortifying and staying or trying to raft out,
one or the other."

"Quick, get me out of here, maybe we can free the
others and escape."

Rapina tried the next longer key and opened the cell
door.

"Lets skip the escape scene, shall we?" said the
necromancer's voice.

Rapina froze.  At the end of the hall stood the
necromancer, and next to him with blood all over his
face, chest and grossly bloated belly was Kent, still
chawing on a fat human leg. They had come out of the
cell at the end of the hall on the right. Rapina nearly
threw up as she realized that Kent had been eating
Piggy, the mute cook that Rapina had worked for when
she'd first joined Red Jack's crew.

Now that she was standing, Rapina got a better look at
the necromancer.  He was about average height and
build, only an inch or two taller than she was.  He was
partly bald, but had hair on the sides of his head.  He
was dressed in black robes with a black leather
bandoleer crossing his chest from his left shoulder to
his waist on the right.  He wore several bone-handled
daggers on his belt and the bandoleer held a dozen or
so crude bone darts with metal spikes on both ends.

"Drop the blade.  Be reasonable, you have no chance to
escape. There is only one way out of here and that is
through those doors and the three guards.  The
necromancer chuckled, "You must be a fast runner or I'd
be trying to piece your skeleton back together at this
moment."

Rapina tossed the keys through the partly opened door
to Jonas and advanced towards the necromancer.

The necromancer grinned.  "Guards," he said.  Three
leather-clad breast-plated skeletons came out of the
cell the necromancer and Kent had previously been in.
"Surely you do not want to try to face these three.
Have you not yet realized that these skeletons are
superior to the others?  The necromancer smiled.  They
are double-animated, once by the power of my magic, and
once by the power of Mortaebius, god of the dead.  They
are stronger, faster, and a little bit smarter than the
average skeleton."

Rapina held her ground but eyed the skeletons now
standing in front of Kent and the necromancer.

"Surrender now and I will go easy on you, otherwise,
you'll pay dearly.  Shards, orbit her."

The crude bone darts left the necromancer's bandoleer
and flew down the hallway, orbiting Rapina at a
distance of about three feet.  Rapina shuddered. The
bone parts of the darts were made of what Donal had
named "singing bones," the ones that flew through the
air.  How could she hope to defeat flying bone spikes
and three double-strength skeletons plus a wily ghoul
and a necromancer?  Rapina reluctantly layed down her
rusty blade.

"Retrieve the blade," the necromancer bid one of the
skeletons. The skeleton snatched up the blade.  Now,
girl, stand back against the guard room door.

Rapina backed up.

"You two, the necromancer pointed to a couple of the
skeletons, guard the girl.  And you, open that cell
door.  Kent, I think the prisoner needs calming."

Kent grinned and bounded into Jonas' cell.

"Aaaaiigh! Jonas screamed.

"Kent, put him back in the shackles and take the keys,"
the necromancer ordered.

In a minute or two Kent came out of the cell and tossed
the keys to the necromancer.  "Very good, I will talk
to you again this evening.  Enjoy your meal."

[Rapina]015 Death Battles The Living

The pain was excruciating.  Doanthalas could hardly
breathe because of the smoke and his eyes were gunked
up with ash and smoke and tears. Needles of pain shot
through his back as the flames continued to burn. Soon
the flames would die out; Doanthalas could feel the
pain lessening by the moment.  After the flames died
out it would not be that long before he started
bleeding.

It was time to get to a safer place, and quickly too.
The elf tried tearing off a piece of his clothes to
wipe his eyes with, but his charred clothing just
crumbled in his hands.  There had to be something in
the room somewhere he could use to wipe out his eyes
with. Otherwise he'd have to fight through the
remaining zombies and find a way out while still blind.
He did not think he could do it.  Not in his already
weakened condition.

The remaining ghoul and a few of the zombies had been
reduced to walking torches.  A few remained relatively
unharmed.  These few closed in on the prone form of
Doanthalas.  They were unaffected by the smoke and
advanced steadily on the elf.

Doanthalas' keen hearing picked up the sound of the
zombie's shuffling feet approaching.  It was getting
harder to breathe and a fit of coughing seized the elf.
At least nearer the floor the air wasn't as filled with
smoke.

A slight breeze blew across the elf's face.  The fact
that there was a breeze meant one thing: There was a
way out. Doanthalas began crawling towards the breeze.
He had to hurry. The fire was almost out and that meant
that his time was almost up.

The remains of his clothes crumbled to nothing as well
as the other items he carried that were flammable.  The
elf's knee nudged something as he crawled. Reaching
down his hand closed around the hilt of his sword.  The
blade scraped against the ground as he lifted it.

The sound of shuffling feet was very close now.  With
great effort Doanthalas swung his sword.  He felt it
chop though something solid and then stop as it hit
something else solid. There was a loud thump as
something heavy hit the ground.

One of the zombies lay on the floor struggling feebly
to stand. The other paused its progress impeded by his
fallen companion. Darkness had descended upon the room
as the last of the fires burned themselves out. The
zombies continued in their pursuit of their prey
unaffected by the darkness.  Their minds understood
nothing other than their hunger for flesh...their
thirst for blood.  The scent was getting stronger.
Their quarry was near. Bits of rotting flesh dropped
off their arms as they reached out to feast.

The sound of shuffling feet and something sharp
scraping across the stones sounded very close behind
him.  Doanthalas blindly dragged himself towards the
source of the breeze.  If he could reach it he might be
able to escape. Whatever he did, he would have to
hurry.  His strength was fading fast. Doanthalas' hand
closed over a metal grate in the floor.  It was small.
Most likely, it was a drain.  It had to lead somewhere.
He hoped it was large enough for him to crawl through.

Wiping his eyes with his grimy hand did little to
improve his situation.  The elf turned and tried to see
through the sweat, blood, and grime that had found its
way into his eyes.  He was able to see very little, but
did notice two still slightly warm forms moving in his
direction.  One was crawling and the other was walking.


Clutching his sword the tattooed elf sat up and
prepared to meet his foes. The zombies closed before
Doanthalas could stand.  They pressed their attack. The
crawling zombie lost an arm right away.  The other arm
was next followed shortly by his head. Each time he
swung his sword Doanthalas felt it slipping out of his
hands.  He adjusted his grip before turning to deal
with the remaining zombie.

This zombie had the advantage.  It held the higher
ground and did not tire. Doanthalas on the other hand
was so weak that he could barely lift his sword.  The
sword went clattering to the floor after being easily
batted away by the zombie.  Things were getting worse
by the second.  Doanthalas' head began to swim. "I
cannot die like this," he thought as he backed away
from the advancing zombie.

The smell of iron reached his nostrils.  "Not now!" he
thought as his hand slipped in the fresh blood that had
begun to flow from his fiendish tattoos. Doanthalas
crawled back as far as he could. He stopped with his
back to the wall and the zombie practically on top of
him.  It seemed like it was to end there. Fortunately
for Doanthalas the zombie slipped in some of his blood
and went toppling to the floor.  The sound of nails
scraping the floor was audible through the darkness.

He could not see the zombie anymore; the heat from the
fire that had threatened to consume it had long since
dissipated. It seemed like hours that the zombie lay
there scraping at the floor. Doanthalas did not take
time to ponder this turn of events.  He just crawled
around the floor until his hand closed over the hilt of
another weapon.  With every ounce of strength he could
muster he crawled back towards the sound of scraping.

Unable to comprehend its situation the zombie struggled
to scrape the flesh off its victim.  It could smell the
blood, but could not seem to scrape the flesh off its
bones.  It struggled on fueled by its hunger.
Doanthalas ended its struggles a few moments later as
he dismembered piece by piece.

The weapon clattered to the floor.  Doanthalas did not
have an ounce of strength left.  He slumped to the
ground and drifted off into unconsciousness. A cool
breeze blew through his hair as the blood from his
tattoos flowed through the grate in the floor.

-----------


Pike scowled.  His luck in battle had never been so
sour.  The day had not gone so badly at first, but now
depression was settling on the Norseman's shoulders
like the globe on the shoulders of Atlas.  He had
fought his way out of a diabolic trap loosing half his
men only to have his favorite wench stolen and probably
killed by a ghoulish Kent.  The armored skeletons Kent
triggered killed Buck and cost his party in both wounds
and precious time.  Skitch had figured out the secret
door and slide in the sarcophagus, but that too had
cost time.  They had broken through the door in the
room at the base of the slide and found the lower
corridor.  Thumper had led them North instead of South
and that had cost time.  The wily ghoul must have left
a false trail.

Skitch had found the ladder that led up into the hollow
statue. After he had come down from there he found and
quickly un-jammed the mechanisms for the stone doors in
the rooms above, but that hadn't helped them find
Rapina.  They had gone North when they should have gone
South. When they did go south, Pike had lost strength
and sustained an annoying wound to his left shoulder.
He had been too hasty about demolishing the four
skeletons in the room at the top of the staircase and
had not noticed the three shadows until after they
started feeding on him and his men.  Drake had
sustained wounds and lost some strength to the shadows
and so had Gape.

Thumper had tracked the ghoul South along the cliff
tops and along the base of some cliffs higher than the
ones Pike and his men were walking on, but then the dog
had inexplicably lost the trail.  It cost more precious
time before Rage found a hidden fissure.  There Thumper
had picked up the trail of the ghoul again.  It led to
a blank wall when the fissure forked.  Skitch had
correctly identified a secret door in the wall.  The
door led to a narrow, low-ceilinged staircase mined
through the granite.  The staircase twisted down and
down endlessly before it and finally let out at a
secret door in a warren of confusing tunnels.  The
tunnels went through the dirt of the valley Pike and
his men had seen from high above on the cliffs near the
entrance to the fissure. Thumper had started tracking
in circles and the party had become hopelessly lost in
the maze of tunnels.  If anything, they were farther
from finding Rapina than when she had first been
abducted.

"Pike, I hate ta say it, but we're lost an' wounded,
'an if Rapina ain't dead by now, then she's a prisoner
o' the dark lord o' the isle. Thumper ain't doin' us a
bit o' good, an' we can't go back ta where we were
without startin' over at the tombs.  My bid is that we
jus' try ta find a way outa here before yer ghouls an'
things start wakin' up."

Pike glared at Brackston. "I hate it when yer right.
Okay, lets try to find a tunnel that goes up."

A few minutes later Rage called out

"Hey, where's Gape, he was behind me just a minute
ago."

"Damn it! Ghouls, I'll wager.  Demon or not, I sure as
hell wish we had an elf to take up the rear.  My bet is
that Thumper might be able to smell 'em.  Brackston,
take the rear. Rage, you make sure to look over your
shoulder a lot, understand?"

"Gotcha."

A more couple hours passed, but, although they had
gained some elevation and had gone a good distance in a
roughly northerly direction, an exit from the warrens
still eluded them.

Suddenly Thumper growled.

Ghouls! Brackston shouted.

Thumper grabbed a ghoul's hand as it tried to strike
his master and ripped at it.

Brackston lunged, his usual sword techniques were
worthless hunched over in a cramped dirt tunnel.  He
ran his sword through the creature's chest and twisted
it but the creature did not die!

A second ghoul erupted from the floor of the tunnel and
attempted to grab Drake's leg.

Drake yelped, jumped back against the tunnel wall and
cut the ghoul's hand off at the wrist.

A third ghoul burst through the tunnel wall behind
Drake and grabbed him, claws ripping into his sides -
immobilizing Drake with magical fear.

Skitch whipped two throwing knives into the chest of
the ghoul on the ground.

Pike's axe came down on the floor-ghoul's head,
splitting it like a melon.

The Norseman grabbed Drake's legs just as he was
disappearing into a hidden side tunnel behind the ghoul
and heaved.

Brackston's ghoul cut into the yellow dog's head with
his free hand leaving deep bloody furrows, but the
ghoul's magic was wasted on the mean yellow dog.
Thumper's simple mind did not fear death.

Brackston lunged again half gutting the ghoul who'd
hurt his dog.

Near pike, the skulless ghoul reached up in its death
throws and sunk its claws savagely into the Norseman's
calf.

Pike bellowed as he felt the ghoul's magic sizzle up
his nerves. Every ounce of the indomitable courage bred
into the Norseman fought the ghoul's magic...

Blood an' Bones!  Pike roared as he heaved Drake out of
the side tunnel with the ghoul still attached to him.

The ghoul let go of Drake, setting the Norseman off
balance and then dove for Skitch.

"Ulp!" Try as he might, once the ghoul had grabbed him,
ripping into his ribs with its claws, Skitch could not
move a muscle. His whole body seemed to freeze in
horror.

Rage drove his gladius into the ghoul's side as it
began to make off with Skitch.

Pike grabbed Skitch's legs just as they were
disappearing down the tunnel and heaved once again.

Brackston's ghoul hissed as Brackston skewered it a
second time and opened the wrist of Brackston's sword
arm with its hideous claws. Blood gushed from the
wound.

Brackston froze.  He struggled, but the magical fear
had him firmly in its unyielding grasp.

Thumper jumped knocking the ghoul on its back. The dog
growled ferociously ripping flesh from the monster.

The Ghoul from the wall lashed out at Pike's arm with
its toe nails, tearing furrows through his skin.

Pike bellowed, his great muscles flexed... and released
as he pulled Skitch and the ghoul back into the tunnel.


Rage jammed his short sword into the side of the
ghoul's chest and twisted it, Killing the foul thing at
last.

Thumper ripped out the ghoul's throat as one of the
creature's claws sunk into the dog's eye socket. Blood
flooded from the dog's wound.  He curled up at the
paralyzed feet of his master whining ever more quietly
as his life's blood drained away.

"Damn ghouls, Pike snarled as he bandaged Brackston's
wrist. Rage, let's move Drake, Skitch an' Brackston up
there and get some bandages on all the wounds before we
bleed ta death. There's a boulder forming one wall of
the tunnel.  There's no way we're going to be able to
move with three of our guys out. We'll just have to
wait.  Poor dog.  I'd bandage the eye, but the wound's
too damn deep, I can see his brains in there. He'd just
bleed into his skull."

Pike, them ghouls hit ye twice, but ye didn't freeze.

"Courage mate, it's bred into the bones 'o every
Norseman."

It was well over an hour before the party could move,
and it was another hour before they emerged into the
open air.  The sun was low in the sky when they saw it
again at last.  They were in a forested canyon dotted
with piles of bones marked by various stone markers.

"I'm namin' this place the valley of the dead, any
objections? Looks like these various heaps o' bones
were from the loosing side of old battles.  You don't
get good graves when ye loose."

Pike looked at his men.  "If we were fresh, I'd say
let's double-time it back to Red Jack's fort, but we
wouldn't get there before night fall.  Plus we'd have
to fight our way through the enemy to get in, but I'm
limpin' like a club-foot, an it's easy ta see
Brackston's dizzy from lack o' blood.  Skitch winces
ever time he takes a big step 'an whenever Drake bends
over I see the pain in 'is eyes.  We're ripped ta shit.
Tryin' to fight our way through to the fort would be
simple suicide."

"Here's my plan, there's one other gate to the water
besides the cove - the box canyon.  Right now we're on
the edge of this valley.  We're going up hill, the
trees are starting to thin, and the terrain is getting
a little rockier. Let's take some trees, about four
straight medium-sized fairly long ones.  This valley
and the area around Jack's camp are the only two places
on the isle I've seen good timber.  Look at that tree
right over there, it's still standing, but it's dry and
dead.  We find four trees, clean off most of the
branches and attach ropes.  Once we're out the valley
we turn East an' scramble up the steep hills and cliffs
and into more open terrain.  It'll be tough because
just about every one of us will have to drag a tree an'
we're not in the best o' shape, but I think we can do
it."

"We'll be dead beat once we reach the plateau South of
the tombs and the burial mounds.  We can rest there.
Visibility is good up there even in moon light because
there are no trees an' few bushes.  We've got to be up
the cliffs by the time that sun sets, an' we don't have
long if we're going to get our timber and drag it up.
After we have a rest an' a meal, we start dragging our
trees over to the box canyon.  Skitch, you'll be
gathering something ta use for oars an' haulin' them.
It's going to be one hell of a tough time given how
beat up we are, but just remember.  If we get timber to
the Box canyon, we can build a raft usin' the rope we
have for climbing to lash the trees together.  Then we
can get the hell out while the undeads an' their lord
are still too preoccupied with the battle to be keeping
track of us. "

Pike cut and stripped four trees with his battle axe
and the group laboriously headed North, then East and
up. Thankfully they knew the terrain, for they had seen
from the cliff tops, while tracking Kent and Rapina,
that North was the only way out of the pit that Pike
called the valley of the dead.

-----

Rapina was escorted through a stout oak door and up a
long circular stair that wound its way around a central
shaft.  At the top of the shaft, beneath a domed stone
roof, hung another large whicker elevator-cage.  About
50 feet below the cage there was a landing in the
staircase that wrapped from the North side of the shaft
all the way around to the East and South.  It ended on
the South face of the shaft before continuing up as a
staircase.  Off the landing there were several oaken
doors, the first one led to the necromancer's chambers.
As the door was opened, her nose caught the scent of
myrrh.  The necromancer's abode was well-lit with white
mage-light from clear crystals suspended from the
ceilings.  The rooms were spacious, if stark and a bit
dusty.  Rapina was shown to a small guestroom.

"You'll be staying here for now.  If you prove a
difficult guest, then perhaps you would prefer to stay
with Kent instead of me?"  The necromancer raised an
eyebrow questioningly.  "Try to get some sleep.  I
usually sleep in the morning and early afternoon.  It
is more convenient to deal with my minions that way, as
they are normally quite sluggish during the daylight
hours."

"There is a chamber pot behind that door, a basin
there, and a desk.  This room was designed for an
acolyte, but the church has not seen fit to provide me
with one in all the time I have been here.  Kent said
you read. There are books there on the desk. Treat them
well and ask nicely and you will be given replacements
if you tire of them."

"Let us get one thing straight, young lady, you have
been rescued from the pirates and their fait because
war is not a woman's place. You are as much a criminal
as they are no matter what they might have done to you,
and if you do not behave yourself, you will face the
king's justice or mine, understood?"

"Yes Sir," Rapina said, hanging her head.  Rapina could
sense hardly a whit of lust from the necromancer.  At
the moment she was being treated like a child and she
felt at least as helpless as one. She knew the
necromancer's left hand was animated bone, but his
robes hid anything beyond that and she had no idea just
how much of the necromancer was man, and how much was
animated skeleton.  At this point she was feeling as if
there were more skeleton than man.

The necromancer locked the door to her room as he left,
and Rapina flopped onto the bed with a sigh. -----

As the last Rays of the sun disappeared over the
horizon, Pike's men pulled their timbers up onto the
plateau South of the tomb and burial mounds.

"Damn iv we dild id."  Brackston blinked.  The sky was
twirling overhead.

Pike winced as he saw Brackston fall.  "Damn is right."
The Norseman limped over to Brackston. "You okay?"

"Heey, wad habbent?" Brackston asked.

"Drink this, man, you're in bad shape.  You got dizzy
an' fell down, but we made it.  We're on the plateau,
and none too soon. Let's sit down, and have something
to eat.  Skitch, you un-jammed the door mechanisms to
the tomb, do you think the entry door opened?

Skitch puffed as he set down some oars he'd made from
the crusts of a couple old hollow logs.  "Hard to say.
How'd you get out the first time you got caught in the
entry room?"

"If there's weight in the top coffin-like side-tunnel
in the Southeast corner of the room, the entry slab
opens."

Well, if there was weight there, then the door will be
open.  If not, it'll be closed.  Why do you ask?

"Two reasons," Pike said between mouthfulls of hard
roll. "We left some dead in there that the necromancer
might be able to use unless we chop 'em up.  That an'
those men had weapons, valuables an' so on we could
take.  Once we reach land we're going need to live."

"We can check on the way by, I'd give it about a fifty-
fifty chance of bein' open.  Could be we could pry the
entry slab up a ways with one of these timbers too.  If
we can, I can get in and open it up.  Seems ta me if we
pry those gems off the coat of arms in the one room we
already tripped the trap in, we'd be set fer years."

"Good thinking." ----

A perimeter had been set up and the pirates had taken
up their positions in anticipation of attack.  Torches
and bonfires illuminated the area as well as casting
ominous looking shadows on the edge of the camp. The
centerpiece of Red Jack's defensive arrangement was a
fortified hillock. On the top of the hill was a couple
small tents and a large shallow, flat-bottomed
depression where the pirates' many wounded were
resting.  There was a ring around the hilltop with a
three-foot high, stockade-style log wall.  Behind it,
the pirates' archers took cover.

On the outside of the short stockade wall that ringed
the top of the hill was a dirt embankment.  Starting
from the embankment and going all the way down the
sides of the hill and beyond were row upon row of stout
wooden spears planted into the ground so that they
bristled toward the enemy.  Pikes and small trees
positioned around the top of the hill could be used to
pierce or bludgeon enemies trying to squeeze between
the rows and approach the fort.  Twenty yards away from
the base of the hill a ditch had been dug to stifle the
approach of battering rams that might rapidly break the
spears protecting the fort.  The ditch that ringed the
fort had a ring of spears planted on the near side to
slow the enemy and make them easier to hit for the
archers of the fort.

In anticipation of undead shadows not directed by the
isle's lord, because of having been spawned only last
night, a field of bon-fires and torches had been
arranged.  These sat between the base of the array of
spears on the hill and the ring of spears near the
ditch so that the archers might spot and fire on the
shadows.  This plan would only be good for as long as
the fires burned brightly, but Red Jack expected these
uncontrolled undeads to come to feed as soon as night
fell.  Some of the heartier pirates stood near the
start of the spears not far from the base of the hill.
The archers could fire over their heads with ease, but
these men were present to kill any shadows the archers
missed before they started working their way through
the spears to the fort.

As tired as they were from building the fort all day,
none of the pirates was able to sleep.  Their fear was
too strong to allow that.  It was fortunate that they
were all awake.  Had even a few of them been sleeping
the undead that surged forth would have overwhelmed
them in minutes.

The half-elf was one of the first to spot the shadows
trying to slip into camp.  A silent hand signal from
Arzeal was all it took to spur the other archers to
action.  Flaming arrows flying overhead alerted the
pirates on the ground to the shadows' presence.  The
shadows had lost the element of surprise.

The pirates on the ground took up their positions
holding their weapons at the ready. Arzeal smiled as
one of his resin-arrows engulfed a shadow in its fiery
embrace.  The pirates were ready this time.  He let fly
another flaming arrow as he spotted another shadow
working its way around the left flank.

The archer's arrows lit up the sky alerting Logan and
his men to the shadows' approach.  Torch in one hand
and sword in the other he took up his position with his
men. The front line was a dangerous place to be. Yet,
how could Logan expect his men to die for him if he was
not ready to die for them?  He might not live to see
the light of another day, but at least he would die
fighting. Three dark forms surged around the sharpened
stakes and at Logan and his men. They rushed forth to
meet their foes with fearsome battle cries.

From the hilltop fort, the captain surveyed the scene
unfolding before him with his spyglass. Arzeal and his
archers were doing quite a number on the shadows.  The
fact that they picked their shots wisely and didn't
madly fire all their arrows away said something for the
master archer's training of his men. Logan and his
soldiers were doing well so far at keeping the shadows
that slipped through at bay.  He shivered as he
remembered the chill touch of the shadow.  "Good luck
my friend," the captain said aloud.

Movement at the perimeter caught Jack's eye.  A joint
force of skeleton's and zombies was emerging from the
darkness.  The zombies were in front and the first rank
of them carried shields. Behind the zombies were
skeletons bearing a bridge of planks covered in a layer
of mud. Behind and flanking them were skeletons
wielding bows.  As they walked forward, the skeleton
archers let fly arrows over the heads of the soldiers
in front of them.  "Damn!  He's got a small army of tha
walkin' dead an' some of 'em have bows!  I was
wonderin' where are dead from last night got to, damned
zombies!" Jack bellowed.

If it weren't for the archers, his men could have held
the skeletons off with only small losses.  At least
Jack was pretty sure they could have. Unfortunately the
men who were gathering to meet the zombies when they
crossed the ditch were being filled full of holes.

"Jump the spears an' into the ditch, Logan, them arrows
are decimatin' ye!

Arzeal and his archers let fly trying to cut down some
of the skeletons firing on Logan's men.  Unfortunately,
many of the shots that hit went right through the
skeletons.  Damn! shoot for the pelvis and use
broadheads if you've got 'em, it's our best bet! Arzeal
yelled.

"Arzeal, unveil yer little monster.  I don't want these
hair-cuts ye gave us ta be in vain.  That bridge
they're carryin' could be are doom, knock it out o'
their hands.  Archers, concentrate on tryin' ta blast
through th' zombies in front o' the right side o' the
bridge they're carryin' that's are target," Captain Red
Jack ordered.

A couple of archers pealed back the supply tent
revealing a small catapult with a torsion spring made
of the men's shorn hair.

Arzeal released a flame-arrow that turned the zombie
walking in font of the right side of the earth-covered
bridge into a walking torch.  This lit the way for his
archers' arrows.  That accomplished he put his bow back
on his back and unveiled his little monster, a
catapult.

Arzeal aimed the little monster he had worked on all
day and let fly.  The first stone went long and to the
right.  Arzeal made a couple of adjustments as four of
his men worked to cock the catapult again.

The Zombies in front of the right side of the portable
bridge fell down in a hail of arrows.

Without the zombies in front of them, the skeletons
were not as well protected, but they were able to move
more quickly.  The archers behind them rained arrows on
any of Logan's men not already in the ditch.

The second shot of the catapult was short, but centered
nicely. Crank it with everything you've got, men, if
you're quick enough, that bridge will be passing though
the area our last stone hit.  The men redoubled their
efforts. "Just as soon the catapult's arm hits the
stops, release it. I'll see if I can soften 'em up for
you," the half-elf said.

Arzeal took his bow up again and pulled arrow after
arrow from his quiver.  He had almost no time to aim,
but many of his shots were superb.  One by one the
Skeletons along the right side of the bridge began to
fall.  Oddly, other skeletons from farther back dropped
their weapons and took the places of their fallen
comrades, though not nearly as quickly as would have
been the case had the army been a little less deficient
of intelligence. Arzeal suspected someone was giving
orders, but all he could see was an army of skeletons.
He and his archers kept up a heavy rain of arrows.

The men released the catapult.  The stone arced up and
slammed onto the right side of the portable bridge, the
one weakened by the concentrated fire of Arzeal's
archers.  That side of the bridge dropped and a great
deal of mud loosened from the surface of the bridge.

Arzeal dropped his bow and made the slightest
adjustment to the aim of the catapult.  His men cranked
it back so fast it seemed that they knew their lives
depended on it. The bridge was dangerously close to the
ditch, and this would be their last, best shot.

Arzeal grabbed his bow and crouched at the edge of the
stockade wall, releasing arrow after arrow.

Zombies began pouring into the ditch.  Logan and his
men fought hard, hacking at the unyielding zombies with
energy born of terror.

"Fighting withdrawal men, fighting withdrawal! There
are too damn many reachin' the ditch at once!  Let's
fall back to the opposite side of the ring to hole up
in the fort if necessary.  We're outnumbered, those
damned unexpected undead archers hit too damn many of
us.

The impromptu artillerists released the catapult arm
again and the stone slammed into the left side of the
bridge.  The shock shattered the wrists of many of the
skeletons.

There was a moment when it seemed as though the one
side of the bridge would remain up.  That moment passed
as Arzeal took out two of the skeletons whose wrists
had held and the second side of the bridge fell to the
ground.  "Keep firing! Arzeal screamed.

There was a moment of hesitation as arrows poured down
at the skeletons, and then the remainder of the undead
army ran forward and took cover in the ditch.  The
skeleton army began to fire on the pirates behind the
stockade wall of the fort, but few shots were telling
on either side because both sides had good cover.

Logan and his men fought bravely, but even with support
from the better pirate archers, it was a loosing battle
against superior numbers. ---

Rapina could not sleep. She just lay on the bed curled
into a ball.  So much had happened and it was all so
horrible.  Rapina did not even want to think about it.
The room and the rest of the Necromancer's chambers
were a bit chilly owing to the fact that they had been
carved inside a granite cliff.  Deep underground
temperatures stayed around fifty degrees, and Rapina
estimated the chambers of the Necromancer were no
warmer than sixty-five degrees.  Rapina hardly noticed,
because she had dressed for underground temperatures
owing to the mission she had been on. She wore baggy
drawstring pants, a loose long-sleeved tunic and a
baggy sir-coat pillaged from some soldier on the
blockade Red Jack had recently destroyed.

After a time she looked at her surroundings. The room
was lit by two tiny mage-lights, one on a plaque-like
arrangement just above the head of the bed, and the
other similarly attached to the wall above the desk.
Both lamps had a cap held by a loose ring and chain
that could be screwed on over the lights.  The one over
the bed also had a red glass cap that could be used
instead of the metal one. The walls were rough, and
showed the mark of both chisel and pickaxe.  Rapina
guessed that tireless undead workers had mined the room
out of the stone.

Rapina got up to look around.  On one side of her room
were two doors.  One opened into a tiny room containing
the chamber pot, the other led into a small room with a
decanter, basin and dressing table, and the entrance to
a walk-in closet.  Rapina decided that if this room had
been designed for an acolyte, the church of Mortaebius
must be wealthy, or the necromancer and his servants
had too much time on their hands.

Rapina sat down at the dressing table.  She was a mess,
her hair was tangled and she smelled like smoke.  Her
face was covered with a mixture of soot and dried slime
from Kent's hideous tongue.  The closet was mostly
empty, but a few garments hung from hooks and hangers,
and there were a few more in the chest of drawers at
the far end of the closet. Rapina did not know where
the Necromancer had come by women's clothing, but she
tried not to dwell on the obvious conclusion that the
garments had been "borrowed" from someone too dead to
miss them. At least they seemed clean. Rapina used
nearly all of the water in the decanter washing
herself.  She needed a bath but she did the best she
could using the basin.  When she was done, she put on
the petticoats, dress, and sweater within the closet.
The dress was actually a little big for her, except in
the bust where it was too small, but at least she could
get it on.

There were three books on the shelf beside the desk,
two were storybooks, and one was a holy book concerning
the god of the dead.  Rapina quickly read the first
chapter of one of the storybooks and then got into bed
with the book on Mortaebius.  She needed to find out
everything she could about the necromancer and his god.


At some point, Rapina must have fallen asleep.  The
horrors of the previous night and morning had taxed her
severely.  She slept like the dead for a few hours and
then began having horrible nightmares as her mind tried
to cope with what she had been through.  She woke in a
sweat when there came a knocking on her chamber door.

"Rouse yourself. "

Rapina flew from her bed and replaced the Mortaebius
book on the shelf.

"Come out and follow the guards I have assigned to you.
They will escort you to the kitchen where you are to
prepare breakfast for us both. Do not attempt to take
any knives out of the kitchen, or the guards will kill
you.  I will return shortly after a conference with my
minions."

Rapina scowled.  She had only been here a few hours and
already she was being put to work.

Once in the kitchen, Rapina cooked a breakfast
consisting of eggs and oatmeal.  The necromancer did
not have a great deal in his kitchen. There were large
crocks of various grains and beans, and a loaf of
bread.  The iron cook stove was small, but modern.
Rapina served the priest in the great hall when he
arrived.  It would have been easier to serve him in the
breakfast nook off the kitchen, but not as safe for the
necromancer since knives were close at hand.

When the necromancer arrived, he placed a board on the
table before him.  There was a model of sorts built on
top of it, a little hillock fort with a ditch around it
rendered in clay and twigs.

"You may serve breakfast now, Ripina, I have arrived."

"There wasn't much here so I fixed oatmeal and eggs,"
Rapina called from the kitchen.

"Splendid, I am used to simple fare.  We are too far
away from a town for better, and up until now I have
always had to cook for myself.  The skeletons are too
simple for such tasks.  They can scrub floors
adequately, but they have no sense of smell and tend to
burn anything they attempt to cook.

Rapina brought the tray of food in from the kitchen.
"Did Kent tell you my name?"

The necromancer raised his eyebrows as he saw Rapina,
"Indeed."

Rapina's nose tingled as she sensed lust.  "It's
Rapina, actually, he doesn't pronounce things very
clearly anymore."

"Yes.  I am Guardian Thane of the Mortaebian order of
Death's Peace."

"A priest?" Rapina wrinkled her nose involuntarily.

Thane chuckled, "You don't like priests?"

"I've had a little experience with priests, all of it
bad.  One was a lecherous 'celibate' priest, and well,
the other turned one of the only friends I had into a
terrifying undead monster who recently ate the cook I
worked for when I was first taken by the pirates."

Thane laughed.  "My order is not known for its
kindness.  Most of the priests of Mortabius are nothing
more than undertakers - morticians.  They conduct
funerals, build caskets, embalm, dress and beautify the
deceased, serve feasts in honor of the dead, that sort
of thing.  It strikes most as a ghoulish profession,
but many of Mortaebius' priests are married in spite of
that, for the business of the church provides a good
living.  Those of us who distinguish ourselves as
powerful guardians of the dead often take on more
serious duties.  We are a little less... naive of our
god's strengths."

"A little?" Rapina asked.

"Every church has its strong arm.  Some have orders of
knights or militant orders of monks.  Mortaebius'
church is no exception.  We are the guardians of the
dead when our more peaceful brethren find the enemies
of Mortaebius too difficult to best.  Our order
generally grows during times of war, and gets swept
under the rug during times of peace, but we are an old
and powerful order. The church has always needed us.
Few priests enter the order directly.  Most are
recruited from other orders.  I am also a member of the
order of Death's Peace, a common funereal order that
specializes in the maintenance and protection of burial
sites.  It is not so uncommon for priests of my order
who have distinguished themselves in combat or magic to
receive a secret invitation to join a hidden order."

Rapina sat down to eat, "You were a mortician?"

The necromancer nodded.

"A family thing?" Rapina asked.

"No, actually my father was a clothier who catered to
the wealthy.  His life was an endless series of social
events with people above his station who lauded his
design sense and depended on him to keep them in up-to-
date fashions.  He knew just how to play them, just how
to appeal to their vanity.  I found it intolerable.
Thankfully, one of our good customers died and I had
the chance to work with a priest of Mortaebius on the
clothing for the deceased."

"And now you make them walk instead of dressing them?"

"That is another story.  Now how did you happen to
become a member of the crew of the infamous Red Jack?"

Rapina was about to make up a tail when she realized
that Kent had probably told the necromancer everything
he knew.  At least she could not rule out the
possibility of Guardian Thane checking out her story
with the ghoul.  "How did I become a crewman?  A
priest, of course, my luck with priests is hideous. He
was a powerful man with the town wrapped around his
finger. Very like your father in some ways, he knew
just how play them, and he loved it.  The townspeople
hung on his every word, he was a holy man among holy
men, and during his off-hours, he was a lecher and a
rapist who preyed on the town's young women. If a woman
talked or refused to cooperate, she sickened or had an
accident.

I escaped his clutches and ran from the constable who
he controlled.  Kent and his friends fished me out of
the river onto their stolen fishing boat. I was nearly
drowned, but the river had delivered me from my
priestly troubles.  The boys wanted to join Red Jack's
crew; they had a romantic vision of piracy.  I knew the
priest would get the law after me.  Therefore when the
pirates found us, before the boys could give me over as
a gift to the captain as they'd planned, I told the
pirates that the boys and I wanted to join the crew."

"And they let you join just like that?" the necromancer
asked dubiously.

"It was sometimes a horror, sometimes not so bad, but
it was probably better than a damp cell under a church
with a man who, for all his vaunted holiness, was
meaner to me than Captain Red Jack."

"Meaner than a notorious pirate captain?  No wonder you
mislike priests," Thane chuckled.  I suppose you know
his better side, but your captain is infamous up and
down the river Augustana. Even I know about him, and I
do not get out much.  He has brought so much business
to my church I almost feel like thanking him. He and
his men are cold-blooded killers, criminals of the
first degree, and tonight I will crush them like bugs
under Mortaebius' mighty boot."

"Is that?" Rapina pointed to the clay hillock on the
board.

"A model of the fort they built.  You told Dominic you
did not know whether they would go or stay, evidently
they have decided to stay. Now I must figure out how to
best them with what remains of my resources."

"You're wearing a glove today?" Rapina asked.

"Only because I was painting," replied the necromancer.

"You're an artist?" Rapina asked.

The necromancer laughed.  "I am if you count painting
ghouls and skeletons black.  Actually, I did paint
white bones on a ghoul painted black so he would look
like a skeleton.  Does that count?"

Rapina closed her eyes.  "I can't believe I'm talking
to a man who makes dead people walk and kill and eat
living people."

"It seems hideous to you now, but remember, I was a
mortician, dead bodies to me are like trees to a
lumberman.  Red Jack makes living people rape, ruin and
kill living people.  I ask you, which of us is *really*
more frightening?"

"Okay, so you're both horrors," Rapina said.

"Quite so, but at least we're honest," the necromancer
affirmed.

Rapina groaned.

"This is war, Rapina.  You may see my forces as
something out of a nightmare, but essentially Jack and
I are fighting.  He wants this island as a base. I want
to wipe him from the face of Ifreann as a public
service and because, frankly, It will boost my
reputation in the Order of the Shroud by a thousand
percent. Moreover it might secure me access to learning
that might take me a lifetime to acquire otherwise -
true wizardry."

Rapina sighed.

------------

Logan's men retreated up the hill on the opposite side,
away from the downed bridge and the highest
concentration of archers. Unfortunately, as his forces
were climbing through the spears to the safety of the
fort, more and more enemy archers reached Logan's side
of the hillock.  Arzeal tried to pin them down with
fire, but too many shots got through, killing many good
men.  Logan himself barely made it over the stockade
wall. He'd been grazed several times and had an arrow
sticking through the skin of his calf.

The next hour flew by.  What remained of Logan's men
had their wounds patched and either joined the many
wounded at the fort's center or joined the defenders if
they were able-bodied.  Some who should have been lying
with the wounded helped the archers instead.  Their
fear prevented them from lying back to trust their
mates to take care of the battle. ----


"Who's winning?" Rapina said pensively as Thane emerged
from his chambers to fetch a snack.  She was doing the
dishes with several skeletons standing between her and
Thane.  She thought about tossing a knife at him, but
considering he'd ordered the skeletons to kill her if
she did, she thought better of it.

"Neither side, but I am making progress.  Your captain
built himself a small catapult and foiled my plan to
quickly bridge his ditch and use a battering ram on his
spears to win the night.  His archers have caused much
greater casualties to my forces than I had anticipated,
but I captured the ditch and let the bon fires between
the ditch and the base of the hill burn down to embers.


While some relief archers dashed in from the South
drawing missile fire and, more importantly that half-
elven archer, a few ghouls painted black snuck up on
the ditch from the North.  Kent is already there.  It
was he who was painted like a skeleton. He commanded
the main body of my forces."

"Now he and the other ghouls will start tunneling in
earnest, and they are excellent tunnelers.  Kent
himself has already in this last hour made progress on
a tunnel, and some of the skeletons who lack bows or
arrows have built a bridge of earth over the ditch well
away from the tunnel.  Now that I have more ghouls on
the job, the skeletons will pile more dirt up and build
bridges across the ditch.  I have a little surprise in
store for the pirates, just something to keep them busy
and weaken their defenses..." ---

Arzeal crouched behind the fort's South stockade wall.
"That's the best we'll do, the new skeleton archers are
in the ditch now. Those two ranks in the front with
shields didn't help us any, but you did well, men, we
knocked out a third of 'em, and wounded at least half.
Every one of those archers that gets through to the
ditch is another thorn in our sides."

"I sure wish we had more regular flame arrows, those
bon fires are useless anymore. I know you men are
having trouble seeing the enemy.  Trouble is we've shot
more arrows already tonight than we'd use in several
raids.  How're things over North, Brent?"

"Seem quiet sir, but I think I seen a shadow out there
jump into the ditch."

"Damn, I'd hoped we'd rid areselves o' all th' shadows
at the start o' th' evening, but I guess there had ta
be a few that got here late." What worried Jack was the
fact that he hadn't seen any ghouls yet.  They had hurt
the pirates badly the last time. "Wonder where he's got
'is damn ghouls."

"Skeletons! Damn they're almost on top of the ditch
already. It's hard to see 'em even with my eyes, their
bodies are no warmer than the air," Arzeal said.

"What the hell Arzeal, have you gone daft?" the captain
asked.

Arzeal picked up one of his remaining resin arrows and
let fly. There was the familiar poof! and a skeleton no
one could see went up in flames.  He was the front
creature in a team of runners carrying a tall dead
evergreen like a lance.

Archers, man th' Nor' wall!  What in hell's name is
that?  A team o' Skeletons painted black carryin' a
dead pine tree like a lance?" Captain Red Jack queried.


The archers fired on the tree-wielding skeletons, but
even with the light of Arzeal's flameing skeleton, it
was still hard for the men to see the black skeletons
against the dark night and the dark tree branches, and
by the time the men from the South wall switched sides
to the North, the skeletons had already run across the
ditch.

"Did ye see that, those skeletons hardly sank down when
they hit the ditch, it must be partly filled right
there," the captain observed.

Only the men to the far sides of the North wall had
good shots, the rest were left trying to shoot through
hundreds of tree branches.

The black skeletons sprinted over the earth bridge
across the ditch and headed for the base of the hill.

One of the men happened to shoot a flaming arrow into
the tree's dead folliage, and the whole tree, save the
base where the skeletons held it went up in a roar of
flames.

By the time the skeletons reached the base of the hill,
only half their original number remained, but it was
barely enough.  Their great spear was already tilted
and aflame, it fell nearly all the way up the hill.
Their mission completed, the black skeletons sprinted
for the ditch.  In spite of the darkness, the pirate
archers shattered several with arrows before they
reached safety.

The archers backed away from the heat of the flaming
tree.  Pine burned fast, and this tree was burning even
faster than it should have, the flames were intensely
hot and they were burning the wooden spears all the way
up the hill.

"You men, take those buckets an' start throwin' dirt on
the upper section o' the tree, it may seem like a
fool's errand now, but every pair 'o spears we can save
will slow a charge by a few precious seconds," Red Jack
said.

A man stood high to get a good shot at the fire with
his bucket of dirt and fell back with three arrows
buried in his chest.

"Keep low an' behind cover, men, yer just as vulnerable
ta enemy fire with a bucket as ye are with a bow!" Jack
shouted. ---

Rapina was cleaning the kitchen when the necromancer
returned.

"My trick worked, but that damned archer nearly foiled
me again. He and his men have bailed Captain Red Jack
out several times now."

"He's one of Jack's nicest men."

"A nice pirate?  Please!  Nice or not, he _is_ a
problem," Thane rubbed his chin as if thinking.

"What did you do?" Rapina asked.

"The skeletons I painted black ran a pine tree up to
the base of the pirate fort's spears and landed it
nearly the whole way up the hill.  I had Kent paint the
trunk and many of the major limbs with pine tar.  It's
burning wildly, taking the pirate's spears in that area
with it."

Rapina scowled.

"Thane chuckled.  Such loyalty for a bunch of cold-
blooded killers is astounding, especially in a lady
they no doubt abused to no end.  Red Jack must be
charismatic, indeed."

Rapina felt like stabbing the necromancer with a
kitchen knife, but she knew his six skeleton guards
would cut her to ribbons in an instant if she tried
anything.  Even if she killed the man instantly with an
incredibly lucky throw, she would be joining him in
death before she could even pick up another knife, and
a knife would be a laughable weapon against one of the
necromancer's double-strength skeletons.

On the other hand, she could not help but see the evil
magician's point.  Jack and all his men killed innocent
people for a living. It seemed that ever since
Evangeline had brought his evil down upon her and
forced her to claim the powers of the lust spirit, she
could not escape the darkness. -----

[Rapina]016 Defeat in Darkness

Rapina yawned as she sat on a large chair in the
necromancer's dinning hall.  She was reading here only
because she knew Thane would walk through the hall on
his way from his scrying chamber to the kitchen.  She
had finished cleaning and knew from the water clock
above the mantle that dawn would be coming in about
three hours.

Thane wiped the sweat off his brow and wandered by
Rapina into the kitchen.

Rapina followed.  "You didn't say anything, is
something wrong?"

"Yes, that damned half-elven archer.  Every time I
expend the power to look into my magic pool for a
glance at the battlefield, he's knocked the skulls off
a few more of my archers.  My minions tried another
burning tree, but this time the pirates saw it sooner
and set it immediately aflame.  They concentrated on
the skeletons on only one side, and the tree fell down
just short of the hill.  Thanks to Kent, the remaining
skeletons lifted it and tried to land it as they had
the other, but it went over on an angle.  Its swath
only reaches about half way up the hill."

"My troops are nearly gone.  The pirates might storm
out of their camp and kill the skeleton archers that
are left, but for the fact that Kent has the remaining
troops crawling around in the ditch poking their heads
up and firing at different locations around the ditch
so that it appears as though there are more archers
than there really are. I've quite a few headless
archers, but I don't dare have them set their skulls on
the edge of the ditch.  Your Arzeal would shoot them
off with one arrow to the skull.  I believe the pirates
will eventually run out of arrows, but we too are
running low."

"You mean you've lost?"  Rapina could not help that her
voice brightened slightly.

Thane chuckled, "You sound so disappointed that I have
not wiped the infamous Red Jack and all his men off the
face of Ifreann, but I must win.  I am not getting any
younger, and I've cast the spells I have a thousand
times.  I can practically do them in my sleep!  I need
access to greater wizardry and to be initiated into
Mortaebius' inner circle.  This battle has been
tiresome and draining on my resources.  I've used up
all of the skeletons and animation scrolls I had saved
up over the years and I've still come up short.

It appears that I will have to make a personal
appearance if I am to deliver Red Jack to the
authorities in chains, which reminds me, I'd better
bring manacles.  I'll bolster my forces with some
additional arrows, my household guards and the
skeletons remaining in the tomb.  With the addition of
a little magic, my final back-up plan should be far
more lethal than it would have been without me, and I
have a most interesting surrogate to draw the archer's
arrows." ---

"Arr, it's been a long, evil night.  Only a couple
hours left until dawn.  How're we doin' Arzeal?"

"Not well sir.  We don't have more than four score
arrows left, and a quarter of those are in my own
quiver. Half of the remainder we got from the enemy by
pulling them out of the ground in the fort and out of
our own men.  The bright side is, I think the enemy is
low on arrows as well.  They've been firing fewer and
fewer as the hours passed.  I think I've made a dent in
their numbers too, although skulless skeletons cannot
really be counted as dead, being headless seems to ruin
them for good archery."

"Aye," the captain chuckled.  We 'ave ye ta thank for
most o' the headlesses, but they aren't the only ones
with wounded. I've ne'r seen a sorrier lot o' pirates.
We could break out o' the fort on one side, an see if
we could best th' boneys hand ta hand, but I'm afraid
there'd not be enough able-bodied left ta make us some
bloody rafts ta get the hell outa here."

"Arzeal nodded.  True, and we'll not escape with our
wounded unless we can make it until dawn.  The thing
that bothers me is, if the enemy has anything left to
throw at us, chances are we'll be seeing it soon."

"Aye."

Slasher cupped his hand to his hear.  "Cap'n I think ye
better take a look this way, I'm hearin' mail."

Tense minutes passed as the pirates strained their
eyes, trying to see what they were hearing.

"Son o' a bitch!  You men get that catapult over here."


Riding in from the East in a loose wedge formation on
black, leather-clad skeletal horses were nine black-
robed horseman.

"Damn it! Look at the one in th' front, 'is eyes're
glowin' red like embers an look at the size of 'im, 'es
got ta be eight foot tall.  'Is shield would make a
good table top 'an th' skeleton horse 'e's ridin' must
'ave won prizes when she warr alive fer bein' the
biggest draft nag around.  Th' other two horses are
near as big, an' th' riders are big, but nothin' like
their leader. Give 'em hell in arrows as they approach,
men."

Behind the horsemen marching double-time were 18 troops
in bronze plate mail with halberds or two-handed
swords.

"Heavy armor, I don't like it.  Arzeal, how many o'
them incendiary arrows have ye got left?" the captain
asked.

"Three sir," said Arzeal.

"Get the horsemen on either side o' the big guy, then
see if ye can nail Ol' Red-Eyes w' the catapult.  Save
one o' those flame arrows fer emergency use," the
captain ordered.

Arzeal grinned and peaked his head up from the wall.  A
couple enemy arrows sang though the air, but neither
hit the half-elf as he loosed two shafts.

The robed figures on either side of the giant burst
into flames.

The pirates cheered, but the cheer was short-lived as
the riders threw off their thick cowls, and with them,
most of the flaming resin.  Underneath the cowls the
pirates saw skeletons clad in leather with metal
helmets and breast plates.  Astonishingly, they seemed
to have enough sense to pat out the remaining flames.

The riders picked up their pace and thundered towards
the ditch around the fort.  The mail-clad warriors
behind them broke into a run.  They did not have far to
go, for the dark cowls had allowed them to approach
relatively close to the camp, in spite of the sound of
their mail.

"Damn cowls.  Spend are arrows, this is it boys!
Catapult, loose when ready!  Keep low an' snatch up th'
arrows the enemy shoots inta camp!" the captain
ordered.

Arzeal released the catapult arm, then gritted his
teeth as the rock flew. Slam!  The catapult stone
crashed into the giant's shield, knocking him off his
horse.

"Yeahhhss!"  The pirates yelled in triumph.

"Damn!"  The captain watched as Ol' Red Eyes threw his
ruined shield aside drew a two-handed sword with one
hand and ran to remount his horse.  "Crank it mates!"

The pirates at the catapult cranked like maniacs.

The pirate archers let loose with a hail of arrows,
many of them piercing the breast plates of the oncoming
skeleton cavalrymen, but piercing plate on a man was
much more telling than piercing plate on a monstrosity
of bone.  The cavalry kept coming.

The first horseman reached the ditch, jumped it and
thundered up the hill where the pine tree had burned
the fort's spears to ash. The other's followed, save
the fourth horse.  It jumped into the ditch and lied
down out of sight.

"What's with that fourth cavalryman?  Archers, keep
doin' what ye're doin.  Logan, prepare ta raise pikes
an' defend th' wall, but keep low an' don't raise pikes
till those horses are in pikein' range."

Arzeal said a silent prayer and let loose with another
catapult stone.  Damn!  The stone went wide of the huge
warrior as he remounted his skeletal horse and jumped
the ditch in a single bound following the rest of the
cavalry.

At the last second, Logan's men raised pikes, the lead
rider could not stop in time.  He crashed into the
pike, snapping it and falling from his skeleton horse.
The horse itself was pierced in three places but it was
not broken.  It pushed forward threatening to overwhelm
the men.

"Push left men, flip the beast off its hooves."

The pirates wrestled with the stupid bag of bones, and
then cheered as it went over.

The next skeleton rider tried to jump the first but
went down when the first horse kicked the second
horse's legs as it was trying to regain its footing.
The cavalry charge was broken!

"If this is all ye've got, we'll carve yer hoard Ol'
Red Eyes!" the captain bellowed

A welter of weighty curses roared up from the fighting
men as they defended the fort.

A wounded pirate whimpered and was silent.

The mailed troops arrived at the ditch, many with a few
arrows sticking out of them.  They jumped in and spread
around, surrounding the fort.

As the pirates fought to keep several skeleton horses
and riders out of the fort, they were taken by a
horrible surprise.

"Aaaaiiiii!"  From the center of the fort in the
depression where the wounded were kept out of harms
way, a man screamed.

The captain glanced at the wounded and his face
contorted into a grimace of horror.

five ghouls and three shadows burst from the ground in
several locations.

Ghouls! Grab a spear!  The captain himself bent to grab
a spear, then suddenly the lights went out.  "Damn it
Arzeal I can't see! What's happinin'" Captain Red Jack
hollered.

Blinded Pirates screamed as the ghouls and shadows
attacked from within the camp.

"Sir, I'm blind as well!  Arzeal scrambled for the
parapet wall bumping past a few men and receiving a
horrible chill to the belly as he went to the West, the
side opposite the cavalry charge.  He could see
nothing, the darkness around him was as thick and black
as old ink.  Logan can you see?"

"Nay! but the riders can!  I don't know if I'm cuttin'
me own men or th' enemy.  Uhhhhh!"

Screams and paralyzed yelps erupted all over the camp
as the ghouls and shadows slashed and chilled their way
through the blinded pirates.

Kent sensed the presence and life force of Captain Red
Jack as the pirate captain whirled his bladed spear
around and around, turning frequently to fend off
unseen enemies.  Kent dropped to a crawl, his grossly
bloated belly dragging on the ground.  The screams of
the pirates covered any sound he made.  Suddenly Kent
lunged; he sunk both sets of his claws through the
captain's pants just above the boots as he bit the
captain's knee cap.

Aaargh! ghoulish claws pierced his skin behind one knee
and a welter of fear surged up the pirate captain's
leg.  No! he growled, resisting the fell magic.  The
captain raised his spear and brought it down, but
before it struck flesh, teeth and claws sunk into the
other leg sending a double-blast of fear up the
captain's spine.  Red Jack froze in horror, he could
not move!

Kent poked his prize several times making sure the fear
had taken hold of him.  He pushed the captain down and
made for the next pirate.

Arzeal jumped the parapet wall. Keeping low he squeezed
between the spears and headed downhill as fast as he
could.  An arrow grazed his side and another stuck in
his boot before he could again see.  Positioned around
the ditch were skeleton archers. At least half had set
ruined skulls in the dirt at the edge of the ditch,
while their bodies fired from behind.  A glance back at
the camp confirmed his suspicion - magical darkness.

The archer moved nimbly down hill, jumping through the
spears, loosing a shaft each time he landed.  With each
shot the skull of an enemy archer splintered or was
knocked back into the ditch.  Arzeal could see the
mailed troopers moving to surround the fort.  The half-
elf jumped into the area cleared by the enemy's second
flaming pine tree and took off at a dead run. Five of
the cavalrymen had broken off their attack and were now
circling around the base of the hill, just outside the
first ring of spears.  Arzeal reached the bottom of the
hill and sprinted between two circling horsemen, one
was Ol' Red-Eyes himself.  The half-elf took the ditch
in a single leap with two enormous cavalry not far
behind.  An arrow pierced his quiver and stuck into his
back, but Arzeal was running for his life, he could
barely feel the pain.

The horses gained with every step, Arzeal ran faster
than he'd ever run before.  There was a warrior on
either side of him and blades were coming to end his
life when, somehow, Arzeal ran under the limb of a
large oak that had been too big for the men to spend
the time cutting when they were clearing for the fort.
Arzeal went down as the tip of a giant sword snagged
his quiver and gashed his back, then there was an
explosion of splintering bones and wood as the oak
defended its elven child.

The fall had snapped the arrow in his back and half
pulled it out.  The archer rolled out of his fall and
came up standing, bow in hand.  The heads and necks of
both skeletal horses had been removed, and Red-Eyes'
taller horse had a sundered chest and shoulders, it's
hind legs tried to move but were useless without
forelegs.  Red-Eyes had been unhorsed once again.
Arzeal watched in horror as the giant stood and grabbed
his sword.  The other horse had lost its head, and it's
rider had lost both its head and shoulders.

Arzeal pulled the arrow tip from his back as the giant
warrior stood. The half-elf loosed a shaft into the
giant's kneecap and took off running while Red-Eyes
retrieved his sword.  Arzeal made it to the edge of the
forest West of the camp and darted into the trees,
sticking to heavy foliage.  He could hear limbs
snapping as the juggernaut behind him crashed through
the forest in hot pursuit.  The archer veered South.
After a few minutes, he ran through an area where some
timber had been cut in the making of the fort and its
bon fires.  He knew about where he was.  The half elf
sheathed his bow and scooped up an eight-foot section
of a tree that was being cut into logs of firewood for
the bon fires when evening had forced the cutting to a
halt.

Arzeal remembered how the pirates' cook, Fishy, had
lost his legs. The archer hid behind a large tree, and
when the giant skeleton thundered through the clearing
towards him, the half elf swung the heavy length of
timber at the skeleton's nearest knee.  The skeleton's
huge sword swished just above Arzeal's hunched head,
embedding itself fully six inches into the tree as the
skeleton's knee snapped with the combined force of the
giant's forward momentum and Arzeal's frantic whole-
body swing.  Arzeal darted around back of the tree as
the huge skeleton went down. When he came around behind
it, he saw the creature was still hanging onto its
sword, although the sword was still embedded in the
tree.  The archer wasted no time.  He brought his
length of firewood down on the giant's shoulder, just
outside the breast plate.  There was a crunch and the
monstrosity's right arm, still grasping the sword, was
severed from its shoulder.

The archer tossed the log aside and scrambled for a
smaller one that he could swing more rapidly.  At seven
feet long and two to three inches in diameter, it was
still a huge club. The skeleton had just managed to
flop its way around so that its left arm could grasp
its sword when Arzeal brought the new club slamming
into the side of its neck, but the neck held.  Arzeal
jumped but still his boot and some of the skin of his
foot was carved right off.  The skeleton had incredible
speed and strength.  The archer countered with a swing
to the giant's wrist.  It's grip was broken, but its
wrist was not.  Arzeal stood on the sword and swung
again, breaking the wrist to flinders.

The nimble half elf raced around the giant as it
flipped and stumbled, trying to reach him in spite of
missing half it's right leg, it's right arm and its
left hand.  Arzeal had a hunch.  He pulled his sheath
knife, darted in and jumped on the creature's back. The
skeleton bucked like a bronco, but the archer severed
the strap of its helm before being tossed off and
rolling away.  Another deft swing of the club and the
monster's steel helmet flew from its skull.  Its Red
ember eyes stared blankly at the half elf as he darted
in to club the creature's skull, once, twice, thrice...
Cracks began forming, and on the seventh blow Arzeal
blew the giant's mighty cranium apart. Arzeal smiled.

The skull had been carefully sectioned off just below
the eyes by a stout piece of tar-paper.  The ember
effect was caused by the pattern of ink stains within
the top half of the creature's skull.  The intricate
pattern of black and white inside the skull reflected
the light of a clear crystal mage-light set and screwed
into the skull between the eyes just above the nasal
hole.  Every angle one looked at the red glass eyes
produced different reflections, and movement of the
head changed the pattern seen and made the eyes seem to
flicker like embers.  Arzeal carefully unscrewed the
mage light and slipped it into his pouch.  He could
hear his mates scream off to the Northeast.  Arzeal
sighed, hefted his original eight-foot length of wood
and headed South.

The half-elf staggered the fifty paces remaining before
reaching the lagoon, and then he slipped into the water
behind the log. Beneath the water, he kicked as
strongly as he could, but the pain in his back was
growing.

Thane peeked over the edge of the ditch with a
commandeered skeleton's shield in hand.  It was very
dark but a spell of life-vision had fixed that.  Thane
now saw the world in much the same way as did his
skeletons and ghouls, the amount of life force
emanating from each object distinguishing it from
others.

The ghouls were proving most decisive within the
magical darkness, but Thane worried about the accursed
half-elven archer.  A stroke of luck or wit had
preserved the archer from the two cavalry Thane had
spared to hunt him, and he knew his most powerful
skeleton had taken off after the half-elf, but there
were too many things that could go wrong.

Shadows, come to me!  You, come here, Thane pointed to
one of the remaining 5 cavalry.

The three shadows the necromancer had summoned to help
Kent emerged from the magical darkness and came down
the hill where the spears had been burned away.

"I am unsure if the cavalry I sent after the half-elven
archer succeeded in their task. I fear he may escape."

Thane concentrated as he muttered arcane words.
Shadows, being composed of vapors, were not heavy
creatures.  The infusion of only a small amount of
magic allowed them to walk on water.

"You three shadows climb up on the horse.  Skeleton,
take these shadows to the cove then return here.
Shadows, check the water in case he swam for it.  I
have temporarily reduced your weight so you can walk on
water.  If you see life force on the water, you will
run to it and feed.  Now go." ---

Rapina must have fallen asleep in the large chair at
the head of the necromancer's dining hall.  She was
awakened when the parlor door opened.  Thane was
accompanied by three of his household guards, their
shiny breastplates now dented and salted with arrow
holes.

Thane looked exhausted.  Even though he had only had to
cast a few spells, the animation and scrying earlier on
had nearly drained him of energy.  He had ridden safely
enough inside a special "coach" he had made long ago
within the leather-clad rib cage of one of the large
horses.  He had been in the forth horse, the one that
had been positioned in the middle of the cavalry wedge
and had lied down in the ditch rather than joining the
charge.

Rapina lifted an eybrow.

A smile crept over the necromancer's lips.

"You won?"

"A few simple spells, a fine performance by Kent and
his ghouls, and I have won the night.  The pirates
fought well, at first, but the darkness I brought down
on them soon had them screaming and whining like
whipped dogs in the face of Kent's comrades in death.
The dread Captain Red Jack has been strip-searched,
clothed in simple garb and soundly manacled in a cell.
Thane smiled proudly, I beat him.  I will be a lowly
undertaker no more."

Rapina shed a tear, all the men she had known had been
destroyed, all for the vanity and ambition of a single
man. Yet Rapina saw the other side as well.  Red Jack's
men had lived to kill, and now death had claimed them.
Somehow a humble priest had conquered an army of
bloodthirsty pirates. Rapina sniffled.

"Mortaebius is the lord of death, girl.  The pirates
flirted with him for many years, now they've met him
face to face."

"Rapina sniffed and nodded.  If I never knew them, I
might be worshipping you as a hero, Guardian Thane, but
I did know them, and a few of them, especially some of
the recruits, they could have been good men under other
circumstances."

"Alas, other circumstances... Go on to bed and cry
yourself to sleep, milady.  If it's any consolation, I
let your half-elf get away."

"You did?"

Thane nodded.  "He successfully ran, and I chose not to
send anything to hunt him.  I was more interested in
containing the pirates within the fort. He swam for it.
I have no idea where he is."  Thane's kindly smile hid
a mighty lie.

"Oh thank you, thank you, Thane.  Rapina hugged the
necromancer in genuine gratitude.  "Arzeal was the best
man Jack had.  He taught me to fence and to defend
myself against bigger, stronger men."

Thane took a deep breath as the young woman's breasts
pillowed against his chest.  A single hand signal from
the necromancer, and his guards halted the lifting of
their swords.  They were about to cut Rapina down for
assaulting their master.

Rapina released the necromancer, who looked a bit
flushed. "What happened to the group I was originally
with?"

"Mmmm, they killed the skeletons Kent triggered and
tried to track you, but Kent left them a false trail -
twice. Such a brilliant ghoul, he will go far.  A few
of them must have survived, because the pirate dead in
the mausoleum had been chopped to bits when I arrived
to pick up the mailed skeletons to help in the final
stage of the battle.  I'm not sure where the grave
robbers have gotten to.  That's something I will look
into.  For now, I must rest for a moment, then try to
drag enough power out of myself to activate my magic
pool and report to my superior, however briefly.  Go to
bed and I will see you this afternoon."

Rapina nodded and went to her room.  She heard the lock
turn shortly after she entered.

[Rapina]017 A Captain In Chains

"Awaken Rapina, I know you have not slept long, nor
have I, but it is noon and we have much to do today.  I
do not wish you to wash today, and I have your old
clothes.  You must look your worst for the constable
when he arrives this evening or tomorrow."

Rapina jumped out of bed and opened the door.

"Constable?" Rapina asked as she came out of her room
wearing a nightshirt and nothing else.

"Indeed," the necmancer smiled as he glanced at
Rapina's legs. "I sent a message via pigeon to my
brother priest in Granville. It's a large town on the
River Augustana just West of the confluence of the
river Augustana and Grand Lake about 15 miles from
here. It is the area's largest settlement.  Lumbering,
quarrying, farming and fishing keep it going.  My
brother priest, Mortician Hagston, will be sending
supplies and the constable.  Thanks to a local
superstition about the restless dead not being able to
cross water, all of the towns in the area send their
departed here to Graveston Isle.  There are several
small settlements on or near the lake, but only
Granville is large enough to have its own priest of
Mortaebius. He travels around the area a lot, but I
send to him or his wife for supplies every month or
so."

"Why didn't they give you a job like that?"

"At one time they did.  I was one of several priests in
a city on the river, but because I had a natural
inclination towards the study of necromancy, and
because of the incident concerning my hand, I was
allowed to join the order of the Shroud and take this
obscure assignment.  My stipend covers basic supplies,
and my naive brother priest gives me a percentage of
his funereal take when I help bury one of the deceased,
so I get by.  On occasion, I locate a book, scroll or
alchemical item I need for my magical practice, and
that usually wipes out my savings.  In the past I could
not have afforded even to feed a servant, but I believe
my fortunes have taken a definite change for the
better," the necromancer smiled.  With your cooperation
I believe I could convince the authorities to sentence
you to indentured servitude here for your crime of
grave robbing."

"Me, stay here with you?" Rapina shook her whole body
no, her nipples wavering from side to side beneath her
nightshirt. "You might as well ship me off to the other
priest," Rapina sighed.

"You would rather be indentured to a "celebate" rapist
than serve as my maid?"

"You terrify me, your ghoulish servitors, your skeletal
hand, your zombies, it's all so frightening.  I'm sure
I would have stabbed myself with a kitchen knife long
before this if..."

"If what?" the necromancer asked.

"Well, your magic, the lights, the way you could see
the battle in your pool, summon shadows, and cast
spells, its fascinating.  My Auntie was a wise woman.
She knew herbs and petty curses.  I learned herbal
medicine from her and Leech Kennon, the pirate doctor.
I have fantasized about casting spells, but I had never
seen a man wield *true* magic until these past few
days."

Thane chuckled, "So you find me terrifying, yet
fascinating, both because of my magic."

Rapina nodded.

"Well you know, as my maid, you might be called upon to
clean and tend my laboratory.  You might pick up a
little knowledge of the creation of potions."

Rapina frowned.  "Maids don't learn magic, they're just
drudges. I might as well be a drudge in a town
somewhere; at least I'd get to see other people, even
if they were slaves and prisoners. Working here would
just be a frustration, seeing magic but never learning
it, alone and being terrorized by the dead, what kind
of life is that?"

"I could try to get the constable to assign you to me
without your help, and I might easily succeed."

"Fine!  I have so much to live for, I'll just attack
you with a kitchen knife and get cut to pieces.  Then
I'll never have to worry about evil men ruining my life
again! Rapina burst into tears.  "It's not fair, what
did I ever do to deserve all this?" Rapina cried.

Thane sighed, "Probably nothing."  There was a long
moment of uncomfortable silence.

Rapina sniffled.

"There is no guarantee you could even learn magic, and
an apprentice most certainly works harder than a maid.
In truth, apprentices do many of the chores of a maid
and then they must learn in addition... If you agree to
serve me well, young lady, I will endeavor to right
some of the many wrongs men have heaped on you because
of your beauty, and give you a chance to prove yourself
as an apprentice rather than a simple servant."

Rapina looked up between her tears, "Do you really mean
that Thane?  You won't just give me the hardest book
you have, then use me once you have proved I'm
incapable?"

"Nay," Thane stepped back. "Mark me lady, you have my
word, to the degree you put forth effort to serve me
and to learn, to that same degree I will put forth
effort to teach you, and I will start you with the
easiest book of magic that I own, not the most
difficult.  Furthermore, I will not force you to my bed
or mistreat you for no reason."

"Do you really mean that?" Rapina asked.

"I do." Thane replied succinctly.

Rapina took hold of Thane and cried against his chest
for several minutes.

The necromancer was flushed and at a loss for words.
After some time he said, "Shall we get started?"

Rapina let go of the necromancer, sniffed and nodded.
"You want me to wear those smokey old clothes?

"Actually, I had one of the skeletons do the laundry
yesterday while you were preparing breakfast.  Now I
almost wish I hadn't. You need to look plain for the
constable, and if you have committed other crimes with
the pirates we must make you look a bit different so
that you will not be connected to them, to be shipped
off to some prison where you will no doubt suffer much
as you have been.  Also the constable is a married man,
but we cannot be too careful.  He must not think I want
you as a mistress.  He must also believe you are
repentant, and we may have to convince a judge as well.
As long as we make no glaring errors, and I am seen as
the hero who saved the world from Red Jack, then the
judge will likely grant any reasonable request."

Rapina nodded.

"Now, we must hurry.  Today will test you severely. The
only reason I was willing to take you on as a servant
and now am willing to make you my apprentice is because
I expect to be much wealthier than I currently am.
Formerly I could simply not have afforded it.  You see,
Red Jack and many of his men have sizable bounties on
their heads, some of them quite obscene.  Dead or
alive, altogether they are worth a king's ransom.  The
constable will be bringing a stack of wanted posters
for Jack's men.  We must help him by identifying all
the bodies.

Rapina grimaced, "All right."

"Make breakfast and I will ready our mounts," Thane
said.

After breakfast, the necromancer and Rapina were
lowered down into the canyon in the wicker cage.  Thane
helped Rapina onto a skeletal horse cowled in black,
and then mounted another such horse. They and what
remained of Thane's guards rode briskly to the pirate
fort where Thane had Rapina identify a score of
deceased recruits that Thane had his guards drag to a
central location.

"Pay close attention," Thane held a symbol of the god
of death, mumbled incantations, and four of the dead
men rose as zombies. "That was the power of Mortaebius.
Now I will demonstrate the wizardly version of the same
spell."  Thane tossed bone powder over the bodies and
wove a different, more impressive magic. Four more
zombies rose.  Thane then repeated the first spell.

Rapina wrinkled her nose.

"Thane chuckled.  "We will need the workers."  The
constable will want to see the battlefield.  I will
tell him I used magic to best the pirates, but he must
not know the exact nature of the magic.  The law takes
a dim view of necromancy.  Illusion is a much more
palatable form of magic."

Thane ordered the zombies about and they began laying
out the dead pirates, face up, at the top of the hill.

"Now, you and I must collect skeletons that could be
reassembled and reanimated. The pirates destroyed so
much of what I had that the isle is largely
unprotected.  I have a special magical glue as well as
a mending spell that both work magnificently on bone.
Here are some burlap sacks.  In each put the pieces of
a full skeleton." Thane said.

Rapina's stomach complained, but she worked diligently.
She did not want to stay on the isle or think what she
was doing, but she knew that she might never have the
opportunity to learn real magic again.  It seemed to
her that the beauty she had been given by the lust
spirit had carried with it a curse.  She needed to be
more powerful than that curse, or she would always be
at its mercy.

By mid afternoon, Thane had perused the captain's
various strong boxes in the fort.  The records included
a list of Red Jack's men.  Thane sent Rapina around to
identify each man, and tie a label naming him to each
dead man's big toe.

After fetching the cut-up bodies from the mausoleum and
laying them out with the others, the necromancer
checked them against the list.

"Counting the ones caught alive, we have one hundred
forty-seven of one hundred fifty-three accounted for.
We are missing Arzeal, Brackston, Drake, Pike, Rage,
and Skitch.  The ghouls took this man, Gape, in their
tunnels yesterday.  I have his head and skeleton back
home.

Rapina nodded.  It was obvious that the days work had
kept her in horror and tears, but she refused to let
the one chance she had to overpower her fate slip away.


"Now let us cover these corpses with pirate tents to
keep the carrion birds off them and have our workers
take the various usable weapons, arrows and equipment
back to my storage rooms, and pack up the skeletons too
shattered to be of use.  We must hurry, the constable
could be here soon."

---

Thane entered Red Jack's cell.  The pirate captain's
ankles were manacled together, his wrists were manacled
and attached to a chain around his waist, and another
chain went from his wrists to his ankles. A chain ran
from the wall of the cell to an iron collar around
Jack's neck.  Thane was not taking any chances.

"Well now, has Kent been keeping you entertained?"
Thane asked.

Captain Red Jack scowled.

"I have come to make a business proposition.  You will
no doubt be hung for your crimes, and I have kept you
alive for one reason only.  I seem to recall that some
perverse bureaucrat made you considerably more valuable
alive than dead.  Perhaps you have some noble enemy who
wishes to take personal revenge against you?"

The captain looked stonily up at the necromancer.  He
idly wondered why the man wore gloves in this weather.

Thane continued. "It's really no matter to me.  I'm
just a simple priest charged by the church of
Mortaebius to keep this isle free of grave robbers.  I
realize you may have a tendency to talk, to try to drag
me down with you by alleging that I am a necromancer."

Jack scoffed, "alleging?"

"Indeed.  Of course all that you saw was simply the
power of illusion." Thane smiled.

"My Ass, it was."

"Perhaps I can persuade you to change your mind."

"How in hell da ye expect ta do that?" the captain
asked.

"I realize you are not inclined to keep any bargains
being that you are on your way to the gallows, but I
believe you might make an exception in this case.  I
have a bit of information you might be interested in,
and I have captured someone I will be keeping on as an
indentured servant for the crime of grave robbery.  I
assure you, if I go down, Rapina will go down with me."


Captain Red Jack tried not to react to the mention of
his favorite wench, but he could see the cold gaze of
the necromancer duly noted his reaction.

"What information do ye suppose a dead man like me
might be interested in?"

"Six of your men escaped. I have their names.  This
noon I made a little deal with Rapina and she has since
been quite helpful. I suppose she did realize Kent and
I could figure it out ourselves, but one can not always
trust the recollections of a ghoul."

"What kind o' deal did ye cut with th' wench, you
swine, ye'd not kill 'er if she spread 'er legs for
ye?" Red Jack growled.

Thane looked down his nose at Red Jack, "Nay, I'd say
that particular deal has already been over-used in her
case... Actually, she drove a hard bargain, threatening
to stab me with a kitchen knife, which would result in
her death by my guards, if I gave her nothing to live
for."

Jack chuckled.  "Plucky wench, ain't she?"

"Indeed.  Now, do we have a deal?" Thane asked.

"Aright, I'll bargain w' ye.  My silence about yer fell
magery, in return fer th' names o' me men that escaped,
yer word ye won't harm th' wench, th' details o' yer
deal with 'er, an two hours alone w' 'er without these
damned chains before they cart me off."

"And what do you plan to do in those two hours?"

"Say gbye ta her like a proper pirate if she'll have
me.  It'll likely be th' last time I see 'er or any
woman."

"Hmmmm, you drive a hard bargain indeed." Thane pursed
his lips.  "I am not so sure I wish to grant that last
request, but I will tell you what. In addition to
failing to mention necromancy, if you will tell me
everything you know about the girl, and promise you
will not force her, then I will grant your request."

"Aye, I don't need ta force th' wench, she's a healthy
young woman if er' there was one.  Ye got a deal," The
captain said.

Thane raised an eyebrow at Jack's comment.  "The men
who escaped are Arzeal, Brackston, Drake, Pike, Rage,
and Skitch.  Once they left the isle, I have no idea
what they did, and it is none of my concern what they
do hereafter.  As I said, I am a humble priest charged
to protect this isle from grave robbers, and up to the
time I collect the bounties on you and your men, I will
also be a relatively impoverished priest."

Red Jack Chuckled.  "An after that ye'll be richer'n a
baron. How in hell's name did Arzeal escape?"

"He left the darkness on the opposite side of the hill
as I was on and made a run for it.  He shot many of the
archers shooting at him on his way down the hill and
likely veered south and swam for it once he reached the
cove.

Thane smiled, "As for the details of my arrangement
with Rapina, legally speaking I will hold her here on
indenture for her crimes.  After her sentence runs out
she will still have to face sentence on whatever crimes
she may have committed elsewhere."

Captain Red Jack grimaced.

"It is the best I can do within the law.  Is there
something she has not told me?  We do have a deal don't
we?" the necromancer asked.

"Aye, there is, an' I don't know if I should be tellin'
ye, but a deal's a deal, an' I guess ye'll be rich
enough that th' wench'll be better to ye than some
pretty reward," Red Jack said.

"There's money on her head?" Thane asked.

"There was a powerful priest who ran 'er town an'
preyed on' th' young women on th' sly.  He died on 'er
while rapin' 'er fer th' umpteenth time.  Least that's
what I got out o' her.  He was mean, crazy mean - had a
few screws loose.  She was tryin' ta tire 'im out so
'ed sleep 'stead o' leave when 'e'd finished with 'er
so she could make 'er escape.  She got 'im sleepin'
deep aright, six feet deep, but she claims 'e broke a
vessel or somethin' 'cause she didn't lift 'er hand
again' 'im.  I don't know if that part is true.  I only
'ave 'er word on it.  I do know some o' the boys pulled
'er out o' th' river near dead drowned when they were
on their way ta join me crew, so she warr makin' an
escape from somethin', 'an believe me, I know a
hardened criminal when I see one, Rapina was just a
kid, she ain't a natural born killer.

She's also told me 'er aunt was th' villiage witch 'an
th' aunt did curses on that ol' letcher o' a priest
'till 'e had th' aunt executed.  Rapina ain't a normal
girl.  She's deadly smart, 'an she's frisky as a mink.
That's 'ow this all started for 'er. 'Er stupid mother
didn't believe th' rumors about th' reverend. He warr
good at shutin' up anyone who squealed, sometimes
permanent.  Her dad caught 'er w' one o' 'er
boyfriends, a nice lad too, 'e warr th' one who helped
teach 'er ta read, but they wasn't readin' at th' time.


Rapina was what ye call precocious, a real natural w'
th' boys, a born lover.  Th' damned priest were
probably a bit leary about takin' 'er given Rapina's
aunt an' 'er family maybe knowin' about 'im.  Thing
was, 'er stupid mother delivered the poor girl right
inta th' priest's foul hands fer foolin' w' th' boys.
The foul priest gave 'er her first lesson on 'ow sick
some folks can be 'tween th' sheets.  He beat 'er, cut
'er and would 'ave done worse if th' god o' th' dead
hadn't dragged 'im under.  Least that's what she told
me, an' I'm inclined ta belive 'er.

I'm sure th' man's family will make like she bewitched
'im 'an drained th' life out o' 'im.  Who knows, maybe
she did, an if 'e did even 'alf 'o what she said 'e
did, 'e deserved everything 'e got.  One thing's sure
though, first time I were with 'er warrn't entirely w'
'er consent, but she was a good sport about it, and we
'ad a little wine and conversation before th' event.
'Fact that I'm still alive, an th' fact that any pirate
boyfriend she 'ad was still kickin' up 'till ye snuffed
'em says somethin' about 'er.  If she's got bewitchin'
powers, she sure as hell ne're used em' on me.  Any
attachment I got, I came by th' natural way, Red Jack
winked saltily."

Thane scowled.

"Don't ye be judgin' 'er too harsh.  She ain't a lady
that way, but she's a goddess in a man's bed, an' if ye
treat 'er right ye'll find out fer yerself.  She told
me straight up she coudn't 'elp foolin' w' th' boys.
'Said 'er father used ta beat 'er for it 'an 'er mother
used ta heap th' guilt on 'er, but that's 'ow she is, a
natural born lover 'an comely as they come.  Not a
woman I've known could 'old a candle to 'er.  Ye're
holdin' a girl any man would give 'is eye teeth for,
an' ye're not keepin' 'er on 'cause she's ugly, so ye
can be glad she ain't a cold bitch.  On th' other 'and,
it's best ye know 'er nature up front, or yer like ta
kill 'er fer bein' her, an' regret it fer th' rest o'
yer life an' then some.

Other than bein' th' finest woman ye'll ever lay eyes
on, She's got more guts an' determination than any
pirate recruit I've ever had. Leech Kennon, me camp
doctor who ye snuffed, 'e said she was th' finest
student an' assistant he'd ever had 'er seen. Me arms
master tried ta wash 'er out o' basic 'an failed.  He
didn't take kindly ta women in 'is trainin'. Instead
she got 'erself some advice 'an trainin' from other men
'an learned skill at arms better'n th' bigger, tougher
recruits 'e put 'er up against.  Fer someone who's had
just eight weeks o' basic trainin' an a few weeks o'
practice on th' boats, she sails better, shoots a bow
straighter and wields short sword an shield or rapier
an' main gauche as good as any recruit I ever had. She
could kill ye with that kitchen knife if she 'ad a mind
to, but she can be th' best friend ye ever 'ad if ye
treat 'er right.

I gave it to ye straight.  She's a pirate wench, an' ye
knew that when ye got 'er, but she's a sweet kid too in
spite o' everything she's been through, an' that's even
more considerable now what w' all ye're cursed walkin'
dead.  Ye're no prize yerself, an ye don't deserve a
wench like Rapina."

Thane looked down his nose at Red Jack.

"I know what ye're thinkin', an' I'll be th' first ta
admit it. I didn't deserve 'er neither, but I'm an
opportunist, 'an I'm a killer same as ye are.  I hate
ye for killin' me men, but I'd o' killed yer men too,
if they 'adn't been dead already. Now, I gave ye all I
know.  Yer turn."

"This reverend she killed, what was his name?" the
necromancer asked.

Red Jack sighed, "Ye promise not ta turn her in fer
killin' the bastard?"

"If what you say about him is true, then I will not
fault the woman for defending herself," Thane said.

"Evangeline Avengene.  I 'ad 'is signet from her fer a
while, but I sold it." Jack scowled as he saw the
priest freeze in surprise for just an instant.  "That's
all I know, now what's the rest of yer agreement with
th' wench?" Jack asked.

"I have agreed to give Rapina the chance to be more
than a servant.  In the unlikely event that her
intellect is sufficient, She is to be my apprentice in
magic."

Red Jack nodded, "Me first officer Roger, who ye
killed, he liked ta imagine th' recruits in some
profession that fit 'em when they first joined on. Kent
'e saw as a naval officer good as any o' th' captains
in th' king's navy.  He couldn't place Rapina, said she
gave 'im th' willies, but 'e finally did place 'er.
She was a sorcerer's apprentice."

Thane raised his eyebrow. "The constable may arrive at
any time.  I have other things to show him so you'll
have your two hours, perhaps more, but I'll need to
fetch the girl straight away."

Thane left and then returned a few minutes later and
let Rapina into Jack's cell.  He hung a large censor on
the bars of the cell's window that released myrrh-
scented smoke into the air.

Rapina carried the key to Jack's chains, but she'd been
instructed not to release the pirate unless she wanted
to, and to chain him up again before she left. Kent,
Edgar, and a few of their fellow ghouls were on call in
the guardroom.

"Jack, I'm so sorry, he... beat us," Rapina stammered.

"Aye, 'an 'e beat us as well.  I warr a fool, I should
'ave seen th' 'and writin' on th' wall.  That priest is
as cold an' calculatin' a general as I've seen."

Rapina nodded, "Guardian Thane is a magician and a
priest, a member of The Order of the Death's Peace.
It's the militant arm of the church of Mortaebius, god
of the dead.  I'm sure he was trained in tactics when
he joined the order.  They specialize in protecting the
church, and protecting tombs from grave robbers."

Jack sighed, "I'm sorry Rapina, I should 'ave known, I
warr too wrapped up in th' loss o' me ships an' I
fought when I should 'ave run.  That's what 'as kept me
off th' king's gallows fer this long.  In th' past, I
always knew when it warr time ta run."

Rapina hugged Jack and unlocked the iron collar around
his neck. "You couldn't have known Jack.  Thane uses
magic; no one could have estimated his power or his
resources.  If he had not come down to fight you
himself, you would have won.  What you saw at the end
was all he had left, his household guards and whatever
he could borrow from the tombs."

Rapina unlocked the chain around Jack's waist.

"Damn!  I nearly had 'im.  How's 'e been treatin' ye,
girl?"

"Kent abducted me using a secret door in the tomb after
one of Thane's traps failed him but still killed half
of our party."

"That man's full o' infernal traps 'an schemes," Jack
snapped.

Rapina unlocked Jack's ankles.  "Once here, I unfroze
and tried to escape once but wound up just outside this
cell.  It was the only door I could find that I could
hold against the guards Thane assigned to me, because I
found a key to it on the wall of the guardroom.  I saw
Jonas, but I'm not sure he's here anymore.  When I
holed up here, it turned out that Kent and Thane were
talking in the last cell. Kent was eating Piggy.  It
was horrible!

"Aye, I don't know what Thane's doin' ta Kent, but 'e's
th' only ghoul guard I've seen who looks eighteen
months pregnant."

"Anyway, Thane and Kent came out of a cell with three
of Thane's special armored skeletons, and Thane
surrounded me with flying bones.  I had to surrender;
it was hopeless.  Thane took me out of here and put me
up in one of his guest rooms.  He turned me into his
maid straight away, and I cooked and cleaned for him
while he occupied himself with the battle.  He's very
creepy, and he treats death as casually as the weather,
but he's not beat me or anything, even though I tried
to escape."

The captain nodded. "He's a' evil man, but I'm no angel
meself. I hope 'e  treats ye right.  'Fraid I'm not
goin' ta be able ta watch over ye any longer.  I can
hope me escaped men will find me an' manage ta spring
me afore I'm hanged, but It ain't likely. 'Least th'
'ol bastard gave me that hope.  'e told me Arzeal
escaped, an' Pike, Brackston, Drake, Skitch and Rage."

Rapina Nodded, "I saw the bodies, they weren't among
them, and early this morning when he came home from the
battle, Thane told me Arzeal had gotten away at the end
of the battle."

"Aye, then maybe 'e's tellin' th' truth," Red Jack
said.

"But enough 'o that, if I'm goin' ta hang 'an then be
slavin' an' burnin' in some death god's underworld, I'd
like ta 'bring as many memories of ye as I can."

Jack drew Rapina to him and kissed her deeply. ---

After leaving Jack and Rapina, Thane had gone to the
cliffs above his abode.  From there he had seen a ship
approaching from the South and had gone to meet it. The
constable always anchored his boats off the box canyon
entrance to the isle and sent a ship's boat with the
bodies of executed criminals.  Thane had provided the
constable with a few thick iron rings set into the
stone of the canyon so that he could leave living
prisoners to be killed and buried, but the constable
usually had criminals publicly executed.  Thus Thane
usually was just left with recently dead bodies, and
often supplies sent from his brother priest via the
constable's ship. These things sustained his ghouls and
himself, but not in high style.

When there were no bodies of criminals from the
constable and no burials of local people brought to the
isle by his brother priest, Mortician Hagston,  Hagston
sent a hired boat, but that cost money.  Thus Thane
relied on the constable and burial parties to do him
the kindness of delivering supplies whenever possible.
On this occasion, Thane had sent a request for wheat,
various other foodstuffs and cloth to his brother
priest when he sent the message about Red Jack via
pigeon.  In addition to the supplies, the constable
would be bringing a caged pigeon from Hagston to
replace the one Thane had used to send the last
message.  When the constable and his chief deputy
arrived, Thane took them straight away to see the
pirate camp.

"This was their fort, and that's the lot of them, laid
out for you, constable Barns.  I found this list in Red
Jack's logs, and a prisoner helped me sort out who was
who.  I have labeled each body."

Constable Olsen shook his head.  "That's amazin' work
Guardian Thane.  I got to admit, when Mortician Hagston
tol' me you had defeated Red Jack and his men with th'
power o' Mortaebius, I was more'n a bit skeptical, but
seein' em all laid out like this in your usual
efficient manner, well, seein' is belevin', eh deputy?"


"Sure is, hard ta believe a man can conjure shades ta
hack men up like this."

"Indeed, I see you're point, Deputy.  Frankly, I'm
still quite beat from the battle.  It took quite a bit
out of me, but I believe I will be sufficiently
recuperated to muster a small demonstration for you
tomorrow morning if you like."

"Of m-magic?" Barns looked at Olsen.

"That would be good of you Guardian Thane.  Why it'd be
a pleasure to see how the Infamous Red Jack met his
doom. Speakin' of whom, where is his carcass?"

"Actually, I was able to capture Red Jack alive," Thane
said.  "After we return to my residence for a short
break, I'll take you on a little tour of the dungeon."

"Alive! Wow," deputy Barnes exclaimed.

By the time Thane escorted the men into the canyon, the
sun was already down.

Olsen looked at the sky.  "Sure glad you got that magic
light, Guardian Thane, I got a little worried we'd fall
off the cliffs soon as the sun went down."

Ah, it is nothing; light is a very common spell.  Thane
stopped. "Lower!" he yelled.

The wicker cage was lowered for them.  After Thane had
shown the men their rooms and served wine and cheese on
the table of the dining hall, the priest excused
himself for a moment.

Thane took a circuitous route around the men and back
down the stairs to the corridor with the dungeon and
storage areas the men had entered after exiting the
cage.

"Rapina, Captain, I'll be bringing the constable in
shortly.  I believe you've had over two hours now.
Rapina, please come out as soon as you are ready,
hurry."

Rapina hugged Jack one last time and put his chains
back on. Jack was exhausted from their earlier love-
making, but wore a salty grin that threatened never to
leave him.

"Fare the well, lass.  I pray I can slip th' noose, but
'least I'll die a happy man if me luck ain't up ta a
miracle."

"Rapina smiled but shed a tear.  I hope I'll see you
again Jack, but just in case, I want to thank you for
watching over for these last few months."

"Aye, it was my pleasure lass, an' if th' worse
happens, why I'll jimmy me way outa hell, an' ye'll
have a ghost Red Jack ta watch over ye fer as long as
ye need me."

Rapina smiled through her tears, waved one last time
and left the cell.

"Let's see your face, quickly," Thane said taking the
key from Rapina's hand. Thane produced a little
mortician's makeup kit and went to work on Rapina's
face in key locations, adding shadows and making her
look older and a bit different.  Now, go in, undress
and take this strip of cloth and bind your breasts
tight to your chest, then dress again.  When the
constable comes, hunch your shoulders over a bit, and
look at the floor a lot. It will help you look plainer.
The constable must not think anything untoward. I will
be calling you Serina.  If the constable and the judge
fail to recognize you for the crimes that the priest's
family accused you of, then so much the better."

Rapina nodded.

Kent checked Captain Red Jack's chains, then locked
Jack's cell and left the dungeon with the rest of the
ghouls for the storage room across the hall.

"I shall return with the constable and his deputy
shortly."

After a few minutes, Thane arrived with the officers
and opened Jack's cell.

Barns took a deep breath, "It's really him!"

"Nay, can't ye see I'm th' Duke an' I hereby pardon
meself all transgressions, legal 'r otherwise past an
future.  Now unchain me an' get me back ta me palace."

"Good try Jack, but the Duke is a shorter man.  Olsen
held up a wanted poster.  That's you all right."

"Ach, they got the beard all wrong, can't ye see?" Jack
snapped.

"It will be a pleasure to turn you over to the Duke's
men, Red Jack, you've burned your last town and killed
your last innocent victim!"

"I'll see ye in th' hells o' Mortabius, constable."

"Stop gawking, Barns.  We'll be taking him back to town
tomorrow.  Any others you wanted us to see, Guardian
Thane?" Barns said ushering his deputy back into the
corridor.

"Just one other.  I didn't think it would be right to
kill a young woman, even if she had gotten mixed up
with the pirates. She and several other of the pirates
robbed one of the Baronial tombs.  Unfortunately, six
of her mates got away, so you men and your sailors best
keep on the lookout for trouble.  The escapees are
wounded, but any veteran of Red Jack's band is
dangerous in any condition short of deceased."

"That's good advice if I ever heard it," Olsen said.

Thane opened Rapina's cell. "This is Serina, she has
been very helpful in identifying the bodies, and before
that in cooking and cleaning for me while I was
concentrating on the battle.  I will, of course be
pressing charges for her grave robbing, but I believe
this woman can be rehabilitated.  I wonder if I might
get her sentenced to an indenture here as my maid?  It
seems I will finally be able to afford to feed a
servant, but it is so difficult to get the locals to
hire on for a stint on the infamous Graveston isle."

"I'm sure the Judge'll be favorably inclined to you,
Guardian Thane.  You'll be a mighty big hero in
Granville.  Why don't you keep her for now, and I'll
arrange for a hearing for you when you come to pick up
the reward money.  I hope you've got a big boat,
because the gold from those bounties would sink a
lesser one."

Thane chuckled, "I'll work something out.  Please give
my brother priest a note to send me via pigeon as to
when to collect the bounty and attend the hearing.
That's one date I'd hate to be late for.  Shall I bring
the girl for the hearing?"

"Likely you'll need to, but it should be just a
formality," Olsen said.

"Very well, let us retire to my chambers.  The girl can
fix us something to eat and then after a little
conversation, I expect you men will want to turn in.
You are, of course, invited to stay in my guest rooms.
No need for you to stay on your boat with your other
men, when I am glad to provide better accommodations."

"Sure thing, it's been a long day," Olsen said.

The next morning after breakfast, Thane ushered the men
to one of his storage rooms.

Thane handed Olsen a dim, red mage light.  "My magic
works best in poor lighting, that is why I took Jack
and his men at night. As you might imagine, with my
background as a mortician, I have little trouble
conjuring up images that terrify the unschooled. Now
here we have one of the bodies of the pirates that I've
hung from a pillar.  Now let me work and you will soon
see how the morale of Jack's troops was robbed from
them, allowing my quasi-real troops to close in for the
kill."

Thane made a show of coalescing the shadows into
terrifying beings and forming a ghoulish monster from
the shadows as well. The creatures tore up the body. In
truth, the illusion hid the real players until they
were "conjured;" the three shadows and the ghoul were
authentic.  When the demonstration was over, the undead
monsters escaped through a secret door, once again
under cover of Thane's illusion.

Thane removed the cover from a strong, white mage-light
and the men were suddenly transported from the horror
of the night to standing in a well-lit ordinary, nearly
empty storage room.  It was obvious that there was now
nothing living in the room but Thane, Olsen and Barns.
"There now, I hope I managed to scare you at least a
little bit."

"A-a little b-bit I'd say," stammered Barns

Olsen chuckled nervously, "Those pirates must have
really lost it when you conjured monstrosities like
that at night."

"Yes, fear itself can be the greatest enemy."  Thane
wiped his brow.  "I'd best spend a few more days
resting, I think, but I am glad I could show you men a
little of the magic that bested Red Jack."

"Guess we better get goin'.  After that demonstration,
I sure's heck want ta be back in Granville before
nightfall.  My skin's still a-crawlin'."

"Thank you constable, you flatter my humble powers.
Let's get Red Jack and you can be on your way."

Sometime later Thane watched as the constable and
several deputies loaded Red Jack and his many chains
onto a long boat bound for the constable's stout little
ship.

"Thank you for coming, and have a safe trip, Constable
Olsen, deputy Barns and you other sailors and gentlemen
of the law. I'll look forward to a note from you,
constable Olsen via my brother priest, Mortician
Hagston," Thane said.

"Thank *you* Guardian Thane, your heroism has saved
countless innocent lives.  Every community along the
Augustana owes you a deep debt of gratitude, and I will
be glad to see you are amply rewarded," Olsen said.

Thane bowed humbly and watched as the boat sailed off.
When it was gone, he turned and grinned.

The story continues in [Rapina]018 Judgement in
Disguise.


New Beginnings
This Page Includes:
Back to the, Pirates, page
[Rapina]010 New Beginnings
[Rapina]011 Hall of the Dead
[Rapina]012 Shadows of the Dead
[Rapina]013 Night Terrors
[Rapina]014 The Noble Jaws of Death
[Rapina]015 Death Battles the Living
[Rapina]016 Defeat in Darkness
[Rapina]017 A Captain in Chains
[See a sketch of Graveston Isle (Dead Man's Isle)]


[Rapina]010 New Beginnings

As Red Jack scanned the horizon with his spy glass, he
liked what he saw. The outlet from the lake flowed into
the North side of the River Augustana between high,
widely-spaced granite cliffs. The lake itself was quite
large, and did not neck down much as it joined the
river.  This would make it near impossible to blockade,
since the entrance to the lake, the lake itself and the
river Augustana were both wide and deep in this area
owing to the granite cliffs, riverbed and lake bed.

The island was situated a good 5 miles away from the
east and west shore of the lake, about 8 miles from the
Northern lakeshore, and around twelve miles from the
entrance to the lake to the South.  The isle in the
middle of the lake was a pirate's dream.  It rose out
of the lake like a fortress roughly three miles in
diameter.  To the South, West, And East the isle faced
the water with high cliffs.  To the North the cliffs
gradually became lower but remained quite defensible.
There was a double notch in the cliffs at their lowest
point to the North.  This proved to be the entrance to
a cove just large enough for a few ships.  The entrance
to the cove was shallow, and the men had to spend quite
a while measuring depths before they were able to get
the merchant ship into the cove.  The longships, with
their shallow drafts and narrow beams were an easier
matter.

As one might have expected, the cove was the lowest
part of the isle, and the terrain rose, sometimes
gradually, sometimes abruptly as one went farther
South.  There was a forest growing near the cove in the
north central area of the isle. To the south as the
terrain rose and became rougher and more rocky, the
trees gave way to scrub, and thence to rocky, open
terrain punctuated with a few scattered bushes and
trees.

The longships were anchored in the cove and rowboats
with supplies were launched.  Captain Red Jack's
pirates busied themselves with setting up a new camp.
They were quite efficient for a bunch of pirates.  By
early evening, the temporary camp was mostly set up.
Tents and lean-tos would provide shelter until the the
pirates obtained lumber for more permanent structures.
The captain and his officers marched through the camp
discussing layout of guard posts, traps, and other
defensive strategies. Most of the recruits were too
busy unloading supplies or pitching tents to take
notice.

"First thing I'll be needin' is a map of th' area.
Think ya can handle it Roger?" Jack asked.

"Yes captain.  Ill get right on it."  Roger turned with
scarcely a nod and headed off into the camp.  He had
been teaching Kent mapmaking before they had packed up
camp to move here.  One of his trainees was carrying a
large coil of rope. The first mate walked up to the boy
and clapped his hand on the boy's shoulder.

"William!  I need you, Kent, and Rolf to meet me back
here in five minutes." That said, Roger headed off to
get his mapmaking equipment.

"But, sir...I don't know where Kent and Rolf are... "
The slightly confused recruit stammered.

"Well then you had better find them...and quick!" Roger
shouted over his shoulder.

Minutes later, three to be exact, the three recruits
were assembled and awaiting Rogers arrival.  Roger
smiled as he watched them through his tent flap.  They
were all coming along nicely, especially Kent.  Kent
had a sharp mind and that was a rare commodity among
pirates.  Satisfied that they were nervous enough,
Roger walked out to brief them on their next duty. The
first mate handed out the necessary equipment and led
the recruits towards the outskirts of the camp.  "It'll
be gettin dark soon so were goin ta have to hurry."

Drake watched as they walked off.  He was worried about
Kent. Lately he seemed to be more distant from Drake.
He was troubled, but had no idea of what to do. "Ya
ready on your end Doanthalas?" Drake asked as he got a
better grip on the handle of the chest.  The tattooed
elf just nodded.  "Okay.  On three then. One. Two.
Three." They both grunted as their muscles strained to
lift the chest full of weapons off the ground.  This
was one of the last weapons runs that needed to be
made. Soon everything would be unloaded and ready for
sorting and storage until needed.

Drake glanced down at Doanthalas belt.  He wasn't
carrying any weapons. That wasn't surprising.  The
pirates were still deathly afraid of the elf. Its
amazing what a few rumors will do to superstitious
people. The young pirate recruit smiled; he had
believed the rumors himself.  At least until he had
gotten to know the savage-elf better.  Drake found it
amusing that the so-called savage was more well-
mannered than any of the civilized pirates. Still Drake
didn't know the elf very well either.  Doanthalas had
yet to say more than ten words to him. He had a lot to
tell, though.  Drake could tell. The look in his eyes
alone was testament to that fact. He shrugged.
Doanthalas would talk when he was ready to.

Sunset came and the pirate camp was still alive with
activity. Jack would be very upset if the camp was not
in working order by morning.  The pirates hurried about
their tasks, as none of them wanted to be the focus of
Red Jack's anger.

The captain looked around the large tent at the
assembled faces: Roger, Sak, Logan, Leech Kennon, Hock,
Arzeal, and Brackston. All of the officers were
accounted for. Jack looked at everyone for a moment
before beginning. "From what I can see we've got
ourselves a good spot here.  Its a good defensible
position.  What we need now is a good defensive plan. I
have Roger working on a map of the area for us.  How
goes the mapmaking?"

"Good sir.  We've staked out four good reference
points. Tomorrow we will be able to get some
measurements and by afternoon we will have an accurate
working map of the area.  For now we have this rough
sketch of the area."  The first mate stood up and
approached the captain.  He held out a rolled up piece
of parchment to the captain.

Red Jack took the parchment and unrolled it.  He
perused it and the look on his face told the others
that he was pleased.  "This is a fine sketch Roger. The
best I've seen you do so far."

"Thank you captain, but I didn't draw that map.  Kent
did.  He has an amazing eye for detail.  I'm guessing
that the finished map with accurate measurements won't
be too different from that map in your hands."

"Really?  That's what I like to hear, but Roger..."

"Yes captain?"

"Lets schedule some extra weapons training for that
lad. Shall we?"  Everyone in the room snickered.  "Gods
know he needs it!"  More laughter filled the room.
Roger just nodded and sat down. "Everyone gather around
and look at this map.  You especially, Logan."  The
captain unrolled the map and set it on the ground.  He
weighted down the four corners with rocks and looked up
at Logan. "Alright. How do ya want to lay this camp out
Logan?  You're the one who's got ta run it while I'm
out plunderin"

Logan looked at the map for a long time.  He pointed to
eight different points on the map.  "Guard posts should
be set up here.  We should stick with three guard
changes per night.  It keeps the guards fresh and alert
and it worked out well for us at the last camp.  And
during the..."

"Speakin of guards and such...why don't we use the elf
as much as possible for night watch...after all he can
see in the dark..."

"That's a good idea, but do you think we can trust him?
I don't think the men would sleep very well with him on
watch," Logan said.

"I agree," Brackston said.  "Yew know they're all
afraid of I'm.  He's like some sort of demon.  We
should lock 'im back up or kill em.  Either's fine by
me."

"You'd like that.  Wouldn't you Brackston?" Arzeal
asked. "What are you afraid of?  If he had wanted you
dead he would have killed you by now."

"Why you sonuva mother..."

"Okay!  Knock it off you two! The captain interrupted.
"I know he's dangerous and I know the men fear him, but
don't worry.  It'll do the men some good to be
constantly on their toes.  Besides Rapina seems to
trust him and from what I've seen she's a good judge of
character."

"Drake seems to have developed a bond with the elf as
well. It's the strangest thing.  They're together a
lot, but I've yet to see them speak to each other. They
usually just sit there or go about their duties in
silence.  I don't get it."

"Maybe he likes tha boys too.  Hmmm?" Brackston
conjectured.

"In yer dreams Brackston.  You'd love a good piece of
elf meat like that wouldn't ya?  Heh."  The room
erupted in raucous laughter.

"I'm still not convinced.  You all saw what he did
to...to..." Sak didn't have to finish.  They all knew
what he was referring to.  "Who's to say that he won't
rip my face off next?  And what's to keep him from
escaping?"

"Those are two very good points Sak.  Rest assured that
I have already addressed them both.  First, I have made
it known that no one is to arm the elf under penalty of
having their balls cut off!  Second, I have assigned
two crewmen to watch him all day and night.  Two other
crewmen relieve them once daily.  I guarantee you if he
tries anything we'll know it."

Those recruits who missed training because of being
wounded during the raid were given a chance to make up
on lost practice time.  Doanthalas was given the
opportunity to hone his fighting skills as well. The
recruits performed as well as any green sailor could be
expected to.  They were slightly better than lousy.
Doanthalas, on the other hand, handled his weapons with
considerably more skill.  The practice sword rested
easily in his hand and he seemed to breeze through the
practice session. His archery skills were excellent as
well.  More arrows found their mark than not.  Hock and
Arzeal were impressed.

After arms practice it was time to eat.  The sylvan-elf
got his plate of food from the mess hall and walked
outside to eat. Most of the other recruits chose to eat
outside as well, but moved away when Doanthalas walked
by.  The elf paid them no mind and sat down under a
tree by himself.

Drake noticed the elf and went over to sit down next to
him. "Hey there Doanthalas.  Mind if I join you?" Drake
heard only silence.  "I'll take that as a sure, sit
down and enjoy yourself, okay?"  The young recruit sat
down and noticed Kent walking past. "Hey Kent! Why
don't you join us?"

Kent barely glanced in Drake's direction as he walked
by.  He found William and Rolf and sat down to eat with
them.

"What's his problem?  I thought we were friends," Drake
said.  He's been acting this way ever since we picked
up to move here.  I don't get it."  Drake looked in
Doanthalas direction and shrugged.

The tattooed elf just looked at Drake with his emerald
eyes for a moment.  He shrugged as well and then went
back to eating.

"Hi Drake, Hi Doanthalis," Rapina walked up with her
dinner and found a spot to eat next to the boys.  "The
good news is, we are not trapped on a moving boat
twenty-four hours a day, the bad news is Captain Red
Jack wants the camp done yesterday.  I see you two got
put on unloading stuff from the merchant ship duty.
I've been helping the leech set up a temporary
infirmary. Pretty soon we'll all be turned into amateur
carpenters, I think."

Evening arrived and the recruits made their way to
their tents for a much-deserved sleep.  The guards were
changed and all unnecessary fires were doused. A
solitary figure made its way towards a copse of trees.
A few of the straggling pirates noticed it was the elf.
Doanthalas never slept with the other pirates.  He
always spent the night outside.  The pirates wondered
if the sylvan elf even slept at all.  Whatever his
reason for not sleeping in the same tent as the others
the pirates didn't care.  They felt much safer with him
somewhere else.

The tattooed elf surveyed the new copse of trees he had
chosen for the site of this evenings reverie.  It would
do.  The trees would provide minimal protection from
the elements as well as a convenient escape route if
trouble arose. Doanthalas turned his emerald eyes to
the sky and breathed deeply.  It had been many years
since he had smelled air so sweet.  The stars seemed to
twinkle to some silent melody.  For a moment, his heart
soared.  For a moment, he almost forgot.

The elf contemplated not entering the reverie at all
this evening.  Without the reverie he would forget. All
the horrors and torments would be forgotten. Gone. And
his spirit would be at peace once again. Unfortunately,
there was a price.  Not only would he forget everything
bad, but he would also forget everything good.  His
family, friends, loved ones, and every moment of
happiness he had ever lived would be gone.  They would
fade away like a forgotten dream.

He shook his head.  It was time to enter the reverie.
Doanthalas sat cross-legged on the ground and assumed a
meditative pose.  His chest rose and fell with every
breath he took.  It wasn't long before the present
faded and the past came flooding back. Doanthalas
looked peaceful and serene sitting there on the ground.
His hair waved as the wind blew through it.  He wasn't
sleeping nor was he awake; he was somewhere else
entirely.

About twenty minutes after he entered the reverie the
sylvan-elfs body began to shake.  A casual looker would
have thought he was just cold.  Considering how lightly
dressed he was it would not have been a surprise.
Nevertheless, he was not cold.  In fact, he was
sweating. As time passed, his body shook more and more
violently.  He seemed to be having some sort of fit.
Suddenly his eyes opened and his arms shot out to his
sides.  He looked about wildly a look of utter fear on
his face.

Although Doanthalas was looking from side to side his
eyes didn't seem to be focusing on anything.  In an
instant he was on his feet and backpedaling away from
the camp.  A root caught his heel and sent him crashing
to the ground. He struggled to get back up, but could
only manage to crawl backwards.  When his back hit the
tree he stopped backpedaling.  The elf curled up into
the fetal position and screamed,"NOOOOOOOO!!!!!"
Tremors seized his body as the elf began to sob.  For
almost an hour he just lay there shaking and sobbing.
He didn't utter a single word the rest of the night.

"What's 'ee doin' now Skitch?" Guts asked.

"Jus' sittin there shakin.'" Skitch whispered.


"Is that all?  I might as well sit down and get some
rest."


"Don't fall asleep.  'Captain wants the elf watched 24
hours."

"Yeah, yeah," Guts sat down and yawned.  Just watching
Skitch walk around was enough to keep him up, at least
for a while.

When morning came Doanthalis just stood up, dusted
himself off, and reported for his duties.

Doanthalas breezed through the morning's weapons
training session.  He had used all of them before.
Experienced as he was with the weapons he was by no
means a master.  For that reason he applied himself
fully to the practice. In the afternoon he had a more
difficult time.  The pirates explained and demonstrated
the basic workings of a ship.  It looked easy enough to
Doanthalas, but the actual doing was very difficult.
The sylvan elf had never been on a ship before much
less tried to sail one.  He had never had a reason to
leave the land.

On land Doanthalas was as agile as a cat.  At sea he
was more like a fish out of water.  He almost tipped
the rowboat twice and the swaying of the ship made him
sick.  The men would have laughed if they hadn't feared
for their lives. At dinnertime the tattooed elf hobbled
to the mess tent with the rest of the recruits.  The
sun was setting in the distance and clouds were forming
on the horizon.  Meanwhile the captain was meeting with
his officers once again.

"I'm sure that ye all know tha reason I called ye
here," Jack said.  He paused as his eyes scanned the
room.  "I've been hearing some things about tha elf
Doanthalas.  Rumors is rumors and they don't concern
me.  What does concern me is any truth behind those
rumors."  The Captain took another dramatic pause as he
paced up to Armsmaster Hock.  "So tell me tha truth. Is
what I'm hearin true?  Hock?  Arzeal?"

"I take it yer referrin ta his fightin skills..." Hock
paused to see if the captain would answer him.  The
captain didn't so the armsmaster continued, "He handles
the weapons with a skill far superior ta that of our
best recruits. If'n I had ta guess I'd say he was some
sort of soldier or mercenary."

"I agree," Arzeal said. "He knows his way around bows.
That's for sure.  He picked the best one out of the
bunch without any help from me or anyone for that
matter.  And his aim was too accurate for anyone but a
soldier...or a mercenary."

"So yer sayin that he's good with weapons eh?  Which
ones?" The captain asked.

"Far as I can tell, captain, he's good with all of em,"
Hock said.

"ALL of em?" The captain asked.

"Yes sir.  All that we have anyway," Hock replied.

"Well I guess its good that we haven't allowed him any
weapons so far.  Eh boys?  Else he might have skewered
us all.  Heh."

"Well although he IS proficient in all the weapons we
have...he ISN'T the best at using them.  Don't get me
wrong...he IS good. But he still has a lot to learn.  I
just thought it interesting that he would be so good in
so many different weapons." Hock said.

"Elves do live for hundreds of years so it doesn't
surprise me that much, but what does surprise me is
that an elf as young as he is would be that proficient
in them." Arzeal said.

"What do ya mean Arzeal?" Jack asked.

The half elf paused to consider his words for a moment,
"Most elves spend their youth enjoying life and
learning about things like music and history. They
don't usually begin training elvish children in warfare
until they're two hundred to three hundred years old.
Doanthalas doesn't look a day over one hundred and
fifty.  He's practically a child..."

"A child?!?!?!?"

The half-elf laughed.  "Well a child by elvish
standards is more like an adult by our standards..well
your standards.  Still....since they outlive humans by
generations they have more time to devote to learning
the skills they need to survive," Arzeal said.

"Why do they wait so long to learn how to fight?  You'd
think they'd need it at an earlier age," Hock asked.

"The adult elves protect the younger elves when
threatened. Besides elves don't like to fight.  They
find it barbaric and distasteful."

"Well that wild elf out there sure had me fooled!  Ya'd
think he was born to fight!  Distasteful my arse!  Ha!"
Brackston said.

"There are always exceptions, but...I don't think
Doanthalas is an exception. I think he fights because
he has to, not because he wants to," Arzeal said.

"what makes you say that Arzeal?" the captain asked.

"I'm not sure.  It's mostly a gut feeling, but he
doesn't have the look of a cold blooded killer in his
eyes.  He has more of the look of a lost soul...besides
he had the perfect chance to kill me and Rapina back
when we recaptured him."

Brackston frowned and grumbled to himself at Arzeals
words.

"But he didn't kill you...or Rapina for that matter.
Drake seems to think the world of him."  Logan smiled,
shook his head and laughed.

"What's so funny, Logan?" Captain Red Jack asked.

"Just some of the stories Drake has been telling me
about the elf's sailing skills...or should I say LACK
of sailing skills?" Logan said.

Roger, the normally stoic first mate couldn't help but
smirk.  "It's true captain.  He may be a natural when
it comes to fightin,' but I've never seen a more clumsy
sailor."

"He hasn't got his sea legs yet?" Red Jack asked.

"More like he's gotten his sea legs amputated!" Roger
laughed.

Laughter filled the tent at Roger's joke.  A few
stories of Doanthalas' misadventures on the water
followed.

"That's all well and good, but the fact remains that
the men fear 'im.  I don't blame them.  He gives me the
willies.  And those tattoos of his...he looks like a
demon he does.  I'll betcha that none of them sailors
laughs at I'm when he's bumblin around the boat.  Do
they?"

"No.  They don't." Roger replied.

"Well if the men don't trust him then how can we?" Sak
asked.

"That's a very good question Sak.  I'm hoping that
they'll come around sooner or later," the captain said.

"And if they don't?" Sak asked.

"We'll deal with that when and if it happens," Captain
Red Jack replied.

"Besides Drake's already taken a liking to him," Logan
said.

"And so has Rapina...and...and I think he's ok," Arzeal
said.

"We'll see.  Three pirates out of a camp of almost a
hunnerd ain't even a drop in tha bucket!" Sak said. ---
------

That evening a few of the pirates were drinking as
usual.  Only this time they were discussing the elf.
Pike was part of the group as was Fishy, Milo, Grulka,
and Targ.

Targ was a beefy pirate with a prominent brow and no
noticeable neck.  He was having trouble speaking after
his seventh mug of ale.  "Now that alf e fights like
the devil e does.  I'd hate ta be facin I'm in battle."


"I agree," said Grulka, a lanky pirate with a pinched
face.  "He'd tear me limb from limb he would."

"Ha.  Yer a buncha scaredy cats!  Afraid of a little
elf," Fishy scoffed.

"Sure the elf's a tough one, but he's not invincible,"
Pike said. "I'm sure a good number of the pirates here
could beat him in a fair fight."

"Ha!  Ya wish!" Grulka said.

"Okay.  Goin find one then," Targ argued. "Ya won't!
Thar all scared of I'm."

"I'm not," Pike said.

"Oh.  Big talk from that big man.  Why don't you go
fight I'm then?" Tark asked.

"Because I have no quarrel with him," Pike said.

"Or is it cuz yer scared?" Gulka asked.

The large Norseman stood to his full height and glared
down at Grulka.  "What did you say?"  He growled.

"Easy Pike.  He didn't mean it.  It's the ale talkin,"
Fishy said.

"If'n yer not scared of the alf then...how's about we
make a little wager?" Tark asked.

"Now yer talkin,' What's the bet?" Fishy asked.

Bets were made and when everyone was in agreement they
headed off to find the elf.  Grulka pulled Fishy aside
when they started walking.

"What got Pike so steamed before?" Grulka asked.

The lame cook flashed a toothy grin.  "Ya insulted him
when ya suggested he were scared.  An that's somethin
ya don't do to a Norseman.  Insult their honor and
their pride and they'll rip yer legs off.  Ha!" Fishey
said.

The four inebriated pirates walked around the camp
until they found Doanthalas.  He was sitting on a rock
watching the water. Drake and Rapina were there with
him.  None of them were talking.  They just seemed to
be silently enjoying the evening air.  Pike stepped
forward and issued his challenge.

"Elf!  I challenge you to a fight.  I've been hearing
stories about how tough you are.  Talk is nothing so
I'm here to find out for myself.  What say you?" Pike
asked.

The elf turned and walked over to Pike.  He looked from
face to face before finally resting his eyes upon Pike.
He removed his shirt, nodded his head, and adopted a
fighting stance.

The pirates cheered since they were going to get a
fight.  Drake looked worried and shot Rapina a glance
that told her so.  Pike removed his shirt and adopted a
fighting stance of his own. It looked like the fight
wouldn't last very long.  The Norseman towered about
three heads above the tattooed elf.  And although
Doanthalas was big for an elf he was dwarfed by Pike.

The fight was clean and lasted longer than anybody
would have guessed. Although Pike was easily able to
swat the sylvan elf away with his longer reach and
stronger arms Doanthalas did not give up.  Every time
he got knocked down he would get right back up and go
at Pike. Doanthalas was able to land his fair share of
blows, but it was obvious that he was not going to win.
Pike was just too powerful and experienced for
Doanthalas.

The sylvan elf could barely stand by the time Pike
called the fight. Doanthalas had just hobbled to his
feet and was shuffling back towards Pike when the
oarsmaster held up his hand and said, "Draw!"

The assembled pirates looked at him in disbelief.  Why
had he done that? Clearly he would have won and
collected his share of the betting money.  They didn't
know what to do.

The oarsmaster put his arm around Doanthalas for
support and guided him towards the center of camp.  "I
have to hand it to you elf.  You're a tough one.  Not
too smart...but tough.  Most men would have given up
long before you did and for good reason too.  You've
got guts.  I respect that.  My name's Pike.  What's
yours?"

Doanthalas turned his tattooed face towards Pike but
didn't say anything.  He just stared at him with his
emerald eyes.  After a moment, apparently satisfied
that Pike was someone he could trust, the elf replied,
"Doanthalas."

At first Rapina had been nervous about Pike's
challenge, but now her faith in the Norseman was
renewed.  He had tested Doanthalas' mettle and liked
what he saw enough to embrace Doanthalas as a comrade.
Pike was a strong and popular junior officer, well-
liked by the men.  Rapina hoped that the new friendship
Pike seemed to be striking up would spread to the
Norseman's comrades.

It was a few hours before dawn and Skitch was busy
chinning himself on a tree limb keeping awake while on
elf-watching detail.

Guts sat against a tree trunk snoring softly.

Skitch contemplated waking Guts up for the fifth time
when he realized that Doanthalas was no longer where he
had been. "Damn, where'd he go, I just looked at him a
few minutes ago. " Skitch kicked Guts.  "Wake up,
stupid, the elf was just over there quakin' a few
minutes ago, and now 'ee's gone."

"The large, dim pirate awakened.  "Ouch, what'cha
kickin' me for?"

"Yer sleepin' on the job again, lout.  We got ta find
the elf quick, an' I have no idea which way he went.
You know how quiet 'e is when he moves through the
trees.  Damn it, we'll have ta get Brackston, an' 'e
ain't going to like it."

Skitch ran off full tilt and returned with Brackston
and Thumper a few minutes later.

Thumper tracked the elf to the Southeast.

"Damn demon elf! Look at this, Blade and Cudge were
here on watch.  Look at all the damn blood," Brackston
said.

"Track 'Im thumper, track 'I'm."

Thumper sidled away from the area, whining and
whimpering.

"What the hell's wrong with yew, dog?  That elf cast a
hex on yew? Brackston asked. "Damn it, yer not sneezin'
so it ain't them herbs 'e used on yew at the other
camp.  What in hell happened ta my fearless fuckin'
dog!?  Well come on, it's a cinch he didn't go back in
the direction of camp.  Let's head South."

About five minutes later Skitch pointed out the elf's
tattoos in the moonlight, and the group ran up to him.

Doanthalis was bent over something.

Skitch heard Brackston's infamous neck shackle lock
over the elf's neck.

"Demon elf!  I got yew, caught yew red-handed!  We'll
see what the captain says about yew now." Brackston
said.

Skitch caught hold of Guts.  "Hold on, take a look at
this..."

Logan let the matter rest until morning, but first
thing, the Captain conferred with Brackston, Skitch and
Guts.


"'e murdered 'em, I tell yew, 'e's a demon!" Brackston
practically hollered.

"Hold yer horses, Brackston, tell me the whole story
from the beginnin'" Captain Red Jack snapped.

"Skitch came an' got me ta track the elf.  He slipped
'em a few hours 'fore dawn.  We tracked 'I'm ta the
Southeast guard watch post an' there was blood
everywhere, yew should'a seen it!"

"Thumper was actin' real funny and wouldn't track th'
elf anymore, so we went South an' found 'Im areselves.
There 'e was bendin' over th' corpse.  I tell yew, I
caught 'im red handed."

"Skitch, is that how it went?"

Skitch nodded.  "Yeah, Brackston's got the story right,
but I don't like 'is conclusions.  'ee wasn't outa my
sight long.  I just did some chin-ups ta keep awake.
Guts was watchin' me 'stead of the elf.  Then I
realized the elf wasn't there so I ran an' got
Brackston.  The rest is like 'e said, but I seen the
body.  I got no idea whether it was Blade or Cudge,
'cause there ain't a lot o' meat left on th' carcass,
understand?"

"If that elf killed 'I'm 'e set a new record fer eatin'
raw meat. I checked 'is belly when we got back ta camp.
I'm tellin' ya, if that elf ate most of a 200 pound
pirate, 'ed have ta 'ave a belly out ta here, but that
weren't the case.  I'd say it'd be worth askin' the elf
what happened.  Me an' Guts looked for th' other
corpse, but we couldn't find it nowhere.  I'm hopin'
now that it's gettin' light, we can figure out where
it's gotten to."

"It's magic, I tell yew, the elf just withered the
corpse away after guttin' it, an 'e cast a spell so's
my dog turned as yellah as 'is coat."

"Get me Rapina, and I'll see what the elf has ta say
for 'imself soon enough."

"Mean time, Skitch, take a few men an' see if ye can
find the other corpse, but first, show me the one ye
got."

A little while later the captain came to the tree
Brackston had chained Doanthalas to not far from the
Barracks tent. Rapina arrived from the infirmary tent
at about the same time.  The camp was already abuzz
with rumors of how the demonic elf had chewed the meat
off from Cudge's bones.

"Brackston has it that ye killed an' ate two o' me men
early this mornin.'  Skitch wasn't so sure ye did it.
Ye don't look like yer stuffed wif 400 pounds 'o
pirate.  I'd like ta hear yer side o' th' story
startin' when ye left yer sleepin' spot.

Doanthalas was sitting on the ground holding the chain
in his hands.  He was staring at it with a resigned
look.  "It seems I shall be bound for life.  The path I
walk is forever soaked with blood."  The sylvan elf
paused and then looked up at the captain.

"I...awoke...from the reverie to the sounds of the wolf
pack feasting.  I thought the pack had made a kill to
the unereif...south...east.  To chase away the clouds I
followed the feast music.  The scent of life lost
caressed the air.  There was no wolf pack...only the
shadows of men.  My presence was known for the shadow
men were removing the life husks when I arrived.  They
dropped one as they faded to the...south...east.  Their
spirits were tired... or... sleeping... their bodies
were cold like shadows.  My eyes could barely glimpse
them."

"Well ya sure do speak funny, but I think I understand
ya.  No offense ta yer combat abilities, Doanthalas,
but I'm inclined ta believe ye.  Those were good men.
I'm hopin' even someone like you could not have killed
'em without sa much as a scream out 'o 'em. As fer the
men ye saw, I can't make heads ner tails o' it.  I
suppose they could 'ave been wearin' heavy coats ta
foil yer vision, but in this weather, it don't make
sense."

"Any ideas Rapina?  Is their magics fer such?"

"I've read about illusions and things that can fool
vision. I've also read about elementals, golems and
creations of necromancy that would not have body heat.
Any of those could be basically human-shaped."

"Aye, likely it's nothin' more'n island men wearin'
coats.  Just the same, get me Pike, Donal, Backster,
Drake, an' Kent. Brackston, unchain the elf.  I have ta
agree with Skitch.  If Doanthalas had the kind 'o magic
ye're conjecturin' 'ed of got out o' that old cage at
th' other camp in short order and ate us all.  I'm
thinkin some 'o the island's natives just gave us a
good pirate's welcome."

Brackston glowered but did as he was told.

A few minutes later Rapina had fetched the various
people the captain wanted.

"All right.  I want ye ta arm up, an' head South an
East. Backster, you an' the elf see if ye can track
whoever done the deed.  See if ye can find their camp
'an see how many there are. Don't engage 'em unless yer
pretty sure o' the odds."

"Pike, yer in charge.  Rapina, yer along 'cause ye've
read most anything I own concernin' th' supernatural,
an' I'm too busy ta go meself.  Kent, yer ta map the
trip as best ye can as yer goin'.  The rest o' ye are
soldierin' so look alive.  Get yer gear an' meet over
at the mess tent.  Fishy an' Piggy'll fix ye up with
provisions 'an I'll have some climbin' gear left for
ye. Be snappy about it.  I'd prefer ta see ye back here
before night fall."

Rapina got her Rapier, main gauche, knife, bow and
quiver and met the others back at the mess tent.

Doanthalas checked his gear as he led the group to the
spot where he had found the first body.  Although the
body had been removed there was still plenty of dried
blood on the ground.  The sylvan elf examined the area
while the group stood back.

Whatever or whomever was responsible for the death of
Blade and Cudge hadn't been too worried about hiding
their presence.  There were footprints all over the
place.  Some had been obliterated by the pirates when
they came to investigate and collect the body.  But
Doanthalas had no trouble picking up the trail that
would lead them to the murderers.  The footprints
headed off to the Southeast.

"The men of shadow returned to the darkness this way."
Doanthalas said as he pointed towards the cliffs to the
Southeast.  Those in the group who were not used to
hearing Doanthalas speak. After hearing the strange
manner in which he spoke, they looked at each other
curiously.  They followed the elf through the forest
even if they had not understood his speech.

The murderers had left plenty of evidence of their
passing.  Deep footprints, dried blood, broken twigs
and branches, and shreds of old dry-rotted cloth led
the elf and the party through the forest and on to some
low cliffs and more rocky terrain.

It was harder to track the "men of shadow" through the
cliffs and rocky areas.  Doanthalas was hard pressed to
find any sort of evidence.  Luckily he spotted a few
scuff marks on the rocks and some drops of dried blood.


Eventually the vegetation all but disappeared, as did
the trail.  It was far too rocky to make heads or tails
of any kind of evidence.  Doanthalas stopped and
scanned the area for possible escape routes.  He
spotted some higher cliffs and headed for them.

"Their shadows have faded in the light.  We must climb
those cliffs to see with the clarity of the hawk.  Then
we may be able to find our quarry."

Drake pulled Rapina up a seven-foot cliff onto higher
terrain and the others followed.

Oarmaster Pike pointed, "what do ye make o' that?"

Rapina walked up a steep hill to where Pike was
standing, there in front of them was a large, flat,
rocky field nearly devoid of trees.  Oval piles of
stone littered the field to the East up until it ended
at the base of cliffs to the East and South.  To the
North the terrain sunk.

"Burial mounds?" Rapina asked.

"Only one way to find out."  Pike walked North and
found an older, smaller pile of rocks and began tossing
the ones on top aside.  Donal and Drake Joined in.

"Yer right, looks like it was a kid.  The bones are
mostly crushed and plenty old, looks like.  I guess we
just found ourselves a graveyard on th' isle of the
dead."  Pike shifted the large double-edged battle axe
slug over his back, and pursed his lips. "There's a
trail here through the mounds leadin' North and South,
I think."

The group went Northeast and found that the trail
descended into a box canyon at the Northeast edge of
the isle.  The trail had obviously been modified by
ancient chisels and was in some cases cut into the side
of the canyon.  At the bottom was a pool of water with
some sort of sunken funeral boat in it.  A natural
archway led from the canyon out through a short cave to
the lake.  The opening was hidden from those viewing
the isle from the waters Northeast of it by a spur of
rock.

"A side door ta the isle," Pike said. "This'll be handy
ta know about.  If they left from here, we'll not be
tracking 'em.  Hey look," Pike pointed to some ancient
characters carved into the canyon wall to be visible
from boats sitting in the water. "Any ideas."

"They're runes.  This one means death, and this
sanctuary. Hmmm, maybe something like sanctuary of the
dead?  These others are more obscure, some sort of
warning maybe, and this one means respect.  That one is
the sun or day.  I think that it is warning us to
respect the sanctuary of the dead and to drop off our
dead only by day. How creepy."

"It's been my experience that dead men're less trouble
than the living, and my guess is whoever carved those
letters was just trying ta cow any would-be grave
robbers," Pike said.

"There could be some serious booty up in those mounds.
Sometimes they bury people with their gold rings and
such on 'em," Backster said.

"Let's go have another look at the graveyard and see if
this warning did the trick 'r not," Pike said.

After the group climbed their way back up to the field
of stones, Pike led the way South.

"These mounds closest to the canyon are a little
smaller and flatter.  I'd say they're older.  Let's see
if we can find something newer."

The search led to the Southern edge of the field.

"Give me a hand here.  None of these looks real fresh,
but they're taller and newer than the ones to the
North," Pike said.

Rapina helped the others move the stones.

"Hehheheh, it don't look like that warnin' was very
successful. All we got here is a few scraps o' old
linen.  There ain't even a body."

"But what kind of grave robber takes the valuables and
the bones?" Rapina asked.

"Likely they ditched the bones in one of these other
mounds," Backster replied.

The tattooed elf was staring at the ground intently. He
kept looking from the ground to an outcropping of rock
a short distance away.  "I sense the caress of the
shadow here." Doanthalas stood up and walked over to
the rock outcropping.  He discovered that the
outcropping hid a cave entrance.  The elf beckoned the
others closer and pointed at the runes chiseled into
the rock.

Pike and the others came to look.  "More letters,
Rapina."

"Hall of the Dead," Rapina said matter of factly.  "It
must be a cave that's been turned into a mausoleum. Let
me take a look at these smaller runes just above the
entrance." ---

[Rapina]011 Hall of the Dead


Backster opened an ancient bamboo gate that fit into
the entrance and stepped in.

"Hold on, you're supposed to intone some sort of prayer
before entering, at least that's what I think it says
here," Rapina said.

From inside the cavern Backster's voice echoed, "Oh
sure, gods grant me a heavenly hoard 'o booty. Damn
it's dark in here."

Rapina sighed. "That's no kind of prayer. Besides,
you're supposed to do it before you open the gate,
silly."

Rapina fished the crystal pendant out from beneath her
tunic. She took the little black leather sack off the
lighted crystal and put it in her belt pouch. She wore
the crystal light outside her shirt to provide light
for her party.

"Gold!" Backster shouted.

"Hold up Backster, yer gettin' too far ahead of us."
Pike unslung his axe and went into the tunnel with
Donal next to him.

Rapina followed, her light allowing them to see.

"AAAAAiiiiiih!" Backster screamed.

Just inside, the cavern was like a narrow hall that
slanted downwards. After about twenty feet the corridor
widened and leveled off. Carved into the sides of the
level main tunnel were tiers of Coffin-sized dead-end
tunnels. There were three tunnels to a column, one near
the floor, one about waist-level and one above the
level of most men's heads. Each tunnel held a corpse.
Column after column of coffin tunnels lined the walls.

Currently Backster flew backwards out of one of the
waist-high tunnel entrances about fifteen feet down the
wide hall and on the East side. He held his face as
blood gushed from his eye sockets. A golden ring
clattered to the floor as he pulled out of the side-
tunnel. ---------------[click to see a rough sketch of
this room]

[you can only see the top side tunnels in this view
from above, but there are two more side tunnels below
each one pictured. All of the skeletons are on the map
though. If it looks like there are 2 or 3 in a side
tunnel, there is really only one in a tunnel but there
are 3 tunnels in a column.] ---------------

A boney hand dripping blood emerged from the tunnel
after Backster. A skull followed, then a bony hand
holding a dagger. The unholy skeletons of the dead
awakened from their slumber and began to boil out of
their resting-places. They were armed with ancient
blades, or wooden cudgels. The only sound they made was
the ticking of their boney feet on the stone floor.

For an instant, Rapina froze in horror. In some
rational corner of her mind, she idly wished she had
brought her big Roman shield.

In front of Rapina, Pike sprinted forward to try to
rescue Backster. The Norseman dodged the bony hands of
the emerging skeletons and got to Backster just as the
first of the emerging skeletons stood and lifted their
weapons. Pike cleaved the skull and rib cage of the
dagger-wielding skeleton about to spit Backster, then
tossed the pirate over his shoulder like a screaming
sack of potatoes.

It was then that the Norseman realized that numerous
skeletons had sealed off his retreat back to the party.
The skeletons had him trapped. Red rage swam before the
Norseman's eyes as he yelled a blood-curdling battle
cry.  In a single blow he shattered the skull and rib
cage of the skeleton coming out of the side tunnel at
the level of his head and danced to avoid the grasp of
the one emerging at his feet. Thankfully, he had
already dispatched the one from the waist level tunnel
on his side of the room, but the skeletons from the
other side were quickly emerging.

Pike's battle-cry snapped Rapina out of her dumbfounded
state. She flattened herself against the wall allowing
Drake, Donal and Doanthalas to get by her. At the same
time she drew her rapier and main gauche. From the
corner of her eye she saw Kent pushing on a slab of
stone that had slid from the ceiling near the entrance
to block their escape.

Donal rushed to within striking distance of the first
tier of side tunnels. As a skeleton emerged from the
top tier, Donal relieved it of its head with his broad
sword. To Donal's horror, the headless skeleton jumped
to the ground and swung its oaken cudgel at him, nearly
braining the pirate before he ducked -just in time.

The pirate brought his sword up chopping through
several ribs and sundering the spine of the skeleton.

Another skeleton from one tier lower came out of its
side tunnel and stood as the one from the tier near the
floor grabbed Donal's boot. In addition, the skeleton
that Donal had been fighting, now lacking a pelvis and
legs, swung its cudgel at the pirate's knees from its
position on the floor.

Donal parried the cudgel by slicing off both of the
skeleton's hands with a single stroke of his
broadsword. Simultaneously, he blocked the blow of the
ancient dagger of the second skeleton with his buckler.


The skeleton near the floor pulled itself out of its
side tunnel and bit into Donal's boot.

The pirate yelled obscenities as he dropped his sword
and grabbed the cudgel of the first skeleton.

Rapina realized the ever-valiant Drake was charging
forward to try to save Pike. She steeled herself and
slipped to the right. She used her main gauche to parry
the sword of the skeleton that tried to skewer her, and
severed its spine just below the rib cage with a swipe
of her rapier. As it's upper half fell, Rapina jumped;
pretending she was stamping on Trevor's instep, she
managed to largely shatter the monster's rib cage.

Although she was paying little attention to it, Rapina
saw Donal's fight and realized that swords were not the
best weapons against these creatures.

With cudgel in hand, Donal shattered the upper ribs of
his second skeleton while trying to stamp on the neck
of the third that was now biting into his foot.
Unfortunately, his stomping was unsuccessful and the
third skeleton pulled his legs as he tried to trample
it.

"Aaaagh!" The pirate toppled over.

Doanthalas slid the bastard sword from the scabbard he
wore on his back. The sword had an extra long handle so
that it could be wielded with one or two hands. He
opted for a two handed grip as he moved to help Donal.

The skeletons raised their weapons as Donal tried
desperately to escape. The skeleton that had brought
Donal down released its grip only to sink its teeth
deep into Donal's leg.

The young pirate screamed in pain and tried to kick the
skeleton away. He was unsuccessful. Donal closed his
eyes in anticipation of the killing blow that was sure
to come at any moment.

He flinched as a loud cracking noise filled the air and
shards of bone rained down around him. Donal opened his
eyes in time to see the remains of his attackers
clatter to the floor. The tattooed elf was standing
over him cutting swaths of destruction through the
ranks of the skeletons.

Drake noticed Doanthalas' technique from the corner of
his eye. Instead of fighting the skeletons as one would
fight a normal fleshy opponent, Doanthalas was aiming
his attacks at their rib cages. Instead of stabbing and
hacking in a downward motion, the elf was swinging his
sword in a side to side sweeping motion. It seemed to
be working so Drake adopted this technique and stepped
up to give Pike a hand.

Pike's heavy axe shattered skeletons right and left as
the Norseman whirled and side-stepped to dodge the
clubs and blades of his supernatural foes. He stayed
near the wall, jumping past columns of openings when he
could.

The Norseman swung again, another opponent shattered,
its bones tangling with the bones of the creature
behind it, but the stupid creature came forward just
the same. Pike caught its club and kicked it backwards
breaking its hold. At the same time he shattered one of
it's comrades to his right as his axe continued to
weave patterns in the air. Pike roared and jumped
forward as a third skeleton opened a gash in his side.

The Norseman flipped the big club he had wrested from a
skeleton end for end, caught it and swung it with
gusto, his mighty muscles sweating with red rage. The
skeleton that had cut him disintegrated into a hail of
bones as the mighty Viking's club came down through
both skull and rib cage.

"Hang on Backster, I got ta use both hands 'er we're
both dead men!" He bellowed.

The next skeleton Rapina encountered swung a heavy
club. So heavy that the parrying strength behind
Rapina's main gauche was not sufficient. The blow drove
Rapina's left hand side. Her main gauche clattered to
the floor as her nerveless hand released it.

With her good hand she swung hard and shattered one of
the hands of the monster. Her blade bit into its other
wrist but did not sever it.

With only one hand, the creature brought up its club to
strike again, but it was much too slow. Rapina severed
it's good arm at the shoulder with her rapier and
kicked it hard in the ribs. It flew back into one of
its advancing comrades and they both went down in a
tangle of bones. Rapina grabbed the skeleton's cudgel
and sheathed her rapier while the two tangled skeletons
struggled to get up.

Her left hand was weak, but she directed healing energy
to it and swung the cudgel with both hands and all her
strength. One of the skeletons shattered, the other
flew to the side with pieces of the first entangled in
its ribs. She advanced trying to protect Drake's right
flank as he charged forward.

The skeletons advanced steadily. They did not plan
their attacks defensively for they had no brains and
they did not fear for their lives. The search party,
however, did fear for their lives and rightly so.  The
skeletons outnumbered them by more than three to one.
They needed some kind of strategy if they were to
survive. As it was the skeletons had them separated
into two small groups. Kent, Rapina, Doanthalas and
Donal were fighting with their backs to the cavern
entrance.

Drake had fought his way to Pike and Backster. Pike and
Drake were in a bind. Skeletons surrounded them and
Backster was in no condition to fight. The members of
the search party knew how to fight, but none of them,
except for one member, had any experience in the
tactics of large scale battles. This hardly qualified
as a large scale battle, but the idea was the same.
Whoever fought harder and smarter would be victorious.

"We're Trapped!" Kent screamed.

"We can retreat back towards the closed entrance, it's
much narrower there but we have to get to Pike and
Drake, They're only ten feet away now but there are so
many skeletons! Rapina shouted.

Donal came limping back to Rapina and Kent. "Damned
pile o' bones bit me!" He swung his cudgel and
shattered another skeleton that stepped too close to
him.

The sylvan elf deftly swept his leg in a half circle as
he crouched near the ground. Two skeletons went
tumbling to the floor. Doanthalas brought his sword in
a powerful upwards arc and cleaved a third skeleton in
two.

A few quick steps and shattered skeletons later the
tattooed elf had fought his way back to Rapina, Kent
and Donal. The three of them looked fine, but Pike,
Backster and Drake were in deep trouble. Soon the
skeletal warriors would overrun them.

"Rapina, Donal With me!" The elf shouted as he stepped
forward and swung his bastard sword in a tight arc
shattering the torso of another skeleton. "We must
clear the way for our comrades! Kent, guard our backs!"


terror paralyzed The young pirate. Otherwise, he might
have told the presumptuous elf where to go. For the
moment, it was all Kent could do to hold on to his
weapon. His hands were shaking so badly.

Rapina ducked and swung the cudgel she had rescued from
one of the skeletons she had fought. Several of the
upper ribs of the nearby undead monster broke and fell
away, but unlike Doanthalas, Rapina lacked the strength
always to shatter a skeleton with one blow. It often
took Rapina two or even three blows to destroy a
skeleton, and the floor was treacherous. Some of the
skeletons Doanthalas had cut in half at the lower ribs
were still animated. Although they had no legs, they
still tried to swing weapons, or crawl along the floor
towards their opponents.

Rapina tried a different tactic, she held the club with
both hands wide, using it to parry the heavy club of
the skeleton while she kicked the skeleton in the ribs.
Her kick did little actual damage, but the skeletons
were not very heavy and a good kick sent them flying.
They usually fell or got entangled with their comrades.
For one of her strength, the tactic worked better than
trying to hack away at a skeleton while others got too
close.

Although he was hurt and more than a bit scared Donal
heeded the elf's words. If he had thought about it, he
might have given Doanthalas attitude. After all who had
put him in charge? However, for the moment his words
seemed to make sense.

Pike yelled to Drake above the din of weapons and
skeletons, "Back to back, mate an' stick w' me an the
East wall. If ye can cover my butt, I can cut are way
back ta the others."

The number of skeletons coming in from the South nearly
overwhelmed Drake but he gritted his teeth and kept his
broadsword in constant motion, straining his powerful
arm to do maximum damage.

His back protected for the moment, Pike directed both
of his weapons forward. When Rapina struck, she was
lucky to break away several of a skeleton's ribs, but
when the mighty Norseman struck, a skeleton positively
exploded with every blow. Pike saw Doanthalas fighting
his way towards him as he fought towards the elf.

Rapina was so happy with the way her kicking strategy
was working that she turned her head to see if Kent had
seen it and taken it up. Her moment of vanity saved her
life. As she looked back she saw a cudgel descending to
brain her, she ducked just enough that the blow hit her
across the shoulder blades rather than shattering her
skull. The wind was knocked from her and she was driven
to the floor with an oof!

Although wounded when the headless skeleton surprised
him and its two buddies got the best of him, Donal was
a good fighter. Captain Red Jack was a wise man and had
made sure that three of the pirates he had sent out
were seasoned veterans. His bit foot hurt like the
devil but Donal turned when he heard Rapina go down,
parried a club blow and kicked the skeleton West to
clear some room.

Kent had taken a fright. a skeleton swinging a cudgel
had him cornered in the Northeast corner of the room.
The only trouble was, the skeleton did not seem to have
a brain in its head and its back swing kept knocking
into the wall. Without a back swing it was not
inflicting bone-shattering damage on the recruit, it
was just giving him a good beating with short swings
and scaring the daylights out of him with its gnashing
teeth and vacant eyes. Donal's kick bounced a skeleton
against the back of the one trying to pummel Kent to
death and drove it forward so it momentarily bashed
into Kent, it's boney teeth bruising his jaw.

Rapina gasped as she hit the floor. Skitch had taught
her how to take a fall when a big boy hit her in order
not to add insult to injury. As she went to stand, she
saw boney feet advance on her. She was weaponless; the
blow to her back had knocked the club out of her hands
along with her wind. Rapina grabbed the ankles of the
skeleton and swung it as she stood. She released it and
it skidded off the top of one of its compatriot's
skulls and slammed into the opposite wall where it
struggled to stand, oblivious to its cracked skull.

Donal grinned, "now thar's a wench!," he said as he
shattered another skeleton with his cudgel.

Drake was fighting with every ounce of his strength and
speed. He had been forced to sheath his parrying dagger
so he could use his broadsword in both hands. The
dagger was useless against the skeletons anyway. He
found his feet were a better weapon. When the skeletons
got especially thick, driving them back was a better
idea than cleaving them. They were so stupid they all
crowded into each other and a good kick would send a
bunch of them falling to the floor like dominoes. Then
Drake could shatter one that did not fall with his
sword while the dupes got up.

Pike exploded the last skeleton between Doanthalas and
him.

"Slip behind me along the wall, Drake. We've made it to
our mates."

Pike stepped forward just enough to let Drake by. He
turned and shattered a skeleton with his club while the
flat of his battle axe turned a second into a shower of
bones. All the while the Norseman moved slowly sideways
toward the North wall. When Drake was by him, he turned
to face fully south and backed North in a fighting
retreat.

Rapina grabbed the rear ribs of the skeleton that was
terrorizing Kent and heaved it. Luckily, the skeletons
were quite light.

After slipping by Pike, Drake helped Doanthalas fight
the skeletons attacking from the West as Donal and
Rapina cleared the Northeast corner, turning it into a
safe zone.

Seeing Drake and Doanthalas now protected him, Donal
took his broadsword from the floor of the Northeast
corner of the room and quickly sheathed it. At the same
time, he picked up Rapina's cudgel and handed it to
her.

Rapina saw Drake run into the entrance tunnel and
followed.  Donal behind her pushing Kent in front of
him.

Pike and Doanthalas took up positions at the southern
end of the narrower entry tunnel just before the point
where the tunnel widened and leveled off.  They fought
a pitched battle with a hoard of skeletons coming at
them from the main room.  Fortunately, the tunnel would
only admit two or three skeletons abreast, so the
number of opponents the men had to fight at a time was
much more manageable.

Drake faced two skeletons that had already been in the
entry tunnel when he entered and Pike and Doanthalas
had cordoned it off. As Rapina entered the narrower
corridor, the light she carried provided better
illumination. To Drake's horror, he saw that one of the
skeletons still had bits of flesh clinging to its
bones. "Cudge, is that you?"

The Skeleton vacantly swung a broadsword at Drake who
parried with a clang.

Rapina ducked as the second skeleton took a swing at
her. She drove the end of her cudgel forward into the
pelvis of the skeleton like a battering ram and knocked
it backwards. It fell against the slab that blocked the
entryway and began to scramble to its feet. While it
was scrambling, Rapina jumped forward and shattered its
right shoulder.

As he parried, Drake stepped in and kicked the knee-cap
of the skeleton. The bones snapped and the skeleton
fell sideways still swinging its blade. It cut into the
side of Drake's boot and slightly wounded his calf as
he tried to dodge.

Drake's sword severed the neck of the skeleton and its
skull went rolling across the floor. Undaunted, it
lifted its blade to take another swing. Drake drew his
parrying dagger and jumped to the right.

Rapina dodged right but took a glancing blow to the
hip. Her cudgel took out four ribs on the left side of
the skeleton. The skull from Drake's opponent rolled
towards her, its teeth still gnashing.

Rapina jumped back, and when her Skeletal opponent came
forward she was ready. She crouched and took out one of
the skeleton's knees. It fell and she shattered its rib
cage before it could rise again.

The Norseman grinned at Doanthalas as three more
brainless bags of bones approached and were shattered
by the two muscular fighters. Pike's eyebrows raised -
the rib of one of the skeletons he had shattered did
not fly right. "Heads up back there."

Donal looked in Pike's direction, his mouth opened as
something whistled like breath blown over the mouth of
a bottle. A flying rib stabbed him in the gut with much
more power than a simple flying object. Donal
instinctively dropped his cudgel and grabbed the bone.
His quick reflexes saved his life. He bled profusely,
but he muscled the bone out of the wound in his gut and
got a two- handed grip on it. It was alive as though
the entire strength of a skeleton had clung to it.
Donal muscled the bone against the stone wall and
rubbed it there, but all he did was work off it's
jagged point.

Damn, Drake thought. The new skeleton, whichever pirate
it had recently been, had bones stronger and less
brittle than its drier and more aged comrades did.
Drake realized his last swing should have gone through
the neck and shoulder of the skeleton but it had not.

Drake charged in, parrying the blade of the skeleton
and severing its arm near the shoulder. The skeleton's
broadsword clattered to the floor and Drake swung and
swung again, this time severing the other arm of the
creature. The arms crawled towards him pulling
themselves along with their fingers. Drake swung again
and again slicing the ribs off the creature and
sundering the pelvis. He was about to stamp on the
creature's fingers when Rapina called out.

"Wait! No one is going to believe this unless we have
proof."

Drake nodded. He grimaced and picked up one of the
arms.

Rapina picked up the other arm and the skull. The
fingers and jaw were still moving, trying to kill.

Donal took a stout burlap bag from his belt pouch.
"Here, put those in the bag, Drake, and Rapina see what
ye can do fer Backster.

Rapina found that Backster's right eye was a ruin, but
his left eye would be okay, there was a deep cut just
above it where a skeletal finger had glanced off.
Rapina cleaned the wound and applied a bandage. She
gave Backster some herbs for the pain from his ruined
eye.

Pike and Doanthalas shattered skeleton after skeleton
until finally the last one lay in pieces at their feet.
"Damn! I'm bruised or bleedin' on most parts of my
body, but that was one hell of a fight," Pike said.

"That was the best fightin' I've seen a 'green' recruit
do in years," Pike winked at Doanthalas. 'Course the
important thing for fighting these brainless bags o'
bones seems ta be strength and endurance, and I know ye
got 'em both from havin' had that bout we had
tagether." Pike grinned and turned to Rapina. "What do
the wounds look like?"

"Backster's lost an eye, but I think the other eye will
be okay as soon as the gash above it heals. Donal has a
bad belly wound and a deep bite in his foot. I got hit
across the back and on the hip, but I was pretty
lucky."

Pike helped himself to some bandages and supplies from
Rapina's pack and patched up several nasty gashes he
had received.

Rapina finished Donal and looked at Kent while Drake
and Doanthalas patched up their own hurts. Kent was
severely bruised all over his upper body but Rapina
could not help but realize that Kent's pride had taken
a worse beating.

"The way I see it, we better see if we can get out 'a
this place. That slab's real stone. Before today I'd 'a
said there was no magic about it. Now I figure there
could be.  On the other hand, one of these skeletons
might a triggered it from one o' these restin' holes.
Those of ye who're not too badly wounded, lets give 'em
a search. Any booty ye find goes in this bag,
understand? We'll take a look at the skeletons fer
rings, daggers 'an swords too, though most of 'em had
clubs."

There were a number of silver and several gold rings.
Most of them were on the fingers of shattered
skeletons. Rapina retrieved her main gauche and went to
the Southern end of the wide hall of the dead. There
was another doorway there blocked by a slab of stone.
Above the doorway were more runes.

When Doanthalas climbed into the top-most resting place
on the Northwest wall, his weight triggered something,
and the slab slid up and out of the way of the
entrance. Everyone was much relieved. It turned out
that even the weight of a skeleton in that side tunnel
would keep the entry open, but when the weight was
removed, the slab slid back to block the entryway.

Still deciphering the runes above the door, Rapina
said, "No wonder there was not much booty here, these
were probably all commoners. This next door leads to,
"The Hall of Eminence," and we're supposed to make the
sign of man to enter." There was a pentacle carved into
the wall next to the door. At each point, a stone stud
could be pushed.

Pike waved his hand. "We'll go no farther now. Are
first duty is ta get Backster and Donal back ta camp
and make our report before dark."

Rapina nodded. She wanted to make sure she had the sign
of man right anyway. She had not really been paying a
lot of attention to signs, but she was pretty sure that
one of Captain Red Jack's old holy books had several
different signings in it for banishing evil spirits and
such.

The still-animated arms and skull of the fresh skeleton
were put in a bag tied to the end of a cudgel for Drake
to carry. All other still-living pieces were destroyed
save the, "singing bone," that had stabbed Donal. He
had worn the jagged, pointed ends of the bone smooth
against the stone wall and worked the marrow out of the
bone with his boot knife and small shards of bone. He
stashed the six-inch piece of bone in his stoutest belt
pouch with the strings tied tightly closed. The bone
was ever intent on stabbing him but now lacked points.
Just the same, it pushed on him with a fair amount of
force. This made the pirate stagger even more than he
should have, given his wounded foot. The singing bone
was unique in that it seemed to have nearly the full
strength of a skeleton to it. Whereas the other still
animated bones could not lift off the ground and fly,
the singing bone seemed to be able to fly around
without trouble. The party hurried back to the pirate
camp and arrived just as the sun sank below the
horizon. With the wounded, the going had been much
slower on the way back. When they arrived, Pike
reported to the captain. After a few minutes, he called
the others in.

"So, I hear ye had an adventure. I'm hav'in a heap 'o
trouble believin' what Pike has told me, but 'e says ye
insisted on keepin' some souvenirs for me ta see, did
ye lass?"

Rapina nodded. "Drake is carrying them in that sack."

"Good thinkin' girl, let me see 'em. I'm 'bout ready ta
have Pike put in a cage fer bein' daft."

Drake opened the sack and dumped the contents carefully
out onto the captain's table. The severed bony arms
wasted no time pulling themselves along by their
fingers towards the Captain who was the closest person
to the table after Drake stepped back. The scull rolled
a bit then rocked as it gnashed its teeth. The skeletal
fingers seemed slower and weaker, though the skull
still seemed to gnash its teeth with exuberance.

"Mother o' all the gods, Pike is a sane man after all,"
the captain grinned. So this is what happened ta Blade?
What a harrible end he most 'o met. He'll make a grisly
souvenir though, 'e will.

Now what o' this flyin' bone that pegged Donal?

Donal limped forward and removed his belt pouch. "It's
in here captain, but it's been trying ta stab me ever
since it did the first time. Donal held his belt pouch
out to the captain who took it. The pouch pushed on the
captain as it sensed a presence nearer than Donal and
attempted to stab it.

The captain's eyebrows shot up. "That be strange
stuff." The captain kept the pouch. Ye can take that
back later if ye want it, ye earned it takin' th' belly
wound. Fer now let's keep it out 'o the men's sight.

The captain looked at Rapina. "Pike says ye read some
old runes fer the group 'an there's another door with
writin's as well. Do ye know how to open it?

"I think so sir, but I need to check one of your books
to make sure I have it right."

"Ye did good. Pike said ye killed yer share o'
skeletons an kicked many o' 'em back when ye found that
warr easier for ye than killin' em outright."

"Yes sir, Pike and usually Doanthalas and Drake could
make them shatter by hitting them hard, but I could not
hit them hard enough to finish one in a single blow.
They were very light, though, so once I discovered
kicking them, I usually did that and I threw a couple
too."

The captain chuckled. "Ye got guts Rapina, some would
'ave bet ye would freeze first time ye saw real
combat."

Rapina blushed, "Well, actually I did freeze, but
Pike's battle cry snapped me out of it."

"Well, well, I guess that old battle roar 'o yers is
worth somethin' after all, Pike," the captain smiled.

"Kent, yer maps 'r excellent, but ye were a liability
in th' combat. A pirate that can't fight gets dead
fast. Th' way I heard it, the fact ye were in a corner
and the skeleton attackin' ye was brainless, saved yer
life. It would be a shame ta loose one w' yer talents.
I know th' enemies ye fought taday weren't exactly
normal and ye didn't have combat instincts ta fall back
on like Pike, 'er Donal, 'er Doanthalas.  Nevertheless,
Rapina did okay, an' Drake helped Pike outa a spot
although he's green. I know I'm comparin' ye ta the
best in yer basic class, but ye got ta git yer combat
skills up. Usually, I just let a kid like ye sink 'er
swim on 'is own, but I don't get many men w' a head
like yers on their shoulders, so I've given Roger
orders ta get ye more combat trainin'. See that ye
apply yerself, as ye've seen, yer life depends on it.

The rest of ye, listen up. Pirates can be a
superstitious lot, 'an what ye encountered weren't at
all natural. I want ye ta keep a tight lip. Anyone asks
ye how ye got wounded, ye tell 'em it were, "natives 'o
the isle," and don't tell em they tried ta carve ye
even though they were already dead. I'll make sure the
guard posts have some hefty clubs around in case any o'
these boney nightmares attack.

Pike has told me about the other water entrance ta the
isle Southeast 'o here. Soon as we can we'll set up a
base camp there and ye can try ta get ta the bottom o'
this. In the mean time, lick yer wounds and I'll have
Rapina study up on this matter again before ye go out.
Remember ta keep the lips buttoned, I don't want the
men spookin' on me. Don't talk about what happened even
if no one else is around. Save it fer later.

Fer now, I see ye've brought me some booty. I'll be
givin' ye some money out of it if ye earned it. Drake,
I know ye have weapons, an' I loaned Doanthalas that
bastard sword. Far as I'm concerned, Doanthalas, ye
have a couple 'o weapons comin' to ye. Logan will show
ye through the weapons crates tomorrow an' ye can pick
out a set 'o hand weapons for yer own, includin' that
sword if ye can find nothin' better."

"Rapina, I'd like ta talk ta ye more about these
supernatural creatures an' such. Please come by after
yer bath."

Rapina nodded.

"Good work, mates. 'Less ye have somethin' ta add, yer
dismissed," the captain said. Doanthalas, watch yer
back.  That damn Brackston has half the pirates
thinkin' ye summoned those demons last night, an I
can't tell 'im what really happened or the other half
'o me men'll be shakin' in their boots just as hard as
the ones Brackston's got to. Stick w' yer friends. ---

Later that night after seeing, Beck, Fishy and Pike,
Rapina arrived at the captain's clean from her bath.

Scary day ye had wench. Sit down an' 'ave a glass 'o
wine.

Rapina sat down on Red Jack's couch and snuggled
against the captain as she drank wine from a glass he
had handed her.

"What do ye make o' these skeletons. Where do ye
suppose they're comin' from an' how do ye figure one o'
me own men was turned into one of 'em.

"It has to be necromancy, I think. The magic book talks
about the theory behind necromancy. It all has to do
with life force. People have it, dead men don't, and
undead men have less than none, like a suction or a
debt. That's why they try to kill, they want the life
force of the living. I wish I knew more, but your
library isn't the best where supernatural monsters are
concerned. I think some of the holy books may talk
about the undead. A lot of priests feel it's their duty
to destroy them, and I guess some evil churches train
their priests in necromancy so they can create and
control the undead."

"Aye, I think ye're right. Those chests be full o' me
books, why don't ye get a start on findin' th' volumes
ye need while I finish the night's logs."

Rapina nodded. "Okay, I'll look for that one with the
signs too." Rapina found one or two of the books she
needed that night, but spent little time reading and
much more time moaning with pleasure beneath the
captain's capable hands.

[Rapina]012 Shadows of the Dead

It was three or four in the morning when there came a
scratching on the tent flap accompanied by the dim glow
of an oil lantern turned down low, and the whisper of
Logan's voice. "Sir, we have a problem."

"Nay, again? Come in an' tell me about it."

"We've lost the Southeast watch post, sir," Logan said
opening the tent flap. Suddenly Logan dropped the
lantern he was carrying and lurched to catch it in mid
air before it spilled. The light flickered and shadows
danced but Logan caught the lantern before it hit the
floor. "Aai! Jus' had the mother 'o chills, been having
'em off and on since we checked the post."

"Didn't we double the guard ta tha Southeast?" the
captain asked while getting out of bed and fetching his
robe?

Rapina held the covers to her neck with one hand while
she got her sheathed crystal light pendant from the bed
post and slipped it on over her neck with the other.
She hoped whatever was attacking would stick to picking
off guard posts as it had last night, but she felt a
foreboding presence and feared that would not be so. As
soon as Logan left, Rapina thought maybe she would get
up, but right now, she was not wearing even a stitch of
clothing.

"Aye, an' had we not we'd 'ave never heard the single
scream that marked the passin' o' the men," Logan said.

"Did ye re- iiiiee! aaa! ssss!, I got yer aaaa! oooh!
rrrr! chills! Damn it what's aaaaiiiuuuooou! gonin' on?
The captain grimaced and cringed this way and that as
chills struck him.

Rapina could hear yelling outside the tent in the
direction of the water that was only about two or three
score paces away.

When the guards at the Northeast guard post had
mysteriously disappeared with only a scream to mark
their passing, Logan had sent a man to rouse the
pirates early.  Someone had gotten past the sentries,
and Logan did not want the men killed in their sleep. -
--

The sylvan elf splashed cool water onto his face. He
stood there for a few minutes basking in the
invigorating feeling of cleanliness. Doanthalas opened
his eyes and stared at the stars. They twinkled, as
they seemed to dance in the heavens. It felt as if they
were beckoning the tattooed elf to come dance with them
in the sky. Some of the burden lifted from his heart as
his spirits soared for a moment.  A moment later they
came crashing down as his thoughts turned to the recent
encounter with the skeletons. Although his body was
clean of the dirt and bone fragments from the fight his
soul still felt tainted.  Something was dreadfully
wrong if the dead walked this island.

Doanthalas seemed to be lost in thought again. Drake
noticed that the elf would frequently stop whatever he
was doing and stare at some fixed spot somewhere in the
distance. The muscles in his face would move in such a
manner that his facial tattoos seemed to come alive. It
was a bit disconcerting at first, but Drake was getting
used to the strange elf and his ways. In spite of the
fact that Doanthalas did not engage in conversation
often Drake was taking a liking to him.

"So...Doanthalas....what's it like being the only elf
around so many humans? Doesn't it make you
uncomfortable?"

The only reply the elf made was a slight shaking of his
head. There was no way to describe to Drake the horrors
he had borne witness to. The battle with the skeletons
had been a walk in the park compared to some of the
battles he had fought. Living with humans was far
preferable to being the slave of fiends so grotesque
that their faces haunted Doanthalas' reverie every
night.

Seeing that nothing more was forthcoming from
Doanthalas Drake continued, "I know we're not supposed
to talk about it, but..." He looked from side to side
and whispered. "Do you think there are more of them up
there? There's got to be. When we found the
other...er...body and those skeletons... well... I
don't think it was them that dragged the body away.
What do you think?"

Doanthalas dunked his head under the water and then
threw his head back spraying water into the air as his
long hair whipped backwards. He fixed his emerald eyes
on Drake and spoke in the clear methodical manner he
always did, "When the dead walk the earth the living
must rise up and put their spirits to rest. Otherwise
the living are doomed to join the dead in their
tormented walking..."

Had anyone else said those same words Drake would have
dismissed them as being drunk or crazy or both.
However, Doanthalas said it with such utter conviction
that there was no doubting his words. The young man
fell silent and looked off in the distance towards the
cliffs. A feeling of dread was fast descending upon
him. All Drake wanted to do was get off the island as
fast as possible.  The noise made by some of the other
pirates bathing a little further down distracted him.
The other pirates still didn't trust Doanthalas enough
to linger too close to him. This annoyed Drake, but
what annoyed him more was the sight of Edgar and Kent
talking in hushed tones and looking in his direction.

"He's a demon I tell ya. Look at him! You're right for
not trusting him! He's a danger to us all. That story
about shadow men or whatever he called them was made
up.  We both know it was him who killed the two guards.


Kent looked at Drake and Doanthalas bathing in the
distance. The elf seemed to be oblivious of his
watchful gaze, but Drake noticed Kent watching them.
The young man averted his eyes and turned to talk to
Edgar. "What do you care Edgar? You don't give a damn
about anyone in the camp except for maybe Trevor."

Edgar scowled and grabbed Kent roughly by the arm.
"That's not true and you know it! You and Drake were
like brothers to me until we ended up here. As soon as
we were here you both turned your backs on me! Sure I
started a lot of trouble myself...I don't deny it. I
like trouble! But, not once did you or Drake stand up
for me. When that pirate beat me down you and Drake
just stood there like cowards! At least Trevor cared
enough to see that I was okay. And not once did you
check up on me to see how I was coming along. Not once.
I've been watching you and Drake every step of the
way." He stopped for a moment to catch his breath and
stared at Kent.

The young man lowered his eyes. He knew there was some
truth to Edgar's words. Some of the facts had been
distorted, but the meaning remained unchanged. "You're
right...Edgar. I'm sorry. I've been so wrapped up in
what I've been doing that I have totally neglected
you."

"Don't worry about it too much runt. Drake obviously
isn't. Look at him over there being all buddy buddy
with that damnable elf." He hissed the last word like
it left a bad taste in his mouth. "There's been nothing
but trouble since the elf was released from his cage."

"Yeah, but do you think he's the cause of it all?" Kent
asked.

"Hell yeah! And the question is what are we going to do
about it..."

Kent was about to respond when he felt a sharp pain in
his leg. It was like his flesh was being ripped open.
He tried to scream, but his body went rigid as all his
muscles tightened. His eyes darted around in terror as
his mind tried to come to grips with what had just
happened.

Edgar saw Kent's body jerk suddenly and his eyes
looking about wildly, but Edgar did not know how to
react. He was not sure what was going on until he saw
the hideous face of Kent's attacker rise from the
water. In his moment of terror and surprise, Edgar
backpedaled onto land falling backwards into the water
twice in the process. He grabbed his sword and leapt
back into the water with a loud cry.

By this time a few of the other pirates knew something
was amiss. They had heard Edgar's cry and also
witnessed another of their number being dragged under
the water. Chaos erupted as more of the hideous
creatures emerged from the water. Pirates scrambled for
their weapons as the creatures advanced. The creatures
skin had a pale sickly color to it and their teeth were
long and pointy. Long tongues twisted like serpents in
their mouths and their wild eyes scanned the camp. Any
clothing they wore was in tatters.

Drake turned as he heard Edgar's scream and started to
run in that direction. An iron grip on his shoulder
stopped him. He turned to shake off the hand only to
come face to face with the sylvan elf.

"Death comes to the foolish more swiftly than to the
prepared...man. Arm yourself my friend." Doanthalas
released his grip and raced onto the land. He knew that
the enemy they faced was more dangerous than the
pirates realized. These creatures were familiar to the
elf; he had seen and fought them before, but back then
he had been better prepared. He scooped up his sword as
well as Drake's. When Drake was close enough he tossed
him his sword and then raced off to engage the ghouls.

Edgar tried to position himself so that he could attack
the ghoul without harming Kent, but the ghoul seemed to
sense this and kept moving so that Kent was constantly
between it and Edgar. "Hang on Kent!" Edgar shouted.
"I'll get you out of this." As he said those words,
another ghoul emerged from the water beside him. He
turned and swung at it with all his might. The creature
jumped back well out of the way of the wild swing.

Drake saw the creature with Kent start to drag him
under the water. Drake Hoped he would get there in time
to save Kent.  Doanthalas' strong legs were carrying
him to the battle more quickly than Drake could manage,
but that did not matter. Drake could only think of
helping his friend.

The sylvan elf raised his sword to attack as he closed
on the two ghouls engaged with Kent and Edgar. He was
going to help Kent, but the ghoul on Edgar succeeded in
slashing its claws across the young man's chest.
Doanthalas saw Edgar go rigid and knew that the ghoul
would devour him if he did not do something fast. Drake
would have to help Kent. The tattooed elf brought his
sword down swiftly slicing the ghoul's arm off neatly
at the shoulder.

The fight taking place in front of him didn't register
at all. The only thing that Edgar could see was the
ghoul dragging Kent under and Drake struggling feebly
to stop it.

"Let him go!" Drake screamed as he sank his sword into
the ghouls back. The ghoul didn't even flinch. It just
kept walking further out into the water dragging Kent
with it. Drake hacked at it some more and knocked off
big chunks of flesh, but the ghoul just turned and
swatted him with its meaty hand. Drake only felt the
sting of the blow for a moment. His muscles tightened
immediately as the claws on the ghouls' hand scraped
his face. He could do nothing to stop his fall as he
fell backwards into the water. The sounds of battle
faded as the water enveloped him. Try as he might, he
could not will his muscles to move. "Gods! I'm going to
drown!", he thought. Fear gripped him as surely as the
paralysis had.

The ghoul had turned on Doanthalas after the loss of
its arm. It pressed its attack with a cunning rivaling
that of some of the best pirates in the camp. A clawed
hand raked across his chest, but apart from the blood
flowing from the wound, Doanthalas seemed unaffected.
He swung his sword deftly and proceeded to dismember
the ghoul. The severed pieces of the ghoul sank swiftly
to the bottom. Doanthalas turned and lifted Drake's
rigid body from the water. Luckily he was still
breathing. As the elf hoisted the form of Drake from
the water he scanned the area for any sign of Kent. For
a moment there was no sign of him. Then a large group
of bubbles broke the surface of the water off in the
distance. Doanthalas knew that all hope of rescuing the
boy was lost at that moment. He grabbed the rigid forms
of Edgar and Drake and dragged them to shore.

What was he doing? The elf had just left Kent to die.
He could have dove in after them and saved him, but he
didn't. That damned elf! Tears streamed down Edgar's
eyes and he would have sobbed if he had control of his
body. At least Drake had tried to help.

Drake was feeling the same grief that Edgar was,
although he wasn't blaming Doanthalas for Kent's fate.
He knew there was nothing the elf could have done.
Instead, he blamed himself for getting there too late
and allowing the ghoul to paralyze him.

The elf turned quickly as a noise caught his attention.
Another ghoul had crept up on him while he was dragging
Drake and Edgar out of the water. He stood there
weaponless trying to figure out what to do. He had left
his sword a few paces back so he wouldn't accidentally
stab one of the boys. Time seemed to slow down as he
turned and prepared to make a dash for his sword. A
combination of water and sweat rolled down his face
tracing the contour of his cheek. A rivulet of blood
ran down his chest as he turned and dug his feet in.
The ghoul slashed at Doanthalas with its clawed hand
just as a point of light caught the elf's attention. A
drop of blood hung off of his chest for a split second
before falling. It spattered to the ground just as a
flaming arrow embedded itself into the back of the
ghoul with a loud thunk-poof.

Doanthalas seemed to have a demonic look to him as the
light from the flames danced across his tattooed form.
The tattoos seemed to come alive and writhing and
twisting around his body as he embraced the ghoul and
they both burst into flames.

Arzeal nocked another flaming arrow and took aim. These
arrows were special, and Arzeal had bought many of them
from a tinker.  They had proved invaluable against the
rigging of enemy ships. Each was tipped with a glass
bulb full of resinous spirits and coated with the same
sort of pine tar used for torch-heads. The archer set
the bulb aflame and fired. When the arrow hit, the bulb
burst - splashing the target with a cloud of flaming
resin.  He did not want to hit Doanthalas, but that was
a chance he would have to take if he wanted to save
him. "Damn!" He muttered as the ghoul bowled the sylvan
elf over and they both burst into flames. He would have
to grieve for his friend later, for now he targeted
another ghoul.

Two other ghouls had surfaced a little further down and
were wreaking havoc on the few pirates that had been
bathing there. One pirate fell quickly to the ghouls
attack and was dragged to a watery grave like Kent had
been. the other fought the remaining pirates. Had they
not been gripped by sheer terror the pirates might have
mounted a formidable defense and defeated the ghoul.
But the ghoul managed to paralyze most of them before
being driven back into the water by a combination of
attacks from the remaining pirates and a flaming arrow
embedded in its neck. Reinforcements arrived in time to
see the last ghoul disappear beneath the surface of the
water. They tended to their wounded comrades and
watched as the flaming ghoul and Doanthalas struggled
near Drake and Edgar.

The heat from the flame was unbearable, but the elf did
not worry. He focused on the task at hand, ripping the
ghoul limb from limb. He managed to maneuver the ghoul
close to his discarded sword as they struggled. The
ghoul had managed to inflict a few moderate wounds
during the struggle, but it was clearly distracted by
the fire. Doanthalas took advantage of the distraction
and reached for his sword. After a few tries, he
managed to grasp it. He hacked at the ghoul as they
struggled. His flesh felt like it was melting off his
skin, but the ghoul seemed to be in much worse shape.
Its skin was blackened and had melted completely off
some parts of its body. With a few agile strokes, he
managed to extract himself from the flaming creature.

The group of pirates that had witnessed the struggle
stared in awe as the flaming elf stood up straight and
tall apparently unharmed by the fire. As the last lick
of flame dissipated, they noticed for the first time
that his demonic looking tattoos were glowing an
unearthly shade of red.

The sudden silence was deafening to the elf. He looked
up and saw fear painted across every face in the
camp...including Pike who had reached the fight a
little too late to help. Doanthalas stood there
silently staring at the assembled crowd with his
emerald eyes. They knew nothing of what he had been
through...what he had gained and what he had lost.
There was no way he could make them understand so he
stood there in silence waiting for them to do
something.

Arzeal could not believe his eyes. Doanthalas was
unharmed! The flames had not so much as singed a hair
on his head. He was scared, that much was true. At the
same time he was fascinated. He stood at the head of
the group and studied the elf. He had no idea what he
should do or say, but he knew that he had to say
something before the frightened pirates took action.

---------------

Maybe it was instinct, or perhaps some part of Rapina's
intellect had noted a discrepancy in the way the
shadows had danced when Logan nearly dropped the
lantern.  For whatever reason, Rapina pulled the sheath
from the crystal light around her neck.

Light flooded the tent; the shadows disappeared - all
except three of them surrounding Captain Red Jack.

"Bastards!" the captain bellowed.

Logan drew his sword and lunged for the nearest shadow
as quickly as any man could have.

Red Jack slammed into one of the shadows with his foot,
which took a horrible chill. He jumped clumsily past
the downed shadow and drew his blade from where it hung
on the bedpost while the creature tried to regain its
feet.

Rapina jumped up in bed. The covers were still in her
hands and she threw them over the downed shadow as she
hopped over to Red Jack's side of the bed. Jack had
hung all of the weapons there. After throwing the
blankets, Rapina hurriedly drew her rapier.

Logan's blade pierced the monster nearest him. Wisps of
shadowy vapors erupted from the creature's chest as the
sword passed through it, but the thrust did not destroy
it. It turned and lunged, touching Logan's neck.
Iiieee!

The captain felt weak as a baby. It was all he could do
to muster an effective two-handed swing with his
broadsword, but muster he did, chopping down beside the
abomination's neck. The sword easily passed through the
neck, shoulder and upper chest of the creature that
spewed shadowy vapors with the passing blade, but the
creature seemed undaunted.

The shadow was too intent on the Captain's life force
to worry about the assault. It grabbed one of the
captain's arms and drained, regaining some of the life
force lost to its wound.

Aaaah! The creature's touch was so chill, and the
pirate captain could feel his strength being drawn away
from him.

Rapina swung her rapier like a baseball bat with both
hands and easily chopped right through the creature's
neck. A flood of shadowy vapors fountained from the
creature's neck around Rapina's moving blade, but its
head did not drop off.

Surprised for only an instant, the shadow tangled in
the blankets fought it's way out from under the covers.
Rapina heard more screams and yelling from the
direction of the water.

The shadow touched Logan's upper arm. The chill was
unbearable. Logan swung his sword right through the
creature's chest. vapors burst out from around the
blade as it sliced.

The shadow reached out and chilled the pirate captain
to the bone before his opponent's blade could touch
him.

Rapina reversed the direction of her swing and chopped
across and down through the shadow's neck and chest.

Jack felt so weak, his swing was slowed but as his
blade joined Rapina's already slicing through the
creature. The creature exploded into a harmless puff of
vapor.

Aaaaaa! The captain roared as the shadow that had
crawled out from under the blankets Rapina had thrown
over it grabbed his ankle. -

Logan went to swing his blade back through his shadow,
but the creature grabbed his elbow, the horrible chill
temporarily froze his joint. The pirate lieutenant
sidestepped towards his captain, he could see the other
creature was making a mess of him.

Now that Rapina realized the semi-ethereal nature of
her foe, she abandoned the two-handed swing, snapped
into a proper fencing stance and aimed her rapier at
the shadow that had just touched the captain's ankle.
Her blade entered the shadow's neck and sliced all the
way down through its back. Vapors erupted everywhere.

The shadow sprung away from the pain lancing its back,
turned and lunged to touch The captain.

The captain moaned as still more strength was torn from
him. Weakly he whirled around and brought his blade
through his tormenter -

Logan's shadow ducked unexpectedly and grabbed his
belly as Logan took up his sword with the other hand.
His swing only nicked the creature's head, but
thankfully, his elbow unfroze in the few seconds the
exchange took.

The mindful creature in tent on killing Jack dodged
Rapina's blade.

The captain swung weakly, but connected. Vapors poured
out as he cut a swath through the shadow.

The shadow's hand darted out and touched the captain's
face.

Logan's shadow jumped, sucking rich life force from his
victim's side and taking only a nick from his dangerous
blade.

A quick lunge to the pirate captain's vitals brought
another small taste of life force to Jack's shadowy
foe.

The captain felt so weak he could barely stand. Only
adrenaline held him up, but he was unable to muster an
effective blow.

As the captain staggered, Rapina stepped in between him
and the shadow and sliced a diagonal through the
shadow's upper chest.

The captain staggered a few steps backward then fell
when his legs failed to hold him up. All he could do is
lay helplessly by and watch the battle.

Logan was chilled to the bone, the horror he was
fighting was dodging too well. It touched Logan again
strengthening itself, and all he was able to do was
nick its side. A faster lighter weapon might have been
a better choice, he thought.

Rapina's blade hissed through the air and through the
shadow's chest leaving only a puff of vapors where once
the creature stood.

Logan spun and struck, but the shadow's lunge chilled
him again. It seemed that every time he struck the
monster, it struck him and used his energy to regain
its strength.

A tune Arzeal had played during her training was
singing though her head. Rapina leapt, and landed as
her rapier carved an "s" in the back of Logan's shadow.


Rapina almost felt guilty attacking the creature's
back, but not really, she struck again passing her
blade through the shadow from shoulder to waist.

The shadow took two vicious strikes to it's back, it
turned trying to touch it's victim and dodge the
terrible blade from behind at the same time, but in
doing both, it accomplished neither.

Logan felt so weak, but he was a fine swordsman.  He
took advantage of the creature's confusion and struck
successfully.


Rapina saw Logan was now holding his broadsword with
both hands and wavering a bit on his feet. As long as
the shadow had to face two opponents at once, it would
be at a disadvantage, but if Logan went down as the
captain had, they were doomed. Rapina steeled herself
and launched blade and body in an attempt to get
between Logan and the shadow.

Rapina's jump was too late! She knocked into the
creature's arm as it touched Logan.

Ahhhhh! Logan hissed as the creature nearly froze his
neck and shoulders. Just for a moment, the creature
paralyzed his arms with cold.

When Rapina's body hit the shadow's arm, it was already
draining Logan. Rapina's lust senses tingled wrongly as
she actually felt Logan's life force and just a bit of
her own travel up the creature's arm. It was like a
much less delicious rendition of the life force
traveling down a lover's manhood. Her mind reeled, was
she nothing more than a pretty shadow, draining men's
strength from them? Her blade whipped through the
creature's shoulder doing only a little damage but
helping her get firmly between it and Logan.

The woman that had cut its back so grievously had now
cut it off from its intended victim.  Nevertheless, he
had drank deeply of him before they parted. The shadow
reached out to relieve the woman of a portion of her
life energy.

Rapina gasped as the Shadow ducked her blade, grabbed
her lower thigh and ripped at her life force. She felt
nearly all of what little sex-magical energy she still
had stored in her breasts after the skeleton battle
leave her, but her strength was untouched. It was
obvious that what Rapina stored was some form of life
force. Rapina's rapier whipped back with a vengeance,
sundering the back of the creature for bringing her
such an unsettling realization.

Logan felt like a child, his sword was so heavy in his
hands, but as a child he had played with wooden swords
whenever he could. His weak two-handed blow cleaved
through the shadow's rear end spewing vapors in its
wake.

Logan watched as the shadow reached out to grab
Rapina's breast. He knew why she had put herself
between him and the shadow. His strength was nearly
gone, but as long as both pirates were standing, the
shadow would be taking double hits, and Logan meant to
make this one count. He grimaced as he put every
pitiful ounce of strength he had left into the blow and
cleaved through the shadow's side.

The shadow sensed a rich source of life force and
lunged to grasp it. Had it been any slower, it would
have died from Logan's blow, but the sustenance it
gained held it together just for an instant.

Rapina felt the last vestige of her stored power leave
her and then the horrible chill of strength being
wrenched from her. As the creature drained her, she
forced herself to remember what it must feel like when
a person gave more life force than she could afford.

Her rapier sung as it whipped through the shadow on a
diagonal. There was a puff of vapor and the monster was
no more.

Rapina rushed to see how the captain was faring. He was
sprawled on his back at the foot of the bed. "Jack, are
you okay?"

"I'm weak as a kitten girl, but I'm still barely
alive."

Logan staggered over to the captain and Rapina and sat
on the foot of the bed just above the captain.

"How are ye mate?" The captain asked.

"Nearly too weak ta stand, but alive as ye are,"
replied Logan.

"How about you, wench?"

"My chest feels like it's frost bit inside. My leg
wasn't hit as bad, but it's not so good either. Luckily
the shadow only hit me a couple of times.  I'm not as
weak as you guys are."

"I heard some commotion outside girl, but ye can't
leave us in this condition. Go ta the flap and see what
ye can see. Yell fer Drake 'an Pike or Arzeal. I need
ta know what's up and I need gardin' by someone I can
trust, cause I'm in no shape ta fight."

Rapina ran to the flap and opened it. She couldn't see
beyond the radius of her light so she just yelled out.
"ARZEAL! PIKE! DRAKE! Report to the captain's tent soon
as you can!"

Just then Rapina saw arms master Hock on the outskirts
of the illumination cast by her light. Rapina turned
back to the captain. "How about arms master Hock?"

"Is 'e out there? Bring 'im in."

[Rapina]013 Night Terrors

Rapina grinned and reopened the flap, "HOCK, in here on
the double! She relished giving the arms master an
order. It was a rare treat.

Hock came running up and blinked at Rapina and her
bright light.

Rapina felt her lust sense tingle, then realized that,
unless you counted a Rapier and two pendants, she
wasn't wearing any clothes.

Hock burst into the tent. "What's with th' naked
Valkyrie?"

Rapina blushed crimson

"It's th' latest in pirate-wench fashion," Jack
chuckled weakly. "See if you and Rapina can hoist me up
onto the bed an' prop me up. While yer at it, tell me
what's happenin' out there."

Hock looked at Logan, "aren't ye gonna help?"

"Sorry mate, I can barely lift a broadsword. I'm near
as wrecked as he is."

"What happened ta you men? I'd say ye'd been wenchin' a
bit too hard."

Logan started laughing, and he could not seem to stop.
Trouble was he was so weak already that the laugher
laid him out on the bed.

Rapina giggled and took the captain's feet while Hock
lifted him from behind under the arms. They carried him
to the head of the bed and propped him in a sitting
position against the headboard. Once they had the
captain situated, Rapina started dressing hurriedly.

"I just got done puttin'' a quadrupled guard on the
Southeast post 'an on me way back I heard a commotion
from the water front, an' then the wench ordered me in
here like a soldier."

"Careful Hock, any wench 'can last through me an Logan
at are best deserves a ton 'o respect," the captain
said firmly, trying to keep from laughing and failing
miserably.

Logan shook the bed with renewed laughter.

"We were attacked by somethin' in here, Hock, damndest
thing ye ever saw, livin' shadows with a touch chiller
than a winter day. Ye couldn't see em at all, an' their
touch drained yer strength an hurt ye too. They must
'ave come back from the Southeast guard post with
Logan, and I dare say they were lookin' fer me an
almost had me an Logan both dead ta rights.  Me lucky
wench saved are ass. Otherwise ye'd be runnin' th' camp
without us.

Hock raised his eyebrows. This was the first time he
had heard of a green recruit saving the Captain and his
right hand man.

"I know what yer thinkin' Hock, how could a recruit
just out o' basic save two seasoned pirates like us. Ye
have ta understand, fer some reason when I yelled out
about the chills, the wench got her mage light right
quick and opened it up. All the shadows in the room
disappeared but three and those three seemed ta all
want ta touch me some more. Logan drew on one, Rapina
jumped up an' tossed the covers over one I kicked out'
o' my way so I could get to me sword. She an I drew
steel and we was fightin' first the one, an' then the
other when it found it's way out from under the
blankets. The things were hittin' on me not her so I
warr the one gettin' weaker by the second."

"Near the end of the second shadow I was done for.
Rapina shielded me an' I staggered out o' the way and
went down, too weak ta stand. All I could do was watch,
but I had one hell o' a view from down on the floor
there," Jack grinned saltily. "She finished the second
one off 'an went an' did the same fer Logan as she did
fer me. By that time he was weak as a two-year-old."

Pike burst into the captain's tent visibly shaken. This
worried those present because not a one of them had
seen Pike shaken before. Ever. "Sir." He gasped as he
caught his breath. "There's been trouble down by the
water...we...were attacked by...by...hideous creatures.
We got two of them but they made off with two of our
men..." He paused and gave Rapina a meaningful look.
"Kent was one of them." Before the captain could say
anything he continued, "And there's something else
sir...The elf...Doanthalas...well he was fighting one
of the creatures when Arzeal sank a special flaming
arrow into it. It grappled with Doa...the elf...and
they both burst into flames."

"AND!!!" The captain said with an annoyed tone.

"Well sir. The ghoul was burned to a cinder,
but...but...the elf...he doesn't have a mark on
him...except for the claw and bite marks. The fire
didn't hurt him one bit! And that's not all! All the
men who the creatures struck were paralyzed. The elf
wasn't affected by that either. The men are scared sir.
'Can't say that I blame them, but they might do
something drastic. Arzeal has them under control for
the moment, but you'd better hurry." Pike paused as he
noticed for the first time the state that the captain
and Logan were in.

"So th' elf 'as been holdin' out on me, 'e failed ta
mention a magical power. Hock an' Roger always ask
about skills an powers. It'll go rough on 'im, but 'e
'as the skeleton battle 'an fightin'' th' ghouls ta 'is
credit.  Was 'e valuable in the ghoul fight?

"I think so, sir, I arrived after the battle had begun.
He helped kill the one ghoul I saw killed - the one
Arzeal set aflame with a special arrow.  The others
were only driven back under water by being set aflame.

"If I weren't weak as a babe, I'd have ye clap that elf
in chains an' bring 'im 'ere; 'e's got some serious
explainin' ta do.  Seein' as how I'm an invalid, I'll
deal w' him later. No one's ta see me like this but me
officers.  I need guards I can trust outside th' tent
flap.

'An believe me Pike, I'd be out thar ta beat th' men
down ta order in a heart beat, but I'm weak as a
kitten.  The things that killed th' Southeast guard
post followed Logan back ta me tent an' attacked us
here.  If it weren't fer me lucky wench, Logan an' I'd
be dead, 'er shadows, 'cause that's what th' creatures
that about killed us looked like.  Hock, what do ye
know about the undead?"

"Precious little, sir.  I've heard a few tall tales,
but nothin' I could put any stock in.  The way I hear,
most of 'em slink around at night.  They don't like the
daylight."

"Good, yer just the man fer the job.  Whip those
pirates inta shape, arm 'em up, move 'em back from th'
water, an' have 'em make a tight camp in a ring right
around this tent.  We need ta hold out till dawn.  Tell
'em th' water front weren't th' only attack we suffered
tanight.  Make sure they realize that the enemy so far
has only attacked at night, an' let 'em know I'll be
talkin' to 'em soon as me officers brief me on th'
various battles."

"Plant torches an' make fires.  We need plenty o'
light.

"Pike, send me Drake, an' Arzeal.  I need men I can
trust in here ta guard me."

"Speakin' o' answers, Rapina, get into them books, find
me everything ye can about undead monsters,
particularly any o' the ones we've seen."

"Everyone's got 'is orders, now go too."

There was a chorus of, "Yes sir," and everyone rushed
off, save Rapina who began to delve into the captain's
books there in his tent, and Logan who was too weak to
move much.

Rapina sniffed back her tears and told herself she
would cry for Kent later.  Her expression became very
serious, Kent was dead, and Doanthalas was in big
trouble.  She went to one of the chests of books and
began digging almost frantically, but the look in her
eyes was pure determination.

Soon arms master Hock's voice could be heard barking
orders rapid-fire outside.  Intermingled with the
orders were blood-curdling screams from here and there
around the periphery of the camp.  A little while later
Pike came into the tent.

"Here is Drake, sir, but he's in no condition for guard
Duty. One of those creatures on the water front gashed
him and froze him up solid. Edgar and a half dozen of
the men are the same way.  I had a devil of a time just
getting the sword out of Drake's hand so I could put it
back in his sheath."

"Damn! Organize a detail ta bring the other frozen men
up here," Jack ordered.

"How ye doin' Logan?" the captain asked.

"I think me strength is seepin' back, but it's sure
takin' it's time. How 'bout you?"

"Hard ta say yet, but I think ye're right.  Rapina,
Give Logan here a book that needs searchin'.  Might as
well put 'im ta work."

Rapina handed a book to Logan from the stack she was
building.

Just then, Arzeal came into the tent.

Arzeal, good ta see ya, what's happenin'' out there,
Logan an' me got attacked by things lookin' like
shadows an' we're pretty much laid up fer the moment.
'Tweren't fer me wench we'd both be dead men.

Arzeal cocked an eyebrow at the captain's remark but
knew that captain had better things to do than explain.


"The men are real restless, sir.  They've seen that
Doanthalas is impervious to flame and they were going
to lynch him, but I told Brackston to chain him up,
that you wanted some answers out of him.  He was the
only person I figured could keep the elf from being
lynched since he was the one who got the men all scared
of him in the first place.

Kind a' oversteppin' yer authority, don't ya think.

"Yes, sir but it was that or let them kill him.  I
don't know what to think about Doanthalas myself, but
when I saw him, he was fighting those creatures on the
waterfront, not conjuring them.  The men are sure he's
a demon, and they want blood.  Only the fact that he
was chained and a prisoner of Brackston and on his way
to answer to you kept them from lynching him."

"Aye, e's got some grave answerin'' ta do.  'Ave
Brackston steak 'im down outside the tent.  I'll deal
w' him later.  What're those screams I keep hearing.

"Men keep getting chills sir."

Listen up, Arzeal, those aren't chills, they're the
attack of a nearly invisible critter that looks like a
shadow, ye can only see 'em in strong light an three o'
'em nearly killed me an Logan.  Th' fact that ye can't
really tell anything's attackin' ye an' ye can't see
'em is what makes 'em so dangerous.  They drain
strength every time they hit 'an the cold gives ye a
real wound if ye'll look under yer clothes ta see it.
Ye can hit 'em with swords, but ye can only see 'em in
good light. Go on an' warn 'em.  It'll scare 'em ta
death, but at least they might be able ta save their
own skins.

Arzeal nodded and left the tent in a hurry.

Not too long after Arzeal left, Brackston's voice could
be heard outside the tent.

"I told 'em all this elf was a demon, but no, they
didn't believe me.  We'll see what kinda trouble ye're
in now freak! "

Gods! He's bleedin' bleedin out 'is tattoos.  Yiiii!,
'e's possessed! Run! Woof! Grrrr, woof!  Aaaaagh!

"Well I'll be damned!" Brackston said.

"Step out there an' see what's up Rapina - an leave the
light."

Rapina set her book and light down and jumped up.
Outside, the torches that often illuminated the area
around the captain's tent had been lit.

Brackston was standing and staring at Doanthalas whose
tattoos were bleeding all over his body.

Brackston was dumfoundedly holding the other end of his
infamous neck chain and staring at Doanthalas.  Thumper
was barking wildly.  Several pirates had drawn back and
a few were running away.

Rapina crouched down and lifted Doanthalis' sagging
chin. "Doanthalis, What's happening to you?"

The elf barely had any strength left.  He had lost a
lot of blood yet he still managed to speak.  "My...
curse... a 'gift' from... from... those of... the
flaming... black... heart... I..." Doanthalas collapsed
as unconsciousness enveloped him.

When Rapina came back into the tent about five minutes
later, Brackston could be heard pounding a huge steak
into the ground with a sledge hammer.

"Gods girl, ye're covered w' blood, what happened?"

"It's Doanthalas, sir, he bled profusely from his
tattoos and passed out.  It scared the men badly.
Brackston's chaining him to an iron post outside."

"There's a rag over there, wipe yerself down an' use me
basin. Then get me old Blue shirt from me chest an' put
it on.  No sense in ye gettin' the books bloody.  Damn,
all this goin' on an' me weak as a wilted flower."

Once Rapina got back to the books she and Logan began
to find some references to the undead.  Whenever they
located a passage, they read it aloud to Captain Red
Jack.

About a quarter hour after Rapina got back to the
books, Hock stuck his head into the tent.

"I tried recallin' the watch posts, but the central
post is gone and one man on the Southwest came runnin'
in here telling me his partner started complaining o'
chills then disappeared right before 'is eyes.  My
messenger for the quadrupled Southeast post an' six o'
the eight men from the post came back runnin' here like
a ghost was chasin' 'em, an they said the other two'd
been killed by walkin' skeletons.  Is everybody goin'
daft?" Hock asked.

"Those are real Hock, I got me a skull an' two arms
that still move in that bag over there from th'
scoutin' mission.  'Found out last night, the South o'
this isle's a grave yard.  Ye'd best set up a defense."


Hock did a double-take.  "I'll believe it when I see
it."

"Believe it, Hock.  The best weapons again' 'em are
heavy an' blunt.  Ask Pike if ya need any pointers."

Rapina heard Renewed screams and the clash of steal
from the Southeast.

Hock left shaking his head.

Before long Pike's battle cry could be heard loud and
clear. "Blood an' Bones! Hold yer ground an' drive
these bags a bones back ta the hells they came from."

It had been nearly an hour since the attack started
when Drake felt his muscles ease.  Some time ago, Pike
had carried him up from the waterfront and left him
standing in the captain's tent like a statue.  He could
see and hear what was going on, but he could not move.
The scratch of the ghoul had filled him with
supernatural fear that had locked up every muscle in
his body.

"Uhhh!" he said as he collapsed to the floor.  His
muscles were so sore it felt as if he had just worked
two days and two nights on his father's farm without a
break.

"Can ye speak Drake?"

"Uh, yes sir," Drake said quietly; "'muscles all hurt,
sir."

The captain swung his legs off the bed.  "Damn, I'm
still weak but gettin' better."

"Rapina, I need ye ta help me up.  I'm going ta get
dressed an' I'm going ta talk ta the men.  Hopefully by
the time I'm ready, I'll 'ave the strength o' a four-
year-old 'stead of a two-year-old."

Once he was up, the captain put on his trousers and got
some keys from the pocket.  He opened a strong box and
took out a vial.  He drank half and gave the other half
to Logan."

"Drink a third o' what remains an' give th' rest ta
Drake an' Rapina.  That there is a magical potion I got
off th' noblemen who was in charge 'o that blockade we
broke.  Seein' as Rapina was wieldin'' 'is blades
tanight, I'd say killin' 'im helped save me life twice
so far.

Drake drank about half of what was left, then passed
the rest to Rapina.

Rapina tipped back the vial heartily, but only drank a
bit of the potion.  It tasted somewhat odd and made her
nose and lust sense tickle.  Rapina knew it must
somehow contain healing life force.  She could feel her
wounds shrinking as warmth flooded her belly. She paid
a great deal of attention to the feel of the potion. It
was not too unlike the feel she got when healing her
wounds using the power men gave her. Rapina wondered if
there might be a way she could heal others with life
force she stored, just as the potion was now healing
her.

"There's a little left, may I save it for later?  I
don't have as much meat to wound as you big men."

"Aye, it's yers girl, save some if ye want.  It seems
ta be helpin' me wounds, but it ain't doin' much fer me
strength. Just the same, it were a good draught."

The captain dressed very slowly as his wounds
disappeared.

"How ye feelin' now, Drake? If ye're up to it, tell me
about the battle earlier this night at the water
front."

"Well, sir.  The battle was quick and deadly.  Those
creatures...I'm not sure what they are...they are
hideous looking...I'd call them men, but whatever they
were they weren't men. I was bathing in the water along
with a few other men...and Doanthalas.  We heard some
screams and saw... them... rising out of the water.
They caught a few of the men by surprise.  Kent...
Kent... was one of them."  Drake paused as the tears
flowed down his face. When he had regained his
composure he continued, "They carried no weapons, but
they had claws that would cause your muscles to freeze
up if they scratched you.  I was clawed by one of
them... It was terrifying!  All I could do was stand
there and watch as the ghouls dragged... they... I
couldn't do anything to help Kent... I tried, but...
The creature paralyzed me and I'd be dead if Doanthalas
hadn't saved me. I fell over in the water and would
have drowned because I couldn't move, But he saved
me...me and Edgar...but there wasn't anything he could
do for Kent..."  The young pirate stopped and wept for
a few minutes.  The captain respected his grieving
silence before speaking.

"Good then, Drake, 'least I know what happened.  Step
outside an' See what's up.  If they're free, get me
Arzeal, Pike an' Hock.  If th' elf's up, take this key,
unlock th' chain from th' steak an haul th' elf in here
yerself.  It's damn near dawn but I still need a bit o'
time more ta recover me strength fer me speech, but
there's goin' ta be a lot ta do soon as I step outside
that flap. Might as well do what I can do sittin' down
right now.  And Drake...I'm sorry about yer friend. But
right now I need ya to be strong.  Our very survival
just might depend on it.  Now get gone boy!"

Arzeal was the easiest for Drake to find.  He was doing
his best to keep some semblance of order in the camp.
The half-elf reluctantly left the frightened pirates
behind and reported to the captain. Pike and Hock were
busy breaking out weapons for the defense of the camp.
They grabbed what they needed and left another pirate
in charge until they returned. Doanthalas was barely
conscious when Drake reached him.  He was grateful that
the elf had saved him, but he was also scared.  There
was something to the elf that Drake wasn't sure he
wanted to know about. The young pirate unlocked the
chain from the stake and reluctantly lifted the elf in
his arms.  Doanthalas' skin felt cold and clammy and
bits of dried blood flaked off as they headed towards
the captain's tent.

After about fifteen minutes, the birds could be clearly
heard heralding the coming of the dawn.  Hock, Arzeal
and Pike came into the tent.  Drake followed holding
the elf in his arms the chain dragging on the ground
behind him.

"Yer in a heap 'o trouble Doanthalas.  Holdin' out
information on powers ye 'ave when Hock an Roger ask ye
ain't healthy, an' holdin' out on magical powers can be
a killin' offense.  The best thing ye can do now is
come clean an' tell me all about every power ye 'ave.
Ye can start by tellin' me what ye know about them
creatures that attacked on the waterfront, an why th'
other men who got raked by 'em froze solid, but ye
didn't."

It was obviously a great effort for the elf to even
speak, but after a short pause Doanthalas did speak,
"power... is... not... not... tis a curse.  Bestowed
upon... me... by those of the... flaming black...
hearts.  To me the... sun... flower does not kill,
but... it does burn... and in exchange for... my
life... my life... nectar flows freely... from..." The
elf managed to feebly indicate one of his many fiendish
looking tattoos. "The... creatures... ghouls... dead
men walking... hungering for the... life nectar...
and... flesh they lack.  The foul touch of their...
tainted flesh... causes men to take root as the oak.
My... people have... always been... immune to the
foul... touch of... the ghoul.  Why?  I know not.  It
just... is... as the sun is... so is this..." That said
the elf laid his head back and closed his eyes for a
moment.

"Sir, I can vouch for elves being more resistant to
magic that warps a man's mind or makes him sleep, but
that's as far as I know." The half-elf cast a worried
look in Doanthalas' direction.  "Sir.  He's in bad
shape.  I've got a little something I learned from an
elf a while back that should help him."

Red Jack looked at Arzeal and nodded, "Okay.  Do what
ye need.  I'll be needin' im healthy and soon.  Go now!
Doanthalas, I don't know if I can believe ye about th'
undead 'r at all anymore since ye held out on me, an
yer in deep w' the men's superstitions.  Fer now yer
the best source o' information we got, so I'll have ta
take what ye say as true whether I like it or not.  If
bein' impervious ta flame ain't an elven
characteristic, then I want ye ta fill me in on where
ye came by it 'an any other powers ye been hidin',
understand?"

The elf's body shivered for a few moments before
Doanthalas regained his composure and continued.
"Countless seasons ago... I and... my... brother lived
amongts our... people.  Here.  One sun cycle we... were
gathering... herbs for our parents when... when we were
surrounded... by a radiant... pool of magical waters.
The forest... seemed to fade like the light... as dusk
approaches.  The earth mother had... lost all color.
All was grey.  The sky... the earth
mother...everything.  Except my brother, me... and...
and one of the flaming dark hearted.  I believe... you
word... for them... is...Dee-mahn... or Fiend. My...
brother..." Doanthalas paused as a lump caught in his
throat.  "My brother... my elder... tried to bargain
with... the dar... feend... so that we might return
home... we were lost... later we would... discover...
just how lost we... were."

"Ya mean ta tell me ye were captured by DEMONS!?!?!?  I
find that a little hard ta swallow."  The captain said
with a snicker.  Most of those assembled nodded their
heads in agreement thinking this to be some sort of
elaborate fairy tale.

Doanthalas waited for the gathered pirates to scoff for
a bit before he began speaking.  The words that the elf
produced were horrible to hear and left a sickening
feeling in the stomach of those assembled.  Images
flooded into the minds of the pirates.  Images so
horrible that many of them covered their ears and
shrank back fearing the elf was attempting to cast some
sort of evil spell. The tattooed elf stopped and let
the pirates compose themselves.  "I... just spake to
you... in their tongue... the wicked tongue of the Dee-
mons.  It is a horrible... tongue that no... mortal
should... ever hear... much less learn... I have done
both... be grateful that... you only had to... hear it.
Your nightmares will be strong, but... nothing like..."


Doanthalas shook his head and continued his story, "The
feend... my brother thought he... could trick him
into... helping us... but that was just... youth...
ful... arrogance.  We both paid for it... in the
end..." Doanthalas paused as horrible images came
flooding back into his mind. Images of rivers of blood
and towers built out of the broken living bodies of
countless races.  He saw their tormented faces as they
screamed in agony and begged for a quick and merciful
death.  He felt their flesh on his feet; their feeble
struggles to achieve freedom.

More and more dreadful images assaulted him, but he
fought against them and pushed them to the dark
recesses of his mind. He did not know how to make them
understand how to adequately describe what he had been
through.  What they had heard of the fiend's language
gave them a little insight, but nothing more.  He
swallowed hard and continued, "We were held... captives
by the dark ones for... many seasons.  They tortured
us... and forced us to... fight in their... vile...
war.  They... 'gave'... me these tattoos so that... I
might survive...in a few... of their... hostile
environments.  But they also made... sure... there
was... a... a... price.  Though my flesh does... not
melt... I still feel... the pain.  I still pay the...
price... in blood.  My blood.  I would gladly
embrace...death... rather than endure... this. That
was... how... I acquired... my... 'powers'." Doanthalas
decided that he had told the captain enough. Besides he
did not want to relive any more of his experiences at
the hands of the fiends that night.  All he wanted was
sleep. He was so weak from the loss of blood that he
could barely move.

"Tanight we got attacked by things that look like
shadows an are nearly invisible.  Tell me what ye know
about 'em."

"They... are shadows.  They... feed off... of your
life... spirit... soul... yes.  I believe... that to
be... the correct word.  They are weakest in bright
light... and strongest in the... darkness from
whence... they came.  That is... all that I know...
about... shadows."

"All right, put Doanthalas back out on th' steak.
That's probably the safest place for 'im w' th' men as
riled as they are by now."

"Hock, what's been goin' on out there?"

The arms master looked as though he'd aged a couple of
years in the last couple of hours.

"Well sir, first it was shadows.  They took out the
central guard post and half of the one on the
Southwest.  When they attacked the men in camp, they
seemed to like to hit and run. I've never seen the men
so terrified, sir, and we lost a few even though we
used the torches and the fires and flailing around with
weapons once I managed to get the men organized."

"Just a little later during that mayhem a dozen
skeletons came from the Southeast, routing the guard
post.  When the skeletons got here, some of the men
ran.  I wouldn't count on ever seeing 'em again. I got
the lion's share of 'em ta stand an' fight by yellin'
myself hoarse.  Pike and a squad of men that had been
moving supplies in from the waterfront ran ta bolster
my forces, then all hell broke loose when we saw what
was following 'em - forty more bags of bones wet from
bein' in the water were followin' them."

"The men were stunned, sir, Pike turned back the way
he'd come, stepped forward a few paces with that battle
axe o' his an' that old club he brought back from the
scoutin' mission.  He screamed bloody murder an' lit
into 'em. They practically exploded when 'e hit.  Not
ta be outdone, Brackston lit into 'em with a broadsword
an a Roman shield.  I previously had the men arm up,
an' many o' em' had been usin' shields tryin' ta keep
the shadows off em. I just started yellin' again,
"Shield bash an' strike! Shield bash and strike!"

"Th' men were terrified, at first it were a rout, but
as soon as some of em' saw Pike annihilatin' skeletons
like there was no tomorrow an heard me yellin those
familar orders I drum into 'em in basic, fewer of 'em
ran an' we stopped givin' ground.  The tide turned and
we beat those skeletons ta bones.  We got more wounded
than I can count. Leach Kennon's goin' crazy an we got
plenty o' dead too sir, we'll have ta pick em' up an'
burn em so's they don't get up on their own," Hock
grimaced.

"Arzeal?"

"I was keeping an eye out for Pike's men moving
essential supplies up from the waterfront. It's only
fifty paces, but we were tightening the camp up.  One
thing you should know, sir. I haven't told anyone
because there wasn't a thing any of us could do about
it. Every boat you own is sunk in the cove."

The officers drew a collective gasp.

"Ghouls from under water, I expect, sir," Arzeal said.
"There wasn't a thing we could do about it.  At best
maybe the rowboats and the fishing boat are okay, they
were pulled up on shore."

"Me ships."  The captain's face and ears went red and
anger leaked out of his every pore.

"Pike, carry me table just outside, plant a couple o'
torches next to it and assemble the men in front o' the
tent."

Pike left to get things ready, then came in and
whispered something in the captain's ear.

As the men were assembling for the captain's speech
Rapina's determination paid off.

"Sir, look at this.  She handed an old crusty holy book
to the captain and pointed to a passage."

Jack took the book and red aloud,  "The touch o' th'
ghoul or barrow fiend freezes a man's mind an' muscles
w' supernatural fear.  Only th' wisest an' most
courageous men can resist.  The touch o' the barrow
fiend is a supreme test o' a priest's faith.  Those who
resist magical influence on th' mind, such as wise men
an' th' elves o' the forest are like ta resist the
paralyzin'' touch o' the ghoul.  Ghouls inhabit
graveyards where they tunnel to feast on the flesh of
the dead.  When possible, they also feast on the
living."

"I found a reference to shadows, sir," Logan added. "It
doesn't say much we don't already know from Doanthalas
and the battle, but it does say if ye loose all yer
strength, yer body decomposes inta dark vapors and
reforms as a shadow.  If I hadn't seen 'em with me own
eyes, I'd think this book was tellin' tales taller than
a tower, but I'll bet this tail is true."

Red Jack nodded, "Aye then, Rapina, ye've proven
Doanthalas right on one count.  Bein' an elf is likely
why 'e didn't freeze up.  That cuts th' charges again'
him in half.  Seems like I'm about ready ta talk ta th'
men.  Keep up th' good work.  We need every scrap o'
knowledge we can get on th' undeads, an' we don't have
much time ta get it.  I know in me heart that elf had
nothin' ta do w' th' works o' th' undead.  This ain't
random conjuration 'r consortin' with demons, this is
low down, cut throat military-grade strategy."

With that, the captain shoed everyone out ahead of him
and stepped out the flap to make his speech.

"Rumors an' superstitions 'ave been flyin' aroun' this
camp like stones in a hail storm.  Grown men 'ave been
shakin' in their boots an' peein' their pants like kids
because they were afraid o' a stupid damn elf.  Well
now ye got somethin' *real* ta be afraid of, an' it
ain't no elf!"

"Remember Cudge an' Blade.  Brackston caught th' elf
hangin' over Cudge's body, an jumped to a few
conclusions, but me an' Skitch weren't so sure the elf
had eaten th' meat off two big men an left only one o'
their skeletons behind.  It was easy ta see somethin'
dragged the other body off.  Ye want ta know what
happened to it, what happened ta yer friend Blade? I'll
show ye what happened to 'im."

The captain dumped the animated arms and skull of Blade
onto his table, then scooped up the scull and held it
from the back so the men could see its teeth gnashing.
The arms crawled towards the captain on their fingers
but the captain kept moving and forcing them to change
directions."

"I bet yer all wonderin' why Pike is so damned good at
fighting skeletons.  'Cause practice makes perfect!
They tracked Blade's missin' body yesterday.  It wasn't
hard 'cause the ghouls that got 'im left a trail 'o
blood.  Ghouls, you know, them creatures that froze a
number of ye like statues.  They're undead, they hang
around haunted graveyards, an yesterday I found out the
whole damn Southeast o' this island is a big fuckin'
graveyard."

"Whoever got Blade's skeleton here made it walk.  An
how much do ye want ta bet we might be seein' Kent an'
some o' the other men we lost this night again real
soon?  I'll bet some o' the men from the guard posts
were givin' ye chills an' drainin' yer strength last
night, because a man that gets killed by a shadow,
turns into a shadow.  Just by havin' the ill luck of
choosin' this isle ta camp on, we've given its lord
plenty o' fodder ta swell 'is armies.  Why am I so sure
this isle has a lord?  Is it the fact that on this isle
there are mausoleum caves carved out o' the granite and
adorned with runes and equipped with traps? That might
o' had a bit ta do w' it."

"I'll tell ye why I know this isle ain't run by a bunch
o' these ol' bone heads or a kid elf w' enchanted
tattoos.  The captain pointed at the gnashing skull and
Doanthalis in turn.  "'Night before this last one, some
ghouls bumped into a guard post, Two men were no
problem for ghouls, just a light snack.  Doanthalas
here was bein watched, but 'them that were watchin' 'im
didn't look at 'im fer a second an 'e was gone, so they
ran fer Brackston ta track 'im."

"Doanthalas heard the damn ghouls eatin' my men -ghouls
do that, drag ye off an eat ye.  The wild elf tracked
'em, an got in a hell of a lot o' trouble for it from
bloody Brackston.  He didn't know shit about this
island, an' everyone knows he don't like th' elf. But
those ghouls, they brought a body an' a little news ta
their master, an th' next night what happened?"

"I'll tell ye what happened, a doubled Southeast guard
vanished with only one scream that could be heard from
camp, and then the pack o' shadows that killed 'em did
somethin' awful damn intelligent for a collection o'
dark vapors.  They came back through the camp, snackin'
a bit on Logan but not botherin' another soul, an then
when he stepped into my tent ta tell me what was goin'
on, they all jumped on me - a surgical strike, couldn't
a planned it better meself."

It's a cinch me an' Logan were dead 'cept I invited are
favorite wench ta me bed that night.  She has that mage
light o' hers, and when I doubled over w' chills, she
turned it on straight away ta see why 'er captain was
actin' so strange.  Well, in good light it was obvious
-shadows.  Bein' able ta see 'em, was nice, but they
'ad already drained most o' me strength, an Logan's. We
fought 'em, an while they were drainin' us silly,
Rapina killed em, even shielded each o' us near the end
there w' her body.  Could' a easily got 'erself killed.
By all rights, I should be dead right now 'an so should
Logan."

"At th' same time the lord o' the isle sent a ghoul
attack ta distract you men from th' fact that shadows
was killin' me an' Logan -nice little diversion.  Was
that effective 'er what? Without, the damned 'demon'
elf, and the damned half elf an' his damned special
fire arrows, them ghouls woulda stacked you men up like
cord wood an' hauled ye off ta the ghoul farm. Ye
better open yer eyes and think about how yer treatin'
them that saved all o' yer miserable lives, stead o'
worryin' about them elven differences that make ye feel
uncomfortable.  Without them differences, a dozen 'er
two o' ye'd be corpses."

"'An if that wasn't enough, when th' enemy's troops
weren't quite as effective as they should 'ave been
'cause o' a wench an a couple o' elves, th' lord o' th'
isle had a fuckin' back-up plan.  Fifty skeletons!  'An
what 'appened?  It was a rout, men ran like scared
children.  Me mistress Rapina did bettern' that when a
score o' skeleton's attacked the scoutin' party. An ye
know we'll be seein' the men who ran again, they'll be
walkin' an' fightin' but they won't be alive, now will
they?"

"I know what yer thinkin'.  Yer thinkin', "Are you
daft, Red Jack?  We'll never see those goddamned men
again 'cause we're gettin' the hell off this isle
quicker than ye can light a fire under us."  Ye're
forgettin' one thing.  The lord o' this isle is one
hell o' a fine general, an 'is troops don't need ta
breath.  They're dead! Stayin' under water ain't a
problem fer them.  The captain pointed to the
waterfront.  It was still too dark to tell much, but
that was rapidly changing."

"Every fuckin' ship in me fleet is sunk in that cove!"

The men blanched.

"We got a couple choices.  We can put are tails between
are legs an' make some rafts 'an see if any 'o the
smaller boats are seaworthy 'an try ta get off this
isle before night falls.  In that case we will be
hopin' beyond hope that the lord o' the isle doesn't
send a party ta wipe us out on the shore."

"That or we can fortify the hell out of some ground an
hole up tanight."

"Either way, if any o' ye are brave enough, ye can form
a party ta try ta root the devil pullin' the strings on
these undeads out o' his catacombs an' cut the head off
his army o' undead before 'e has time ta stage another
brilliant attack tanight."

"Regardless, If we don't best the lord o' the isle we
forfeit are ships.  Right now, my guess is they've got
a few holes stove in 'em so they'd sink.  We'd have ta
build us a make-shift dry dock, but we could fix 'em if
we can tame th' isle."

Whether the rest o' us go or stay, if any of ye are
goin' after th' general who routed us last night, ye'll
need ta be packin' up an startin' off soon.  I don't
need ta tell ye this mission is goin' ta be dangerous.
Th' best I can do is appeal ta yer greed.  Men who go
can split half the booty among 'em, er ask me fer a
really big boon in exchange fer their share. A boon
like forgettin' about them not tellin' me about their
magical skin, fer instance.  The captain glared at
Doanthalas.  Volunteers, form up w' Pike, 'e's yer
leader.

[Rapina]014 The Noble Jaws of Death

The giant Norse man stood off to one side.

There was a hesitation in the crowd.  The captain's
speech had set the record straight, but the men had the
hollow look of terror written all over their faces.
They were trapped on the isle of the dead, and they'd
already had a taste of its bitter medicine.

Brackston was the first in the crowd to stand and walk
to Pike's side. I'd sooner die makin' a difference than
cowerin' behind th' wall of a fort."

The diminutive pirate approached the Norse giant,
"Could be ye'll need a man who can climb inta tight
spots an' handle locks an' mechanisms.

"Could be," Pike smiled.

The elf was feeling much better after partaking of the
elven mixture Arzeal had prepared for him.  Though
still very weak he could at least stand up by himself.
Doanthalas stood fighting off a wave of dizziness and
spoke, "I will go."

"You might need someone who can read runes," Rapina
said.

"That proved handy last time," Pike grinned.

"I'm in too.  I have to...for Kent..." Drake said.

Edgar stepped forward and cast a meaningful look at
Drake, "Hell.  Ya'll know that I'm always up for
kickin' ass."

Several other pirates including Trevor stepped forward
to reserve their place in the assault party.  When all
the members were assembled they were hastily outfitted
with provisions and equipment enough to last half a
week on the trail, and torches for caverns and tunnels.
Some of the men also carried ropes, grappling hooks and
spikes for climbing. As soon as the first hint of light
appeared on the horizon the assault party led by
Doanthalas headed off towards the caverns of the dead.

While the others were getting ready, Rapina stole an
intimate moment in a supply tent with Beck, Jake, and
Jonas.  All of them knew this might be their last time,
and they were happy to be doing something life-
affirming, if only for a few precious moments.  For her
part, Rapina felt a little bad taking as much from them
as she did, but she was careful to go to the men she
knew had iron constitutions.  Rapina left the tent
fully healed with a little something to fall back on.
She gave the quite appreciable amount that remained of
the captain's potent healing potion to Pike.  He had
seen two battles in the last twenty-four hours, and
even as skilled as he was, he had not escaped battle
without wounds.

Every step was sheer agony for the elf.  He was still
weak from the loss of so much blood, but able to carry
on because of Arzeal's elven elixir.  Where Arzeal
learned how to prepare it he didn't know.  He'd have to
ask the half-elf if they survived. Elixirs like that
were closely guarded secrets of the elven people.
Doanthalas was glad that Arzeal knew how though, it had
saved the elf the trouble of making it himself.

Doanthalas leaned heavily on his walking stick for most
of the way.  Pike had to help him scale the cliffs to
reach the cavern. Eventually they arrived at the
entrance.  Sitting down on a rock the Elf glanced at
the party.  He saw Rapina advance along with Drake,
Grom, Edgar and Yanosh.

This time, Rapina made sure she made it to the cave
first, and recited a prayer to Mortaebius, god of the
dead.  Then she opened the gate and let the warriors in
to check the place out. The first room was as they had
left it. Buck and Rage wedged stout timbers in the
first doorway as Rapina took a deep breath, crossed the
room and pressed the studs on the pentagram carved in
the wall as if signing the sign of man.  When she
pushed the last stud, the inner-door slab groaned and
slid upwards.  Buck and Rage rushed forward to set
timbers in the new door.

As the inner door slid open the party was assaulted by
a quick rush of air strong with the smell of decay. The
faint outline of a statue was barely visible towards
the front of the room.

Outside in the sunlight, a pirate named Rebel stood
guarding the timbers set in the first doorway while the
others gained access to the hall of eminence.  He heard
a sound like a few stones rolling off a burial mound,
but the outcropping of rock in front of the doorway to
the mausoleum cave blocked his vision.  He stepped out
to get a look.  He saw a pirate who'd run during the
battle with the fifty skeletons last night.  Brad!

The pirate hissed and a long tongue came out of his
mouth.  One scratch from the new ghoul and Rebel froze.
From nearby mounds, two more ghouls cowled in dark
robes, emerged and followed Brad into the tomb.  Brad
cut Rebel's throat with a claw as the other two ghouls
quietly removed the timbers from the doorway.

Meanwhile, the pirates advanced into the room with the
statue, and took out a few more torches.  Rapina
entered behind most of the men, her mage-light
illuminating the front of the statue.

"It's Mortaebius, god of the dead, Rapina said."

Ah, so what, it's 'is gold I want, not 'is name.

The mean yellow dog sniffed the air and growled.

Rapina blinked.  She could swear she saw the statue's
eyes move, but now they seemed to be staring straight
ahead, right at her.

"I could swear I saw the statue's eyes move," Rapina
said.

"Look mates, that statue's robe is buttoned an' chased
w' real gold an' is ring is set w' a ruby! Flint
whipped out a chisel and went to pry.

"Defilers!" The statue of Mortaebius shouted.

Somewhere on the other side of the room doors opened
and skeletons began pouring out.

"Retreat back past the doorway to the first room!" Pike
said running for the doorway.  "They die easy if only
one or two can come at ye abreast!" Pike ran back into
the first room and took up a position just inside next
to the doorway.  Brackston slipped to the other side as
he ran in and prepared to slaughter the bone-brains.
The other pirates ran between their mates, trying to
get back into the first room before the skeletons from
the second reached them.

A loud rumbling could be heard coming from the entrance
to the outdoors.  By this time, most of the pirates
were back in the first chamber or running through the
doorway.  On the other side of the hall of the dead a
slab slid over the entrance cutting the shaft of
sunlight leaking in to nothing.  Three ghouls charged
towards the pirates hissing.

"Aye Doanthalas!  We got ghouls back here by th'
entrance," Skitch hollered.

Doanthalas ran through the door from the room with the
statue. The elf shouted as he fished through his pouch
for the flasks of oil he had brought.

"Spearmen, Doanthalas, back there on the double," Pike
ordered.

After reentering the entry chamber, Rapina had made her
way to the Southeast corner.  She had been looking at
the statue and had been one of the first to retreat as
Pike ordered.  She realized that, previously, weight in
the top coffin-tunnel had opened the door. Rapina
hastened to climb up into the tunnel to see if she
could reopen the entrance.

The last pirate ran through the doorway from the statue
room.

"Brace up Brackston, here comes a flood 'o bones, an
look what's behind 'em.  Our own walkin' dead!

Brackston growled as he realized that the zombies were
all pirates he once knew.  Some of the bodies from last
night's battle had evidently been spirited off just
before dawn.

The skeletons advanced but exploded to pieces as they
were hit by Pike's mighty ax and club from one side,
and the sword and club of bloody Brackston from the
other.

"Demolition!  We got 'em licked, Pike!"

Rapina scowled, her weight was no longer triggering the
reopening of the entrance.  Somehow, the mechanism had
been jammed elsewhere.

Doanthalas found the flask of oil he was looking for
and stuffed an oil soaked rag in the end of it.  He lit
it on one of the remaining torches and hurled it into
the oncoming group of ghouls.  The flames were
spectacular as the ghoul Doanthalas nailed burst into
flames and the others flanking him suffered from
splashes of burning oil.

Doanthalas fought with every ounce of strength that he
still possessed, hacking at the head of the ghoul on
his right as Vanosh and George attempted to hold the
flaming ghoul at bay with spears.

Edgar ducked the ghoul's claws and simultaneously
launched a leg-breaking kick at the creature's knee. As
it staggered backwards Edgar opened the creature's guts
with his sword.

Brad, the flaming ghoul spun his way between the two
spears, nicked Yanosh's chin, and poked George in the
eye.  Both men froze in magical terror.  Still flaming
from Doanthalas' oil Brad jumped on the elf who had
just decapitated the ghoul next to him. If he was to be
destroyed by fire, he would take his destroyer with
him.

Rapina was climbing back down from the upper coffin
tunnel in the Southeast corner of the room when she
heard Pike bellow to Brackston as they fought at the
doorway to the statue room, or the "Hall of Eminence,"
to quote the runes on the wall.

"What the hell?  Back Brackston, It's a ghoulified
Kent, an' he's swingin' a cresset full o' burnin' oil!"
Pike bellowed.

Brackston shattered a skeleton and jumped back as the
cresset arced over the heads of the skeletons and
zombies bunched around the doorway and flew through it
into the entry room.

Rapina saw the cresset from the corner of her eye as
she watched the flaming ghoul jump on Doanthalas and
knock the both of them into the path of the flaming
cresset.  There was a clang as the cresset deflected
off the ghoul's shoulder and showered the pair of
combatants with burning oil.

Trevor skewered the remaining ghoul through the eye
with a spear as it fell from Edgar's kick.

Edgar swung his sword chopping into the ghoul's chest,
laughing mightily. "That wasn't so hard.  Fear is the
ghoul's real weapon.  Get past that an' they're
nothin'"

Rapina felt a tingling up her spine, and then she heard
deep laughter coming from the statue in the other room.


Suddenly the conflagration that had enveloped
Doanthalas and the ghoul blackened as a cloud of
choking black smoke billowed forth from it. In seconds
the room was filled with smoke and half-blind coughing
pirates.  The smoke just kept getting thicker.

Whoever had sprung this trap knew how Pike and the
scouting party had retreated into the narrow entryway
to defeat the skeletons before, and knew that Pike
would retreat beyond the doorway to use that trick
again. Now the entry room was filling with smoke fast.
It was already so choking it made speech difficult for
the coughing and filled the eyes with tears.

Into the statue room! Pike surged through the oncoming
skeletons, weapons cutting a swath of destruction
before him. The Norse giant swung steel and wood like a
maniac for a second before he suddenly hit flesh - the
zombies; they were not so easily destroyed. They were
the cork on the bottle.  No doubt they had been
instructed to remove any obstructions in the doorway as
well.  Pike wasn't about to let them get near it.

"Defend a path out ta the left o' the door, concentrate
our forces.  Brackston, cover me right flank, we have
ta hold the doorway and keep these monsters from
removing the timbers before we're ready.

Bloody Brackston sprung through the door and fought
beside the Norseman.  Thumper tore chunks of meat off
the zombies as he helped his master.

The tiny pirate was one of the first to race through
the door. He dodged and wormed his way around, through
and between the legs of the zombies. Once through, he
got to the statue in a hurry.  Originally he had
brought the hammer and chisels in case he had bad luck
with a lock or needed to place a piton. Now he hopped
up on the pedestal and the statue's feet, stood on his
tip-toes, put the chisel to the statue's eye and
slammed it with the hammer.  The wily pirate heard a
startled yelp when the chisel struck the socket, but he
did not know if he had driven it in hard or fast enough
to kill who or whatever was hiding inside.

"Sound off as ya get through the door!" Pike ordered.
"I need to know when we're all in here.  Rapina stay by
the opening studs an' give me a hand with the count!"
the Norseman bellowed.

One by one the pirates called out their names:
Brackston, Skitch, Trevor, Grom, Flint, Gape, Henry,
Buck, Rage, Edgar, Drake and Rapina.

"That's all of us but Doanthalas, Pike. The others are
paralyzed or worse!" Rapina hollered.


"One last good flurry friend and we step aside and hope
they remove the timbers for us." Pike said to
Brackston.

Brackston pushed himself to the limits, then stepped
aside as he heard Pike yell.

"Timbers away. Nothin' we can do for Doanthalas, he's
part o' the fire," Pike ordered.

With tears in her eyes from more than the smoke, Rapina
fought her way along the left wall of the statue room
though the press of zombies.  Luckily, Pike was right
next to her.

The stupid zombies, followed their instructions to the
letter. While a few of them continued into the entry
chamber, a couple of others pulled the timbers from the
doorway into the hall of eminence.  They capped their
trap even though only three living pirates -Doanthalas,
and the paralyzed pirates Venosh and George, remained
within the entry chamber.  The door slab slammed into
place.  The cork was on the bottle, but most of the
grasshoppers had sprung.

The pirates fought a fast and furious battle with heavy
losses, for they had thrown caution to the wind.  They
fought half-blind using every ounce of their strength
to get by the zombies who had tried to cage them in the
room of smoke. Grom was the first to fall followed by
Flint and Henry.  To his credit Trevor fought bravely
and took many zombies and skeletons with him before
succumbing to their onslaught.

"Back against the left wall, and keep that steel
moving! Hurry, if we can get into the room where some
of the skeletons came from, we'll have areselves
another doorway an' this one likely not a trap!

The party was able to make it to the door with few
lost. Because of an altercation with a particularly
tenacious zombie, Drake and Edgar were the last two to
reach the door.  As Drake turned to see if Edgar was
coming he froze.  Standing directly behind Edgar was
Kent.  Or the bloated and drowned body of what used to
be their friend Kent. Edgar had an odd pained look on
his face.  When he didn't rush for the door it became
obvious to Drake that his friend was paralyzed.  A sick
feeling washed over him as he watched the Kent-ghoul
traced a line across Edgar's neck with a claw.  The
light in Edgar's eyes faded just as quickly as the
blood flowed from the fresh wound in his neck.

Drake stood paralyzed, not by the touch of the ghoul,
but by grief for two friends lost.  The screams of
Doanthalas did nothing to alleviate this feeling.  in
fact Drake was really beginning to understand what true
fear was for the first time in his life...

Tears flowed from Rapina's eyes as she tugged Drake
through the doorway. Pike and Brackston were standing
on either side of it ready to demolish the first zombie
to try to breach the opening.

[Click here for a sketch of the tomb.  The entry
chamber is the same room in which the scouting party
first met and fought skeletons, but the side/coffin-
tunnels are not pictured.]

The room the pirates entered was some sort of family
mausoleum.  It was richly decorated.  Tapestries
adorned the walls and six suits of bronze plate mail
equipped with halberds or two-handed swords stood
around the periphery of the room on small stone
pedestals.  On the west side of the room were two stone
sarcophagi, each had a lid with a relief sculpture of
the way the occupant had looked in life.  The corners
and trim of the sarcophagi were solid gold, and the
likenesses were chased with gold leaf. Bronze
candelabras adorned the walls.  On the East wall were
many bronze plaques, some with lettering on them. On
the South wall was a large coat of arms with a plaque
beneath it. Parts of the coat of arms were studded with
gems.

"Nobody move, This looks to be some noble family
mausoleum.  I know ye see some booty around ye, don't
touch it till we kill our enemies.  That's the way
Backster set off a trap in that first room.  Buck,
Drake, help me an' Brackston at the doorway here, we
still got plenty o' customers, just that this time we
got 'em one at a time through the doorway. Rest of you
Cluster aroun' Rapina and keep an eye out 'case of
shadows.  Rapina, patch wounds while we got the time,"
Pike ordered.

Rapina worked as rapidly as she could, and by the time
Pike and his warriors were through demolishing the last
zombie, Rapina had patched the wounds of the other
warriors.

"All right, lets check this room out.  The zombies and
skeletons that came from this room and the one next
door had to have gotten in here somehow.  Could be they
came from somewhere else, or it could be there is a
secret exit out of one of these back rooms.

Rapina began to read the various plaques.  The ones on
the east wall were probably entrances to coffin-sized
side tunnels wherein corpses were stored.  The plaque
on the Southern end of the room talked about the noble
deeds and lineage of the baronial family whose remains
rested within the room.

As the men started opening the plaques on the east
wall, Rapina looked at the sarcophagus in the Southwest
area of the room. The carving on the lid depicted a
woman.  Rapina looked at the runes on carving.

"This was the first baroness of the family Le-"

Rapina's line was cut off in mid stream.  The lid of
the sarcophagus suddenly hinged open.  Inside were the
skeletal remains of a woman, and laying next to her was
Kent, who tossed the dead baroness' golden ring into
the room as a part of the motion of grabbing Rapina
just below the breasts and pulling her into the
sarcophogus.

Rapina had hardly managed a startled screech when
Kent's claws pierced her tunic and a hideous paralyzing
fear surged through her body, stiffening every muscle.

Drake felt a ring bounce off his back.

The six suits of armor standing around the room
suddenly raised their weapons as the brainless minds of
the skeletons within them perceived treasure, in the
form of the Baroness' ring, being removed from the
room's deceased occupants. Each swung its sword or
halberd at the nearest pirate.

Once he pulled Rapina into the sarcophagus, the goulish
Kent activated the lid-closing mechanism with one foot,
while he activated the mechanism that lowered the panel
in the East side of the sarcophagus with the other. The
sarcophagus only seemed to be separate from the wall,
it was actually attached to it. Kent rolled Rapina and
himself Eastward as the East wall of the coffin slid
into the floor.  Once in the area within the room's
East wall, Kent pushed a stud with his finger.  The
East wall of the sarcophagus lifted back into place and
the stone beneath him and Rapina tilted. Down they
slid.  At the bottom of the short slide, Kent pulled a
lever and the slide hinged back up.

The ghoul then opened a door and ran out of the room
for a few minutes.  He returned, hoisted Rapina off the
floor and carried her across the small room at the base
of the slide to a door. He opened the door and carried
her into a narrow, low-ceilinged passageway that went
North and South.  Kent closed the door and shot home a
bolt, then took a few large reaching steps Southward.
He carried Rapina South up a very long flight of stairs
to a room.  In one corner of the room three shadows
cowered, disliking Rapina's mage-light.  The room also
contained a few skeletons and several chests.

Two of the skeletons bore a litter.  Kent placed Rapina
on the litter then opened one of the chests.  He took
some granite-colored grey robes with a heavy hood and a
black lining from the chest and put them on.  The
litter-bearing skeletons were dressed in identical
attire. Kent then left though a doorway in the other
side of the room that led to another staircase up.  The
two skeletons followed carrying Rapina between them.
Kent pushed open a trapdoor at the top of the staircase
and cringed as the light hit his robes.

The daylight stung Kent's eyes and made him feel weak
in spite of the protective cowl.  The ghoul struggled
along a trail that ran atop the granite cliffs into
which the tomb was carved.  The ghoul and his entourage
fled south and followed the curve of the island's cliff
top as it went gradually Southwestward.  The path was
well concealed from watchers in the interior of the
isle, for it usually ran through the lowest area in the
center of the cliff so that there was stone between
watchers from the water or land and the path.

At first Rapina could do nothing but be afraid, but
after a while she struggled to get a hold of her mind.
If Kent was going to kill her, she reasoned, he would
have done it by now. She was not sure where he was
taking her, but it seemed likely that she would soon be
meeting the chief of the undeads.  Rapina supposed it
could be some even more horrible undead monster, but
clung to the hope that it would be a living priest or
magician - a necromancer.

Kent struggled through the sunlight for what seemed
like ages. About every quarter hour he scratched Rapina
in the arm with a claw.  The walk was a mile and a
half.  It was nearly an hour before it took him along
the base of some even higher cliffs that towered above
the cliffs he was on and the rest of the isle.

Just when she thought things were getting a little
better, Kent jumped on the litter with her.


"Go that way," Kent rasped and pointed for the bone-
headed skeletons, then he squirmed around on top of
Rapina and licked her face with his hideous long
tongue.

The breath stuck in her throat, Rapina was terrified
but she couldn't scream.  Kent smelled dead, he even
looked dead.  She could not move a muscle, but she
wanted to escape in the worst way.

Kent directed the skeletons into a hidden fissure in
the Southern rock face.  He jumped off the litter about
ten feet into the fissure. The narrow crack led
downward and eventually forked Kent stopped the
skeletons then walked into the fork on the left. Rapina
briefly heard the grinding of stone on stone such as a
hidden door might make and Kent was gone for close to
fifteen minutes.  When he returned he jumped back on
the litter with Rapina and directed the skeletons to
proceed down the other fork of the fissure.  It opened
up into a much wider fissure - a canyon some fifteen to
twenty-five feet in breadth. Daylight was visible far
above, but the ghoul felt better because the deep
canyon afforded much shadow. The skeletons carried Kent
and Rapina South along the canyon floor.

As time went by Rapina had to force herself to keep her
eyes open so she had some idea of where she was being
taken.  She was a woman, an oddity among pirates.
Perhaps she was being captured because the lord of the
isle felt she was at least as much a victim as a
collaborator, having been abducted by the pirates, or
perhaps he was just hungry for female companionship.
Rapina shuddered, if the necromancer was undead, she
might just be a dainty meal.  She would have to try to
keep her wits about her in spite of her terror.

The skeletons zigzagged along with the canyon in a
generally southerly direction.  When they reached an
area familiar to the ghoul, Kent reached down off the
litter, took up a large rock from the canyon floor and
directed the skeletons to the cliff edge where he
bashed the rock against the stone wall.  Had he not
known exactly where he was, the ghoul would not have
known what to do. Even the ghoul could see no
difference about the walls of the canyon from his
vantagepoint at its bottom.  From Some sixty feet above
him hidden from view by a natural outcropping in the
wall of the canyon, a boom swung out.  On the boom was
a large wicker cage.  The cage was lowered.  Kent
opened a door in the cage and led the skeletons bearing
the litter inside.  Kent closed the door and struck a
cowbell attached to the inside of the cage, with a
metal rod dangling from a chain.  The cage began to
rise quite rapidly.

When the cage struck the boom, it was swung inwards and
the cage was lowered a foot or two to rest on the floor
of a room cut into the face of the granite cliff. One
wall was open to the canyon but the room was invisible
from below because of the narrowness of the canyon, a
natural outcropping just below where the room was
carved into the cliff face, and the height the room was
above the canyon floor.  There was a slit-like window
in the south wall of the room.

Kent opened the cage door and led the skeletons out.

A skeletal hand grasped Rapina's chin and turned her
head from side to side.

Rapina was so terrified she shut her eyes.  She was
sure the lord of the isle was undead, and she would
soon be as well.

"Excellent work, my servant," a smooth baritone voice
spoke to Kent.

Rapina opened her eyes.  The face of a middle-aged man
stared assessingly down at her.  The man was neither
hideous nor handsome. He was actually rather plain.
High on his forehead was a bandage. Otherwise, he would
not have looked out of place behind the counter of a
library, but for the intense look in his dark eyes.
Those eyes were the one thing that marked him as a man
of great cunning and intellect.

"You have a reward coming."  The man Removed Rapina's
bow and quiver, then undid Rapina's weapons belt and
took it and her weapons from her. He hung her things on
a skeleton that wore a steel breastplate and was clad
in wax-boiled leather.  The necromancer then removed
the mage light from around her neck and raised an
eyebrow as he placed it in a pouch on his belt.  After
that he frisked her, found the sheath knife on her calf
and removed it.

The necromancer spoke to Kent as he worked, "Although
the battle did not go as well as planned, you played
your part flawlessly and accomplished this
extemporaneous task as well.  I realize the daylight
must have caused you great pain and weakness, but I
have just the thing to replenish your strength for this
evening. One of the pirates we captured has no tongue
and is thus useless to me, yet I think you'll like him,
he's a fat one."

The necromancer commanded the skeletons to open the
stout oak door in the East wall of the room, the one
opposite the canyon. Two of the breast-plate wearing
skeletons led the way and four others followed.  After
a short distance, the party came to a "T" intersection.
The corridors were lit by an eerie red glow that
emanated from large crystals that hung at intervals
from the ceiling.

"Take the girl to the door to my chambers and keep her
there. You three guards, see that she does not try to
wander off." The skeletons bore Rapina Northwards while
Kent and the necromancer went in the other direction.

Rapina thought about trying to escape.  Had she not
been paralyzed, she felt sure she could outrun the
skeletons.  Even if she could, where would she go,
certainly not back to the cliffside room?  There was no
way down to one who could not control the wicker cage.
Abruptly Rapina's muscles eased.  She felt sore all
over.  She directed the bit of energy she had gleaned
from her morning's tryst to her back and limbs.

Suddenly she sprung from the litter and sprinted down
the hallway to the South.  It took a second for the
skeletons to react, but Rapina heard the rasp of steel
as the skeletons drew swords and clattered after her.
They were fast, astonishingly so, but Rapina was
terrified and had a head start.  Doors punctuated the
hallway at intervals.  Rapina opened one and saw rough-
hewn shelves with various armaments and equipment but
no way out.  She snatched a rusty broadsword and rushed
down the hallway again.  She passed several doors on
her way down the hall.  One, an iron door was just
slightly ajar.  She avoided that one and pulled on the
door at the end of the hall. It would not open but she
could see no lock!

The three guard skeletons were already near her. Rapina
jumped to the left and saw the skeletons veered to the
left as they ran towards her.  At the last minute,
Rapina jumped right and sprinted.  She felt the wind
from a sword blade close to her neck as she passed the
boney trio.  The skeletons were astonishingly fast. She
already felt winded.  In desperation Rapina ran to the
iron door, opened it, jumped in and slammed it as the
impacts of three sword blades rang off the other side
of the door.  Rapina saw a keyhole but no bolt on her
side of the door.  Remembering how light the skeletons
in the mausoleum cavern had been, Rapina braced herself
against the door.

There was a second identical door ten feet East beyond
the one she held, but she was sure that the skeletons
would just keep bashing the door with their swords
forever.  She was wrong. Something started pushing on
the door.  The force doubled and Rapina made a dash for
the next door.  She slammed that one shut as well.  She
found herself in some sort of guardroom with a stout
table and four chairs.  She could reach one of the
chairs with her foot.  She snagged it and used it to
wedge the door shut.

There was a ring of three keys hanging on a peg on the
other side of the room.  Rapina dashed for it, grabbed
it and got back in time to keep the chair from slipping
away from the door because of the force being applied
to the other side.  Rapina tried all three of the keys
in the lock but none of them worked. On the other side
of the room was another door.  This one had a barred
window.  Rapina ran for it, snagging another chair on
her way by the table.  She had the third door shut and
wedged before the last door grated open.  Rapina tried
the shorter of the three keys on the ring and the lock
turned.

The door Rapina had just locked was at the head of a
hallway. There were six other doors leading off the
hallway, three on the right side, and three on the
left.  The door to the cell on the right near the
hall's other end was ajar.  Rapina looked through the
barred window of the nearest cell on the left.  Inside
shackled to the wall was Jonas.

"Jonas?," Rapina asked.

Jonas looked up.  "Rapina?  How in hell did you get
here?"

"I got paralyzed by Kent.  He's a ghoul.  How about
you?"

"There were some skeletons stained black; they were
collecting the dead bodies and the ghouls were
collecting the living.  I spooked when those skeletons
attacked us and before I knew it, some ghoul jumped out
of nowhere.  It dragged me to a black litter borne by
skeletons and I was brought here. What happened to the
others?"

"Pike and Hock rallied the troops and they fought off
the skeletons.  I'm not sure what they're doing now,
either fortifying and staying or trying to raft out,
one or the other."

"Quick, get me out of here, maybe we can free the
others and escape."

Rapina tried the next longer key and opened the cell
door.

"Lets skip the escape scene, shall we?" said the
necromancer's voice.

Rapina froze.  At the end of the hall stood the
necromancer, and next to him with blood all over his
face, chest and grossly bloated belly was Kent, still
chawing on a fat human leg. They had come out of the
cell at the end of the hall on the right. Rapina nearly
threw up as she realized that Kent had been eating
Piggy, the mute cook that Rapina had worked for when
she'd first joined Red Jack's crew.

Now that she was standing, Rapina got a better look at
the necromancer.  He was about average height and
build, only an inch or two taller than she was.  He was
partly bald, but had hair on the sides of his head.  He
was dressed in black robes with a black leather
bandoleer crossing his chest from his left shoulder to
his waist on the right.  He wore several bone-handled
daggers on his belt and the bandoleer held a dozen or
so crude bone darts with metal spikes on both ends.

"Drop the blade.  Be reasonable, you have no chance to
escape. There is only one way out of here and that is
through those doors and the three guards.  The
necromancer chuckled, "You must be a fast runner or I'd
be trying to piece your skeleton back together at this
moment."

Rapina tossed the keys through the partly opened door
to Jonas and advanced towards the necromancer.

The necromancer grinned.  "Guards," he said.  Three
leather-clad breast-plated skeletons came out of the
cell the necromancer and Kent had previously been in.
"Surely you do not want to try to face these three.
Have you not yet realized that these skeletons are
superior to the others?  The necromancer smiled.  They
are double-animated, once by the power of my magic, and
once by the power of Mortaebius, god of the dead.  They
are stronger, faster, and a little bit smarter than the
average skeleton."

Rapina held her ground but eyed the skeletons now
standing in front of Kent and the necromancer.

"Surrender now and I will go easy on you, otherwise,
you'll pay dearly.  Shards, orbit her."

The crude bone darts left the necromancer's bandoleer
and flew down the hallway, orbiting Rapina at a
distance of about three feet.  Rapina shuddered. The
bone parts of the darts were made of what Donal had
named "singing bones," the ones that flew through the
air.  How could she hope to defeat flying bone spikes
and three double-strength skeletons plus a wily ghoul
and a necromancer?  Rapina reluctantly layed down her
rusty blade.

"Retrieve the blade," the necromancer bid one of the
skeletons. The skeleton snatched up the blade.  Now,
girl, stand back against the guard room door.

Rapina backed up.

"You two, the necromancer pointed to a couple of the
skeletons, guard the girl.  And you, open that cell
door.  Kent, I think the prisoner needs calming."

Kent grinned and bounded into Jonas' cell.

"Aaaaiigh! Jonas screamed.

"Kent, put him back in the shackles and take the keys,"
the necromancer ordered.

In a minute or two Kent came out of the cell and tossed
the keys to the necromancer.  "Very good, I will talk
to you again this evening.  Enjoy your meal."

[Rapina]015 Death Battles The Living

The pain was excruciating.  Doanthalas could hardly
breathe because of the smoke and his eyes were gunked
up with ash and smoke and tears. Needles of pain shot
through his back as the flames continued to burn. Soon
the flames would die out; Doanthalas could feel the
pain lessening by the moment.  After the flames died
out it would not be that long before he started
bleeding.

It was time to get to a safer place, and quickly too.
The elf tried tearing off a piece of his clothes to
wipe his eyes with, but his charred clothing just
crumbled in his hands.  There had to be something in
the room somewhere he could use to wipe out his eyes
with. Otherwise he'd have to fight through the
remaining zombies and find a way out while still blind.
He did not think he could do it.  Not in his already
weakened condition.

The remaining ghoul and a few of the zombies had been
reduced to walking torches.  A few remained relatively
unharmed.  These few closed in on the prone form of
Doanthalas.  They were unaffected by the smoke and
advanced steadily on the elf.

Doanthalas' keen hearing picked up the sound of the
zombie's shuffling feet approaching.  It was getting
harder to breathe and a fit of coughing seized the elf.
At least nearer the floor the air wasn't as filled with
smoke.

A slight breeze blew across the elf's face.  The fact
that there was a breeze meant one thing: There was a
way out. Doanthalas began crawling towards the breeze.
He had to hurry. The fire was almost out and that meant
that his time was almost up.

The remains of his clothes crumbled to nothing as well
as the other items he carried that were flammable.  The
elf's knee nudged something as he crawled. Reaching
down his hand closed around the hilt of his sword.  The
blade scraped against the ground as he lifted it.

The sound of shuffling feet was very close now.  With
great effort Doanthalas swung his sword.  He felt it
chop though something solid and then stop as it hit
something else solid. There was a loud thump as
something heavy hit the ground.

One of the zombies lay on the floor struggling feebly
to stand. The other paused its progress impeded by his
fallen companion. Darkness had descended upon the room
as the last of the fires burned themselves out. The
zombies continued in their pursuit of their prey
unaffected by the darkness.  Their minds understood
nothing other than their hunger for flesh...their
thirst for blood.  The scent was getting stronger.
Their quarry was near. Bits of rotting flesh dropped
off their arms as they reached out to feast.

The sound of shuffling feet and something sharp
scraping across the stones sounded very close behind
him.  Doanthalas blindly dragged himself towards the
source of the breeze.  If he could reach it he might be
able to escape. Whatever he did, he would have to
hurry.  His strength was fading fast. Doanthalas' hand
closed over a metal grate in the floor.  It was small.
Most likely, it was a drain.  It had to lead somewhere.
He hoped it was large enough for him to crawl through.

Wiping his eyes with his grimy hand did little to
improve his situation.  The elf turned and tried to see
through the sweat, blood, and grime that had found its
way into his eyes.  He was able to see very little, but
did notice two still slightly warm forms moving in his
direction.  One was crawling and the other was walking.


Clutching his sword the tattooed elf sat up and
prepared to meet his foes. The zombies closed before
Doanthalas could stand.  They pressed their attack. The
crawling zombie lost an arm right away.  The other arm
was next followed shortly by his head. Each time he
swung his sword Doanthalas felt it slipping out of his
hands.  He adjusted his grip before turning to deal
with the remaining zombie.

This zombie had the advantage.  It held the higher
ground and did not tire. Doanthalas on the other hand
was so weak that he could barely lift his sword.  The
sword went clattering to the floor after being easily
batted away by the zombie.  Things were getting worse
by the second.  Doanthalas' head began to swim. "I
cannot die like this," he thought as he backed away
from the advancing zombie.

The smell of iron reached his nostrils.  "Not now!" he
thought as his hand slipped in the fresh blood that had
begun to flow from his fiendish tattoos. Doanthalas
crawled back as far as he could. He stopped with his
back to the wall and the zombie practically on top of
him.  It seemed like it was to end there. Fortunately
for Doanthalas the zombie slipped in some of his blood
and went toppling to the floor.  The sound of nails
scraping the floor was audible through the darkness.

He could not see the zombie anymore; the heat from the
fire that had threatened to consume it had long since
dissipated. It seemed like hours that the zombie lay
there scraping at the floor. Doanthalas did not take
time to ponder this turn of events.  He just crawled
around the floor until his hand closed over the hilt of
another weapon.  With every ounce of strength he could
muster he crawled back towards the sound of scraping.

Unable to comprehend its situation the zombie struggled
to scrape the flesh off its victim.  It could smell the
blood, but could not seem to scrape the flesh off its
bones.  It struggled on fueled by its hunger.
Doanthalas ended its struggles a few moments later as
he dismembered piece by piece.

The weapon clattered to the floor.  Doanthalas did not
have an ounce of strength left.  He slumped to the
ground and drifted off into unconsciousness. A cool
breeze blew through his hair as the blood from his
tattoos flowed through the grate in the floor.

-----------


Pike scowled.  His luck in battle had never been so
sour.  The day had not gone so badly at first, but now
depression was settling on the Norseman's shoulders
like the globe on the shoulders of Atlas.  He had
fought his way out of a diabolic trap loosing half his
men only to have his favorite wench stolen and probably
killed by a ghoulish Kent.  The armored skeletons Kent
triggered killed Buck and cost his party in both wounds
and precious time.  Skitch had figured out the secret
door and slide in the sarcophagus, but that too had
cost time.  They had broken through the door in the
room at the base of the slide and found the lower
corridor.  Thumper had led them North instead of South
and that had cost time.  The wily ghoul must have left
a false trail.

Skitch had found the ladder that led up into the hollow
statue. After he had come down from there he found and
quickly un-jammed the mechanisms for the stone doors in
the rooms above, but that hadn't helped them find
Rapina.  They had gone North when they should have gone
South. When they did go south, Pike had lost strength
and sustained an annoying wound to his left shoulder.
He had been too hasty about demolishing the four
skeletons in the room at the top of the staircase and
had not noticed the three shadows until after they
started feeding on him and his men.  Drake had
sustained wounds and lost some strength to the shadows
and so had Gape.

Thumper had tracked the ghoul South along the cliff
tops and along the base of some cliffs higher than the
ones Pike and his men were walking on, but then the dog
had inexplicably lost the trail.  It cost more precious
time before Rage found a hidden fissure.  There Thumper
had picked up the trail of the ghoul again.  It led to
a blank wall when the fissure forked.  Skitch had
correctly identified a secret door in the wall.  The
door led to a narrow, low-ceilinged staircase mined
through the granite.  The staircase twisted down and
down endlessly before it and finally let out at a
secret door in a warren of confusing tunnels.  The
tunnels went through the dirt of the valley Pike and
his men had seen from high above on the cliffs near the
entrance to the fissure. Thumper had started tracking
in circles and the party had become hopelessly lost in
the maze of tunnels.  If anything, they were farther
from finding Rapina than when she had first been
abducted.

"Pike, I hate ta say it, but we're lost an' wounded,
'an if Rapina ain't dead by now, then she's a prisoner
o' the dark lord o' the isle. Thumper ain't doin' us a
bit o' good, an' we can't go back ta where we were
without startin' over at the tombs.  My bid is that we
jus' try ta find a way outa here before yer ghouls an'
things start wakin' up."

Pike glared at Brackston. "I hate it when yer right.
Okay, lets try to find a tunnel that goes up."

A few minutes later Rage called out

"Hey, where's Gape, he was behind me just a minute
ago."

"Damn it! Ghouls, I'll wager.  Demon or not, I sure as
hell wish we had an elf to take up the rear.  My bet is
that Thumper might be able to smell 'em.  Brackston,
take the rear. Rage, you make sure to look over your
shoulder a lot, understand?"

"Gotcha."

A more couple hours passed, but, although they had
gained some elevation and had gone a good distance in a
roughly northerly direction, an exit from the warrens
still eluded them.

Suddenly Thumper growled.

Ghouls! Brackston shouted.

Thumper grabbed a ghoul's hand as it tried to strike
his master and ripped at it.

Brackston lunged, his usual sword techniques were
worthless hunched over in a cramped dirt tunnel.  He
ran his sword through the creature's chest and twisted
it but the creature did not die!

A second ghoul erupted from the floor of the tunnel and
attempted to grab Drake's leg.

Drake yelped, jumped back against the tunnel wall and
cut the ghoul's hand off at the wrist.

A third ghoul burst through the tunnel wall behind
Drake and grabbed him, claws ripping into his sides -
immobilizing Drake with magical fear.

Skitch whipped two throwing knives into the chest of
the ghoul on the ground.

Pike's axe came down on the floor-ghoul's head,
splitting it like a melon.

The Norseman grabbed Drake's legs just as he was
disappearing into a hidden side tunnel behind the ghoul
and heaved.

Brackston's ghoul cut into the yellow dog's head with
his free hand leaving deep bloody furrows, but the
ghoul's magic was wasted on the mean yellow dog.
Thumper's simple mind did not fear death.

Brackston lunged again half gutting the ghoul who'd
hurt his dog.

Near pike, the skulless ghoul reached up in its death
throws and sunk its claws savagely into the Norseman's
calf.

Pike bellowed as he felt the ghoul's magic sizzle up
his nerves. Every ounce of the indomitable courage bred
into the Norseman fought the ghoul's magic...

Blood an' Bones!  Pike roared as he heaved Drake out of
the side tunnel with the ghoul still attached to him.

The ghoul let go of Drake, setting the Norseman off
balance and then dove for Skitch.

"Ulp!" Try as he might, once the ghoul had grabbed him,
ripping into his ribs with its claws, Skitch could not
move a muscle. His whole body seemed to freeze in
horror.

Rage drove his gladius into the ghoul's side as it
began to make off with Skitch.

Pike grabbed Skitch's legs just as they were
disappearing down the tunnel and heaved once again.

Brackston's ghoul hissed as Brackston skewered it a
second time and opened the wrist of Brackston's sword
arm with its hideous claws. Blood gushed from the
wound.

Brackston froze.  He struggled, but the magical fear
had him firmly in its unyielding grasp.

Thumper jumped knocking the ghoul on its back. The dog
growled ferociously ripping flesh from the monster.

The Ghoul from the wall lashed out at Pike's arm with
its toe nails, tearing furrows through his skin.

Pike bellowed, his great muscles flexed... and released
as he pulled Skitch and the ghoul back into the tunnel.


Rage jammed his short sword into the side of the
ghoul's chest and twisted it, Killing the foul thing at
last.

Thumper ripped out the ghoul's throat as one of the
creature's claws sunk into the dog's eye socket. Blood
flooded from the dog's wound.  He curled up at the
paralyzed feet of his master whining ever more quietly
as his life's blood drained away.

"Damn ghouls, Pike snarled as he bandaged Brackston's
wrist. Rage, let's move Drake, Skitch an' Brackston up
there and get some bandages on all the wounds before we
bleed ta death. There's a boulder forming one wall of
the tunnel.  There's no way we're going to be able to
move with three of our guys out. We'll just have to
wait.  Poor dog.  I'd bandage the eye, but the wound's
too damn deep, I can see his brains in there. He'd just
bleed into his skull."

Pike, them ghouls hit ye twice, but ye didn't freeze.

"Courage mate, it's bred into the bones 'o every
Norseman."

It was well over an hour before the party could move,
and it was another hour before they emerged into the
open air.  The sun was low in the sky when they saw it
again at last.  They were in a forested canyon dotted
with piles of bones marked by various stone markers.

"I'm namin' this place the valley of the dead, any
objections? Looks like these various heaps o' bones
were from the loosing side of old battles.  You don't
get good graves when ye loose."

Pike looked at his men.  "If we were fresh, I'd say
let's double-time it back to Red Jack's fort, but we
wouldn't get there before night fall.  Plus we'd have
to fight our way through the enemy to get in, but I'm
limpin' like a club-foot, an it's easy ta see
Brackston's dizzy from lack o' blood.  Skitch winces
ever time he takes a big step 'an whenever Drake bends
over I see the pain in 'is eyes.  We're ripped ta shit.
Tryin' to fight our way through to the fort would be
simple suicide."

"Here's my plan, there's one other gate to the water
besides the cove - the box canyon.  Right now we're on
the edge of this valley.  We're going up hill, the
trees are starting to thin, and the terrain is getting
a little rockier. Let's take some trees, about four
straight medium-sized fairly long ones.  This valley
and the area around Jack's camp are the only two places
on the isle I've seen good timber.  Look at that tree
right over there, it's still standing, but it's dry and
dead.  We find four trees, clean off most of the
branches and attach ropes.  Once we're out the valley
we turn East an' scramble up the steep hills and cliffs
and into more open terrain.  It'll be tough because
just about every one of us will have to drag a tree an'
we're not in the best o' shape, but I think we can do
it."

"We'll be dead beat once we reach the plateau South of
the tombs and the burial mounds.  We can rest there.
Visibility is good up there even in moon light because
there are no trees an' few bushes.  We've got to be up
the cliffs by the time that sun sets, an' we don't have
long if we're going to get our timber and drag it up.
After we have a rest an' a meal, we start dragging our
trees over to the box canyon.  Skitch, you'll be
gathering something ta use for oars an' haulin' them.
It's going to be one hell of a tough time given how
beat up we are, but just remember.  If we get timber to
the Box canyon, we can build a raft usin' the rope we
have for climbing to lash the trees together.  Then we
can get the hell out while the undeads an' their lord
are still too preoccupied with the battle to be keeping
track of us. "

Pike cut and stripped four trees with his battle axe
and the group laboriously headed North, then East and
up. Thankfully they knew the terrain, for they had seen
from the cliff tops, while tracking Kent and Rapina,
that North was the only way out of the pit that Pike
called the valley of the dead.

-----

Rapina was escorted through a stout oak door and up a
long circular stair that wound its way around a central
shaft.  At the top of the shaft, beneath a domed stone
roof, hung another large whicker elevator-cage.  About
50 feet below the cage there was a landing in the
staircase that wrapped from the North side of the shaft
all the way around to the East and South.  It ended on
the South face of the shaft before continuing up as a
staircase.  Off the landing there were several oaken
doors, the first one led to the necromancer's chambers.
As the door was opened, her nose caught the scent of
myrrh.  The necromancer's abode was well-lit with white
mage-light from clear crystals suspended from the
ceilings.  The rooms were spacious, if stark and a bit
dusty.  Rapina was shown to a small guestroom.

"You'll be staying here for now.  If you prove a
difficult guest, then perhaps you would prefer to stay
with Kent instead of me?"  The necromancer raised an
eyebrow questioningly.  "Try to get some sleep.  I
usually sleep in the morning and early afternoon.  It
is more convenient to deal with my minions that way, as
they are normally quite sluggish during the daylight
hours."

"There is a chamber pot behind that door, a basin
there, and a desk.  This room was designed for an
acolyte, but the church has not seen fit to provide me
with one in all the time I have been here.  Kent said
you read. There are books there on the desk. Treat them
well and ask nicely and you will be given replacements
if you tire of them."

"Let us get one thing straight, young lady, you have
been rescued from the pirates and their fait because
war is not a woman's place. You are as much a criminal
as they are no matter what they might have done to you,
and if you do not behave yourself, you will face the
king's justice or mine, understood?"

"Yes Sir," Rapina said, hanging her head.  Rapina could
sense hardly a whit of lust from the necromancer.  At
the moment she was being treated like a child and she
felt at least as helpless as one. She knew the
necromancer's left hand was animated bone, but his
robes hid anything beyond that and she had no idea just
how much of the necromancer was man, and how much was
animated skeleton.  At this point she was feeling as if
there were more skeleton than man.

The necromancer locked the door to her room as he left,
and Rapina flopped onto the bed with a sigh. -----

As the last Rays of the sun disappeared over the
horizon, Pike's men pulled their timbers up onto the
plateau South of the tomb and burial mounds.

"Damn iv we dild id."  Brackston blinked.  The sky was
twirling overhead.

Pike winced as he saw Brackston fall.  "Damn is right."
The Norseman limped over to Brackston. "You okay?"

"Heey, wad habbent?" Brackston asked.

"Drink this, man, you're in bad shape.  You got dizzy
an' fell down, but we made it.  We're on the plateau,
and none too soon. Let's sit down, and have something
to eat.  Skitch, you un-jammed the door mechanisms to
the tomb, do you think the entry door opened?

Skitch puffed as he set down some oars he'd made from
the crusts of a couple old hollow logs.  "Hard to say.
How'd you get out the first time you got caught in the
entry room?"

"If there's weight in the top coffin-like side-tunnel
in the Southeast corner of the room, the entry slab
opens."

Well, if there was weight there, then the door will be
open.  If not, it'll be closed.  Why do you ask?

"Two reasons," Pike said between mouthfulls of hard
roll. "We left some dead in there that the necromancer
might be able to use unless we chop 'em up.  That an'
those men had weapons, valuables an' so on we could
take.  Once we reach land we're going need to live."

"We can check on the way by, I'd give it about a fifty-
fifty chance of bein' open.  Could be we could pry the
entry slab up a ways with one of these timbers too.  If
we can, I can get in and open it up.  Seems ta me if we
pry those gems off the coat of arms in the one room we
already tripped the trap in, we'd be set fer years."

"Good thinking." ----

A perimeter had been set up and the pirates had taken
up their positions in anticipation of attack.  Torches
and bonfires illuminated the area as well as casting
ominous looking shadows on the edge of the camp. The
centerpiece of Red Jack's defensive arrangement was a
fortified hillock. On the top of the hill was a couple
small tents and a large shallow, flat-bottomed
depression where the pirates' many wounded were
resting.  There was a ring around the hilltop with a
three-foot high, stockade-style log wall.  Behind it,
the pirates' archers took cover.

On the outside of the short stockade wall that ringed
the top of the hill was a dirt embankment.  Starting
from the embankment and going all the way down the
sides of the hill and beyond were row upon row of stout
wooden spears planted into the ground so that they
bristled toward the enemy.  Pikes and small trees
positioned around the top of the hill could be used to
pierce or bludgeon enemies trying to squeeze between
the rows and approach the fort.  Twenty yards away from
the base of the hill a ditch had been dug to stifle the
approach of battering rams that might rapidly break the
spears protecting the fort.  The ditch that ringed the
fort had a ring of spears planted on the near side to
slow the enemy and make them easier to hit for the
archers of the fort.

In anticipation of undead shadows not directed by the
isle's lord, because of having been spawned only last
night, a field of bon-fires and torches had been
arranged.  These sat between the base of the array of
spears on the hill and the ring of spears near the
ditch so that the archers might spot and fire on the
shadows.  This plan would only be good for as long as
the fires burned brightly, but Red Jack expected these
uncontrolled undeads to come to feed as soon as night
fell.  Some of the heartier pirates stood near the
start of the spears not far from the base of the hill.
The archers could fire over their heads with ease, but
these men were present to kill any shadows the archers
missed before they started working their way through
the spears to the fort.

As tired as they were from building the fort all day,
none of the pirates was able to sleep.  Their fear was
too strong to allow that.  It was fortunate that they
were all awake.  Had even a few of them been sleeping
the undead that surged forth would have overwhelmed
them in minutes.

The half-elf was one of the first to spot the shadows
trying to slip into camp.  A silent hand signal from
Arzeal was all it took to spur the other archers to
action.  Flaming arrows flying overhead alerted the
pirates on the ground to the shadows' presence.  The
shadows had lost the element of surprise.

The pirates on the ground took up their positions
holding their weapons at the ready. Arzeal smiled as
one of his resin-arrows engulfed a shadow in its fiery
embrace.  The pirates were ready this time.  He let fly
another flaming arrow as he spotted another shadow
working its way around the left flank.

The archer's arrows lit up the sky alerting Logan and
his men to the shadows' approach.  Torch in one hand
and sword in the other he took up his position with his
men. The front line was a dangerous place to be. Yet,
how could Logan expect his men to die for him if he was
not ready to die for them?  He might not live to see
the light of another day, but at least he would die
fighting. Three dark forms surged around the sharpened
stakes and at Logan and his men. They rushed forth to
meet their foes with fearsome battle cries.

From the hilltop fort, the captain surveyed the scene
unfolding before him with his spyglass. Arzeal and his
archers were doing quite a number on the shadows.  The
fact that they picked their shots wisely and didn't
madly fire all their arrows away said something for the
master archer's training of his men. Logan and his
soldiers were doing well so far at keeping the shadows
that slipped through at bay.  He shivered as he
remembered the chill touch of the shadow.  "Good luck
my friend," the captain said aloud.

Movement at the perimeter caught Jack's eye.  A joint
force of skeleton's and zombies was emerging from the
darkness.  The zombies were in front and the first rank
of them carried shields. Behind the zombies were
skeletons bearing a bridge of planks covered in a layer
of mud. Behind and flanking them were skeletons
wielding bows.  As they walked forward, the skeleton
archers let fly arrows over the heads of the soldiers
in front of them.  "Damn!  He's got a small army of tha
walkin' dead an' some of 'em have bows!  I was
wonderin' where are dead from last night got to, damned
zombies!" Jack bellowed.

If it weren't for the archers, his men could have held
the skeletons off with only small losses.  At least
Jack was pretty sure they could have. Unfortunately the
men who were gathering to meet the zombies when they
crossed the ditch were being filled full of holes.

"Jump the spears an' into the ditch, Logan, them arrows
are decimatin' ye!

Arzeal and his archers let fly trying to cut down some
of the skeletons firing on Logan's men.  Unfortunately,
many of the shots that hit went right through the
skeletons.  Damn! shoot for the pelvis and use
broadheads if you've got 'em, it's our best bet! Arzeal
yelled.

"Arzeal, unveil yer little monster.  I don't want these
hair-cuts ye gave us ta be in vain.  That bridge
they're carryin' could be are doom, knock it out o'
their hands.  Archers, concentrate on tryin' ta blast
through th' zombies in front o' the right side o' the
bridge they're carryin' that's are target," Captain Red
Jack ordered.

A couple of archers pealed back the supply tent
revealing a small catapult with a torsion spring made
of the men's shorn hair.

Arzeal released a flame-arrow that turned the zombie
walking in font of the right side of the earth-covered
bridge into a walking torch.  This lit the way for his
archers' arrows.  That accomplished he put his bow back
on his back and unveiled his little monster, a
catapult.

Arzeal aimed the little monster he had worked on all
day and let fly.  The first stone went long and to the
right.  Arzeal made a couple of adjustments as four of
his men worked to cock the catapult again.

The Zombies in front of the right side of the portable
bridge fell down in a hail of arrows.

Without the zombies in front of them, the skeletons
were not as well protected, but they were able to move
more quickly.  The archers behind them rained arrows on
any of Logan's men not already in the ditch.

The second shot of the catapult was short, but centered
nicely. Crank it with everything you've got, men, if
you're quick enough, that bridge will be passing though
the area our last stone hit.  The men redoubled their
efforts. "Just as soon the catapult's arm hits the
stops, release it. I'll see if I can soften 'em up for
you," the half-elf said.

Arzeal took his bow up again and pulled arrow after
arrow from his quiver.  He had almost no time to aim,
but many of his shots were superb.  One by one the
Skeletons along the right side of the bridge began to
fall.  Oddly, other skeletons from farther back dropped
their weapons and took the places of their fallen
comrades, though not nearly as quickly as would have
been the case had the army been a little less deficient
of intelligence. Arzeal suspected someone was giving
orders, but all he could see was an army of skeletons.
He and his archers kept up a heavy rain of arrows.

The men released the catapult.  The stone arced up and
slammed onto the right side of the portable bridge, the
one weakened by the concentrated fire of Arzeal's
archers.  That side of the bridge dropped and a great
deal of mud loosened from the surface of the bridge.

Arzeal dropped his bow and made the slightest
adjustment to the aim of the catapult.  His men cranked
it back so fast it seemed that they knew their lives
depended on it. The bridge was dangerously close to the
ditch, and this would be their last, best shot.

Arzeal grabbed his bow and crouched at the edge of the
stockade wall, releasing arrow after arrow.

Zombies began pouring into the ditch.  Logan and his
men fought hard, hacking at the unyielding zombies with
energy born of terror.

"Fighting withdrawal men, fighting withdrawal! There
are too damn many reachin' the ditch at once!  Let's
fall back to the opposite side of the ring to hole up
in the fort if necessary.  We're outnumbered, those
damned unexpected undead archers hit too damn many of
us.

The impromptu artillerists released the catapult arm
again and the stone slammed into the left side of the
bridge.  The shock shattered the wrists of many of the
skeletons.

There was a moment when it seemed as though the one
side of the bridge would remain up.  That moment passed
as Arzeal took out two of the skeletons whose wrists
had held and the second side of the bridge fell to the
ground.  "Keep firing! Arzeal screamed.

There was a moment of hesitation as arrows poured down
at the skeletons, and then the remainder of the undead
army ran forward and took cover in the ditch.  The
skeleton army began to fire on the pirates behind the
stockade wall of the fort, but few shots were telling
on either side because both sides had good cover.

Logan and his men fought bravely, but even with support
from the better pirate archers, it was a loosing battle
against superior numbers. ---

Rapina could not sleep. She just lay on the bed curled
into a ball.  So much had happened and it was all so
horrible.  Rapina did not even want to think about it.
The room and the rest of the Necromancer's chambers
were a bit chilly owing to the fact that they had been
carved inside a granite cliff.  Deep underground
temperatures stayed around fifty degrees, and Rapina
estimated the chambers of the Necromancer were no
warmer than sixty-five degrees.  Rapina hardly noticed,
because she had dressed for underground temperatures
owing to the mission she had been on. She wore baggy
drawstring pants, a loose long-sleeved tunic and a
baggy sir-coat pillaged from some soldier on the
blockade Red Jack had recently destroyed.

After a time she looked at her surroundings. The room
was lit by two tiny mage-lights, one on a plaque-like
arrangement just above the head of the bed, and the
other similarly attached to the wall above the desk.
Both lamps had a cap held by a loose ring and chain
that could be screwed on over the lights.  The one over
the bed also had a red glass cap that could be used
instead of the metal one. The walls were rough, and
showed the mark of both chisel and pickaxe.  Rapina
guessed that tireless undead workers had mined the room
out of the stone.

Rapina got up to look around.  On one side of her room
were two doors.  One opened into a tiny room containing
the chamber pot, the other led into a small room with a
decanter, basin and dressing table, and the entrance to
a walk-in closet.  Rapina decided that if this room had
been designed for an acolyte, the church of Mortaebius
must be wealthy, or the necromancer and his servants
had too much time on their hands.

Rapina sat down at the dressing table.  She was a mess,
her hair was tangled and she smelled like smoke.  Her
face was covered with a mixture of soot and dried slime
from Kent's hideous tongue.  The closet was mostly
empty, but a few garments hung from hooks and hangers,
and there were a few more in the chest of drawers at
the far end of the closet. Rapina did not know where
the Necromancer had come by women's clothing, but she
tried not to dwell on the obvious conclusion that the
garments had been "borrowed" from someone too dead to
miss them. At least they seemed clean. Rapina used
nearly all of the water in the decanter washing
herself.  She needed a bath but she did the best she
could using the basin.  When she was done, she put on
the petticoats, dress, and sweater within the closet.
The dress was actually a little big for her, except in
the bust where it was too small, but at least she could
get it on.

There were three books on the shelf beside the desk,
two were storybooks, and one was a holy book concerning
the god of the dead.  Rapina quickly read the first
chapter of one of the storybooks and then got into bed
with the book on Mortaebius.  She needed to find out
everything she could about the necromancer and his god.


At some point, Rapina must have fallen asleep.  The
horrors of the previous night and morning had taxed her
severely.  She slept like the dead for a few hours and
then began having horrible nightmares as her mind tried
to cope with what she had been through.  She woke in a
sweat when there came a knocking on her chamber door.

"Rouse yourself. "

Rapina flew from her bed and replaced the Mortaebius
book on the shelf.

"Come out and follow the guards I have assigned to you.
They will escort you to the kitchen where you are to
prepare breakfast for us both. Do not attempt to take
any knives out of the kitchen, or the guards will kill
you.  I will return shortly after a conference with my
minions."

Rapina scowled.  She had only been here a few hours and
already she was being put to work.

Once in the kitchen, Rapina cooked a breakfast
consisting of eggs and oatmeal.  The necromancer did
not have a great deal in his kitchen. There were large
crocks of various grains and beans, and a loaf of
bread.  The iron cook stove was small, but modern.
Rapina served the priest in the great hall when he
arrived.  It would have been easier to serve him in the
breakfast nook off the kitchen, but not as safe for the
necromancer since knives were close at hand.

When the necromancer arrived, he placed a board on the
table before him.  There was a model of sorts built on
top of it, a little hillock fort with a ditch around it
rendered in clay and twigs.

"You may serve breakfast now, Ripina, I have arrived."

"There wasn't much here so I fixed oatmeal and eggs,"
Rapina called from the kitchen.

"Splendid, I am used to simple fare.  We are too far
away from a town for better, and up until now I have
always had to cook for myself.  The skeletons are too
simple for such tasks.  They can scrub floors
adequately, but they have no sense of smell and tend to
burn anything they attempt to cook.

Rapina brought the tray of food in from the kitchen.
"Did Kent tell you my name?"

The necromancer raised his eyebrows as he saw Rapina,
"Indeed."

Rapina's nose tingled as she sensed lust.  "It's
Rapina, actually, he doesn't pronounce things very
clearly anymore."

"Yes.  I am Guardian Thane of the Mortaebian order of
Death's Peace."

"A priest?" Rapina wrinkled her nose involuntarily.

Thane chuckled, "You don't like priests?"

"I've had a little experience with priests, all of it
bad.  One was a lecherous 'celibate' priest, and well,
the other turned one of the only friends I had into a
terrifying undead monster who recently ate the cook I
worked for when I was first taken by the pirates."

Thane laughed.  "My order is not known for its
kindness.  Most of the priests of Mortabius are nothing
more than undertakers - morticians.  They conduct
funerals, build caskets, embalm, dress and beautify the
deceased, serve feasts in honor of the dead, that sort
of thing.  It strikes most as a ghoulish profession,
but many of Mortaebius' priests are married in spite of
that, for the business of the church provides a good
living.  Those of us who distinguish ourselves as
powerful guardians of the dead often take on more
serious duties.  We are a little less... naive of our
god's strengths."

"A little?" Rapina asked.

"Every church has its strong arm.  Some have orders of
knights or militant orders of monks.  Mortaebius'
church is no exception.  We are the guardians of the
dead when our more peaceful brethren find the enemies
of Mortaebius too difficult to best.  Our order
generally grows during times of war, and gets swept
under the rug during times of peace, but we are an old
and powerful order. The church has always needed us.
Few priests enter the order directly.  Most are
recruited from other orders.  I am also a member of the
order of Death's Peace, a common funereal order that
specializes in the maintenance and protection of burial
sites.  It is not so uncommon for priests of my order
who have distinguished themselves in combat or magic to
receive a secret invitation to join a hidden order."

Rapina sat down to eat, "You were a mortician?"

The necromancer nodded.

"A family thing?" Rapina asked.

"No, actually my father was a clothier who catered to
the wealthy.  His life was an endless series of social
events with people above his station who lauded his
design sense and depended on him to keep them in up-to-
date fashions.  He knew just how to play them, just how
to appeal to their vanity.  I found it intolerable.
Thankfully, one of our good customers died and I had
the chance to work with a priest of Mortaebius on the
clothing for the deceased."

"And now you make them walk instead of dressing them?"

"That is another story.  Now how did you happen to
become a member of the crew of the infamous Red Jack?"

Rapina was about to make up a tail when she realized
that Kent had probably told the necromancer everything
he knew.  At least she could not rule out the
possibility of Guardian Thane checking out her story
with the ghoul.  "How did I become a crewman?  A
priest, of course, my luck with priests is hideous. He
was a powerful man with the town wrapped around his
finger. Very like your father in some ways, he knew
just how play them, and he loved it.  The townspeople
hung on his every word, he was a holy man among holy
men, and during his off-hours, he was a lecher and a
rapist who preyed on the town's young women. If a woman
talked or refused to cooperate, she sickened or had an
accident.

I escaped his clutches and ran from the constable who
he controlled.  Kent and his friends fished me out of
the river onto their stolen fishing boat. I was nearly
drowned, but the river had delivered me from my
priestly troubles.  The boys wanted to join Red Jack's
crew; they had a romantic vision of piracy.  I knew the
priest would get the law after me.  Therefore when the
pirates found us, before the boys could give me over as
a gift to the captain as they'd planned, I told the
pirates that the boys and I wanted to join the crew."

"And they let you join just like that?" the necromancer
asked dubiously.

"It was sometimes a horror, sometimes not so bad, but
it was probably better than a damp cell under a church
with a man who, for all his vaunted holiness, was
meaner to me than Captain Red Jack."

"Meaner than a notorious pirate captain?  No wonder you
mislike priests," Thane chuckled.  I suppose you know
his better side, but your captain is infamous up and
down the river Augustana. Even I know about him, and I
do not get out much.  He has brought so much business
to my church I almost feel like thanking him. He and
his men are cold-blooded killers, criminals of the
first degree, and tonight I will crush them like bugs
under Mortaebius' mighty boot."

"Is that?" Rapina pointed to the clay hillock on the
board.

"A model of the fort they built.  You told Dominic you
did not know whether they would go or stay, evidently
they have decided to stay. Now I must figure out how to
best them with what remains of my resources."

"You're wearing a glove today?" Rapina asked.

"Only because I was painting," replied the necromancer.

"You're an artist?" Rapina asked.

The necromancer laughed.  "I am if you count painting
ghouls and skeletons black.  Actually, I did paint
white bones on a ghoul painted black so he would look
like a skeleton.  Does that count?"

Rapina closed her eyes.  "I can't believe I'm talking
to a man who makes dead people walk and kill and eat
living people."

"It seems hideous to you now, but remember, I was a
mortician, dead bodies to me are like trees to a
lumberman.  Red Jack makes living people rape, ruin and
kill living people.  I ask you, which of us is *really*
more frightening?"

"Okay, so you're both horrors," Rapina said.

"Quite so, but at least we're honest," the necromancer
affirmed.

Rapina groaned.

"This is war, Rapina.  You may see my forces as
something out of a nightmare, but essentially Jack and
I are fighting.  He wants this island as a base. I want
to wipe him from the face of Ifreann as a public
service and because, frankly, It will boost my
reputation in the Order of the Shroud by a thousand
percent. Moreover it might secure me access to learning
that might take me a lifetime to acquire otherwise -
true wizardry."

Rapina sighed.

------------

Logan's men retreated up the hill on the opposite side,
away from the downed bridge and the highest
concentration of archers. Unfortunately, as his forces
were climbing through the spears to the safety of the
fort, more and more enemy archers reached Logan's side
of the hillock.  Arzeal tried to pin them down with
fire, but too many shots got through, killing many good
men.  Logan himself barely made it over the stockade
wall. He'd been grazed several times and had an arrow
sticking through the skin of his calf.

The next hour flew by.  What remained of Logan's men
had their wounds patched and either joined the many
wounded at the fort's center or joined the defenders if
they were able-bodied.  Some who should have been lying
with the wounded helped the archers instead.  Their
fear prevented them from lying back to trust their
mates to take care of the battle. ----


"Who's winning?" Rapina said pensively as Thane emerged
from his chambers to fetch a snack.  She was doing the
dishes with several skeletons standing between her and
Thane.  She thought about tossing a knife at him, but
considering he'd ordered the skeletons to kill her if
she did, she thought better of it.

"Neither side, but I am making progress.  Your captain
built himself a small catapult and foiled my plan to
quickly bridge his ditch and use a battering ram on his
spears to win the night.  His archers have caused much
greater casualties to my forces than I had anticipated,
but I captured the ditch and let the bon fires between
the ditch and the base of the hill burn down to embers.


While some relief archers dashed in from the South
drawing missile fire and, more importantly that half-
elven archer, a few ghouls painted black snuck up on
the ditch from the North.  Kent is already there.  It
was he who was painted like a skeleton. He commanded
the main body of my forces."

"Now he and the other ghouls will start tunneling in
earnest, and they are excellent tunnelers.  Kent
himself has already in this last hour made progress on
a tunnel, and some of the skeletons who lack bows or
arrows have built a bridge of earth over the ditch well
away from the tunnel.  Now that I have more ghouls on
the job, the skeletons will pile more dirt up and build
bridges across the ditch.  I have a little surprise in
store for the pirates, just something to keep them busy
and weaken their defenses..." ---

Arzeal crouched behind the fort's South stockade wall.
"That's the best we'll do, the new skeleton archers are
in the ditch now. Those two ranks in the front with
shields didn't help us any, but you did well, men, we
knocked out a third of 'em, and wounded at least half.
Every one of those archers that gets through to the
ditch is another thorn in our sides."

"I sure wish we had more regular flame arrows, those
bon fires are useless anymore. I know you men are
having trouble seeing the enemy.  Trouble is we've shot
more arrows already tonight than we'd use in several
raids.  How're things over North, Brent?"

"Seem quiet sir, but I think I seen a shadow out there
jump into the ditch."

"Damn, I'd hoped we'd rid areselves o' all th' shadows
at the start o' th' evening, but I guess there had ta
be a few that got here late." What worried Jack was the
fact that he hadn't seen any ghouls yet.  They had hurt
the pirates badly the last time. "Wonder where he's got
'is damn ghouls."

"Skeletons! Damn they're almost on top of the ditch
already. It's hard to see 'em even with my eyes, their
bodies are no warmer than the air," Arzeal said.

"What the hell Arzeal, have you gone daft?" the captain
asked.

Arzeal picked up one of his remaining resin arrows and
let fly. There was the familiar poof! and a skeleton no
one could see went up in flames.  He was the front
creature in a team of runners carrying a tall dead
evergreen like a lance.

Archers, man th' Nor' wall!  What in hell's name is
that?  A team o' Skeletons painted black carryin' a
dead pine tree like a lance?" Captain Red Jack queried.


The archers fired on the tree-wielding skeletons, but
even with the light of Arzeal's flameing skeleton, it
was still hard for the men to see the black skeletons
against the dark night and the dark tree branches, and
by the time the men from the South wall switched sides
to the North, the skeletons had already run across the
ditch.

"Did ye see that, those skeletons hardly sank down when
they hit the ditch, it must be partly filled right
there," the captain observed.

Only the men to the far sides of the North wall had
good shots, the rest were left trying to shoot through
hundreds of tree branches.

The black skeletons sprinted over the earth bridge
across the ditch and headed for the base of the hill.

One of the men happened to shoot a flaming arrow into
the tree's dead folliage, and the whole tree, save the
base where the skeletons held it went up in a roar of
flames.

By the time the skeletons reached the base of the hill,
only half their original number remained, but it was
barely enough.  Their great spear was already tilted
and aflame, it fell nearly all the way up the hill.
Their mission completed, the black skeletons sprinted
for the ditch.  In spite of the darkness, the pirate
archers shattered several with arrows before they
reached safety.

The archers backed away from the heat of the flaming
tree.  Pine burned fast, and this tree was burning even
faster than it should have, the flames were intensely
hot and they were burning the wooden spears all the way
up the hill.

"You men, take those buckets an' start throwin' dirt on
the upper section o' the tree, it may seem like a
fool's errand now, but every pair 'o spears we can save
will slow a charge by a few precious seconds," Red Jack
said.

A man stood high to get a good shot at the fire with
his bucket of dirt and fell back with three arrows
buried in his chest.

"Keep low an' behind cover, men, yer just as vulnerable
ta enemy fire with a bucket as ye are with a bow!" Jack
shouted. ---

Rapina was cleaning the kitchen when the necromancer
returned.

"My trick worked, but that damned archer nearly foiled
me again. He and his men have bailed Captain Red Jack
out several times now."

"He's one of Jack's nicest men."

"A nice pirate?  Please!  Nice or not, he _is_ a
problem," Thane rubbed his chin as if thinking.

"What did you do?" Rapina asked.

"The skeletons I painted black ran a pine tree up to
the base of the pirate fort's spears and landed it
nearly the whole way up the hill.  I had Kent paint the
trunk and many of the major limbs with pine tar.  It's
burning wildly, taking the pirate's spears in that area
with it."

Rapina scowled.

"Thane chuckled.  Such loyalty for a bunch of cold-
blooded killers is astounding, especially in a lady
they no doubt abused to no end.  Red Jack must be
charismatic, indeed."

Rapina felt like stabbing the necromancer with a
kitchen knife, but she knew his six skeleton guards
would cut her to ribbons in an instant if she tried
anything.  Even if she killed the man instantly with an
incredibly lucky throw, she would be joining him in
death before she could even pick up another knife, and
a knife would be a laughable weapon against one of the
necromancer's double-strength skeletons.

On the other hand, she could not help but see the evil
magician's point.  Jack and all his men killed innocent
people for a living. It seemed that ever since
Evangeline had brought his evil down upon her and
forced her to claim the powers of the lust spirit, she
could not escape the darkness. -----

[Rapina]016 Defeat in Darkness

Rapina yawned as she sat on a large chair in the
necromancer's dinning hall.  She was reading here only
because she knew Thane would walk through the hall on
his way from his scrying chamber to the kitchen.  She
had finished cleaning and knew from the water clock
above the mantle that dawn would be coming in about
three hours.

Thane wiped the sweat off his brow and wandered by
Rapina into the kitchen.

Rapina followed.  "You didn't say anything, is
something wrong?"

"Yes, that damned half-elven archer.  Every time I
expend the power to look into my magic pool for a
glance at the battlefield, he's knocked the skulls off
a few more of my archers.  My minions tried another
burning tree, but this time the pirates saw it sooner
and set it immediately aflame.  They concentrated on
the skeletons on only one side, and the tree fell down
just short of the hill.  Thanks to Kent, the remaining
skeletons lifted it and tried to land it as they had
the other, but it went over on an angle.  Its swath
only reaches about half way up the hill."

"My troops are nearly gone.  The pirates might storm
out of their camp and kill the skeleton archers that
are left, but for the fact that Kent has the remaining
troops crawling around in the ditch poking their heads
up and firing at different locations around the ditch
so that it appears as though there are more archers
than there really are. I've quite a few headless
archers, but I don't dare have them set their skulls on
the edge of the ditch.  Your Arzeal would shoot them
off with one arrow to the skull.  I believe the pirates
will eventually run out of arrows, but we too are
running low."

"You mean you've lost?"  Rapina could not help that her
voice brightened slightly.

Thane chuckled, "You sound so disappointed that I have
not wiped the infamous Red Jack and all his men off the
face of Ifreann, but I must win.  I am not getting any
younger, and I've cast the spells I have a thousand
times.  I can practically do them in my sleep!  I need
access to greater wizardry and to be initiated into
Mortaebius' inner circle.  This battle has been
tiresome and draining on my resources.  I've used up
all of the skeletons and animation scrolls I had saved
up over the years and I've still come up short.

It appears that I will have to make a personal
appearance if I am to deliver Red Jack to the
authorities in chains, which reminds me, I'd better
bring manacles.  I'll bolster my forces with some
additional arrows, my household guards and the
skeletons remaining in the tomb.  With the addition of
a little magic, my final back-up plan should be far
more lethal than it would have been without me, and I
have a most interesting surrogate to draw the archer's
arrows." ---

"Arr, it's been a long, evil night.  Only a couple
hours left until dawn.  How're we doin' Arzeal?"

"Not well sir.  We don't have more than four score
arrows left, and a quarter of those are in my own
quiver. Half of the remainder we got from the enemy by
pulling them out of the ground in the fort and out of
our own men.  The bright side is, I think the enemy is
low on arrows as well.  They've been firing fewer and
fewer as the hours passed.  I think I've made a dent in
their numbers too, although skulless skeletons cannot
really be counted as dead, being headless seems to ruin
them for good archery."

"Aye," the captain chuckled.  We 'ave ye ta thank for
most o' the headlesses, but they aren't the only ones
with wounded. I've ne'r seen a sorrier lot o' pirates.
We could break out o' the fort on one side, an see if
we could best th' boneys hand ta hand, but I'm afraid
there'd not be enough able-bodied left ta make us some
bloody rafts ta get the hell outa here."

"Arzeal nodded.  True, and we'll not escape with our
wounded unless we can make it until dawn.  The thing
that bothers me is, if the enemy has anything left to
throw at us, chances are we'll be seeing it soon."

"Aye."

Slasher cupped his hand to his hear.  "Cap'n I think ye
better take a look this way, I'm hearin' mail."

Tense minutes passed as the pirates strained their
eyes, trying to see what they were hearing.

"Son o' a bitch!  You men get that catapult over here."


Riding in from the East in a loose wedge formation on
black, leather-clad skeletal horses were nine black-
robed horseman.

"Damn it! Look at the one in th' front, 'is eyes're
glowin' red like embers an look at the size of 'im, 'es
got ta be eight foot tall.  'Is shield would make a
good table top 'an th' skeleton horse 'e's ridin' must
'ave won prizes when she warr alive fer bein' the
biggest draft nag around.  Th' other two horses are
near as big, an' th' riders are big, but nothin' like
their leader. Give 'em hell in arrows as they approach,
men."

Behind the horsemen marching double-time were 18 troops
in bronze plate mail with halberds or two-handed
swords.

"Heavy armor, I don't like it.  Arzeal, how many o'
them incendiary arrows have ye got left?" the captain
asked.

"Three sir," said Arzeal.

"Get the horsemen on either side o' the big guy, then
see if ye can nail Ol' Red-Eyes w' the catapult.  Save
one o' those flame arrows fer emergency use," the
captain ordered.

Arzeal grinned and peaked his head up from the wall.  A
couple enemy arrows sang though the air, but neither
hit the half-elf as he loosed two shafts.

The robed figures on either side of the giant burst
into flames.

The pirates cheered, but the cheer was short-lived as
the riders threw off their thick cowls, and with them,
most of the flaming resin.  Underneath the cowls the
pirates saw skeletons clad in leather with metal
helmets and breast plates.  Astonishingly, they seemed
to have enough sense to pat out the remaining flames.

The riders picked up their pace and thundered towards
the ditch around the fort.  The mail-clad warriors
behind them broke into a run.  They did not have far to
go, for the dark cowls had allowed them to approach
relatively close to the camp, in spite of the sound of
their mail.

"Damn cowls.  Spend are arrows, this is it boys!
Catapult, loose when ready!  Keep low an' snatch up th'
arrows the enemy shoots inta camp!" the captain
ordered.

Arzeal released the catapult arm, then gritted his
teeth as the rock flew. Slam!  The catapult stone
crashed into the giant's shield, knocking him off his
horse.

"Yeahhhss!"  The pirates yelled in triumph.

"Damn!"  The captain watched as Ol' Red Eyes threw his
ruined shield aside drew a two-handed sword with one
hand and ran to remount his horse.  "Crank it mates!"

The pirates at the catapult cranked like maniacs.

The pirate archers let loose with a hail of arrows,
many of them piercing the breast plates of the oncoming
skeleton cavalrymen, but piercing plate on a man was
much more telling than piercing plate on a monstrosity
of bone.  The cavalry kept coming.

The first horseman reached the ditch, jumped it and
thundered up the hill where the pine tree had burned
the fort's spears to ash. The other's followed, save
the fourth horse.  It jumped into the ditch and lied
down out of sight.

"What's with that fourth cavalryman?  Archers, keep
doin' what ye're doin.  Logan, prepare ta raise pikes
an' defend th' wall, but keep low an' don't raise pikes
till those horses are in pikein' range."

Arzeal said a silent prayer and let loose with another
catapult stone.  Damn!  The stone went wide of the huge
warrior as he remounted his skeletal horse and jumped
the ditch in a single bound following the rest of the
cavalry.

At the last second, Logan's men raised pikes, the lead
rider could not stop in time.  He crashed into the
pike, snapping it and falling from his skeleton horse.
The horse itself was pierced in three places but it was
not broken.  It pushed forward threatening to overwhelm
the men.

"Push left men, flip the beast off its hooves."

The pirates wrestled with the stupid bag of bones, and
then cheered as it went over.

The next skeleton rider tried to jump the first but
went down when the first horse kicked the second
horse's legs as it was trying to regain its footing.
The cavalry charge was broken!

"If this is all ye've got, we'll carve yer hoard Ol'
Red Eyes!" the captain bellowed

A welter of weighty curses roared up from the fighting
men as they defended the fort.

A wounded pirate whimpered and was silent.

The mailed troops arrived at the ditch, many with a few
arrows sticking out of them.  They jumped in and spread
around, surrounding the fort.

As the pirates fought to keep several skeleton horses
and riders out of the fort, they were taken by a
horrible surprise.

"Aaaaiiiii!"  From the center of the fort in the
depression where the wounded were kept out of harms
way, a man screamed.

The captain glanced at the wounded and his face
contorted into a grimace of horror.

five ghouls and three shadows burst from the ground in
several locations.

Ghouls! Grab a spear!  The captain himself bent to grab
a spear, then suddenly the lights went out.  "Damn it
Arzeal I can't see! What's happinin'" Captain Red Jack
hollered.

Blinded Pirates screamed as the ghouls and shadows
attacked from within the camp.

"Sir, I'm blind as well!  Arzeal scrambled for the
parapet wall bumping past a few men and receiving a
horrible chill to the belly as he went to the West, the
side opposite the cavalry charge.  He could see
nothing, the darkness around him was as thick and black
as old ink.  Logan can you see?"

"Nay! but the riders can!  I don't know if I'm cuttin'
me own men or th' enemy.  Uhhhhh!"

Screams and paralyzed yelps erupted all over the camp
as the ghouls and shadows slashed and chilled their way
through the blinded pirates.

Kent sensed the presence and life force of Captain Red
Jack as the pirate captain whirled his bladed spear
around and around, turning frequently to fend off
unseen enemies.  Kent dropped to a crawl, his grossly
bloated belly dragging on the ground.  The screams of
the pirates covered any sound he made.  Suddenly Kent
lunged; he sunk both sets of his claws through the
captain's pants just above the boots as he bit the
captain's knee cap.

Aaargh! ghoulish claws pierced his skin behind one knee
and a welter of fear surged up the pirate captain's
leg.  No! he growled, resisting the fell magic.  The
captain raised his spear and brought it down, but
before it struck flesh, teeth and claws sunk into the
other leg sending a double-blast of fear up the
captain's spine.  Red Jack froze in horror, he could
not move!

Kent poked his prize several times making sure the fear
had taken hold of him.  He pushed the captain down and
made for the next pirate.

Arzeal jumped the parapet wall. Keeping low he squeezed
between the spears and headed downhill as fast as he
could.  An arrow grazed his side and another stuck in
his boot before he could again see.  Positioned around
the ditch were skeleton archers. At least half had set
ruined skulls in the dirt at the edge of the ditch,
while their bodies fired from behind.  A glance back at
the camp confirmed his suspicion - magical darkness.

The archer moved nimbly down hill, jumping through the
spears, loosing a shaft each time he landed.  With each
shot the skull of an enemy archer splintered or was
knocked back into the ditch.  Arzeal could see the
mailed troopers moving to surround the fort.  The half-
elf jumped into the area cleared by the enemy's second
flaming pine tree and took off at a dead run. Five of
the cavalrymen had broken off their attack and were now
circling around the base of the hill, just outside the
first ring of spears.  Arzeal reached the bottom of the
hill and sprinted between two circling horsemen, one
was Ol' Red-Eyes himself.  The half-elf took the ditch
in a single leap with two enormous cavalry not far
behind.  An arrow pierced his quiver and stuck into his
back, but Arzeal was running for his life, he could
barely feel the pain.

The horses gained with every step, Arzeal ran faster
than he'd ever run before.  There was a warrior on
either side of him and blades were coming to end his
life when, somehow, Arzeal ran under the limb of a
large oak that had been too big for the men to spend
the time cutting when they were clearing for the fort.
Arzeal went down as the tip of a giant sword snagged
his quiver and gashed his back, then there was an
explosion of splintering bones and wood as the oak
defended its elven child.

The fall had snapped the arrow in his back and half
pulled it out.  The archer rolled out of his fall and
came up standing, bow in hand.  The heads and necks of
both skeletal horses had been removed, and Red-Eyes'
taller horse had a sundered chest and shoulders, it's
hind legs tried to move but were useless without
forelegs.  Red-Eyes had been unhorsed once again.
Arzeal watched in horror as the giant stood and grabbed
his sword.  The other horse had lost its head, and it's
rider had lost both its head and shoulders.

Arzeal pulled the arrow tip from his back as the giant
warrior stood. The half-elf loosed a shaft into the
giant's kneecap and took off running while Red-Eyes
retrieved his sword.  Arzeal made it to the edge of the
forest West of the camp and darted into the trees,
sticking to heavy foliage.  He could hear limbs
snapping as the juggernaut behind him crashed through
the forest in hot pursuit.  The archer veered South.
After a few minutes, he ran through an area where some
timber had been cut in the making of the fort and its
bon fires.  He knew about where he was.  The half elf
sheathed his bow and scooped up an eight-foot section
of a tree that was being cut into logs of firewood for
the bon fires when evening had forced the cutting to a
halt.

Arzeal remembered how the pirates' cook, Fishy, had
lost his legs. The archer hid behind a large tree, and
when the giant skeleton thundered through the clearing
towards him, the half elf swung the heavy length of
timber at the skeleton's nearest knee.  The skeleton's
huge sword swished just above Arzeal's hunched head,
embedding itself fully six inches into the tree as the
skeleton's knee snapped with the combined force of the
giant's forward momentum and Arzeal's frantic whole-
body swing.  Arzeal darted around back of the tree as
the huge skeleton went down. When he came around behind
it, he saw the creature was still hanging onto its
sword, although the sword was still embedded in the
tree.  The archer wasted no time.  He brought his
length of firewood down on the giant's shoulder, just
outside the breast plate.  There was a crunch and the
monstrosity's right arm, still grasping the sword, was
severed from its shoulder.

The archer tossed the log aside and scrambled for a
smaller one that he could swing more rapidly.  At seven
feet long and two to three inches in diameter, it was
still a huge club. The skeleton had just managed to
flop its way around so that its left arm could grasp
its sword when Arzeal brought the new club slamming
into the side of its neck, but the neck held.  Arzeal
jumped but still his boot and some of the skin of his
foot was carved right off.  The skeleton had incredible
speed and strength.  The archer countered with a swing
to the giant's wrist.  It's grip was broken, but its
wrist was not.  Arzeal stood on the sword and swung
again, breaking the wrist to flinders.

The nimble half elf raced around the giant as it
flipped and stumbled, trying to reach him in spite of
missing half it's right leg, it's right arm and its
left hand.  Arzeal had a hunch.  He pulled his sheath
knife, darted in and jumped on the creature's back. The
skeleton bucked like a bronco, but the archer severed
the strap of its helm before being tossed off and
rolling away.  Another deft swing of the club and the
monster's steel helmet flew from its skull.  Its Red
ember eyes stared blankly at the half elf as he darted
in to club the creature's skull, once, twice, thrice...
Cracks began forming, and on the seventh blow Arzeal
blew the giant's mighty cranium apart. Arzeal smiled.

The skull had been carefully sectioned off just below
the eyes by a stout piece of tar-paper.  The ember
effect was caused by the pattern of ink stains within
the top half of the creature's skull.  The intricate
pattern of black and white inside the skull reflected
the light of a clear crystal mage-light set and screwed
into the skull between the eyes just above the nasal
hole.  Every angle one looked at the red glass eyes
produced different reflections, and movement of the
head changed the pattern seen and made the eyes seem to
flicker like embers.  Arzeal carefully unscrewed the
mage light and slipped it into his pouch.  He could
hear his mates scream off to the Northeast.  Arzeal
sighed, hefted his original eight-foot length of wood
and headed South.

The half-elf staggered the fifty paces remaining before
reaching the lagoon, and then he slipped into the water
behind the log. Beneath the water, he kicked as
strongly as he could, but the pain in his back was
growing.

Thane peeked over the edge of the ditch with a
commandeered skeleton's shield in hand.  It was very
dark but a spell of life-vision had fixed that.  Thane
now saw the world in much the same way as did his
skeletons and ghouls, the amount of life force
emanating from each object distinguishing it from
others.

The ghouls were proving most decisive within the
magical darkness, but Thane worried about the accursed
half-elven archer.  A stroke of luck or wit had
preserved the archer from the two cavalry Thane had
spared to hunt him, and he knew his most powerful
skeleton had taken off after the half-elf, but there
were too many things that could go wrong.

Shadows, come to me!  You, come here, Thane pointed to
one of the remaining 5 cavalry.

The three shadows the necromancer had summoned to help
Kent emerged from the magical darkness and came down
the hill where the spears had been burned away.

"I am unsure if the cavalry I sent after the half-elven
archer succeeded in their task. I fear he may escape."

Thane concentrated as he muttered arcane words.
Shadows, being composed of vapors, were not heavy
creatures.  The infusion of only a small amount of
magic allowed them to walk on water.

"You three shadows climb up on the horse.  Skeleton,
take these shadows to the cove then return here.
Shadows, check the water in case he swam for it.  I
have temporarily reduced your weight so you can walk on
water.  If you see life force on the water, you will
run to it and feed.  Now go." ---

Rapina must have fallen asleep in the large chair at
the head of the necromancer's dining hall.  She was
awakened when the parlor door opened.  Thane was
accompanied by three of his household guards, their
shiny breastplates now dented and salted with arrow
holes.

Thane looked exhausted.  Even though he had only had to
cast a few spells, the animation and scrying earlier on
had nearly drained him of energy.  He had ridden safely
enough inside a special "coach" he had made long ago
within the leather-clad rib cage of one of the large
horses.  He had been in the forth horse, the one that
had been positioned in the middle of the cavalry wedge
and had lied down in the ditch rather than joining the
charge.

Rapina lifted an eybrow.

A smile crept over the necromancer's lips.

"You won?"

"A few simple spells, a fine performance by Kent and
his ghouls, and I have won the night.  The pirates
fought well, at first, but the darkness I brought down
on them soon had them screaming and whining like
whipped dogs in the face of Kent's comrades in death.
The dread Captain Red Jack has been strip-searched,
clothed in simple garb and soundly manacled in a cell.
Thane smiled proudly, I beat him.  I will be a lowly
undertaker no more."

Rapina shed a tear, all the men she had known had been
destroyed, all for the vanity and ambition of a single
man. Yet Rapina saw the other side as well.  Red Jack's
men had lived to kill, and now death had claimed them.
Somehow a humble priest had conquered an army of
bloodthirsty pirates. Rapina sniffled.

"Mortaebius is the lord of death, girl.  The pirates
flirted with him for many years, now they've met him
face to face."

"Rapina sniffed and nodded.  If I never knew them, I
might be worshipping you as a hero, Guardian Thane, but
I did know them, and a few of them, especially some of
the recruits, they could have been good men under other
circumstances."

"Alas, other circumstances... Go on to bed and cry
yourself to sleep, milady.  If it's any consolation, I
let your half-elf get away."

"You did?"

Thane nodded.  "He successfully ran, and I chose not to
send anything to hunt him.  I was more interested in
containing the pirates within the fort. He swam for it.
I have no idea where he is."  Thane's kindly smile hid
a mighty lie.

"Oh thank you, thank you, Thane.  Rapina hugged the
necromancer in genuine gratitude.  "Arzeal was the best
man Jack had.  He taught me to fence and to defend
myself against bigger, stronger men."

Thane took a deep breath as the young woman's breasts
pillowed against his chest.  A single hand signal from
the necromancer, and his guards halted the lifting of
their swords.  They were about to cut Rapina down for
assaulting their master.

Rapina released the necromancer, who looked a bit
flushed. "What happened to the group I was originally
with?"

"Mmmm, they killed the skeletons Kent triggered and
tried to track you, but Kent left them a false trail -
twice. Such a brilliant ghoul, he will go far.  A few
of them must have survived, because the pirate dead in
the mausoleum had been chopped to bits when I arrived
to pick up the mailed skeletons to help in the final
stage of the battle.  I'm not sure where the grave
robbers have gotten to.  That's something I will look
into.  For now, I must rest for a moment, then try to
drag enough power out of myself to activate my magic
pool and report to my superior, however briefly.  Go to
bed and I will see you this afternoon."

Rapina nodded and went to her room.  She heard the lock
turn shortly after she entered.

[Rapina]017 A Captain In Chains

"Awaken Rapina, I know you have not slept long, nor
have I, but it is noon and we have much to do today.  I
do not wish you to wash today, and I have your old
clothes.  You must look your worst for the constable
when he arrives this evening or tomorrow."

Rapina jumped out of bed and opened the door.

"Constable?" Rapina asked as she came out of her room
wearing a nightshirt and nothing else.

"Indeed," the necmancer smiled as he glanced at
Rapina's legs. "I sent a message via pigeon to my
brother priest in Granville. It's a large town on the
River Augustana just West of the confluence of the
river Augustana and Grand Lake about 15 miles from
here. It is the area's largest settlement.  Lumbering,
quarrying, farming and fishing keep it going.  My
brother priest, Mortician Hagston, will be sending
supplies and the constable.  Thanks to a local
superstition about the restless dead not being able to
cross water, all of the towns in the area send their
departed here to Graveston Isle.  There are several
small settlements on or near the lake, but only
Granville is large enough to have its own priest of
Mortaebius. He travels around the area a lot, but I
send to him or his wife for supplies every month or
so."

"Why didn't they give you a job like that?"

"At one time they did.  I was one of several priests in
a city on the river, but because I had a natural
inclination towards the study of necromancy, and
because of the incident concerning my hand, I was
allowed to join the order of the Shroud and take this
obscure assignment.  My stipend covers basic supplies,
and my naive brother priest gives me a percentage of
his funereal take when I help bury one of the deceased,
so I get by.  On occasion, I locate a book, scroll or
alchemical item I need for my magical practice, and
that usually wipes out my savings.  In the past I could
not have afforded even to feed a servant, but I believe
my fortunes have taken a definite change for the
better," the necromancer smiled.  With your cooperation
I believe I could convince the authorities to sentence
you to indentured servitude here for your crime of
grave robbing."

"Me, stay here with you?" Rapina shook her whole body
no, her nipples wavering from side to side beneath her
nightshirt. "You might as well ship me off to the other
priest," Rapina sighed.

"You would rather be indentured to a "celebate" rapist
than serve as my maid?"

"You terrify me, your ghoulish servitors, your skeletal
hand, your zombies, it's all so frightening.  I'm sure
I would have stabbed myself with a kitchen knife long
before this if..."

"If what?" the necromancer asked.

"Well, your magic, the lights, the way you could see
the battle in your pool, summon shadows, and cast
spells, its fascinating.  My Auntie was a wise woman.
She knew herbs and petty curses.  I learned herbal
medicine from her and Leech Kennon, the pirate doctor.
I have fantasized about casting spells, but I had never
seen a man wield *true* magic until these past few
days."

Thane chuckled, "So you find me terrifying, yet
fascinating, both because of my magic."

Rapina nodded.

"Well you know, as my maid, you might be called upon to
clean and tend my laboratory.  You might pick up a
little knowledge of the creation of potions."

Rapina frowned.  "Maids don't learn magic, they're just
drudges. I might as well be a drudge in a town
somewhere; at least I'd get to see other people, even
if they were slaves and prisoners. Working here would
just be a frustration, seeing magic but never learning
it, alone and being terrorized by the dead, what kind
of life is that?"

"I could try to get the constable to assign you to me
without your help, and I might easily succeed."

"Fine!  I have so much to live for, I'll just attack
you with a kitchen knife and get cut to pieces.  Then
I'll never have to worry about evil men ruining my life
again! Rapina burst into tears.  "It's not fair, what
did I ever do to deserve all this?" Rapina cried.

Thane sighed, "Probably nothing."  There was a long
moment of uncomfortable silence.

Rapina sniffled.

"There is no guarantee you could even learn magic, and
an apprentice most certainly works harder than a maid.
In truth, apprentices do many of the chores of a maid
and then they must learn in addition... If you agree to
serve me well, young lady, I will endeavor to right
some of the many wrongs men have heaped on you because
of your beauty, and give you a chance to prove yourself
as an apprentice rather than a simple servant."

Rapina looked up between her tears, "Do you really mean
that Thane?  You won't just give me the hardest book
you have, then use me once you have proved I'm
incapable?"

"Nay," Thane stepped back. "Mark me lady, you have my
word, to the degree you put forth effort to serve me
and to learn, to that same degree I will put forth
effort to teach you, and I will start you with the
easiest book of magic that I own, not the most
difficult.  Furthermore, I will not force you to my bed
or mistreat you for no reason."

"Do you really mean that?" Rapina asked.

"I do." Thane replied succinctly.

Rapina took hold of Thane and cried against his chest
for several minutes.

The necromancer was flushed and at a loss for words.
After some time he said, "Shall we get started?"

Rapina let go of the necromancer, sniffed and nodded.
"You want me to wear those smokey old clothes?

"Actually, I had one of the skeletons do the laundry
yesterday while you were preparing breakfast.  Now I
almost wish I hadn't. You need to look plain for the
constable, and if you have committed other crimes with
the pirates we must make you look a bit different so
that you will not be connected to them, to be shipped
off to some prison where you will no doubt suffer much
as you have been.  Also the constable is a married man,
but we cannot be too careful.  He must not think I want
you as a mistress.  He must also believe you are
repentant, and we may have to convince a judge as well.
As long as we make no glaring errors, and I am seen as
the hero who saved the world from Red Jack, then the
judge will likely grant any reasonable request."

Rapina nodded.

"Now, we must hurry.  Today will test you severely. The
only reason I was willing to take you on as a servant
and now am willing to make you my apprentice is because
I expect to be much wealthier than I currently am.
Formerly I could simply not have afforded it.  You see,
Red Jack and many of his men have sizable bounties on
their heads, some of them quite obscene.  Dead or
alive, altogether they are worth a king's ransom.  The
constable will be bringing a stack of wanted posters
for Jack's men.  We must help him by identifying all
the bodies.

Rapina grimaced, "All right."

"Make breakfast and I will ready our mounts," Thane
said.

After breakfast, the necromancer and Rapina were
lowered down into the canyon in the wicker cage.  Thane
helped Rapina onto a skeletal horse cowled in black,
and then mounted another such horse. They and what
remained of Thane's guards rode briskly to the pirate
fort where Thane had Rapina identify a score of
deceased recruits that Thane had his guards drag to a
central location.

"Pay close attention," Thane held a symbol of the god
of death, mumbled incantations, and four of the dead
men rose as zombies. "That was the power of Mortaebius.
Now I will demonstrate the wizardly version of the same
spell."  Thane tossed bone powder over the bodies and
wove a different, more impressive magic. Four more
zombies rose.  Thane then repeated the first spell.

Rapina wrinkled her nose.

"Thane chuckled.  "We will need the workers."  The
constable will want to see the battlefield.  I will
tell him I used magic to best the pirates, but he must
not know the exact nature of the magic.  The law takes
a dim view of necromancy.  Illusion is a much more
palatable form of magic."

Thane ordered the zombies about and they began laying
out the dead pirates, face up, at the top of the hill.

"Now, you and I must collect skeletons that could be
reassembled and reanimated. The pirates destroyed so
much of what I had that the isle is largely
unprotected.  I have a special magical glue as well as
a mending spell that both work magnificently on bone.
Here are some burlap sacks.  In each put the pieces of
a full skeleton." Thane said.

Rapina's stomach complained, but she worked diligently.
She did not want to stay on the isle or think what she
was doing, but she knew that she might never have the
opportunity to learn real magic again.  It seemed to
her that the beauty she had been given by the lust
spirit had carried with it a curse.  She needed to be
more powerful than that curse, or she would always be
at its mercy.

By mid afternoon, Thane had perused the captain's
various strong boxes in the fort.  The records included
a list of Red Jack's men.  Thane sent Rapina around to
identify each man, and tie a label naming him to each
dead man's big toe.

After fetching the cut-up bodies from the mausoleum and
laying them out with the others, the necromancer
checked them against the list.

"Counting the ones caught alive, we have one hundred
forty-seven of one hundred fifty-three accounted for.
We are missing Arzeal, Brackston, Drake, Pike, Rage,
and Skitch.  The ghouls took this man, Gape, in their
tunnels yesterday.  I have his head and skeleton back
home.

Rapina nodded.  It was obvious that the days work had
kept her in horror and tears, but she refused to let
the one chance she had to overpower her fate slip away.


"Now let us cover these corpses with pirate tents to
keep the carrion birds off them and have our workers
take the various usable weapons, arrows and equipment
back to my storage rooms, and pack up the skeletons too
shattered to be of use.  We must hurry, the constable
could be here soon."

---

Thane entered Red Jack's cell.  The pirate captain's
ankles were manacled together, his wrists were manacled
and attached to a chain around his waist, and another
chain went from his wrists to his ankles. A chain ran
from the wall of the cell to an iron collar around
Jack's neck.  Thane was not taking any chances.

"Well now, has Kent been keeping you entertained?"
Thane asked.

Captain Red Jack scowled.

"I have come to make a business proposition.  You will
no doubt be hung for your crimes, and I have kept you
alive for one reason only.  I seem to recall that some
perverse bureaucrat made you considerably more valuable
alive than dead.  Perhaps you have some noble enemy who
wishes to take personal revenge against you?"

The captain looked stonily up at the necromancer.  He
idly wondered why the man wore gloves in this weather.

Thane continued. "It's really no matter to me.  I'm
just a simple priest charged by the church of
Mortaebius to keep this isle free of grave robbers.  I
realize you may have a tendency to talk, to try to drag
me down with you by alleging that I am a necromancer."

Jack scoffed, "alleging?"

"Indeed.  Of course all that you saw was simply the
power of illusion." Thane smiled.

"My Ass, it was."

"Perhaps I can persuade you to change your mind."

"How in hell da ye expect ta do that?" the captain
asked.

"I realize you are not inclined to keep any bargains
being that you are on your way to the gallows, but I
believe you might make an exception in this case.  I
have a bit of information you might be interested in,
and I have captured someone I will be keeping on as an
indentured servant for the crime of grave robbery.  I
assure you, if I go down, Rapina will go down with me."


Captain Red Jack tried not to react to the mention of
his favorite wench, but he could see the cold gaze of
the necromancer duly noted his reaction.

"What information do ye suppose a dead man like me
might be interested in?"

"Six of your men escaped. I have their names.  This
noon I made a little deal with Rapina and she has since
been quite helpful. I suppose she did realize Kent and
I could figure it out ourselves, but one can not always
trust the recollections of a ghoul."

"What kind o' deal did ye cut with th' wench, you
swine, ye'd not kill 'er if she spread 'er legs for
ye?" Red Jack growled.

Thane looked down his nose at Red Jack, "Nay, I'd say
that particular deal has already been over-used in her
case... Actually, she drove a hard bargain, threatening
to stab me with a kitchen knife, which would result in
her death by my guards, if I gave her nothing to live
for."

Jack chuckled.  "Plucky wench, ain't she?"

"Indeed.  Now, do we have a deal?" Thane asked.

"Aright, I'll bargain w' ye.  My silence about yer fell
magery, in return fer th' names o' me men that escaped,
yer word ye won't harm th' wench, th' details o' yer
deal with 'er, an two hours alone w' 'er without these
damned chains before they cart me off."

"And what do you plan to do in those two hours?"

"Say gbye ta her like a proper pirate if she'll have
me.  It'll likely be th' last time I see 'er or any
woman."

"Hmmmm, you drive a hard bargain indeed." Thane pursed
his lips.  "I am not so sure I wish to grant that last
request, but I will tell you what. In addition to
failing to mention necromancy, if you will tell me
everything you know about the girl, and promise you
will not force her, then I will grant your request."

"Aye, I don't need ta force th' wench, she's a healthy
young woman if er' there was one.  Ye got a deal," The
captain said.

Thane raised an eyebrow at Jack's comment.  "The men
who escaped are Arzeal, Brackston, Drake, Pike, Rage,
and Skitch.  Once they left the isle, I have no idea
what they did, and it is none of my concern what they
do hereafter.  As I said, I am a humble priest charged
to protect this isle from grave robbers, and up to the
time I collect the bounties on you and your men, I will
also be a relatively impoverished priest."

Red Jack Chuckled.  "An after that ye'll be richer'n a
baron. How in hell's name did Arzeal escape?"

"He left the darkness on the opposite side of the hill
as I was on and made a run for it.  He shot many of the
archers shooting at him on his way down the hill and
likely veered south and swam for it once he reached the
cove.

Thane smiled, "As for the details of my arrangement
with Rapina, legally speaking I will hold her here on
indenture for her crimes.  After her sentence runs out
she will still have to face sentence on whatever crimes
she may have committed elsewhere."

Captain Red Jack grimaced.

"It is the best I can do within the law.  Is there
something she has not told me?  We do have a deal don't
we?" the necromancer asked.

"Aye, there is, an' I don't know if I should be tellin'
ye, but a deal's a deal, an' I guess ye'll be rich
enough that th' wench'll be better to ye than some
pretty reward," Red Jack said.

"There's money on her head?" Thane asked.

"There was a powerful priest who ran 'er town an'
preyed on' th' young women on th' sly.  He died on 'er
while rapin' 'er fer th' umpteenth time.  Least that's
what I got out o' her.  He was mean, crazy mean - had a
few screws loose.  She was tryin' ta tire 'im out so
'ed sleep 'stead o' leave when 'e'd finished with 'er
so she could make 'er escape.  She got 'im sleepin'
deep aright, six feet deep, but she claims 'e broke a
vessel or somethin' 'cause she didn't lift 'er hand
again' 'im.  I don't know if that part is true.  I only
'ave 'er word on it.  I do know some o' the boys pulled
'er out o' th' river near dead drowned when they were
on their way ta join me crew, so she warr makin' an
escape from somethin', 'an believe me, I know a
hardened criminal when I see one, Rapina was just a
kid, she ain't a natural born killer.

She's also told me 'er aunt was th' villiage witch 'an
th' aunt did curses on that ol' letcher o' a priest
'till 'e had th' aunt executed.  Rapina ain't a normal
girl.  She's deadly smart, 'an she's frisky as a mink.
That's 'ow this all started for 'er. 'Er stupid mother
didn't believe th' rumors about th' reverend. He warr
good at shutin' up anyone who squealed, sometimes
permanent.  Her dad caught 'er w' one o' 'er
boyfriends, a nice lad too, 'e warr th' one who helped
teach 'er ta read, but they wasn't readin' at th' time.


Rapina was what ye call precocious, a real natural w'
th' boys, a born lover.  Th' damned priest were
probably a bit leary about takin' 'er given Rapina's
aunt an' 'er family maybe knowin' about 'im.  Thing
was, 'er stupid mother delivered the poor girl right
inta th' priest's foul hands fer foolin' w' th' boys.
The foul priest gave 'er her first lesson on 'ow sick
some folks can be 'tween th' sheets.  He beat 'er, cut
'er and would 'ave done worse if th' god o' th' dead
hadn't dragged 'im under.  Least that's what she told
me, an' I'm inclined ta belive 'er.

I'm sure th' man's family will make like she bewitched
'im 'an drained th' life out o' 'im.  Who knows, maybe
she did, an if 'e did even 'alf 'o what she said 'e
did, 'e deserved everything 'e got.  One thing's sure
though, first time I were with 'er warrn't entirely w'
'er consent, but she was a good sport about it, and we
'ad a little wine and conversation before th' event.
'Fact that I'm still alive, an th' fact that any pirate
boyfriend she 'ad was still kickin' up 'till ye snuffed
'em says somethin' about 'er.  If she's got bewitchin'
powers, she sure as hell ne're used em' on me.  Any
attachment I got, I came by th' natural way, Red Jack
winked saltily."

Thane scowled.

"Don't ye be judgin' 'er too harsh.  She ain't a lady
that way, but she's a goddess in a man's bed, an' if ye
treat 'er right ye'll find out fer yerself.  She told
me straight up she coudn't 'elp foolin' w' th' boys.
'Said 'er father used ta beat 'er for it 'an 'er mother
used ta heap th' guilt on 'er, but that's 'ow she is, a
natural born lover 'an comely as they come.  Not a
woman I've known could 'old a candle to 'er.  Ye're
holdin' a girl any man would give 'is eye teeth for,
an' ye're not keepin' 'er on 'cause she's ugly, so ye
can be glad she ain't a cold bitch.  On th' other 'and,
it's best ye know 'er nature up front, or yer like ta
kill 'er fer bein' her, an' regret it fer th' rest o'
yer life an' then some.

Other than bein' th' finest woman ye'll ever lay eyes
on, She's got more guts an' determination than any
pirate recruit I've ever had. Leech Kennon, me camp
doctor who ye snuffed, 'e said she was th' finest
student an' assistant he'd ever had 'er seen. Me arms
master tried ta wash 'er out o' basic 'an failed.  He
didn't take kindly ta women in 'is trainin'. Instead
she got 'erself some advice 'an trainin' from other men
'an learned skill at arms better'n th' bigger, tougher
recruits 'e put 'er up against.  Fer someone who's had
just eight weeks o' basic trainin' an a few weeks o'
practice on th' boats, she sails better, shoots a bow
straighter and wields short sword an shield or rapier
an' main gauche as good as any recruit I ever had. She
could kill ye with that kitchen knife if she 'ad a mind
to, but she can be th' best friend ye ever 'ad if ye
treat 'er right.

I gave it to ye straight.  She's a pirate wench, an' ye
knew that when ye got 'er, but she's a sweet kid too in
spite o' everything she's been through, an' that's even
more considerable now what w' all ye're cursed walkin'
dead.  Ye're no prize yerself, an ye don't deserve a
wench like Rapina."

Thane looked down his nose at Red Jack.

"I know what ye're thinkin', an' I'll be th' first ta
admit it. I didn't deserve 'er neither, but I'm an
opportunist, 'an I'm a killer same as ye are.  I hate
ye for killin' me men, but I'd o' killed yer men too,
if they 'adn't been dead already. Now, I gave ye all I
know.  Yer turn."

"This reverend she killed, what was his name?" the
necromancer asked.

Red Jack sighed, "Ye promise not ta turn her in fer
killin' the bastard?"

"If what you say about him is true, then I will not
fault the woman for defending herself," Thane said.

"Evangeline Avengene.  I 'ad 'is signet from her fer a
while, but I sold it." Jack scowled as he saw the
priest freeze in surprise for just an instant.  "That's
all I know, now what's the rest of yer agreement with
th' wench?" Jack asked.

"I have agreed to give Rapina the chance to be more
than a servant.  In the unlikely event that her
intellect is sufficient, She is to be my apprentice in
magic."

Red Jack nodded, "Me first officer Roger, who ye
killed, he liked ta imagine th' recruits in some
profession that fit 'em when they first joined on. Kent
'e saw as a naval officer good as any o' th' captains
in th' king's navy.  He couldn't place Rapina, said she
gave 'im th' willies, but 'e finally did place 'er.
She was a sorcerer's apprentice."

Thane raised his eyebrow. "The constable may arrive at
any time.  I have other things to show him so you'll
have your two hours, perhaps more, but I'll need to
fetch the girl straight away."

Thane left and then returned a few minutes later and
let Rapina into Jack's cell.  He hung a large censor on
the bars of the cell's window that released myrrh-
scented smoke into the air.

Rapina carried the key to Jack's chains, but she'd been
instructed not to release the pirate unless she wanted
to, and to chain him up again before she left. Kent,
Edgar, and a few of their fellow ghouls were on call in
the guardroom.

"Jack, I'm so sorry, he... beat us," Rapina stammered.

"Aye, 'an 'e beat us as well.  I warr a fool, I should
'ave seen th' 'and writin' on th' wall.  That priest is
as cold an' calculatin' a general as I've seen."

Rapina nodded, "Guardian Thane is a magician and a
priest, a member of The Order of the Death's Peace.
It's the militant arm of the church of Mortaebius, god
of the dead.  I'm sure he was trained in tactics when
he joined the order.  They specialize in protecting the
church, and protecting tombs from grave robbers."

Jack sighed, "I'm sorry Rapina, I should 'ave known, I
warr too wrapped up in th' loss o' me ships an' I
fought when I should 'ave run.  That's what 'as kept me
off th' king's gallows fer this long.  In th' past, I
always knew when it warr time ta run."

Rapina hugged Jack and unlocked the iron collar around
his neck. "You couldn't have known Jack.  Thane uses
magic; no one could have estimated his power or his
resources.  If he had not come down to fight you
himself, you would have won.  What you saw at the end
was all he had left, his household guards and whatever
he could borrow from the tombs."

Rapina unlocked the chain around Jack's waist.

"Damn!  I nearly had 'im.  How's 'e been treatin' ye,
girl?"

"Kent abducted me using a secret door in the tomb after
one of Thane's traps failed him but still killed half
of our party."

"That man's full o' infernal traps 'an schemes," Jack
snapped.

Rapina unlocked Jack's ankles.  "Once here, I unfroze
and tried to escape once but wound up just outside this
cell.  It was the only door I could find that I could
hold against the guards Thane assigned to me, because I
found a key to it on the wall of the guardroom.  I saw
Jonas, but I'm not sure he's here anymore.  When I
holed up here, it turned out that Kent and Thane were
talking in the last cell. Kent was eating Piggy.  It
was horrible!

"Aye, I don't know what Thane's doin' ta Kent, but 'e's
th' only ghoul guard I've seen who looks eighteen
months pregnant."

"Anyway, Thane and Kent came out of a cell with three
of Thane's special armored skeletons, and Thane
surrounded me with flying bones.  I had to surrender;
it was hopeless.  Thane took me out of here and put me
up in one of his guest rooms.  He turned me into his
maid straight away, and I cooked and cleaned for him
while he occupied himself with the battle.  He's very
creepy, and he treats death as casually as the weather,
but he's not beat me or anything, even though I tried
to escape."

The captain nodded. "He's a' evil man, but I'm no angel
meself. I hope 'e  treats ye right.  'Fraid I'm not
goin' ta be able ta watch over ye any longer.  I can
hope me escaped men will find me an' manage ta spring
me afore I'm hanged, but It ain't likely. 'Least th'
'ol bastard gave me that hope.  'e told me Arzeal
escaped, an' Pike, Brackston, Drake, Skitch and Rage."

Rapina Nodded, "I saw the bodies, they weren't among
them, and early this morning when he came home from the
battle, Thane told me Arzeal had gotten away at the end
of the battle."

"Aye, then maybe 'e's tellin' th' truth," Red Jack
said.

"But enough 'o that, if I'm goin' ta hang 'an then be
slavin' an' burnin' in some death god's underworld, I'd
like ta 'bring as many memories of ye as I can."

Jack drew Rapina to him and kissed her deeply. ---

After leaving Jack and Rapina, Thane had gone to the
cliffs above his abode.  From there he had seen a ship
approaching from the South and had gone to meet it. The
constable always anchored his boats off the box canyon
entrance to the isle and sent a ship's boat with the
bodies of executed criminals.  Thane had provided the
constable with a few thick iron rings set into the
stone of the canyon so that he could leave living
prisoners to be killed and buried, but the constable
usually had criminals publicly executed.  Thus Thane
usually was just left with recently dead bodies, and
often supplies sent from his brother priest via the
constable's ship. These things sustained his ghouls and
himself, but not in high style.

When there were no bodies of criminals from the
constable and no burials of local people brought to the
isle by his brother priest, Mortician Hagston,  Hagston
sent a hired boat, but that cost money.  Thus Thane
relied on the constable and burial parties to do him
the kindness of delivering supplies whenever possible.
On this occasion, Thane had sent a request for wheat,
various other foodstuffs and cloth to his brother
priest when he sent the message about Red Jack via
pigeon.  In addition to the supplies, the constable
would be bringing a caged pigeon from Hagston to
replace the one Thane had used to send the last
message.  When the constable and his chief deputy
arrived, Thane took them straight away to see the
pirate camp.

"This was their fort, and that's the lot of them, laid
out for you, constable Barns.  I found this list in Red
Jack's logs, and a prisoner helped me sort out who was
who.  I have labeled each body."

Constable Olsen shook his head.  "That's amazin' work
Guardian Thane.  I got to admit, when Mortician Hagston
tol' me you had defeated Red Jack and his men with th'
power o' Mortaebius, I was more'n a bit skeptical, but
seein' em all laid out like this in your usual
efficient manner, well, seein' is belevin', eh deputy?"


"Sure is, hard ta believe a man can conjure shades ta
hack men up like this."

"Indeed, I see you're point, Deputy.  Frankly, I'm
still quite beat from the battle.  It took quite a bit
out of me, but I believe I will be sufficiently
recuperated to muster a small demonstration for you
tomorrow morning if you like."

"Of m-magic?" Barns looked at Olsen.

"That would be good of you Guardian Thane.  Why it'd be
a pleasure to see how the Infamous Red Jack met his
doom. Speakin' of whom, where is his carcass?"

"Actually, I was able to capture Red Jack alive," Thane
said.  "After we return to my residence for a short
break, I'll take you on a little tour of the dungeon."

"Alive! Wow," deputy Barnes exclaimed.

By the time Thane escorted the men into the canyon, the
sun was already down.

Olsen looked at the sky.  "Sure glad you got that magic
light, Guardian Thane, I got a little worried we'd fall
off the cliffs soon as the sun went down."

Ah, it is nothing; light is a very common spell.  Thane
stopped. "Lower!" he yelled.

The wicker cage was lowered for them.  After Thane had
shown the men their rooms and served wine and cheese on
the table of the dining hall, the priest excused
himself for a moment.

Thane took a circuitous route around the men and back
down the stairs to the corridor with the dungeon and
storage areas the men had entered after exiting the
cage.

"Rapina, Captain, I'll be bringing the constable in
shortly.  I believe you've had over two hours now.
Rapina, please come out as soon as you are ready,
hurry."

Rapina hugged Jack one last time and put his chains
back on. Jack was exhausted from their earlier love-
making, but wore a salty grin that threatened never to
leave him.

"Fare the well, lass.  I pray I can slip th' noose, but
'least I'll die a happy man if me luck ain't up ta a
miracle."

"Rapina smiled but shed a tear.  I hope I'll see you
again Jack, but just in case, I want to thank you for
watching over for these last few months."

"Aye, it was my pleasure lass, an' if th' worse
happens, why I'll jimmy me way outa hell, an' ye'll
have a ghost Red Jack ta watch over ye fer as long as
ye need me."

Rapina smiled through her tears, waved one last time
and left the cell.

"Let's see your face, quickly," Thane said taking the
key from Rapina's hand. Thane produced a little
mortician's makeup kit and went to work on Rapina's
face in key locations, adding shadows and making her
look older and a bit different.  Now, go in, undress
and take this strip of cloth and bind your breasts
tight to your chest, then dress again.  When the
constable comes, hunch your shoulders over a bit, and
look at the floor a lot. It will help you look plainer.
The constable must not think anything untoward. I will
be calling you Serina.  If the constable and the judge
fail to recognize you for the crimes that the priest's
family accused you of, then so much the better."

Rapina nodded.

Kent checked Captain Red Jack's chains, then locked
Jack's cell and left the dungeon with the rest of the
ghouls for the storage room across the hall.

"I shall return with the constable and his deputy
shortly."

After a few minutes, Thane arrived with the officers
and opened Jack's cell.

Barns took a deep breath, "It's really him!"

"Nay, can't ye see I'm th' Duke an' I hereby pardon
meself all transgressions, legal 'r otherwise past an
future.  Now unchain me an' get me back ta me palace."

"Good try Jack, but the Duke is a shorter man.  Olsen
held up a wanted poster.  That's you all right."

"Ach, they got the beard all wrong, can't ye see?" Jack
snapped.

"It will be a pleasure to turn you over to the Duke's
men, Red Jack, you've burned your last town and killed
your last innocent victim!"

"I'll see ye in th' hells o' Mortabius, constable."

"Stop gawking, Barns.  We'll be taking him back to town
tomorrow.  Any others you wanted us to see, Guardian
Thane?" Barns said ushering his deputy back into the
corridor.

"Just one other.  I didn't think it would be right to
kill a young woman, even if she had gotten mixed up
with the pirates. She and several other of the pirates
robbed one of the Baronial tombs.  Unfortunately, six
of her mates got away, so you men and your sailors best
keep on the lookout for trouble.  The escapees are
wounded, but any veteran of Red Jack's band is
dangerous in any condition short of deceased."

"That's good advice if I ever heard it," Olsen said.

Thane opened Rapina's cell. "This is Serina, she has
been very helpful in identifying the bodies, and before
that in cooking and cleaning for me while I was
concentrating on the battle.  I will, of course be
pressing charges for her grave robbing, but I believe
this woman can be rehabilitated.  I wonder if I might
get her sentenced to an indenture here as my maid?  It
seems I will finally be able to afford to feed a
servant, but it is so difficult to get the locals to
hire on for a stint on the infamous Graveston isle."

"I'm sure the Judge'll be favorably inclined to you,
Guardian Thane.  You'll be a mighty big hero in
Granville.  Why don't you keep her for now, and I'll
arrange for a hearing for you when you come to pick up
the reward money.  I hope you've got a big boat,
because the gold from those bounties would sink a
lesser one."

Thane chuckled, "I'll work something out.  Please give
my brother priest a note to send me via pigeon as to
when to collect the bounty and attend the hearing.
That's one date I'd hate to be late for.  Shall I bring
the girl for the hearing?"

"Likely you'll need to, but it should be just a
formality," Olsen said.

"Very well, let us retire to my chambers.  The girl can
fix us something to eat and then after a little
conversation, I expect you men will want to turn in.
You are, of course, invited to stay in my guest rooms.
No need for you to stay on your boat with your other
men, when I am glad to provide better accommodations."

"Sure thing, it's been a long day," Olsen said.

The next morning after breakfast, Thane ushered the men
to one of his storage rooms.

Thane handed Olsen a dim, red mage light.  "My magic
works best in poor lighting, that is why I took Jack
and his men at night. As you might imagine, with my
background as a mortician, I have little trouble
conjuring up images that terrify the unschooled. Now
here we have one of the bodies of the pirates that I've
hung from a pillar.  Now let me work and you will soon
see how the morale of Jack's troops was robbed from
them, allowing my quasi-real troops to close in for the
kill."

Thane made a show of coalescing the shadows into
terrifying beings and forming a ghoulish monster from
the shadows as well. The creatures tore up the body. In
truth, the illusion hid the real players until they
were "conjured;" the three shadows and the ghoul were
authentic.  When the demonstration was over, the undead
monsters escaped through a secret door, once again
under cover of Thane's illusion.

Thane removed the cover from a strong, white mage-light
and the men were suddenly transported from the horror
of the night to standing in a well-lit ordinary, nearly
empty storage room.  It was obvious that there was now
nothing living in the room but Thane, Olsen and Barns.
"There now, I hope I managed to scare you at least a
little bit."

"A-a little b-bit I'd say," stammered Barns

Olsen chuckled nervously, "Those pirates must have
really lost it when you conjured monstrosities like
that at night."

"Yes, fear itself can be the greatest enemy."  Thane
wiped his brow.  "I'd best spend a few more days
resting, I think, but I am glad I could show you men a
little of the magic that bested Red Jack."

"Guess we better get goin'.  After that demonstration,
I sure's heck want ta be back in Granville before
nightfall.  My skin's still a-crawlin'."

"Thank you constable, you flatter my humble powers.
Let's get Red Jack and you can be on your way."

Sometime later Thane watched as the constable and
several deputies loaded Red Jack and his many chains
onto a long boat bound for the constable's stout little
ship.

"Thank you for coming, and have a safe trip, Constable
Olsen, deputy Barns and you other sailors and gentlemen
of the law. I'll look forward to a note from you,
constable Olsen via my brother priest, Mortician
Hagston," Thane said.

"Thank *you* Guardian Thane, your heroism has saved
countless innocent lives.  Every community along the
Augustana owes you a deep debt of gratitude, and I will
be glad to see you are amply rewarded," Olsen said.

Thane bowed humbly and watched as the boat sailed off.
When it was gone, he turned and grinned.

The story continues in [Rapina]018 Judgement in
Disguise.


New Beginnings
This Page Includes:
Back to the, Pirates, page
[Rapina]010 New Beginnings
[Rapina]011 Hall of the Dead
[Rapina]012 Shadows of the Dead
[Rapina]013 Night Terrors
[Rapina]014 The Noble Jaws of Death
[Rapina]015 Death Battles the Living
[Rapina]016 Defeat in Darkness
[Rapina]017 A Captain in Chains
[See a sketch of Graveston Isle (Dead Man's Isle)]


[Rapina]010 New Beginnings

As Red Jack scanned the horizon with his spy glass, he
liked what he saw. The outlet from the lake flowed into
the North side of the River Augustana between high,
widely-spaced granite cliffs. The lake itself was quite
large, and did not neck down much as it joined the
river.  This would make it near impossible to blockade,
since the entrance to the lake, the lake itself and the
river Augustana were both wide and deep in this area
owing to the granite cliffs, riverbed and lake bed.

The island was situated a good 5 miles away from the
east and west shore of the lake, about 8 miles from the
Northern lakeshore, and around twelve miles from the
entrance to the lake to the South.  The isle in the
middle of the lake was a pirate's dream.  It rose out
of the lake like a fortress roughly three miles in
diameter.  To the South, West, And East the isle faced
the water with high cliffs.  To the North the cliffs
gradually became lower but remained quite defensible.
There was a double notch in the cliffs at their lowest
point to the North.  This proved to be the entrance to
a cove just large enough for a few ships.  The entrance
to the cove was shallow, and the men had to spend quite
a while measuring depths before they were able to get
the merchant ship into the cove.  The longships, with
their shallow drafts and narrow beams were an easier
matter.

As one might have expected, the cove was the lowest
part of the isle, and the terrain rose, sometimes
gradually, sometimes abruptly as one went farther
South.  There was a forest growing near the cove in the
north central area of the isle. To the south as the
terrain rose and became rougher and more rocky, the
trees gave way to scrub, and thence to rocky, open
terrain punctuated with a few scattered bushes and
trees.

The longships were anchored in the cove and rowboats
with supplies were launched.  Captain Red Jack's
pirates busied themselves with setting up a new camp.
They were quite efficient for a bunch of pirates.  By
early evening, the temporary camp was mostly set up.
Tents and lean-tos would provide shelter until the the
pirates obtained lumber for more permanent structures.
The captain and his officers marched through the camp
discussing layout of guard posts, traps, and other
defensive strategies. Most of the recruits were too
busy unloading supplies or pitching tents to take
notice.

"First thing I'll be needin' is a map of th' area.
Think ya can handle it Roger?" Jack asked.

"Yes captain.  Ill get right on it."  Roger turned with
scarcely a nod and headed off into the camp.  He had
been teaching Kent mapmaking before they had packed up
camp to move here.  One of his trainees was carrying a
large coil of rope. The first mate walked up to the boy
and clapped his hand on the boy's shoulder.

"William!  I need you, Kent, and Rolf to meet me back
here in five minutes." That said, Roger headed off to
get his mapmaking equipment.

"But, sir...I don't know where Kent and Rolf are... "
The slightly confused recruit stammered.

"Well then you had better find them...and quick!" Roger
shouted over his shoulder.

Minutes later, three to be exact, the three recruits
were assembled and awaiting Rogers arrival.  Roger
smiled as he watched them through his tent flap.  They
were all coming along nicely, especially Kent.  Kent
had a sharp mind and that was a rare commodity among
pirates.  Satisfied that they were nervous enough,
Roger walked out to brief them on their next duty. The
first mate handed out the necessary equipment and led
the recruits towards the outskirts of the camp.  "It'll
be gettin dark soon so were goin ta have to hurry."

Drake watched as they walked off.  He was worried about
Kent. Lately he seemed to be more distant from Drake.
He was troubled, but had no idea of what to do. "Ya
ready on your end Doanthalas?" Drake asked as he got a
better grip on the handle of the chest.  The tattooed
elf just nodded.  "Okay.  On three then. One. Two.
Three." They both grunted as their muscles strained to
lift the chest full of weapons off the ground.  This
was one of the last weapons runs that needed to be
made. Soon everything would be unloaded and ready for
sorting and storage until needed.

Drake glanced down at Doanthalas belt.  He wasn't
carrying any weapons. That wasn't surprising.  The
pirates were still deathly afraid of the elf. Its
amazing what a few rumors will do to superstitious
people. The young pirate recruit smiled; he had
believed the rumors himself.  At least until he had
gotten to know the savage-elf better.  Drake found it
amusing that the so-called savage was more well-
mannered than any of the civilized pirates. Still Drake
didn't know the elf very well either.  Doanthalas had
yet to say more than ten words to him. He had a lot to
tell, though.  Drake could tell. The look in his eyes
alone was testament to that fact. He shrugged.
Doanthalas would talk when he was ready to.

Sunset came and the pirate camp was still alive with
activity. Jack would be very upset if the camp was not
in working order by morning.  The pirates hurried about
their tasks, as none of them wanted to be the focus of
Red Jack's anger.

The captain looked around the large tent at the
assembled faces: Roger, Sak, Logan, Leech Kennon, Hock,
Arzeal, and Brackston. All of the officers were
accounted for. Jack looked at everyone for a moment
before beginning. "From what I can see we've got
ourselves a good spot here.  Its a good defensible
position.  What we need now is a good defensive plan. I
have Roger working on a map of the area for us.  How
goes the mapmaking?"

"Good sir.  We've staked out four good reference
points. Tomorrow we will be able to get some
measurements and by afternoon we will have an accurate
working map of the area.  For now we have this rough
sketch of the area."  The first mate stood up and
approached the captain.  He held out a rolled up piece
of parchment to the captain.

Red Jack took the parchment and unrolled it.  He
perused it and the look on his face told the others
that he was pleased.  "This is a fine sketch Roger. The
best I've seen you do so far."

"Thank you captain, but I didn't draw that map.  Kent
did.  He has an amazing eye for detail.  I'm guessing
that the finished map with accurate measurements won't
be too different from that map in your hands."

"Really?  That's what I like to hear, but Roger..."

"Yes captain?"

"Lets schedule some extra weapons training for that
lad. Shall we?"  Everyone in the room snickered.  "Gods
know he needs it!"  More laughter filled the room.
Roger just nodded and sat down. "Everyone gather around
and look at this map.  You especially, Logan."  The
captain unrolled the map and set it on the ground.  He
weighted down the four corners with rocks and looked up
at Logan. "Alright. How do ya want to lay this camp out
Logan?  You're the one who's got ta run it while I'm
out plunderin"

Logan looked at the map for a long time.  He pointed to
eight different points on the map.  "Guard posts should
be set up here.  We should stick with three guard
changes per night.  It keeps the guards fresh and alert
and it worked out well for us at the last camp.  And
during the..."

"Speakin of guards and such...why don't we use the elf
as much as possible for night watch...after all he can
see in the dark..."

"That's a good idea, but do you think we can trust him?
I don't think the men would sleep very well with him on
watch," Logan said.

"I agree," Brackston said.  "Yew know they're all
afraid of I'm.  He's like some sort of demon.  We
should lock 'im back up or kill em.  Either's fine by
me."

"You'd like that.  Wouldn't you Brackston?" Arzeal
asked. "What are you afraid of?  If he had wanted you
dead he would have killed you by now."

"Why you sonuva mother..."

"Okay!  Knock it off you two! The captain interrupted.
"I know he's dangerous and I know the men fear him, but
don't worry.  It'll do the men some good to be
constantly on their toes.  Besides Rapina seems to
trust him and from what I've seen she's a good judge of
character."

"Drake seems to have developed a bond with the elf as
well. It's the strangest thing.  They're together a
lot, but I've yet to see them speak to each other. They
usually just sit there or go about their duties in
silence.  I don't get it."

"Maybe he likes tha boys too.  Hmmm?" Brackston
conjectured.

"In yer dreams Brackston.  You'd love a good piece of
elf meat like that wouldn't ya?  Heh."  The room
erupted in raucous laughter.

"I'm still not convinced.  You all saw what he did
to...to..." Sak didn't have to finish.  They all knew
what he was referring to.  "Who's to say that he won't
rip my face off next?  And what's to keep him from
escaping?"

"Those are two very good points Sak.  Rest assured that
I have already addressed them both.  First, I have made
it known that no one is to arm the elf under penalty of
having their balls cut off!  Second, I have assigned
two crewmen to watch him all day and night.  Two other
crewmen relieve them once daily.  I guarantee you if he
tries anything we'll know it."

Those recruits who missed training because of being
wounded during the raid were given a chance to make up
on lost practice time.  Doanthalas was given the
opportunity to hone his fighting skills as well. The
recruits performed as well as any green sailor could be
expected to.  They were slightly better than lousy.
Doanthalas, on the other hand, handled his weapons with
considerably more skill.  The practice sword rested
easily in his hand and he seemed to breeze through the
practice session. His archery skills were excellent as
well.  More arrows found their mark than not.  Hock and
Arzeal were impressed.

After arms practice it was time to eat.  The sylvan-elf
got his plate of food from the mess hall and walked
outside to eat. Most of the other recruits chose to eat
outside as well, but moved away when Doanthalas walked
by.  The elf paid them no mind and sat down under a
tree by himself.

Drake noticed the elf and went over to sit down next to
him. "Hey there Doanthalas.  Mind if I join you?" Drake
heard only silence.  "I'll take that as a sure, sit
down and enjoy yourself, okay?"  The young recruit sat
down and noticed Kent walking past. "Hey Kent! Why
don't you join us?"

Kent barely glanced in Drake's direction as he walked
by.  He found William and Rolf and sat down to eat with
them.

"What's his problem?  I thought we were friends," Drake
said.  He's been acting this way ever since we picked
up to move here.  I don't get it."  Drake looked in
Doanthalas direction and shrugged.

The tattooed elf just looked at Drake with his emerald
eyes for a moment.  He shrugged as well and then went
back to eating.

"Hi Drake, Hi Doanthalis," Rapina walked up with her
dinner and found a spot to eat next to the boys.  "The
good news is, we are not trapped on a moving boat
twenty-four hours a day, the bad news is Captain Red
Jack wants the camp done yesterday.  I see you two got
put on unloading stuff from the merchant ship duty.
I've been helping the leech set up a temporary
infirmary. Pretty soon we'll all be turned into amateur
carpenters, I think."

Evening arrived and the recruits made their way to
their tents for a much-deserved sleep.  The guards were
changed and all unnecessary fires were doused. A
solitary figure made its way towards a copse of trees.
A few of the straggling pirates noticed it was the elf.
Doanthalas never slept with the other pirates.  He
always spent the night outside.  The pirates wondered
if the sylvan elf even slept at all.  Whatever his
reason for not sleeping in the same tent as the others
the pirates didn't care.  They felt much safer with him
somewhere else.

The tattooed elf surveyed the new copse of trees he had
chosen for the site of this evenings reverie.  It would
do.  The trees would provide minimal protection from
the elements as well as a convenient escape route if
trouble arose. Doanthalas turned his emerald eyes to
the sky and breathed deeply.  It had been many years
since he had smelled air so sweet.  The stars seemed to
twinkle to some silent melody.  For a moment, his heart
soared.  For a moment, he almost forgot.

The elf contemplated not entering the reverie at all
this evening.  Without the reverie he would forget. All
the horrors and torments would be forgotten. Gone. And
his spirit would be at peace once again. Unfortunately,
there was a price.  Not only would he forget everything
bad, but he would also forget everything good.  His
family, friends, loved ones, and every moment of
happiness he had ever lived would be gone.  They would
fade away like a forgotten dream.

He shook his head.  It was time to enter the reverie.
Doanthalas sat cross-legged on the ground and assumed a
meditative pose.  His chest rose and fell with every
breath he took.  It wasn't long before the present
faded and the past came flooding back. Doanthalas
looked peaceful and serene sitting there on the ground.
His hair waved as the wind blew through it.  He wasn't
sleeping nor was he awake; he was somewhere else
entirely.

About twenty minutes after he entered the reverie the
sylvan-elfs body began to shake.  A casual looker would
have thought he was just cold.  Considering how lightly
dressed he was it would not have been a surprise.
Nevertheless, he was not cold.  In fact, he was
sweating. As time passed, his body shook more and more
violently.  He seemed to be having some sort of fit.
Suddenly his eyes opened and his arms shot out to his
sides.  He looked about wildly a look of utter fear on
his face.

Although Doanthalas was looking from side to side his
eyes didn't seem to be focusing on anything.  In an
instant he was on his feet and backpedaling away from
the camp.  A root caught his heel and sent him crashing
to the ground. He struggled to get back up, but could
only manage to crawl backwards.  When his back hit the
tree he stopped backpedaling.  The elf curled up into
the fetal position and screamed,"NOOOOOOOO!!!!!"
Tremors seized his body as the elf began to sob.  For
almost an hour he just lay there shaking and sobbing.
He didn't utter a single word the rest of the night.

"What's 'ee doin' now Skitch?" Guts asked.

"Jus' sittin there shakin.'" Skitch whispered.


"Is that all?  I might as well sit down and get some
rest."


"Don't fall asleep.  'Captain wants the elf watched 24
hours."

"Yeah, yeah," Guts sat down and yawned.  Just watching
Skitch walk around was enough to keep him up, at least
for a while.

When morning came Doanthalis just stood up, dusted
himself off, and reported for his duties.

Doanthalas breezed through the morning's weapons
training session.  He had used all of them before.
Experienced as he was with the weapons he was by no
means a master.  For that reason he applied himself
fully to the practice. In the afternoon he had a more
difficult time.  The pirates explained and demonstrated
the basic workings of a ship.  It looked easy enough to
Doanthalas, but the actual doing was very difficult.
The sylvan elf had never been on a ship before much
less tried to sail one.  He had never had a reason to
leave the land.

On land Doanthalas was as agile as a cat.  At sea he
was more like a fish out of water.  He almost tipped
the rowboat twice and the swaying of the ship made him
sick.  The men would have laughed if they hadn't feared
for their lives. At dinnertime the tattooed elf hobbled
to the mess tent with the rest of the recruits.  The
sun was setting in the distance and clouds were forming
on the horizon.  Meanwhile the captain was meeting with
his officers once again.

"I'm sure that ye all know tha reason I called ye
here," Jack said.  He paused as his eyes scanned the
room.  "I've been hearing some things about tha elf
Doanthalas.  Rumors is rumors and they don't concern
me.  What does concern me is any truth behind those
rumors."  The Captain took another dramatic pause as he
paced up to Armsmaster Hock.  "So tell me tha truth. Is
what I'm hearin true?  Hock?  Arzeal?"

"I take it yer referrin ta his fightin skills..." Hock
paused to see if the captain would answer him.  The
captain didn't so the armsmaster continued, "He handles
the weapons with a skill far superior ta that of our
best recruits. If'n I had ta guess I'd say he was some
sort of soldier or mercenary."

"I agree," Arzeal said. "He knows his way around bows.
That's for sure.  He picked the best one out of the
bunch without any help from me or anyone for that
matter.  And his aim was too accurate for anyone but a
soldier...or a mercenary."

"So yer sayin that he's good with weapons eh?  Which
ones?" The captain asked.

"Far as I can tell, captain, he's good with all of em,"
Hock said.

"ALL of em?" The captain asked.

"Yes sir.  All that we have anyway," Hock replied.

"Well I guess its good that we haven't allowed him any
weapons so far.  Eh boys?  Else he might have skewered
us all.  Heh."

"Well although he IS proficient in all the weapons we
have...he ISN'T the best at using them.  Don't get me
wrong...he IS good. But he still has a lot to learn.  I
just thought it interesting that he would be so good in
so many different weapons." Hock said.

"Elves do live for hundreds of years so it doesn't
surprise me that much, but what does surprise me is
that an elf as young as he is would be that proficient
in them." Arzeal said.

"What do ya mean Arzeal?" Jack asked.

The half elf paused to consider his words for a moment,
"Most elves spend their youth enjoying life and
learning about things like music and history. They
don't usually begin training elvish children in warfare
until they're two hundred to three hundred years old.
Doanthalas doesn't look a day over one hundred and
fifty.  He's practically a child..."

"A child?!?!?!?"

The half-elf laughed.  "Well a child by elvish
standards is more like an adult by our standards..well
your standards.  Still....since they outlive humans by
generations they have more time to devote to learning
the skills they need to survive," Arzeal said.

"Why do they wait so long to learn how to fight?  You'd
think they'd need it at an earlier age," Hock asked.

"The adult elves protect the younger elves when
threatened. Besides elves don't like to fight.  They
find it barbaric and distasteful."

"Well that wild elf out there sure had me fooled!  Ya'd
think he was born to fight!  Distasteful my arse!  Ha!"
Brackston said.

"There are always exceptions, but...I don't think
Doanthalas is an exception. I think he fights because
he has to, not because he wants to," Arzeal said.

"what makes you say that Arzeal?" the captain asked.

"I'm not sure.  It's mostly a gut feeling, but he
doesn't have the look of a cold blooded killer in his
eyes.  He has more of the look of a lost soul...besides
he had the perfect chance to kill me and Rapina back
when we recaptured him."

Brackston frowned and grumbled to himself at Arzeals
words.

"But he didn't kill you...or Rapina for that matter.
Drake seems to think the world of him."  Logan smiled,
shook his head and laughed.

"What's so funny, Logan?" Captain Red Jack asked.

"Just some of the stories Drake has been telling me
about the elf's sailing skills...or should I say LACK
of sailing skills?" Logan said.

Roger, the normally stoic first mate couldn't help but
smirk.  "It's true captain.  He may be a natural when
it comes to fightin,' but I've never seen a more clumsy
sailor."

"He hasn't got his sea legs yet?" Red Jack asked.

"More like he's gotten his sea legs amputated!" Roger
laughed.

Laughter filled the tent at Roger's joke.  A few
stories of Doanthalas' misadventures on the water
followed.

"That's all well and good, but the fact remains that
the men fear 'im.  I don't blame them.  He gives me the
willies.  And those tattoos of his...he looks like a
demon he does.  I'll betcha that none of them sailors
laughs at I'm when he's bumblin around the boat.  Do
they?"

"No.  They don't." Roger replied.

"Well if the men don't trust him then how can we?" Sak
asked.

"That's a very good question Sak.  I'm hoping that
they'll come around sooner or later," the captain said.

"And if they don't?" Sak asked.

"We'll deal with that when and if it happens," Captain
Red Jack replied.

"Besides Drake's already taken a liking to him," Logan
said.

"And so has Rapina...and...and I think he's ok," Arzeal
said.

"We'll see.  Three pirates out of a camp of almost a
hunnerd ain't even a drop in tha bucket!" Sak said. ---
------

That evening a few of the pirates were drinking as
usual.  Only this time they were discussing the elf.
Pike was part of the group as was Fishy, Milo, Grulka,
and Targ.

Targ was a beefy pirate with a prominent brow and no
noticeable neck.  He was having trouble speaking after
his seventh mug of ale.  "Now that alf e fights like
the devil e does.  I'd hate ta be facin I'm in battle."


"I agree," said Grulka, a lanky pirate with a pinched
face.  "He'd tear me limb from limb he would."

"Ha.  Yer a buncha scaredy cats!  Afraid of a little
elf," Fishy scoffed.

"Sure the elf's a tough one, but he's not invincible,"
Pike said. "I'm sure a good number of the pirates here
could beat him in a fair fight."

"Ha!  Ya wish!" Grulka said.

"Okay.  Goin find one then," Targ argued. "Ya won't!
Thar all scared of I'm."

"I'm not," Pike said.

"Oh.  Big talk from that big man.  Why don't you go
fight I'm then?" Tark asked.

"Because I have no quarrel with him," Pike said.

"Or is it cuz yer scared?" Gulka asked.

The large Norseman stood to his full height and glared
down at Grulka.  "What did you say?"  He growled.

"Easy Pike.  He didn't mean it.  It's the ale talkin,"
Fishy said.

"If'n yer not scared of the alf then...how's about we
make a little wager?" Tark asked.

"Now yer talkin,' What's the bet?" Fishy asked.

Bets were made and when everyone was in agreement they
headed off to find the elf.  Grulka pulled Fishy aside
when they started walking.

"What got Pike so steamed before?" Grulka asked.

The lame cook flashed a toothy grin.  "Ya insulted him
when ya suggested he were scared.  An that's somethin
ya don't do to a Norseman.  Insult their honor and
their pride and they'll rip yer legs off.  Ha!" Fishey
said.

The four inebriated pirates walked around the camp
until they found Doanthalas.  He was sitting on a rock
watching the water. Drake and Rapina were there with
him.  None of them were talking.  They just seemed to
be silently enjoying the evening air.  Pike stepped
forward and issued his challenge.

"Elf!  I challenge you to a fight.  I've been hearing
stories about how tough you are.  Talk is nothing so
I'm here to find out for myself.  What say you?" Pike
asked.

The elf turned and walked over to Pike.  He looked from
face to face before finally resting his eyes upon Pike.
He removed his shirt, nodded his head, and adopted a
fighting stance.

The pirates cheered since they were going to get a
fight.  Drake looked worried and shot Rapina a glance
that told her so.  Pike removed his shirt and adopted a
fighting stance of his own. It looked like the fight
wouldn't last very long.  The Norseman towered about
three heads above the tattooed elf.  And although
Doanthalas was big for an elf he was dwarfed by Pike.

The fight was clean and lasted longer than anybody
would have guessed. Although Pike was easily able to
swat the sylvan elf away with his longer reach and
stronger arms Doanthalas did not give up.  Every time
he got knocked down he would get right back up and go
at Pike. Doanthalas was able to land his fair share of
blows, but it was obvious that he was not going to win.
Pike was just too powerful and experienced for
Doanthalas.

The sylvan elf could barely stand by the time Pike
called the fight. Doanthalas had just hobbled to his
feet and was shuffling back towards Pike when the
oarsmaster held up his hand and said, "Draw!"

The assembled pirates looked at him in disbelief.  Why
had he done that? Clearly he would have won and
collected his share of the betting money.  They didn't
know what to do.

The oarsmaster put his arm around Doanthalas for
support and guided him towards the center of camp.  "I
have to hand it to you elf.  You're a tough one.  Not
too smart...but tough.  Most men would have given up
long before you did and for good reason too.  You've
got guts.  I respect that.  My name's Pike.  What's
yours?"

Doanthalas turned his tattooed face towards Pike but
didn't say anything.  He just stared at him with his
emerald eyes.  After a moment, apparently satisfied
that Pike was someone he could trust, the elf replied,
"Doanthalas."

At first Rapina had been nervous about Pike's
challenge, but now her faith in the Norseman was
renewed.  He had tested Doanthalas' mettle and liked
what he saw enough to embrace Doanthalas as a comrade.
Pike was a strong and popular junior officer, well-
liked by the men.  Rapina hoped that the new friendship
Pike seemed to be striking up would spread to the
Norseman's comrades.

It was a few hours before dawn and Skitch was busy
chinning himself on a tree limb keeping awake while on
elf-watching detail.

Guts sat against a tree trunk snoring softly.

Skitch contemplated waking Guts up for the fifth time
when he realized that Doanthalas was no longer where he
had been. "Damn, where'd he go, I just looked at him a
few minutes ago. " Skitch kicked Guts.  "Wake up,
stupid, the elf was just over there quakin' a few
minutes ago, and now 'ee's gone."

"The large, dim pirate awakened.  "Ouch, what'cha
kickin' me for?"

"Yer sleepin' on the job again, lout.  We got ta find
the elf quick, an' I have no idea which way he went.
You know how quiet 'e is when he moves through the
trees.  Damn it, we'll have ta get Brackston, an' 'e
ain't going to like it."

Skitch ran off full tilt and returned with Brackston
and Thumper a few minutes later.

Thumper tracked the elf to the Southeast.

"Damn demon elf! Look at this, Blade and Cudge were
here on watch.  Look at all the damn blood," Brackston
said.

"Track 'Im thumper, track 'I'm."

Thumper sidled away from the area, whining and
whimpering.

"What the hell's wrong with yew, dog?  That elf cast a
hex on yew? Brackston asked. "Damn it, yer not sneezin'
so it ain't them herbs 'e used on yew at the other
camp.  What in hell happened ta my fearless fuckin'
dog!?  Well come on, it's a cinch he didn't go back in
the direction of camp.  Let's head South."

About five minutes later Skitch pointed out the elf's
tattoos in the moonlight, and the group ran up to him.

Doanthalis was bent over something.

Skitch heard Brackston's infamous neck shackle lock
over the elf's neck.

"Demon elf!  I got yew, caught yew red-handed!  We'll
see what the captain says about yew now." Brackston
said.

Skitch caught hold of Guts.  "Hold on, take a look at
this..."

Logan let the matter rest until morning, but first
thing, the Captain conferred with Brackston, Skitch and
Guts.


"'e murdered 'em, I tell yew, 'e's a demon!" Brackston
practically hollered.

"Hold yer horses, Brackston, tell me the whole story
from the beginnin'" Captain Red Jack snapped.

"Skitch came an' got me ta track the elf.  He slipped
'em a few hours 'fore dawn.  We tracked 'I'm ta the
Southeast guard watch post an' there was blood
everywhere, yew should'a seen it!"

"Thumper was actin' real funny and wouldn't track th'
elf anymore, so we went South an' found 'Im areselves.
There 'e was bendin' over th' corpse.  I tell yew, I
caught 'im red handed."

"Skitch, is that how it went?"

Skitch nodded.  "Yeah, Brackston's got the story right,
but I don't like 'is conclusions.  'ee wasn't outa my
sight long.  I just did some chin-ups ta keep awake.
Guts was watchin' me 'stead of the elf.  Then I
realized the elf wasn't there so I ran an' got
Brackston.  The rest is like 'e said, but I seen the
body.  I got no idea whether it was Blade or Cudge,
'cause there ain't a lot o' meat left on th' carcass,
understand?"

"If that elf killed 'I'm 'e set a new record fer eatin'
raw meat. I checked 'is belly when we got back ta camp.
I'm tellin' ya, if that elf ate most of a 200 pound
pirate, 'ed have ta 'ave a belly out ta here, but that
weren't the case.  I'd say it'd be worth askin' the elf
what happened.  Me an' Guts looked for th' other
corpse, but we couldn't find it nowhere.  I'm hopin'
now that it's gettin' light, we can figure out where
it's gotten to."

"It's magic, I tell yew, the elf just withered the
corpse away after guttin' it, an 'e cast a spell so's
my dog turned as yellah as 'is coat."

"Get me Rapina, and I'll see what the elf has ta say
for 'imself soon enough."

"Mean time, Skitch, take a few men an' see if ye can
find the other corpse, but first, show me the one ye
got."

A little while later the captain came to the tree
Brackston had chained Doanthalas to not far from the
Barracks tent. Rapina arrived from the infirmary tent
at about the same time.  The camp was already abuzz
with rumors of how the demonic elf had chewed the meat
off from Cudge's bones.

"Brackston has it that ye killed an' ate two o' me men
early this mornin.'  Skitch wasn't so sure ye did it.
Ye don't look like yer stuffed wif 400 pounds 'o
pirate.  I'd like ta hear yer side o' th' story
startin' when ye left yer sleepin' spot.

Doanthalas was sitting on the ground holding the chain
in his hands.  He was staring at it with a resigned
look.  "It seems I shall be bound for life.  The path I
walk is forever soaked with blood."  The sylvan elf
paused and then looked up at the captain.

"I...awoke...from the reverie to the sounds of the wolf
pack feasting.  I thought the pack had made a kill to
the unereif...south...east.  To chase away the clouds I
followed the feast music.  The scent of life lost
caressed the air.  There was no wolf pack...only the
shadows of men.  My presence was known for the shadow
men were removing the life husks when I arrived.  They
dropped one as they faded to the...south...east.  Their
spirits were tired... or... sleeping... their bodies
were cold like shadows.  My eyes could barely glimpse
them."

"Well ya sure do speak funny, but I think I understand
ya.  No offense ta yer combat abilities, Doanthalas,
but I'm inclined ta believe ye.  Those were good men.
I'm hopin' even someone like you could not have killed
'em without sa much as a scream out 'o 'em. As fer the
men ye saw, I can't make heads ner tails o' it.  I
suppose they could 'ave been wearin' heavy coats ta
foil yer vision, but in this weather, it don't make
sense."

"Any ideas Rapina?  Is their magics fer such?"

"I've read about illusions and things that can fool
vision. I've also read about elementals, golems and
creations of necromancy that would not have body heat.
Any of those could be basically human-shaped."

"Aye, likely it's nothin' more'n island men wearin'
coats.  Just the same, get me Pike, Donal, Backster,
Drake, an' Kent. Brackston, unchain the elf.  I have ta
agree with Skitch.  If Doanthalas had the kind 'o magic
ye're conjecturin' 'ed of got out o' that old cage at
th' other camp in short order and ate us all.  I'm
thinkin some 'o the island's natives just gave us a
good pirate's welcome."

Brackston glowered but did as he was told.

A few minutes later Rapina had fetched the various
people the captain wanted.

"All right.  I want ye ta arm up, an' head South an
East. Backster, you an' the elf see if ye can track
whoever done the deed.  See if ye can find their camp
'an see how many there are. Don't engage 'em unless yer
pretty sure o' the odds."

"Pike, yer in charge.  Rapina, yer along 'cause ye've
read most anything I own concernin' th' supernatural,
an' I'm too busy ta go meself.  Kent, yer ta map the
trip as best ye can as yer goin'.  The rest o' ye are
soldierin' so look alive.  Get yer gear an' meet over
at the mess tent.  Fishy an' Piggy'll fix ye up with
provisions 'an I'll have some climbin' gear left for
ye. Be snappy about it.  I'd prefer ta see ye back here
before night fall."

Rapina got her Rapier, main gauche, knife, bow and
quiver and met the others back at the mess tent.

Doanthalas checked his gear as he led the group to the
spot where he had found the first body.  Although the
body had been removed there was still plenty of dried
blood on the ground.  The sylvan elf examined the area
while the group stood back.

Whatever or whomever was responsible for the death of
Blade and Cudge hadn't been too worried about hiding
their presence.  There were footprints all over the
place.  Some had been obliterated by the pirates when
they came to investigate and collect the body.  But
Doanthalas had no trouble picking up the trail that
would lead them to the murderers.  The footprints
headed off to the Southeast.

"The men of shadow returned to the darkness this way."
Doanthalas said as he pointed towards the cliffs to the
Southeast.  Those in the group who were not used to
hearing Doanthalas speak. After hearing the strange
manner in which he spoke, they looked at each other
curiously.  They followed the elf through the forest
even if they had not understood his speech.

The murderers had left plenty of evidence of their
passing.  Deep footprints, dried blood, broken twigs
and branches, and shreds of old dry-rotted cloth led
the elf and the party through the forest and on to some
low cliffs and more rocky terrain.

It was harder to track the "men of shadow" through the
cliffs and rocky areas.  Doanthalas was hard pressed to
find any sort of evidence.  Luckily he spotted a few
scuff marks on the rocks and some drops of dried blood.


Eventually the vegetation all but disappeared, as did
the trail.  It was far too rocky to make heads or tails
of any kind of evidence.  Doanthalas stopped and
scanned the area for possible escape routes.  He
spotted some higher cliffs and headed for them.

"Their shadows have faded in the light.  We must climb
those cliffs to see with the clarity of the hawk.  Then
we may be able to find our quarry."

Drake pulled Rapina up a seven-foot cliff onto higher
terrain and the others followed.

Oarmaster Pike pointed, "what do ye make o' that?"

Rapina walked up a steep hill to where Pike was
standing, there in front of them was a large, flat,
rocky field nearly devoid of trees.  Oval piles of
stone littered the field to the East up until it ended
at the base of cliffs to the East and South.  To the
North the terrain sunk.

"Burial mounds?" Rapina asked.

"Only one way to find out."  Pike walked North and
found an older, smaller pile of rocks and began tossing
the ones on top aside.  Donal and Drake Joined in.

"Yer right, looks like it was a kid.  The bones are
mostly crushed and plenty old, looks like.  I guess we
just found ourselves a graveyard on th' isle of the
dead."  Pike shifted the large double-edged battle axe
slug over his back, and pursed his lips. "There's a
trail here through the mounds leadin' North and South,
I think."

The group went Northeast and found that the trail
descended into a box canyon at the Northeast edge of
the isle.  The trail had obviously been modified by
ancient chisels and was in some cases cut into the side
of the canyon.  At the bottom was a pool of water with
some sort of sunken funeral boat in it.  A natural
archway led from the canyon out through a short cave to
the lake.  The opening was hidden from those viewing
the isle from the waters Northeast of it by a spur of
rock.

"A side door ta the isle," Pike said. "This'll be handy
ta know about.  If they left from here, we'll not be
tracking 'em.  Hey look," Pike pointed to some ancient
characters carved into the canyon wall to be visible
from boats sitting in the water. "Any ideas."

"They're runes.  This one means death, and this
sanctuary. Hmmm, maybe something like sanctuary of the
dead?  These others are more obscure, some sort of
warning maybe, and this one means respect.  That one is
the sun or day.  I think that it is warning us to
respect the sanctuary of the dead and to drop off our
dead only by day. How creepy."

"It's been my experience that dead men're less trouble
than the living, and my guess is whoever carved those
letters was just trying ta cow any would-be grave
robbers," Pike said.

"There could be some serious booty up in those mounds.
Sometimes they bury people with their gold rings and
such on 'em," Backster said.

"Let's go have another look at the graveyard and see if
this warning did the trick 'r not," Pike said.

After the group climbed their way back up to the field
of stones, Pike led the way South.

"These mounds closest to the canyon are a little
smaller and flatter.  I'd say they're older.  Let's see
if we can find something newer."

The search led to the Southern edge of the field.

"Give me a hand here.  None of these looks real fresh,
but they're taller and newer than the ones to the
North," Pike said.

Rapina helped the others move the stones.

"Hehheheh, it don't look like that warnin' was very
successful. All we got here is a few scraps o' old
linen.  There ain't even a body."

"But what kind of grave robber takes the valuables and
the bones?" Rapina asked.

"Likely they ditched the bones in one of these other
mounds," Backster replied.

The tattooed elf was staring at the ground intently. He
kept looking from the ground to an outcropping of rock
a short distance away.  "I sense the caress of the
shadow here." Doanthalas stood up and walked over to
the rock outcropping.  He discovered that the
outcropping hid a cave entrance.  The elf beckoned the
others closer and pointed at the runes chiseled into
the rock.

Pike and the others came to look.  "More letters,
Rapina."

"Hall of the Dead," Rapina said matter of factly.  "It
must be a cave that's been turned into a mausoleum. Let
me take a look at these smaller runes just above the
entrance." ---

[Rapina]011 Hall of the Dead


Backster opened an ancient bamboo gate that fit into
the entrance and stepped in.

"Hold on, you're supposed to intone some sort of prayer
before entering, at least that's what I think it says
here," Rapina said.

From inside the cavern Backster's voice echoed, "Oh
sure, gods grant me a heavenly hoard 'o booty. Damn
it's dark in here."

Rapina sighed. "That's no kind of prayer. Besides,
you're supposed to do it before you open the gate,
silly."

Rapina fished the crystal pendant out from beneath her
tunic. She took the little black leather sack off the
lighted crystal and put it in her belt pouch. She wore
the crystal light outside her shirt to provide light
for her party.

"Gold!" Backster shouted.

"Hold up Backster, yer gettin' too far ahead of us."
Pike unslung his axe and went into the tunnel with
Donal next to him.

Rapina followed, her light allowing them to see.

"AAAAAiiiiiih!" Backster screamed.

Just inside, the cavern was like a narrow hall that
slanted downwards. After about twenty feet the corridor
widened and leveled off. Carved into the sides of the
level main tunnel were tiers of Coffin-sized dead-end
tunnels. There were three tunnels to a column, one near
the floor, one about waist-level and one above the
level of most men's heads. Each tunnel held a corpse.
Column after column of coffin tunnels lined the walls.

Currently Backster flew backwards out of one of the
waist-high tunnel entrances about fifteen feet down the
wide hall and on the East side. He held his face as
blood gushed from his eye sockets. A golden ring
clattered to the floor as he pulled out of the side-
tunnel. ---------------[click to see a rough sketch of
this room]

[you can only see the top side tunnels in this view
from above, but there are two more side tunnels below
each one pictured. All of the skeletons are on the map
though. If it looks like there are 2 or 3 in a side
tunnel, there is really only one in a tunnel but there
are 3 tunnels in a column.] ---------------

A boney hand dripping blood emerged from the tunnel
after Backster. A skull followed, then a bony hand
holding a dagger. The unholy skeletons of the dead
awakened from their slumber and began to boil out of
their resting-places. They were armed with ancient
blades, or wooden cudgels. The only sound they made was
the ticking of their boney feet on the stone floor.

For an instant, Rapina froze in horror. In some
rational corner of her mind, she idly wished she had
brought her big Roman shield.

In front of Rapina, Pike sprinted forward to try to
rescue Backster. The Norseman dodged the bony hands of
the emerging skeletons and got to Backster just as the
first of the emerging skeletons stood and lifted their
weapons. Pike cleaved the skull and rib cage of the
dagger-wielding skeleton about to spit Backster, then
tossed the pirate over his shoulder like a screaming
sack of potatoes.

It was then that the Norseman realized that numerous
skeletons had sealed off his retreat back to the party.
The skeletons had him trapped. Red rage swam before the
Norseman's eyes as he yelled a blood-curdling battle
cry.  In a single blow he shattered the skull and rib
cage of the skeleton coming out of the side tunnel at
the level of his head and danced to avoid the grasp of
the one emerging at his feet. Thankfully, he had
already dispatched the one from the waist level tunnel
on his side of the room, but the skeletons from the
other side were quickly emerging.

Pike's battle-cry snapped Rapina out of her dumbfounded
state. She flattened herself against the wall allowing
Drake, Donal and Doanthalas to get by her. At the same
time she drew her rapier and main gauche. From the
corner of her eye she saw Kent pushing on a slab of
stone that had slid from the ceiling near the entrance
to block their escape.

Donal rushed to within striking distance of the first
tier of side tunnels. As a skeleton emerged from the
top tier, Donal relieved it of its head with his broad
sword. To Donal's horror, the headless skeleton jumped
to the ground and swung its oaken cudgel at him, nearly
braining the pirate before he ducked -just in time.

The pirate brought his sword up chopping through
several ribs and sundering the spine of the skeleton.

Another skeleton from one tier lower came out of its
side tunnel and stood as the one from the tier near the
floor grabbed Donal's boot. In addition, the skeleton
that Donal had been fighting, now lacking a pelvis and
legs, swung its cudgel at the pirate's knees from its
position on the floor.

Donal parried the cudgel by slicing off both of the
skeleton's hands with a single stroke of his
broadsword. Simultaneously, he blocked the blow of the
ancient dagger of the second skeleton with his buckler.


The skeleton near the floor pulled itself out of its
side tunnel and bit into Donal's boot.

The pirate yelled obscenities as he dropped his sword
and grabbed the cudgel of the first skeleton.

Rapina realized the ever-valiant Drake was charging
forward to try to save Pike. She steeled herself and
slipped to the right. She used her main gauche to parry
the sword of the skeleton that tried to skewer her, and
severed its spine just below the rib cage with a swipe
of her rapier. As it's upper half fell, Rapina jumped;
pretending she was stamping on Trevor's instep, she
managed to largely shatter the monster's rib cage.

Although she was paying little attention to it, Rapina
saw Donal's fight and realized that swords were not the
best weapons against these creatures.

With cudgel in hand, Donal shattered the upper ribs of
his second skeleton while trying to stamp on the neck
of the third that was now biting into his foot.
Unfortunately, his stomping was unsuccessful and the
third skeleton pulled his legs as he tried to trample
it.

"Aaaagh!" The pirate toppled over.

Doanthalas slid the bastard sword from the scabbard he
wore on his back. The sword had an extra long handle so
that it could be wielded with one or two hands. He
opted for a two handed grip as he moved to help Donal.

The skeletons raised their weapons as Donal tried
desperately to escape. The skeleton that had brought
Donal down released its grip only to sink its teeth
deep into Donal's leg.

The young pirate screamed in pain and tried to kick the
skeleton away. He was unsuccessful. Donal closed his
eyes in anticipation of the killing blow that was sure
to come at any moment.

He flinched as a loud cracking noise filled the air and
shards of bone rained down around him. Donal opened his
eyes in time to see the remains of his attackers
clatter to the floor. The tattooed elf was standing
over him cutting swaths of destruction through the
ranks of the skeletons.

Drake noticed Doanthalas' technique from the corner of
his eye. Instead of fighting the skeletons as one would
fight a normal fleshy opponent, Doanthalas was aiming
his attacks at their rib cages. Instead of stabbing and
hacking in a downward motion, the elf was swinging his
sword in a side to side sweeping motion. It seemed to
be working so Drake adopted this technique and stepped
up to give Pike a hand.

Pike's heavy axe shattered skeletons right and left as
the Norseman whirled and side-stepped to dodge the
clubs and blades of his supernatural foes. He stayed
near the wall, jumping past columns of openings when he
could.

The Norseman swung again, another opponent shattered,
its bones tangling with the bones of the creature
behind it, but the stupid creature came forward just
the same. Pike caught its club and kicked it backwards
breaking its hold. At the same time he shattered one of
it's comrades to his right as his axe continued to
weave patterns in the air. Pike roared and jumped
forward as a third skeleton opened a gash in his side.

The Norseman flipped the big club he had wrested from a
skeleton end for end, caught it and swung it with
gusto, his mighty muscles sweating with red rage. The
skeleton that had cut him disintegrated into a hail of
bones as the mighty Viking's club came down through
both skull and rib cage.

"Hang on Backster, I got ta use both hands 'er we're
both dead men!" He bellowed.

The next skeleton Rapina encountered swung a heavy
club. So heavy that the parrying strength behind
Rapina's main gauche was not sufficient. The blow drove
Rapina's left hand side. Her main gauche clattered to
the floor as her nerveless hand released it.

With her good hand she swung hard and shattered one of
the hands of the monster. Her blade bit into its other
wrist but did not sever it.

With only one hand, the creature brought up its club to
strike again, but it was much too slow. Rapina severed
it's good arm at the shoulder with her rapier and
kicked it hard in the ribs. It flew back into one of
its advancing comrades and they both went down in a
tangle of bones. Rapina grabbed the skeleton's cudgel
and sheathed her rapier while the two tangled skeletons
struggled to get up.

Her left hand was weak, but she directed healing energy
to it and swung the cudgel with both hands and all her
strength. One of the skeletons shattered, the other
flew to the side with pieces of the first entangled in
its ribs. She advanced trying to protect Drake's right
flank as he charged forward.

The skeletons advanced steadily. They did not plan
their attacks defensively for they had no brains and
they did not fear for their lives. The search party,
however, did fear for their lives and rightly so.  The
skeletons outnumbered them by more than three to one.
They needed some kind of strategy if they were to
survive. As it was the skeletons had them separated
into two small groups. Kent, Rapina, Doanthalas and
Donal were fighting with their backs to the cavern
entrance.

Drake had fought his way to Pike and Backster. Pike and
Drake were in a bind. Skeletons surrounded them and
Backster was in no condition to fight. The members of
the search party knew how to fight, but none of them,
except for one member, had any experience in the
tactics of large scale battles. This hardly qualified
as a large scale battle, but the idea was the same.
Whoever fought harder and smarter would be victorious.

"We're Trapped!" Kent screamed.

"We can retreat back towards the closed entrance, it's
much narrower there but we have to get to Pike and
Drake, They're only ten feet away now but there are so
many skeletons! Rapina shouted.

Donal came limping back to Rapina and Kent. "Damned
pile o' bones bit me!" He swung his cudgel and
shattered another skeleton that stepped too close to
him.

The sylvan elf deftly swept his leg in a half circle as
he crouched near the ground. Two skeletons went
tumbling to the floor. Doanthalas brought his sword in
a powerful upwards arc and cleaved a third skeleton in
two.

A few quick steps and shattered skeletons later the
tattooed elf had fought his way back to Rapina, Kent
and Donal. The three of them looked fine, but Pike,
Backster and Drake were in deep trouble. Soon the
skeletal warriors would overrun them.

"Rapina, Donal With me!" The elf shouted as he stepped
forward and swung his bastard sword in a tight arc
shattering the torso of another skeleton. "We must
clear the way for our comrades! Kent, guard our backs!"


terror paralyzed The young pirate. Otherwise, he might
have told the presumptuous elf where to go. For the
moment, it was all Kent could do to hold on to his
weapon. His hands were shaking so badly.

Rapina ducked and swung the cudgel she had rescued from
one of the skeletons she had fought. Several of the
upper ribs of the nearby undead monster broke and fell
away, but unlike Doanthalas, Rapina lacked the strength
always to shatter a skeleton with one blow. It often
took Rapina two or even three blows to destroy a
skeleton, and the floor was treacherous. Some of the
skeletons Doanthalas had cut in half at the lower ribs
were still animated. Although they had no legs, they
still tried to swing weapons, or crawl along the floor
towards their opponents.

Rapina tried a different tactic, she held the club with
both hands wide, using it to parry the heavy club of
the skeleton while she kicked the skeleton in the ribs.
Her kick did little actual damage, but the skeletons
were not very heavy and a good kick sent them flying.
They usually fell or got entangled with their comrades.
For one of her strength, the tactic worked better than
trying to hack away at a skeleton while others got too
close.

Although he was hurt and more than a bit scared Donal
heeded the elf's words. If he had thought about it, he
might have given Doanthalas attitude. After all who had
put him in charge? However, for the moment his words
seemed to make sense.

Pike yelled to Drake above the din of weapons and
skeletons, "Back to back, mate an' stick w' me an the
East wall. If ye can cover my butt, I can cut are way
back ta the others."

The number of skeletons coming in from the South nearly
overwhelmed Drake but he gritted his teeth and kept his
broadsword in constant motion, straining his powerful
arm to do maximum damage.

His back protected for the moment, Pike directed both
of his weapons forward. When Rapina struck, she was
lucky to break away several of a skeleton's ribs, but
when the mighty Norseman struck, a skeleton positively
exploded with every blow. Pike saw Doanthalas fighting
his way towards him as he fought towards the elf.

Rapina was so happy with the way her kicking strategy
was working that she turned her head to see if Kent had
seen it and taken it up. Her moment of vanity saved her
life. As she looked back she saw a cudgel descending to
brain her, she ducked just enough that the blow hit her
across the shoulder blades rather than shattering her
skull. The wind was knocked from her and she was driven
to the floor with an oof!

Although wounded when the headless skeleton surprised
him and its two buddies got the best of him, Donal was
a good fighter. Captain Red Jack was a wise man and had
made sure that three of the pirates he had sent out
were seasoned veterans. His bit foot hurt like the
devil but Donal turned when he heard Rapina go down,
parried a club blow and kicked the skeleton West to
clear some room.

Kent had taken a fright. a skeleton swinging a cudgel
had him cornered in the Northeast corner of the room.
The only trouble was, the skeleton did not seem to have
a brain in its head and its back swing kept knocking
into the wall. Without a back swing it was not
inflicting bone-shattering damage on the recruit, it
was just giving him a good beating with short swings
and scaring the daylights out of him with its gnashing
teeth and vacant eyes. Donal's kick bounced a skeleton
against the back of the one trying to pummel Kent to
death and drove it forward so it momentarily bashed
into Kent, it's boney teeth bruising his jaw.

Rapina gasped as she hit the floor. Skitch had taught
her how to take a fall when a big boy hit her in order
not to add insult to injury. As she went to stand, she
saw boney feet advance on her. She was weaponless; the
blow to her back had knocked the club out of her hands
along with her wind. Rapina grabbed the ankles of the
skeleton and swung it as she stood. She released it and
it skidded off the top of one of its compatriot's
skulls and slammed into the opposite wall where it
struggled to stand, oblivious to its cracked skull.

Donal grinned, "now thar's a wench!," he said as he
shattered another skeleton with his cudgel.

Drake was fighting with every ounce of his strength and
speed. He had been forced to sheath his parrying dagger
so he could use his broadsword in both hands. The
dagger was useless against the skeletons anyway. He
found his feet were a better weapon. When the skeletons
got especially thick, driving them back was a better
idea than cleaving them. They were so stupid they all
crowded into each other and a good kick would send a
bunch of them falling to the floor like dominoes. Then
Drake could shatter one that did not fall with his
sword while the dupes got up.

Pike exploded the last skeleton between Doanthalas and
him.

"Slip behind me along the wall, Drake. We've made it to
our mates."

Pike stepped forward just enough to let Drake by. He
turned and shattered a skeleton with his club while the
flat of his battle axe turned a second into a shower of
bones. All the while the Norseman moved slowly sideways
toward the North wall. When Drake was by him, he turned
to face fully south and backed North in a fighting
retreat.

Rapina grabbed the rear ribs of the skeleton that was
terrorizing Kent and heaved it. Luckily, the skeletons
were quite light.

After slipping by Pike, Drake helped Doanthalas fight
the skeletons attacking from the West as Donal and
Rapina cleared the Northeast corner, turning it into a
safe zone.

Seeing Drake and Doanthalas now protected him, Donal
took his broadsword from the floor of the Northeast
corner of the room and quickly sheathed it. At the same
time, he picked up Rapina's cudgel and handed it to
her.

Rapina saw Drake run into the entrance tunnel and
followed.  Donal behind her pushing Kent in front of
him.

Pike and Doanthalas took up positions at the southern
end of the narrower entry tunnel just before the point
where the tunnel widened and leveled off.  They fought
a pitched battle with a hoard of skeletons coming at
them from the main room.  Fortunately, the tunnel would
only admit two or three skeletons abreast, so the
number of opponents the men had to fight at a time was
much more manageable.

Drake faced two skeletons that had already been in the
entry tunnel when he entered and Pike and Doanthalas
had cordoned it off. As Rapina entered the narrower
corridor, the light she carried provided better
illumination. To Drake's horror, he saw that one of the
skeletons still had bits of flesh clinging to its
bones. "Cudge, is that you?"

The Skeleton vacantly swung a broadsword at Drake who
parried with a clang.

Rapina ducked as the second skeleton took a swing at
her. She drove the end of her cudgel forward into the
pelvis of the skeleton like a battering ram and knocked
it backwards. It fell against the slab that blocked the
entryway and began to scramble to its feet. While it
was scrambling, Rapina jumped forward and shattered its
right shoulder.

As he parried, Drake stepped in and kicked the knee-cap
of the skeleton. The bones snapped and the skeleton
fell sideways still swinging its blade. It cut into the
side of Drake's boot and slightly wounded his calf as
he tried to dodge.

Drake's sword severed the neck of the skeleton and its
skull went rolling across the floor. Undaunted, it
lifted its blade to take another swing. Drake drew his
parrying dagger and jumped to the right.

Rapina dodged right but took a glancing blow to the
hip. Her cudgel took out four ribs on the left side of
the skeleton. The skull from Drake's opponent rolled
towards her, its teeth still gnashing.

Rapina jumped back, and when her Skeletal opponent came
forward she was ready. She crouched and took out one of
the skeleton's knees. It fell and she shattered its rib
cage before it could rise again.

The Norseman grinned at Doanthalas as three more
brainless bags of bones approached and were shattered
by the two muscular fighters. Pike's eyebrows raised -
the rib of one of the skeletons he had shattered did
not fly right. "Heads up back there."

Donal looked in Pike's direction, his mouth opened as
something whistled like breath blown over the mouth of
a bottle. A flying rib stabbed him in the gut with much
more power than a simple flying object. Donal
instinctively dropped his cudgel and grabbed the bone.
His quick reflexes saved his life. He bled profusely,
but he muscled the bone out of the wound in his gut and
got a two- handed grip on it. It was alive as though
the entire strength of a skeleton had clung to it.
Donal muscled the bone against the stone wall and
rubbed it there, but all he did was work off it's
jagged point.

Damn, Drake thought. The new skeleton, whichever pirate
it had recently been, had bones stronger and less
brittle than its drier and more aged comrades did.
Drake realized his last swing should have gone through
the neck and shoulder of the skeleton but it had not.

Drake charged in, parrying the blade of the skeleton
and severing its arm near the shoulder. The skeleton's
broadsword clattered to the floor and Drake swung and
swung again, this time severing the other arm of the
creature. The arms crawled towards him pulling
themselves along with their fingers. Drake swung again
and again slicing the ribs off the creature and
sundering the pelvis. He was about to stamp on the
creature's fingers when Rapina called out.

"Wait! No one is going to believe this unless we have
proof."

Drake nodded. He grimaced and picked up one of the
arms.

Rapina picked up the other arm and the skull. The
fingers and jaw were still moving, trying to kill.

Donal took a stout burlap bag from his belt pouch.
"Here, put those in the bag, Drake, and Rapina see what
ye can do fer Backster.

Rapina found that Backster's right eye was a ruin, but
his left eye would be okay, there was a deep cut just
above it where a skeletal finger had glanced off.
Rapina cleaned the wound and applied a bandage. She
gave Backster some herbs for the pain from his ruined
eye.

Pike and Doanthalas shattered skeleton after skeleton
until finally the last one lay in pieces at their feet.
"Damn! I'm bruised or bleedin' on most parts of my
body, but that was one hell of a fight," Pike said.

"That was the best fightin' I've seen a 'green' recruit
do in years," Pike winked at Doanthalas. 'Course the
important thing for fighting these brainless bags o'
bones seems ta be strength and endurance, and I know ye
got 'em both from havin' had that bout we had
tagether." Pike grinned and turned to Rapina. "What do
the wounds look like?"

"Backster's lost an eye, but I think the other eye will
be okay as soon as the gash above it heals. Donal has a
bad belly wound and a deep bite in his foot. I got hit
across the back and on the hip, but I was pretty
lucky."

Pike helped himself to some bandages and supplies from
Rapina's pack and patched up several nasty gashes he
had received.

Rapina finished Donal and looked at Kent while Drake
and Doanthalas patched up their own hurts. Kent was
severely bruised all over his upper body but Rapina
could not help but realize that Kent's pride had taken
a worse beating.

"The way I see it, we better see if we can get out 'a
this place. That slab's real stone. Before today I'd 'a
said there was no magic about it. Now I figure there
could be.  On the other hand, one of these skeletons
might a triggered it from one o' these restin' holes.
Those of ye who're not too badly wounded, lets give 'em
a search. Any booty ye find goes in this bag,
understand? We'll take a look at the skeletons fer
rings, daggers 'an swords too, though most of 'em had
clubs."

There were a number of silver and several gold rings.
Most of them were on the fingers of shattered
skeletons. Rapina retrieved her main gauche and went to
the Southern end of the wide hall of the dead. There
was another doorway there blocked by a slab of stone.
Above the doorway were more runes.

When Doanthalas climbed into the top-most resting place
on the Northwest wall, his weight triggered something,
and the slab slid up and out of the way of the
entrance. Everyone was much relieved. It turned out
that even the weight of a skeleton in that side tunnel
would keep the entry open, but when the weight was
removed, the slab slid back to block the entryway.

Still deciphering the runes above the door, Rapina
said, "No wonder there was not much booty here, these
were probably all commoners. This next door leads to,
"The Hall of Eminence," and we're supposed to make the
sign of man to enter." There was a pentacle carved into
the wall next to the door. At each point, a stone stud
could be pushed.

Pike waved his hand. "We'll go no farther now. Are
first duty is ta get Backster and Donal back ta camp
and make our report before dark."

Rapina nodded. She wanted to make sure she had the sign
of man right anyway. She had not really been paying a
lot of attention to signs, but she was pretty sure that
one of Captain Red Jack's old holy books had several
different signings in it for banishing evil spirits and
such.

The still-animated arms and skull of the fresh skeleton
were put in a bag tied to the end of a cudgel for Drake
to carry. All other still-living pieces were destroyed
save the, "singing bone," that had stabbed Donal. He
had worn the jagged, pointed ends of the bone smooth
against the stone wall and worked the marrow out of the
bone with his boot knife and small shards of bone. He
stashed the six-inch piece of bone in his stoutest belt
pouch with the strings tied tightly closed. The bone
was ever intent on stabbing him but now lacked points.
Just the same, it pushed on him with a fair amount of
force. This made the pirate stagger even more than he
should have, given his wounded foot. The singing bone
was unique in that it seemed to have nearly the full
strength of a skeleton to it. Whereas the other still
animated bones could not lift off the ground and fly,
the singing bone seemed to be able to fly around
without trouble. The party hurried back to the pirate
camp and arrived just as the sun sank below the
horizon. With the wounded, the going had been much
slower on the way back. When they arrived, Pike
reported to the captain. After a few minutes, he called
the others in.

"So, I hear ye had an adventure. I'm hav'in a heap 'o
trouble believin' what Pike has told me, but 'e says ye
insisted on keepin' some souvenirs for me ta see, did
ye lass?"

Rapina nodded. "Drake is carrying them in that sack."

"Good thinkin' girl, let me see 'em. I'm 'bout ready ta
have Pike put in a cage fer bein' daft."

Drake opened the sack and dumped the contents carefully
out onto the captain's table. The severed bony arms
wasted no time pulling themselves along by their
fingers towards the Captain who was the closest person
to the table after Drake stepped back. The scull rolled
a bit then rocked as it gnashed its teeth. The skeletal
fingers seemed slower and weaker, though the skull
still seemed to gnash its teeth with exuberance.

"Mother o' all the gods, Pike is a sane man after all,"
the captain grinned. So this is what happened ta Blade?
What a harrible end he most 'o met. He'll make a grisly
souvenir though, 'e will.

Now what o' this flyin' bone that pegged Donal?

Donal limped forward and removed his belt pouch. "It's
in here captain, but it's been trying ta stab me ever
since it did the first time. Donal held his belt pouch
out to the captain who took it. The pouch pushed on the
captain as it sensed a presence nearer than Donal and
attempted to stab it.

The captain's eyebrows shot up. "That be strange
stuff." The captain kept the pouch. Ye can take that
back later if ye want it, ye earned it takin' th' belly
wound. Fer now let's keep it out 'o the men's sight.

The captain looked at Rapina. "Pike says ye read some
old runes fer the group 'an there's another door with
writin's as well. Do ye know how to open it?

"I think so sir, but I need to check one of your books
to make sure I have it right."

"Ye did good. Pike said ye killed yer share o'
skeletons an kicked many o' 'em back when ye found that
warr easier for ye than killin' em outright."

"Yes sir, Pike and usually Doanthalas and Drake could
make them shatter by hitting them hard, but I could not
hit them hard enough to finish one in a single blow.
They were very light, though, so once I discovered
kicking them, I usually did that and I threw a couple
too."

The captain chuckled. "Ye got guts Rapina, some would
'ave bet ye would freeze first time ye saw real
combat."

Rapina blushed, "Well, actually I did freeze, but
Pike's battle cry snapped me out of it."

"Well, well, I guess that old battle roar 'o yers is
worth somethin' after all, Pike," the captain smiled.

"Kent, yer maps 'r excellent, but ye were a liability
in th' combat. A pirate that can't fight gets dead
fast. Th' way I heard it, the fact ye were in a corner
and the skeleton attackin' ye was brainless, saved yer
life. It would be a shame ta loose one w' yer talents.
I know th' enemies ye fought taday weren't exactly
normal and ye didn't have combat instincts ta fall back
on like Pike, 'er Donal, 'er Doanthalas.  Nevertheless,
Rapina did okay, an' Drake helped Pike outa a spot
although he's green. I know I'm comparin' ye ta the
best in yer basic class, but ye got ta git yer combat
skills up. Usually, I just let a kid like ye sink 'er
swim on 'is own, but I don't get many men w' a head
like yers on their shoulders, so I've given Roger
orders ta get ye more combat trainin'. See that ye
apply yerself, as ye've seen, yer life depends on it.

The rest of ye, listen up. Pirates can be a
superstitious lot, 'an what ye encountered weren't at
all natural. I want ye ta keep a tight lip. Anyone asks
ye how ye got wounded, ye tell 'em it were, "natives 'o
the isle," and don't tell em they tried ta carve ye
even though they were already dead. I'll make sure the
guard posts have some hefty clubs around in case any o'
these boney nightmares attack.

Pike has told me about the other water entrance ta the
isle Southeast 'o here. Soon as we can we'll set up a
base camp there and ye can try ta get ta the bottom o'
this. In the mean time, lick yer wounds and I'll have
Rapina study up on this matter again before ye go out.
Remember ta keep the lips buttoned, I don't want the
men spookin' on me. Don't talk about what happened even
if no one else is around. Save it fer later.

Fer now, I see ye've brought me some booty. I'll be
givin' ye some money out of it if ye earned it. Drake,
I know ye have weapons, an' I loaned Doanthalas that
bastard sword. Far as I'm concerned, Doanthalas, ye
have a couple 'o weapons comin' to ye. Logan will show
ye through the weapons crates tomorrow an' ye can pick
out a set 'o hand weapons for yer own, includin' that
sword if ye can find nothin' better."

"Rapina, I'd like ta talk ta ye more about these
supernatural creatures an' such. Please come by after
yer bath."

Rapina nodded.

"Good work, mates. 'Less ye have somethin' ta add, yer
dismissed," the captain said. Doanthalas, watch yer
back.  That damn Brackston has half the pirates
thinkin' ye summoned those demons last night, an I
can't tell 'im what really happened or the other half
'o me men'll be shakin' in their boots just as hard as
the ones Brackston's got to. Stick w' yer friends. ---

Later that night after seeing, Beck, Fishy and Pike,
Rapina arrived at the captain's clean from her bath.

Scary day ye had wench. Sit down an' 'ave a glass 'o
wine.

Rapina sat down on Red Jack's couch and snuggled
against the captain as she drank wine from a glass he
had handed her.

"What do ye make o' these skeletons. Where do ye
suppose they're comin' from an' how do ye figure one o'
me own men was turned into one of 'em.

"It has to be necromancy, I think. The magic book talks
about the theory behind necromancy. It all has to do
with life force. People have it, dead men don't, and
undead men have less than none, like a suction or a
debt. That's why they try to kill, they want the life
force of the living. I wish I knew more, but your
library isn't the best where supernatural monsters are
concerned. I think some of the holy books may talk
about the undead. A lot of priests feel it's their duty
to destroy them, and I guess some evil churches train
their priests in necromancy so they can create and
control the undead."

"Aye, I think ye're right. Those chests be full o' me
books, why don't ye get a start on findin' th' volumes
ye need while I finish the night's logs."

Rapina nodded. "Okay, I'll look for that one with the
signs too." Rapina found one or two of the books she
needed that night, but spent little time reading and
much more time moaning with pleasure beneath the
captain's capable hands.

[Rapina]012 Shadows of the Dead

It was three or four in the morning when there came a
scratching on the tent flap accompanied by the dim glow
of an oil lantern turned down low, and the whisper of
Logan's voice. "Sir, we have a problem."

"Nay, again? Come in an' tell me about it."

"We've lost the Southeast watch post, sir," Logan said
opening the tent flap. Suddenly Logan dropped the
lantern he was carrying and lurched to catch it in mid
air before it spilled. The light flickered and shadows
danced but Logan caught the lantern before it hit the
floor. "Aai! Jus' had the mother 'o chills, been having
'em off and on since we checked the post."

"Didn't we double the guard ta tha Southeast?" the
captain asked while getting out of bed and fetching his
robe?

Rapina held the covers to her neck with one hand while
she got her sheathed crystal light pendant from the bed
post and slipped it on over her neck with the other.
She hoped whatever was attacking would stick to picking
off guard posts as it had last night, but she felt a
foreboding presence and feared that would not be so. As
soon as Logan left, Rapina thought maybe she would get
up, but right now, she was not wearing even a stitch of
clothing.

"Aye, an' had we not we'd 'ave never heard the single
scream that marked the passin' o' the men," Logan said.

"Did ye re- iiiiee! aaa! ssss!, I got yer aaaa! oooh!
rrrr! chills! Damn it what's aaaaiiiuuuooou! gonin' on?
The captain grimaced and cringed this way and that as
chills struck him.

Rapina could hear yelling outside the tent in the
direction of the water that was only about two or three
score paces away.

When the guards at the Northeast guard post had
mysteriously disappeared with only a scream to mark
their passing, Logan had sent a man to rouse the
pirates early.  Someone had gotten past the sentries,
and Logan did not want the men killed in their sleep. -
--

The sylvan elf splashed cool water onto his face. He
stood there for a few minutes basking in the
invigorating feeling of cleanliness. Doanthalas opened
his eyes and stared at the stars. They twinkled, as
they seemed to dance in the heavens. It felt as if they
were beckoning the tattooed elf to come dance with them
in the sky. Some of the burden lifted from his heart as
his spirits soared for a moment.  A moment later they
came crashing down as his thoughts turned to the recent
encounter with the skeletons. Although his body was
clean of the dirt and bone fragments from the fight his
soul still felt tainted.  Something was dreadfully
wrong if the dead walked this island.

Doanthalas seemed to be lost in thought again. Drake
noticed that the elf would frequently stop whatever he
was doing and stare at some fixed spot somewhere in the
distance. The muscles in his face would move in such a
manner that his facial tattoos seemed to come alive. It
was a bit disconcerting at first, but Drake was getting
used to the strange elf and his ways. In spite of the
fact that Doanthalas did not engage in conversation
often Drake was taking a liking to him.

"So...Doanthalas....what's it like being the only elf
around so many humans? Doesn't it make you
uncomfortable?"

The only reply the elf made was a slight shaking of his
head. There was no way to describe to Drake the horrors
he had borne witness to. The battle with the skeletons
had been a walk in the park compared to some of the
battles he had fought. Living with humans was far
preferable to being the slave of fiends so grotesque
that their faces haunted Doanthalas' reverie every
night.

Seeing that nothing more was forthcoming from
Doanthalas Drake continued, "I know we're not supposed
to talk about it, but..." He looked from side to side
and whispered. "Do you think there are more of them up
there? There's got to be. When we found the
other...er...body and those skeletons... well... I
don't think it was them that dragged the body away.
What do you think?"

Doanthalas dunked his head under the water and then
threw his head back spraying water into the air as his
long hair whipped backwards. He fixed his emerald eyes
on Drake and spoke in the clear methodical manner he
always did, "When the dead walk the earth the living
must rise up and put their spirits to rest. Otherwise
the living are doomed to join the dead in their
tormented walking..."

Had anyone else said those same words Drake would have
dismissed them as being drunk or crazy or both.
However, Doanthalas said it with such utter conviction
that there was no doubting his words. The young man
fell silent and looked off in the distance towards the
cliffs. A feeling of dread was fast descending upon
him. All Drake wanted to do was get off the island as
fast as possible.  The noise made by some of the other
pirates bathing a little further down distracted him.
The other pirates still didn't trust Doanthalas enough
to linger too close to him. This annoyed Drake, but
what annoyed him more was the sight of Edgar and Kent
talking in hushed tones and looking in his direction.

"He's a demon I tell ya. Look at him! You're right for
not trusting him! He's a danger to us all. That story
about shadow men or whatever he called them was made
up.  We both know it was him who killed the two guards.


Kent looked at Drake and Doanthalas bathing in the
distance. The elf seemed to be oblivious of his
watchful gaze, but Drake noticed Kent watching them.
The young man averted his eyes and turned to talk to
Edgar. "What do you care Edgar? You don't give a damn
about anyone in the camp except for maybe Trevor."

Edgar scowled and grabbed Kent roughly by the arm.
"That's not true and you know it! You and Drake were
like brothers to me until we ended up here. As soon as
we were here you both turned your backs on me! Sure I
started a lot of trouble myself...I don't deny it. I
like trouble! But, not once did you or Drake stand up
for me. When that pirate beat me down you and Drake
just stood there like cowards! At least Trevor cared
enough to see that I was okay. And not once did you
check up on me to see how I was coming along. Not once.
I've been watching you and Drake every step of the
way." He stopped for a moment to catch his breath and
stared at Kent.

The young man lowered his eyes. He knew there was some
truth to Edgar's words. Some of the facts had been
distorted, but the meaning remained unchanged. "You're
right...Edgar. I'm sorry. I've been so wrapped up in
what I've been doing that I have totally neglected
you."

"Don't worry about it too much runt. Drake obviously
isn't. Look at him over there being all buddy buddy
with that damnable elf." He hissed the last word like
it left a bad taste in his mouth. "There's been nothing
but trouble since the elf was released from his cage."

"Yeah, but do you think he's the cause of it all?" Kent
asked.

"Hell yeah! And the question is what are we going to do
about it..."

Kent was about to respond when he felt a sharp pain in
his leg. It was like his flesh was being ripped open.
He tried to scream, but his body went rigid as all his
muscles tightened. His eyes darted around in terror as
his mind tried to come to grips with what had just
happened.

Edgar saw Kent's body jerk suddenly and his eyes
looking about wildly, but Edgar did not know how to
react. He was not sure what was going on until he saw
the hideous face of Kent's attacker rise from the
water. In his moment of terror and surprise, Edgar
backpedaled onto land falling backwards into the water
twice in the process. He grabbed his sword and leapt
back into the water with a loud cry.

By this time a few of the other pirates knew something
was amiss. They had heard Edgar's cry and also
witnessed another of their number being dragged under
the water. Chaos erupted as more of the hideous
creatures emerged from the water. Pirates scrambled for
their weapons as the creatures advanced. The creatures
skin had a pale sickly color to it and their teeth were
long and pointy. Long tongues twisted like serpents in
their mouths and their wild eyes scanned the camp. Any
clothing they wore was in tatters.

Drake turned as he heard Edgar's scream and started to
run in that direction. An iron grip on his shoulder
stopped him. He turned to shake off the hand only to
come face to face with the sylvan elf.

"Death comes to the foolish more swiftly than to the
prepared...man. Arm yourself my friend." Doanthalas
released his grip and raced onto the land. He knew that
the enemy they faced was more dangerous than the
pirates realized. These creatures were familiar to the
elf; he had seen and fought them before, but back then
he had been better prepared. He scooped up his sword as
well as Drake's. When Drake was close enough he tossed
him his sword and then raced off to engage the ghouls.

Edgar tried to position himself so that he could attack
the ghoul without harming Kent, but the ghoul seemed to
sense this and kept moving so that Kent was constantly
between it and Edgar. "Hang on Kent!" Edgar shouted.
"I'll get you out of this." As he said those words,
another ghoul emerged from the water beside him. He
turned and swung at it with all his might. The creature
jumped back well out of the way of the wild swing.

Drake saw the creature with Kent start to drag him
under the water. Drake Hoped he would get there in time
to save Kent.  Doanthalas' strong legs were carrying
him to the battle more quickly than Drake could manage,
but that did not matter. Drake could only think of
helping his friend.

The sylvan elf raised his sword to attack as he closed
on the two ghouls engaged with Kent and Edgar. He was
going to help Kent, but the ghoul on Edgar succeeded in
slashing its claws across the young man's chest.
Doanthalas saw Edgar go rigid and knew that the ghoul
would devour him if he did not do something fast. Drake
would have to help Kent. The tattooed elf brought his
sword down swiftly slicing the ghoul's arm off neatly
at the shoulder.

The fight taking place in front of him didn't register
at all. The only thing that Edgar could see was the
ghoul dragging Kent under and Drake struggling feebly
to stop it.

"Let him go!" Drake screamed as he sank his sword into
the ghouls back. The ghoul didn't even flinch. It just
kept walking further out into the water dragging Kent
with it. Drake hacked at it some more and knocked off
big chunks of flesh, but the ghoul just turned and
swatted him with its meaty hand. Drake only felt the
sting of the blow for a moment. His muscles tightened
immediately as the claws on the ghouls' hand scraped
his face. He could do nothing to stop his fall as he
fell backwards into the water. The sounds of battle
faded as the water enveloped him. Try as he might, he
could not will his muscles to move. "Gods! I'm going to
drown!", he thought. Fear gripped him as surely as the
paralysis had.

The ghoul had turned on Doanthalas after the loss of
its arm. It pressed its attack with a cunning rivaling
that of some of the best pirates in the camp. A clawed
hand raked across his chest, but apart from the blood
flowing from the wound, Doanthalas seemed unaffected.
He swung his sword deftly and proceeded to dismember
the ghoul. The severed pieces of the ghoul sank swiftly
to the bottom. Doanthalas turned and lifted Drake's
rigid body from the water. Luckily he was still
breathing. As the elf hoisted the form of Drake from
the water he scanned the area for any sign of Kent. For
a moment there was no sign of him. Then a large group
of bubbles broke the surface of the water off in the
distance. Doanthalas knew that all hope of rescuing the
boy was lost at that moment. He grabbed the rigid forms
of Edgar and Drake and dragged them to shore.

What was he doing? The elf had just left Kent to die.
He could have dove in after them and saved him, but he
didn't. That damned elf! Tears streamed down Edgar's
eyes and he would have sobbed if he had control of his
body. At least Drake had tried to help.

Drake was feeling the same grief that Edgar was,
although he wasn't blaming Doanthalas for Kent's fate.
He knew there was nothing the elf could have done.
Instead, he blamed himself for getting there too late
and allowing the ghoul to paralyze him.

The elf turned quickly as a noise caught his attention.
Another ghoul had crept up on him while he was dragging
Drake and Edgar out of the water. He stood there
weaponless trying to figure out what to do. He had left
his sword a few paces back so he wouldn't accidentally
stab one of the boys. Time seemed to slow down as he
turned and prepared to make a dash for his sword. A
combination of water and sweat rolled down his face
tracing the contour of his cheek. A rivulet of blood
ran down his chest as he turned and dug his feet in.
The ghoul slashed at Doanthalas with its clawed hand
just as a point of light caught the elf's attention. A
drop of blood hung off of his chest for a split second
before falling. It spattered to the ground just as a
flaming arrow embedded itself into the back of the
ghoul with a loud thunk-poof.

Doanthalas seemed to have a demonic look to him as the
light from the flames danced across his tattooed form.
The tattoos seemed to come alive and writhing and
twisting around his body as he embraced the ghoul and
they both burst into flames.

Arzeal nocked another flaming arrow and took aim. These
arrows were special, and Arzeal had bought many of them
from a tinker.  They had proved invaluable against the
rigging of enemy ships. Each was tipped with a glass
bulb full of resinous spirits and coated with the same
sort of pine tar used for torch-heads. The archer set
the bulb aflame and fired. When the arrow hit, the bulb
burst - splashing the target with a cloud of flaming
resin.  He did not want to hit Doanthalas, but that was
a chance he would have to take if he wanted to save
him. "Damn!" He muttered as the ghoul bowled the sylvan
elf over and they both burst into flames. He would have
to grieve for his friend later, for now he targeted
another ghoul.

Two other ghouls had surfaced a little further down and
were wreaking havoc on the few pirates that had been
bathing there. One pirate fell quickly to the ghouls
attack and was dragged to a watery grave like Kent had
been. the other fought the remaining pirates. Had they
not been gripped by sheer terror the pirates might have
mounted a formidable defense and defeated the ghoul.
But the ghoul managed to paralyze most of them before
being driven back into the water by a combination of
attacks from the remaining pirates and a flaming arrow
embedded in its neck. Reinforcements arrived in time to
see the last ghoul disappear beneath the surface of the
water. They tended to their wounded comrades and
watched as the flaming ghoul and Doanthalas struggled
near Drake and Edgar.

The heat from the flame was unbearable, but the elf did
not worry. He focused on the task at hand, ripping the
ghoul limb from limb. He managed to maneuver the ghoul
close to his discarded sword as they struggled. The
ghoul had managed to inflict a few moderate wounds
during the struggle, but it was clearly distracted by
the fire. Doanthalas took advantage of the distraction
and reached for his sword. After a few tries, he
managed to grasp it. He hacked at the ghoul as they
struggled. His flesh felt like it was melting off his
skin, but the ghoul seemed to be in much worse shape.
Its skin was blackened and had melted completely off
some parts of its body. With a few agile strokes, he
managed to extract himself from the flaming creature.

The group of pirates that had witnessed the struggle
stared in awe as the flaming elf stood up straight and
tall apparently unharmed by the fire. As the last lick
of flame dissipated, they noticed for the first time
that his demonic looking tattoos were glowing an
unearthly shade of red.

The sudden silence was deafening to the elf. He looked
up and saw fear painted across every face in the
camp...including Pike who had reached the fight a
little too late to help. Doanthalas stood there
silently staring at the assembled crowd with his
emerald eyes. They knew nothing of what he had been
through...what he had gained and what he had lost.
There was no way he could make them understand so he
stood there in silence waiting for them to do
something.

Arzeal could not believe his eyes. Doanthalas was
unharmed! The flames had not so much as singed a hair
on his head. He was scared, that much was true. At the
same time he was fascinated. He stood at the head of
the group and studied the elf. He had no idea what he
should do or say, but he knew that he had to say
something before the frightened pirates took action.

---------------

Maybe it was instinct, or perhaps some part of Rapina's
intellect had noted a discrepancy in the way the
shadows had danced when Logan nearly dropped the
lantern.  For whatever reason, Rapina pulled the sheath
from the crystal light around her neck.

Light flooded the tent; the shadows disappeared - all
except three of them surrounding Captain Red Jack.

"Bastards!" the captain bellowed.

Logan drew his sword and lunged for the nearest shadow
as quickly as any man could have.

Red Jack slammed into one of the shadows with his foot,
which took a horrible chill. He jumped clumsily past
the downed shadow and drew his blade from where it hung
on the bedpost while the creature tried to regain its
feet.

Rapina jumped up in bed. The covers were still in her
hands and she threw them over the downed shadow as she
hopped over to Red Jack's side of the bed. Jack had
hung all of the weapons there. After throwing the
blankets, Rapina hurriedly drew her rapier.

Logan's blade pierced the monster nearest him. Wisps of
shadowy vapors erupted from the creature's chest as the
sword passed through it, but the thrust did not destroy
it. It turned and lunged, touching Logan's neck.
Iiieee!

The captain felt weak as a baby. It was all he could do
to muster an effective two-handed swing with his
broadsword, but muster he did, chopping down beside the
abomination's neck. The sword easily passed through the
neck, shoulder and upper chest of the creature that
spewed shadowy vapors with the passing blade, but the
creature seemed undaunted.

The shadow was too intent on the Captain's life force
to worry about the assault. It grabbed one of the
captain's arms and drained, regaining some of the life
force lost to its wound.

Aaaah! The creature's touch was so chill, and the
pirate captain could feel his strength being drawn away
from him.

Rapina swung her rapier like a baseball bat with both
hands and easily chopped right through the creature's
neck. A flood of shadowy vapors fountained from the
creature's neck around Rapina's moving blade, but its
head did not drop off.

Surprised for only an instant, the shadow tangled in
the blankets fought it's way out from under the covers.
Rapina heard more screams and yelling from the
direction of the water.

The shadow touched Logan's upper arm. The chill was
unbearable. Logan swung his sword right through the
creature's chest. vapors burst out from around the
blade as it sliced.

The shadow reached out and chilled the pirate captain
to the bone before his opponent's blade could touch
him.

Rapina reversed the direction of her swing and chopped
across and down through the shadow's neck and chest.

Jack felt so weak, his swing was slowed but as his
blade joined Rapina's already slicing through the
creature. The creature exploded into a harmless puff of
vapor.

Aaaaaa! The captain roared as the shadow that had
crawled out from under the blankets Rapina had thrown
over it grabbed his ankle. -

Logan went to swing his blade back through his shadow,
but the creature grabbed his elbow, the horrible chill
temporarily froze his joint. The pirate lieutenant
sidestepped towards his captain, he could see the other
creature was making a mess of him.

Now that Rapina realized the semi-ethereal nature of
her foe, she abandoned the two-handed swing, snapped
into a proper fencing stance and aimed her rapier at
the shadow that had just touched the captain's ankle.
Her blade entered the shadow's neck and sliced all the
way down through its back. Vapors erupted everywhere.

The shadow sprung away from the pain lancing its back,
turned and lunged to touch The captain.

The captain moaned as still more strength was torn from
him. Weakly he whirled around and brought his blade
through his tormenter -

Logan's shadow ducked unexpectedly and grabbed his
belly as Logan took up his sword with the other hand.
His swing only nicked the creature's head, but
thankfully, his elbow unfroze in the few seconds the
exchange took.

The mindful creature in tent on killing Jack dodged
Rapina's blade.

The captain swung weakly, but connected. Vapors poured
out as he cut a swath through the shadow.

The shadow's hand darted out and touched the captain's
face.

Logan's shadow jumped, sucking rich life force from his
victim's side and taking only a nick from his dangerous
blade.

A quick lunge to the pirate captain's vitals brought
another small taste of life force to Jack's shadowy
foe.

The captain felt so weak he could barely stand. Only
adrenaline held him up, but he was unable to muster an
effective blow.

As the captain staggered, Rapina stepped in between him
and the shadow and sliced a diagonal through the
shadow's upper chest.

The captain staggered a few steps backward then fell
when his legs failed to hold him up. All he could do is
lay helplessly by and watch the battle.

Logan was chilled to the bone, the horror he was
fighting was dodging too well. It touched Logan again
strengthening itself, and all he was able to do was
nick its side. A faster lighter weapon might have been
a better choice, he thought.

Rapina's blade hissed through the air and through the
shadow's chest leaving only a puff of vapors where once
the creature stood.

Logan spun and struck, but the shadow's lunge chilled
him again. It seemed that every time he struck the
monster, it struck him and used his energy to regain
its strength.

A tune Arzeal had played during her training was
singing though her head. Rapina leapt, and landed as
her rapier carved an "s" in the back of Logan's shadow.


Rapina almost felt guilty attacking the creature's
back, but not really, she struck again passing her
blade through the shadow from shoulder to waist.

The shadow took two vicious strikes to it's back, it
turned trying to touch it's victim and dodge the
terrible blade from behind at the same time, but in
doing both, it accomplished neither.

Logan felt so weak, but he was a fine swordsman.  He
took advantage of the creature's confusion and struck
successfully.


Rapina saw Logan was now holding his broadsword with
both hands and wavering a bit on his feet. As long as
the shadow had to face two opponents at once, it would
be at a disadvantage, but if Logan went down as the
captain had, they were doomed. Rapina steeled herself
and launched blade and body in an attempt to get
between Logan and the shadow.

Rapina's jump was too late! She knocked into the
creature's arm as it touched Logan.

Ahhhhh! Logan hissed as the creature nearly froze his
neck and shoulders. Just for a moment, the creature
paralyzed his arms with cold.

When Rapina's body hit the shadow's arm, it was already
draining Logan. Rapina's lust senses tingled wrongly as
she actually felt Logan's life force and just a bit of
her own travel up the creature's arm. It was like a
much less delicious rendition of the life force
traveling down a lover's manhood. Her mind reeled, was
she nothing more than a pretty shadow, draining men's
strength from them? Her blade whipped through the
creature's shoulder doing only a little damage but
helping her get firmly between it and Logan.

The woman that had cut its back so grievously had now
cut it off from its intended victim.  Nevertheless, he
had drank deeply of him before they parted. The shadow
reached out to relieve the woman of a portion of her
life energy.

Rapina gasped as the Shadow ducked her blade, grabbed
her lower thigh and ripped at her life force. She felt
nearly all of what little sex-magical energy she still
had stored in her breasts after the skeleton battle
leave her, but her strength was untouched. It was
obvious that what Rapina stored was some form of life
force. Rapina's rapier whipped back with a vengeance,
sundering the back of the creature for bringing her
such an unsettling realization.

Logan felt like a child, his sword was so heavy in his
hands, but as a child he had played with wooden swords
whenever he could. His weak two-handed blow cleaved
through the shadow's rear end spewing vapors in its
wake.

Logan watched as the shadow reached out to grab
Rapina's breast. He knew why she had put herself
between him and the shadow. His strength was nearly
gone, but as long as both pirates were standing, the
shadow would be taking double hits, and Logan meant to
make this one count. He grimaced as he put every
pitiful ounce of strength he had left into the blow and
cleaved through the shadow's side.

The shadow sensed a rich source of life force and
lunged to grasp it. Had it been any slower, it would
have died from Logan's blow, but the sustenance it
gained held it together just for an instant.

Rapina felt the last vestige of her stored power leave
her and then the horrible chill of strength being
wrenched from her. As the creature drained her, she
forced herself to remember what it must feel like when
a person gave more life force than she could afford.

Her rapier sung as it whipped through the shadow on a
diagonal. There was a puff of vapor and the monster was
no more.

Rapina rushed to see how the captain was faring. He was
sprawled on his back at the foot of the bed. "Jack, are
you okay?"

"I'm weak as a kitten girl, but I'm still barely
alive."

Logan staggered over to the captain and Rapina and sat
on the foot of the bed just above the captain.

"How are ye mate?" The captain asked.

"Nearly too weak ta stand, but alive as ye are,"
replied Logan.

"How about you, wench?"

"My chest feels like it's frost bit inside. My leg
wasn't hit as bad, but it's not so good either. Luckily
the shadow only hit me a couple of times.  I'm not as
weak as you guys are."

"I heard some commotion outside girl, but ye can't
leave us in this condition. Go ta the flap and see what
ye can see. Yell fer Drake 'an Pike or Arzeal. I need
ta know what's up and I need gardin' by someone I can
trust, cause I'm in no shape ta fight."

Rapina ran to the flap and opened it. She couldn't see
beyond the radius of her light so she just yelled out.
"ARZEAL! PIKE! DRAKE! Report to the captain's tent soon
as you can!"

Just then Rapina saw arms master Hock on the outskirts
of the illumination cast by her light. Rapina turned
back to the captain. "How about arms master Hock?"

"Is 'e out there? Bring 'im in."

[Rapina]013 Night Terrors

Rapina grinned and reopened the flap, "HOCK, in here on
the double! She relished giving the arms master an
order. It was a rare treat.

Hock came running up and blinked at Rapina and her
bright light.

Rapina felt her lust sense tingle, then realized that,
unless you counted a Rapier and two pendants, she
wasn't wearing any clothes.

Hock burst into the tent. "What's with th' naked
Valkyrie?"

Rapina blushed crimson

"It's th' latest in pirate-wench fashion," Jack
chuckled weakly. "See if you and Rapina can hoist me up
onto the bed an' prop me up. While yer at it, tell me
what's happenin' out there."

Hock looked at Logan, "aren't ye gonna help?"

"Sorry mate, I can barely lift a broadsword. I'm near
as wrecked as he is."

"What happened ta you men? I'd say ye'd been wenchin' a
bit too hard."

Logan started laughing, and he could not seem to stop.
Trouble was he was so weak already that the laugher
laid him out on the bed.

Rapina giggled and took the captain's feet while Hock
lifted him from behind under the arms. They carried him
to the head of the bed and propped him in a sitting
position against the headboard. Once they had the
captain situated, Rapina started dressing hurriedly.

"I just got done puttin'' a quadrupled guard on the
Southeast post 'an on me way back I heard a commotion
from the water front, an' then the wench ordered me in
here like a soldier."

"Careful Hock, any wench 'can last through me an Logan
at are best deserves a ton 'o respect," the captain
said firmly, trying to keep from laughing and failing
miserably.

Logan shook the bed with renewed laughter.

"We were attacked by somethin' in here, Hock, damndest
thing ye ever saw, livin' shadows with a touch chiller
than a winter day. Ye couldn't see em at all, an' their
touch drained yer strength an hurt ye too. They must
'ave come back from the Southeast guard post with
Logan, and I dare say they were lookin' fer me an
almost had me an Logan both dead ta rights.  Me lucky
wench saved are ass. Otherwise ye'd be runnin' th' camp
without us.

Hock raised his eyebrows. This was the first time he
had heard of a green recruit saving the Captain and his
right hand man.

"I know what yer thinkin' Hock, how could a recruit
just out o' basic save two seasoned pirates like us. Ye
have ta understand, fer some reason when I yelled out
about the chills, the wench got her mage light right
quick and opened it up. All the shadows in the room
disappeared but three and those three seemed ta all
want ta touch me some more. Logan drew on one, Rapina
jumped up an' tossed the covers over one I kicked out'
o' my way so I could get to me sword. She an I drew
steel and we was fightin' first the one, an' then the
other when it found it's way out from under the
blankets. The things were hittin' on me not her so I
warr the one gettin' weaker by the second."

"Near the end of the second shadow I was done for.
Rapina shielded me an' I staggered out o' the way and
went down, too weak ta stand. All I could do was watch,
but I had one hell o' a view from down on the floor
there," Jack grinned saltily. "She finished the second
one off 'an went an' did the same fer Logan as she did
fer me. By that time he was weak as a two-year-old."

Pike burst into the captain's tent visibly shaken. This
worried those present because not a one of them had
seen Pike shaken before. Ever. "Sir." He gasped as he
caught his breath. "There's been trouble down by the
water...we...were attacked by...by...hideous creatures.
We got two of them but they made off with two of our
men..." He paused and gave Rapina a meaningful look.
"Kent was one of them." Before the captain could say
anything he continued, "And there's something else
sir...The elf...Doanthalas...well he was fighting one
of the creatures when Arzeal sank a special flaming
arrow into it. It grappled with Doa...the elf...and
they both burst into flames."

"AND!!!" The captain said with an annoyed tone.

"Well sir. The ghoul was burned to a cinder,
but...but...the elf...he doesn't have a mark on
him...except for the claw and bite marks. The fire
didn't hurt him one bit! And that's not all! All the
men who the creatures struck were paralyzed. The elf
wasn't affected by that either. The men are scared sir.
'Can't say that I blame them, but they might do
something drastic. Arzeal has them under control for
the moment, but you'd better hurry." Pike paused as he
noticed for the first time the state that the captain
and Logan were in.

"So th' elf 'as been holdin' out on me, 'e failed ta
mention a magical power. Hock an' Roger always ask
about skills an powers. It'll go rough on 'im, but 'e
'as the skeleton battle 'an fightin'' th' ghouls ta 'is
credit.  Was 'e valuable in the ghoul fight?

"I think so, sir, I arrived after the battle had begun.
He helped kill the one ghoul I saw killed - the one
Arzeal set aflame with a special arrow.  The others
were only driven back under water by being set aflame.

"If I weren't weak as a babe, I'd have ye clap that elf
in chains an' bring 'im 'ere; 'e's got some serious
explainin' ta do.  Seein' as how I'm an invalid, I'll
deal w' him later. No one's ta see me like this but me
officers.  I need guards I can trust outside th' tent
flap.

'An believe me Pike, I'd be out thar ta beat th' men
down ta order in a heart beat, but I'm weak as a
kitten.  The things that killed th' Southeast guard
post followed Logan back ta me tent an' attacked us
here.  If it weren't fer me lucky wench, Logan an' I'd
be dead, 'er shadows, 'cause that's what th' creatures
that about killed us looked like.  Hock, what do ye
know about the undead?"

"Precious little, sir.  I've heard a few tall tales,
but nothin' I could put any stock in.  The way I hear,
most of 'em slink around at night.  They don't like the
daylight."

"Good, yer just the man fer the job.  Whip those
pirates inta shape, arm 'em up, move 'em back from th'
water, an' have 'em make a tight camp in a ring right
around this tent.  We need ta hold out till dawn.  Tell
'em th' water front weren't th' only attack we suffered
tanight.  Make sure they realize that the enemy so far
has only attacked at night, an' let 'em know I'll be
talkin' to 'em soon as me officers brief me on th'
various battles."

"Plant torches an' make fires.  We need plenty o'
light.

"Pike, send me Drake, an' Arzeal.  I need men I can
trust in here ta guard me."

"Speakin' o' answers, Rapina, get into them books, find
me everything ye can about undead monsters,
particularly any o' the ones we've seen."

"Everyone's got 'is orders, now go too."

There was a chorus of, "Yes sir," and everyone rushed
off, save Rapina who began to delve into the captain's
books there in his tent, and Logan who was too weak to
move much.

Rapina sniffed back her tears and told herself she
would cry for Kent later.  Her expression became very
serious, Kent was dead, and Doanthalas was in big
trouble.  She went to one of the chests of books and
began digging almost frantically, but the look in her
eyes was pure determination.

Soon arms master Hock's voice could be heard barking
orders rapid-fire outside.  Intermingled with the
orders were blood-curdling screams from here and there
around the periphery of the camp.  A little while later
Pike came into the tent.

"Here is Drake, sir, but he's in no condition for guard
Duty. One of those creatures on the water front gashed
him and froze him up solid. Edgar and a half dozen of
the men are the same way.  I had a devil of a time just
getting the sword out of Drake's hand so I could put it
back in his sheath."

"Damn! Organize a detail ta bring the other frozen men
up here," Jack ordered.

"How ye doin' Logan?" the captain asked.

"I think me strength is seepin' back, but it's sure
takin' it's time. How 'bout you?"

"Hard ta say yet, but I think ye're right.  Rapina,
Give Logan here a book that needs searchin'.  Might as
well put 'im ta work."

Rapina handed a book to Logan from the stack she was
building.

Just then, Arzeal came into the tent.

Arzeal, good ta see ya, what's happenin'' out there,
Logan an' me got attacked by things lookin' like
shadows an' we're pretty much laid up fer the moment.
'Tweren't fer me wench we'd both be dead men.

Arzeal cocked an eyebrow at the captain's remark but
knew that captain had better things to do than explain.


"The men are real restless, sir.  They've seen that
Doanthalas is impervious to flame and they were going
to lynch him, but I told Brackston to chain him up,
that you wanted some answers out of him.  He was the
only person I figured could keep the elf from being
lynched since he was the one who got the men all scared
of him in the first place.

Kind a' oversteppin' yer authority, don't ya think.

"Yes, sir but it was that or let them kill him.  I
don't know what to think about Doanthalas myself, but
when I saw him, he was fighting those creatures on the
waterfront, not conjuring them.  The men are sure he's
a demon, and they want blood.  Only the fact that he
was chained and a prisoner of Brackston and on his way
to answer to you kept them from lynching him."

"Aye, e's got some grave answerin'' ta do.  'Ave
Brackston steak 'im down outside the tent.  I'll deal
w' him later.  What're those screams I keep hearing.

"Men keep getting chills sir."

Listen up, Arzeal, those aren't chills, they're the
attack of a nearly invisible critter that looks like a
shadow, ye can only see 'em in strong light an three o'
'em nearly killed me an Logan.  Th' fact that ye can't
really tell anything's attackin' ye an' ye can't see
'em is what makes 'em so dangerous.  They drain
strength every time they hit 'an the cold gives ye a
real wound if ye'll look under yer clothes ta see it.
Ye can hit 'em with swords, but ye can only see 'em in
good light. Go on an' warn 'em.  It'll scare 'em ta
death, but at least they might be able ta save their
own skins.

Arzeal nodded and left the tent in a hurry.

Not too long after Arzeal left, Brackston's voice could
be heard outside the tent.

"I told 'em all this elf was a demon, but no, they
didn't believe me.  We'll see what kinda trouble ye're
in now freak! "

Gods! He's bleedin' bleedin out 'is tattoos.  Yiiii!,
'e's possessed! Run! Woof! Grrrr, woof!  Aaaaagh!

"Well I'll be damned!" Brackston said.

"Step out there an' see what's up Rapina - an leave the
light."

Rapina set her book and light down and jumped up.
Outside, the torches that often illuminated the area
around the captain's tent had been lit.

Brackston was standing and staring at Doanthalas whose
tattoos were bleeding all over his body.

Brackston was dumfoundedly holding the other end of his
infamous neck chain and staring at Doanthalas.  Thumper
was barking wildly.  Several pirates had drawn back and
a few were running away.

Rapina crouched down and lifted Doanthalis' sagging
chin. "Doanthalis, What's happening to you?"

The elf barely had any strength left.  He had lost a
lot of blood yet he still managed to speak.  "My...
curse... a 'gift' from... from... those of... the
flaming... black... heart... I..." Doanthalas collapsed
as unconsciousness enveloped him.

When Rapina came back into the tent about five minutes
later, Brackston could be heard pounding a huge steak
into the ground with a sledge hammer.

"Gods girl, ye're covered w' blood, what happened?"

"It's Doanthalas, sir, he bled profusely from his
tattoos and passed out.  It scared the men badly.
Brackston's chaining him to an iron post outside."

"There's a rag over there, wipe yerself down an' use me
basin. Then get me old Blue shirt from me chest an' put
it on.  No sense in ye gettin' the books bloody.  Damn,
all this goin' on an' me weak as a wilted flower."

Once Rapina got back to the books she and Logan began
to find some references to the undead.  Whenever they
located a passage, they read it aloud to Captain Red
Jack.

About a quarter hour after Rapina got back to the
books, Hock stuck his head into the tent.

"I tried recallin' the watch posts, but the central
post is gone and one man on the Southwest came runnin'
in here telling me his partner started complaining o'
chills then disappeared right before 'is eyes.  My
messenger for the quadrupled Southeast post an' six o'
the eight men from the post came back runnin' here like
a ghost was chasin' 'em, an they said the other two'd
been killed by walkin' skeletons.  Is everybody goin'
daft?" Hock asked.

"Those are real Hock, I got me a skull an' two arms
that still move in that bag over there from th'
scoutin' mission.  'Found out last night, the South o'
this isle's a grave yard.  Ye'd best set up a defense."


Hock did a double-take.  "I'll believe it when I see
it."

"Believe it, Hock.  The best weapons again' 'em are
heavy an' blunt.  Ask Pike if ya need any pointers."

Rapina heard Renewed screams and the clash of steal
from the Southeast.

Hock left shaking his head.

Before long Pike's battle cry could be heard loud and
clear. "Blood an' Bones! Hold yer ground an' drive
these bags a bones back ta the hells they came from."

It had been nearly an hour since the attack started
when Drake felt his muscles ease.  Some time ago, Pike
had carried him up from the waterfront and left him
standing in the captain's tent like a statue.  He could
see and hear what was going on, but he could not move.
The scratch of the ghoul had filled him with
supernatural fear that had locked up every muscle in
his body.

"Uhhh!" he said as he collapsed to the floor.  His
muscles were so sore it felt as if he had just worked
two days and two nights on his father's farm without a
break.

"Can ye speak Drake?"

"Uh, yes sir," Drake said quietly; "'muscles all hurt,
sir."

The captain swung his legs off the bed.  "Damn, I'm
still weak but gettin' better."

"Rapina, I need ye ta help me up.  I'm going ta get
dressed an' I'm going ta talk ta the men.  Hopefully by
the time I'm ready, I'll 'ave the strength o' a four-
year-old 'stead of a two-year-old."

Once he was up, the captain put on his trousers and got
some keys from the pocket.  He opened a strong box and
took out a vial.  He drank half and gave the other half
to Logan."

"Drink a third o' what remains an' give th' rest ta
Drake an' Rapina.  That there is a magical potion I got
off th' noblemen who was in charge 'o that blockade we
broke.  Seein' as Rapina was wieldin'' 'is blades
tanight, I'd say killin' 'im helped save me life twice
so far.

Drake drank about half of what was left, then passed
the rest to Rapina.

Rapina tipped back the vial heartily, but only drank a
bit of the potion.  It tasted somewhat odd and made her
nose and lust sense tickle.  Rapina knew it must
somehow contain healing life force.  She could feel her
wounds shrinking as warmth flooded her belly. She paid
a great deal of attention to the feel of the potion. It
was not too unlike the feel she got when healing her
wounds using the power men gave her. Rapina wondered if
there might be a way she could heal others with life
force she stored, just as the potion was now healing
her.

"There's a little left, may I save it for later?  I
don't have as much meat to wound as you big men."

"Aye, it's yers girl, save some if ye want.  It seems
ta be helpin' me wounds, but it ain't doin' much fer me
strength. Just the same, it were a good draught."

The captain dressed very slowly as his wounds
disappeared.

"How ye feelin' now, Drake? If ye're up to it, tell me
about the battle earlier this night at the water
front."

"Well, sir.  The battle was quick and deadly.  Those
creatures...I'm not sure what they are...they are
hideous looking...I'd call them men, but whatever they
were they weren't men. I was bathing in the water along
with a few other men...and Doanthalas.  We heard some
screams and saw... them... rising out of the water.
They caught a few of the men by surprise.  Kent...
Kent... was one of them."  Drake paused as the tears
flowed down his face. When he had regained his
composure he continued, "They carried no weapons, but
they had claws that would cause your muscles to freeze
up if they scratched you.  I was clawed by one of
them... It was terrifying!  All I could do was stand
there and watch as the ghouls dragged... they... I
couldn't do anything to help Kent... I tried, but...
The creature paralyzed me and I'd be dead if Doanthalas
hadn't saved me. I fell over in the water and would
have drowned because I couldn't move, But he saved
me...me and Edgar...but there wasn't anything he could
do for Kent..."  The young pirate stopped and wept for
a few minutes.  The captain respected his grieving
silence before speaking.

"Good then, Drake, 'least I know what happened.  Step
outside an' See what's up.  If they're free, get me
Arzeal, Pike an' Hock.  If th' elf's up, take this key,
unlock th' chain from th' steak an haul th' elf in here
yerself.  It's damn near dawn but I still need a bit o'
time more ta recover me strength fer me speech, but
there's goin' ta be a lot ta do soon as I step outside
that flap. Might as well do what I can do sittin' down
right now.  And Drake...I'm sorry about yer friend. But
right now I need ya to be strong.  Our very survival
just might depend on it.  Now get gone boy!"

Arzeal was the easiest for Drake to find.  He was doing
his best to keep some semblance of order in the camp.
The half-elf reluctantly left the frightened pirates
behind and reported to the captain. Pike and Hock were
busy breaking out weapons for the defense of the camp.
They grabbed what they needed and left another pirate
in charge until they returned. Doanthalas was barely
conscious when Drake reached him.  He was grateful that
the elf had saved him, but he was also scared.  There
was something to the elf that Drake wasn't sure he
wanted to know about. The young pirate unlocked the
chain from the stake and reluctantly lifted the elf in
his arms.  Doanthalas' skin felt cold and clammy and
bits of dried blood flaked off as they headed towards
the captain's tent.

After about fifteen minutes, the birds could be clearly
heard heralding the coming of the dawn.  Hock, Arzeal
and Pike came into the tent.  Drake followed holding
the elf in his arms the chain dragging on the ground
behind him.

"Yer in a heap 'o trouble Doanthalas.  Holdin' out
information on powers ye 'ave when Hock an Roger ask ye
ain't healthy, an' holdin' out on magical powers can be
a killin' offense.  The best thing ye can do now is
come clean an' tell me all about every power ye 'ave.
Ye can start by tellin' me what ye know about them
creatures that attacked on the waterfront, an why th'
other men who got raked by 'em froze solid, but ye
didn't."

It was obviously a great effort for the elf to even
speak, but after a short pause Doanthalas did speak,
"power... is... not... not... tis a curse.  Bestowed
upon... me... by those of the... flaming black...
hearts.  To me the... sun... flower does not kill,
but... it does burn... and in exchange for... my
life... my life... nectar flows freely... from..." The
elf managed to feebly indicate one of his many fiendish
looking tattoos. "The... creatures... ghouls... dead
men walking... hungering for the... life nectar...
and... flesh they lack.  The foul touch of their...
tainted flesh... causes men to take root as the oak.
My... people have... always been... immune to the
foul... touch of... the ghoul.  Why?  I know not.  It
just... is... as the sun is... so is this..." That said
the elf laid his head back and closed his eyes for a
moment.

"Sir, I can vouch for elves being more resistant to
magic that warps a man's mind or makes him sleep, but
that's as far as I know." The half-elf cast a worried
look in Doanthalas' direction.  "Sir.  He's in bad
shape.  I've got a little something I learned from an
elf a while back that should help him."

Red Jack looked at Arzeal and nodded, "Okay.  Do what
ye need.  I'll be needin' im healthy and soon.  Go now!
Doanthalas, I don't know if I can believe ye about th'
undead 'r at all anymore since ye held out on me, an
yer in deep w' the men's superstitions.  Fer now yer
the best source o' information we got, so I'll have ta
take what ye say as true whether I like it or not.  If
bein' impervious ta flame ain't an elven
characteristic, then I want ye ta fill me in on where
ye came by it 'an any other powers ye been hidin',
understand?"

The elf's body shivered for a few moments before
Doanthalas regained his composure and continued.
"Countless seasons ago... I and... my... brother lived
amongts our... people.  Here.  One sun cycle we... were
gathering... herbs for our parents when... when we were
surrounded... by a radiant... pool of magical waters.
The forest... seemed to fade like the light... as dusk
approaches.  The earth mother had... lost all color.
All was grey.  The sky... the earth
mother...everything.  Except my brother, me... and...
and one of the flaming dark hearted.  I believe... you
word... for them... is...Dee-mahn... or Fiend. My...
brother..." Doanthalas paused as a lump caught in his
throat.  "My brother... my elder... tried to bargain
with... the dar... feend... so that we might return
home... we were lost... later we would... discover...
just how lost we... were."

"Ya mean ta tell me ye were captured by DEMONS!?!?!?  I
find that a little hard ta swallow."  The captain said
with a snicker.  Most of those assembled nodded their
heads in agreement thinking this to be some sort of
elaborate fairy tale.

Doanthalas waited for the gathered pirates to scoff for
a bit before he began speaking.  The words that the elf
produced were horrible to hear and left a sickening
feeling in the stomach of those assembled.  Images
flooded into the minds of the pirates.  Images so
horrible that many of them covered their ears and
shrank back fearing the elf was attempting to cast some
sort of evil spell. The tattooed elf stopped and let
the pirates compose themselves.  "I... just spake to
you... in their tongue... the wicked tongue of the Dee-
mons.  It is a horrible... tongue that no... mortal
should... ever hear... much less learn... I have done
both... be grateful that... you only had to... hear it.
Your nightmares will be strong, but... nothing like..."


Doanthalas shook his head and continued his story, "The
feend... my brother thought he... could trick him
into... helping us... but that was just... youth...
ful... arrogance.  We both paid for it... in the
end..." Doanthalas paused as horrible images came
flooding back into his mind. Images of rivers of blood
and towers built out of the broken living bodies of
countless races.  He saw their tormented faces as they
screamed in agony and begged for a quick and merciful
death.  He felt their flesh on his feet; their feeble
struggles to achieve freedom.

More and more dreadful images assaulted him, but he
fought against them and pushed them to the dark
recesses of his mind. He did not know how to make them
understand how to adequately describe what he had been
through.  What they had heard of the fiend's language
gave them a little insight, but nothing more.  He
swallowed hard and continued, "We were held... captives
by the dark ones for... many seasons.  They tortured
us... and forced us to... fight in their... vile...
war.  They... 'gave'... me these tattoos so that... I
might survive...in a few... of their... hostile
environments.  But they also made... sure... there
was... a... a... price.  Though my flesh does... not
melt... I still feel... the pain.  I still pay the...
price... in blood.  My blood.  I would gladly
embrace...death... rather than endure... this. That
was... how... I acquired... my... 'powers'." Doanthalas
decided that he had told the captain enough. Besides he
did not want to relive any more of his experiences at
the hands of the fiends that night.  All he wanted was
sleep. He was so weak from the loss of blood that he
could barely move.

"Tanight we got attacked by things that look like
shadows an are nearly invisible.  Tell me what ye know
about 'em."

"They... are shadows.  They... feed off... of your
life... spirit... soul... yes.  I believe... that to
be... the correct word.  They are weakest in bright
light... and strongest in the... darkness from
whence... they came.  That is... all that I know...
about... shadows."

"All right, put Doanthalas back out on th' steak.
That's probably the safest place for 'im w' th' men as
riled as they are by now."

"Hock, what's been goin' on out there?"

The arms master looked as though he'd aged a couple of
years in the last couple of hours.

"Well sir, first it was shadows.  They took out the
central guard post and half of the one on the
Southwest.  When they attacked the men in camp, they
seemed to like to hit and run. I've never seen the men
so terrified, sir, and we lost a few even though we
used the torches and the fires and flailing around with
weapons once I managed to get the men organized."

"Just a little later during that mayhem a dozen
skeletons came from the Southeast, routing the guard
post.  When the skeletons got here, some of the men
ran.  I wouldn't count on ever seeing 'em again. I got
the lion's share of 'em ta stand an' fight by yellin'
myself hoarse.  Pike and a squad of men that had been
moving supplies in from the waterfront ran ta bolster
my forces, then all hell broke loose when we saw what
was following 'em - forty more bags of bones wet from
bein' in the water were followin' them."

"The men were stunned, sir, Pike turned back the way
he'd come, stepped forward a few paces with that battle
axe o' his an' that old club he brought back from the
scoutin' mission.  He screamed bloody murder an' lit
into 'em. They practically exploded when 'e hit.  Not
ta be outdone, Brackston lit into 'em with a broadsword
an a Roman shield.  I previously had the men arm up,
an' many o' em' had been usin' shields tryin' ta keep
the shadows off em. I just started yellin' again,
"Shield bash an' strike! Shield bash and strike!"

"Th' men were terrified, at first it were a rout, but
as soon as some of em' saw Pike annihilatin' skeletons
like there was no tomorrow an heard me yellin those
familar orders I drum into 'em in basic, fewer of 'em
ran an' we stopped givin' ground.  The tide turned and
we beat those skeletons ta bones.  We got more wounded
than I can count. Leach Kennon's goin' crazy an we got
plenty o' dead too sir, we'll have ta pick em' up an'
burn em so's they don't get up on their own," Hock
grimaced.

"Arzeal?"

"I was keeping an eye out for Pike's men moving
essential supplies up from the waterfront. It's only
fifty paces, but we were tightening the camp up.  One
thing you should know, sir. I haven't told anyone
because there wasn't a thing any of us could do about
it. Every boat you own is sunk in the cove."

The officers drew a collective gasp.

"Ghouls from under water, I expect, sir," Arzeal said.
"There wasn't a thing we could do about it.  At best
maybe the rowboats and the fishing boat are okay, they
were pulled up on shore."

"Me ships."  The captain's face and ears went red and
anger leaked out of his every pore.

"Pike, carry me table just outside, plant a couple o'
torches next to it and assemble the men in front o' the
tent."

Pike left to get things ready, then came in and
whispered something in the captain's ear.

As the men were assembling for the captain's speech
Rapina's determination paid off.

"Sir, look at this.  She handed an old crusty holy book
to the captain and pointed to a passage."

Jack took the book and red aloud,  "The touch o' th'
ghoul or barrow fiend freezes a man's mind an' muscles
w' supernatural fear.  Only th' wisest an' most
courageous men can resist.  The touch o' the barrow
fiend is a supreme test o' a priest's faith.  Those who
resist magical influence on th' mind, such as wise men
an' th' elves o' the forest are like ta resist the
paralyzin'' touch o' the ghoul.  Ghouls inhabit
graveyards where they tunnel to feast on the flesh of
the dead.  When possible, they also feast on the
living."

"I found a reference to shadows, sir," Logan added. "It
doesn't say much we don't already know from Doanthalas
and the battle, but it does say if ye loose all yer
strength, yer body decomposes inta dark vapors and
reforms as a shadow.  If I hadn't seen 'em with me own
eyes, I'd think this book was tellin' tales taller than
a tower, but I'll bet this tail is true."

Red Jack nodded, "Aye then, Rapina, ye've proven
Doanthalas right on one count.  Bein' an elf is likely
why 'e didn't freeze up.  That cuts th' charges again'
him in half.  Seems like I'm about ready ta talk ta th'
men.  Keep up th' good work.  We need every scrap o'
knowledge we can get on th' undeads, an' we don't have
much time ta get it.  I know in me heart that elf had
nothin' ta do w' th' works o' th' undead.  This ain't
random conjuration 'r consortin' with demons, this is
low down, cut throat military-grade strategy."

With that, the captain shoed everyone out ahead of him
and stepped out the flap to make his speech.

"Rumors an' superstitions 'ave been flyin' aroun' this
camp like stones in a hail storm.  Grown men 'ave been
shakin' in their boots an' peein' their pants like kids
because they were afraid o' a stupid damn elf.  Well
now ye got somethin' *real* ta be afraid of, an' it
ain't no elf!"

"Remember Cudge an' Blade.  Brackston caught th' elf
hangin' over Cudge's body, an jumped to a few
conclusions, but me an' Skitch weren't so sure the elf
had eaten th' meat off two big men an left only one o'
their skeletons behind.  It was easy ta see somethin'
dragged the other body off.  Ye want ta know what
happened to it, what happened ta yer friend Blade? I'll
show ye what happened to 'im."

The captain dumped the animated arms and skull of Blade
onto his table, then scooped up the scull and held it
from the back so the men could see its teeth gnashing.
The arms crawled towards the captain on their fingers
but the captain kept moving and forcing them to change
directions."

"I bet yer all wonderin' why Pike is so damned good at
fighting skeletons.  'Cause practice makes perfect!
They tracked Blade's missin' body yesterday.  It wasn't
hard 'cause the ghouls that got 'im left a trail 'o
blood.  Ghouls, you know, them creatures that froze a
number of ye like statues.  They're undead, they hang
around haunted graveyards, an yesterday I found out the
whole damn Southeast o' this island is a big fuckin'
graveyard."

"Whoever got Blade's skeleton here made it walk.  An
how much do ye want ta bet we might be seein' Kent an'
some o' the other men we lost this night again real
soon?  I'll bet some o' the men from the guard posts
were givin' ye chills an' drainin' yer strength last
night, because a man that gets killed by a shadow,
turns into a shadow.  Just by havin' the ill luck of
choosin' this isle ta camp on, we've given its lord
plenty o' fodder ta swell 'is armies.  Why am I so sure
this isle has a lord?  Is it the fact that on this isle
there are mausoleum caves carved out o' the granite and
adorned with runes and equipped with traps? That might
o' had a bit ta do w' it."

"I'll tell ye why I know this isle ain't run by a bunch
o' these ol' bone heads or a kid elf w' enchanted
tattoos.  The captain pointed at the gnashing skull and
Doanthalis in turn.  "'Night before this last one, some
ghouls bumped into a guard post, Two men were no
problem for ghouls, just a light snack.  Doanthalas
here was bein watched, but 'them that were watchin' 'im
didn't look at 'im fer a second an 'e was gone, so they
ran fer Brackston ta track 'im."

"Doanthalas heard the damn ghouls eatin' my men -ghouls
do that, drag ye off an eat ye.  The wild elf tracked
'em, an got in a hell of a lot o' trouble for it from
bloody Brackston.  He didn't know shit about this
island, an' everyone knows he don't like th' elf. But
those ghouls, they brought a body an' a little news ta
their master, an th' next night what happened?"

"I'll tell ye what happened, a doubled Southeast guard
vanished with only one scream that could be heard from
camp, and then the pack o' shadows that killed 'em did
somethin' awful damn intelligent for a collection o'
dark vapors.  They came back through the camp, snackin'
a bit on Logan but not botherin' another soul, an then
when he stepped into my tent ta tell me what was goin'
on, they all jumped on me - a surgical strike, couldn't
a planned it better meself."

It's a cinch me an' Logan were dead 'cept I invited are
favorite wench ta me bed that night.  She has that mage
light o' hers, and when I doubled over w' chills, she
turned it on straight away ta see why 'er captain was
actin' so strange.  Well, in good light it was obvious
-shadows.  Bein' able ta see 'em, was nice, but they
'ad already drained most o' me strength, an Logan's. We
fought 'em, an while they were drainin' us silly,
Rapina killed em, even shielded each o' us near the end
there w' her body.  Could' a easily got 'erself killed.
By all rights, I should be dead right now 'an so should
Logan."

"At th' same time the lord o' the isle sent a ghoul
attack ta distract you men from th' fact that shadows
was killin' me an' Logan -nice little diversion.  Was
that effective 'er what? Without, the damned 'demon'
elf, and the damned half elf an' his damned special
fire arrows, them ghouls woulda stacked you men up like
cord wood an' hauled ye off ta the ghoul farm. Ye
better open yer eyes and think about how yer treatin'
them that saved all o' yer miserable lives, stead o'
worryin' about them elven differences that make ye feel
uncomfortable.  Without them differences, a dozen 'er
two o' ye'd be corpses."

"'An if that wasn't enough, when th' enemy's troops
weren't quite as effective as they should 'ave been
'cause o' a wench an a couple o' elves, th' lord o' th'
isle had a fuckin' back-up plan.  Fifty skeletons!  'An
what 'appened?  It was a rout, men ran like scared
children.  Me mistress Rapina did bettern' that when a
score o' skeleton's attacked the scoutin' party. An ye
know we'll be seein' the men who ran again, they'll be
walkin' an' fightin' but they won't be alive, now will
they?"

"I know what yer thinkin'.  Yer thinkin', "Are you
daft, Red Jack?  We'll never see those goddamned men
again 'cause we're gettin' the hell off this isle
quicker than ye can light a fire under us."  Ye're
forgettin' one thing.  The lord o' this isle is one
hell o' a fine general, an 'is troops don't need ta
breath.  They're dead! Stayin' under water ain't a
problem fer them.  The captain pointed to the
waterfront.  It was still too dark to tell much, but
that was rapidly changing."

"Every fuckin' ship in me fleet is sunk in that cove!"

The men blanched.

"We got a couple choices.  We can put are tails between
are legs an' make some rafts 'an see if any 'o the
smaller boats are seaworthy 'an try ta get off this
isle before night falls.  In that case we will be
hopin' beyond hope that the lord o' the isle doesn't
send a party ta wipe us out on the shore."

"That or we can fortify the hell out of some ground an
hole up tanight."

"Either way, if any o' ye are brave enough, ye can form
a party ta try ta root the devil pullin' the strings on
these undeads out o' his catacombs an' cut the head off
his army o' undead before 'e has time ta stage another
brilliant attack tanight."

"Regardless, If we don't best the lord o' the isle we
forfeit are ships.  Right now, my guess is they've got
a few holes stove in 'em so they'd sink.  We'd have ta
build us a make-shift dry dock, but we could fix 'em if
we can tame th' isle."

Whether the rest o' us go or stay, if any of ye are
goin' after th' general who routed us last night, ye'll
need ta be packin' up an startin' off soon.  I don't
need ta tell ye this mission is goin' ta be dangerous.
Th' best I can do is appeal ta yer greed.  Men who go
can split half the booty among 'em, er ask me fer a
really big boon in exchange fer their share. A boon
like forgettin' about them not tellin' me about their
magical skin, fer instance.  The captain glared at
Doanthalas.  Volunteers, form up w' Pike, 'e's yer
leader.

[Rapina]014 The Noble Jaws of Death

The giant Norse man stood off to one side.

There was a hesitation in the crowd.  The captain's
speech had set the record straight, but the men had the
hollow look of terror written all over their faces.
They were trapped on the isle of the dead, and they'd
already had a taste of its bitter medicine.

Brackston was the first in the crowd to stand and walk
to Pike's side. I'd sooner die makin' a difference than
cowerin' behind th' wall of a fort."

The diminutive pirate approached the Norse giant,
"Could be ye'll need a man who can climb inta tight
spots an' handle locks an' mechanisms.

"Could be," Pike smiled.

The elf was feeling much better after partaking of the
elven mixture Arzeal had prepared for him.  Though
still very weak he could at least stand up by himself.
Doanthalas stood fighting off a wave of dizziness and
spoke, "I will go."

"You might need someone who can read runes," Rapina
said.

"That proved handy last time," Pike grinned.

"I'm in too.  I have to...for Kent..." Drake said.

Edgar stepped forward and cast a meaningful look at
Drake, "Hell.  Ya'll know that I'm always up for
kickin' ass."

Several other pirates including Trevor stepped forward
to reserve their place in the assault party.  When all
the members were assembled they were hastily outfitted
with provisions and equipment enough to last half a
week on the trail, and torches for caverns and tunnels.
Some of the men also carried ropes, grappling hooks and
spikes for climbing. As soon as the first hint of light
appeared on the horizon the assault party led by
Doanthalas headed off towards the caverns of the dead.

While the others were getting ready, Rapina stole an
intimate moment in a supply tent with Beck, Jake, and
Jonas.  All of them knew this might be their last time,
and they were happy to be doing something life-
affirming, if only for a few precious moments.  For her
part, Rapina felt a little bad taking as much from them
as she did, but she was careful to go to the men she
knew had iron constitutions.  Rapina left the tent
fully healed with a little something to fall back on.
She gave the quite appreciable amount that remained of
the captain's potent healing potion to Pike.  He had
seen two battles in the last twenty-four hours, and
even as skilled as he was, he had not escaped battle
without wounds.

Every step was sheer agony for the elf.  He was still
weak from the loss of so much blood, but able to carry
on because of Arzeal's elven elixir.  Where Arzeal
learned how to prepare it he didn't know.  He'd have to
ask the half-elf if they survived. Elixirs like that
were closely guarded secrets of the elven people.
Doanthalas was glad that Arzeal knew how though, it had
saved the elf the trouble of making it himself.

Doanthalas leaned heavily on his walking stick for most
of the way.  Pike had to help him scale the cliffs to
reach the cavern. Eventually they arrived at the
entrance.  Sitting down on a rock the Elf glanced at
the party.  He saw Rapina advance along with Drake,
Grom, Edgar and Yanosh.

This time, Rapina made sure she made it to the cave
first, and recited a prayer to Mortaebius, god of the
dead.  Then she opened the gate and let the warriors in
to check the place out. The first room was as they had
left it. Buck and Rage wedged stout timbers in the
first doorway as Rapina took a deep breath, crossed the
room and pressed the studs on the pentagram carved in
the wall as if signing the sign of man.  When she
pushed the last stud, the inner-door slab groaned and
slid upwards.  Buck and Rage rushed forward to set
timbers in the new door.

As the inner door slid open the party was assaulted by
a quick rush of air strong with the smell of decay. The
faint outline of a statue was barely visible towards
the front of the room.

Outside in the sunlight, a pirate named Rebel stood
guarding the timbers set in the first doorway while the
others gained access to the hall of eminence.  He heard
a sound like a few stones rolling off a burial mound,
but the outcropping of rock in front of the doorway to
the mausoleum cave blocked his vision.  He stepped out
to get a look.  He saw a pirate who'd run during the
battle with the fifty skeletons last night.  Brad!

The pirate hissed and a long tongue came out of his
mouth.  One scratch from the new ghoul and Rebel froze.
From nearby mounds, two more ghouls cowled in dark
robes, emerged and followed Brad into the tomb.  Brad
cut Rebel's throat with a claw as the other two ghouls
quietly removed the timbers from the doorway.

Meanwhile, the pirates advanced into the room with the
statue, and took out a few more torches.  Rapina
entered behind most of the men, her mage-light
illuminating the front of the statue.

"It's Mortaebius, god of the dead, Rapina said."

Ah, so what, it's 'is gold I want, not 'is name.

The mean yellow dog sniffed the air and growled.

Rapina blinked.  She could swear she saw the statue's
eyes move, but now they seemed to be staring straight
ahead, right at her.

"I could swear I saw the statue's eyes move," Rapina
said.

"Look mates, that statue's robe is buttoned an' chased
w' real gold an' is ring is set w' a ruby! Flint
whipped out a chisel and went to pry.

"Defilers!" The statue of Mortaebius shouted.

Somewhere on the other side of the room doors opened
and skeletons began pouring out.

"Retreat back past the doorway to the first room!" Pike
said running for the doorway.  "They die easy if only
one or two can come at ye abreast!" Pike ran back into
the first room and took up a position just inside next
to the doorway.  Brackston slipped to the other side as
he ran in and prepared to slaughter the bone-brains.
The other pirates ran between their mates, trying to
get back into the first room before the skeletons from
the second reached them.

A loud rumbling could be heard coming from the entrance
to the outdoors.  By this time, most of the pirates
were back in the first chamber or running through the
doorway.  On the other side of the hall of the dead a
slab slid over the entrance cutting the shaft of
sunlight leaking in to nothing.  Three ghouls charged
towards the pirates hissing.

"Aye Doanthalas!  We got ghouls back here by th'
entrance," Skitch hollered.

Doanthalas ran through the door from the room with the
statue. The elf shouted as he fished through his pouch
for the flasks of oil he had brought.

"Spearmen, Doanthalas, back there on the double," Pike
ordered.

After reentering the entry chamber, Rapina had made her
way to the Southeast corner.  She had been looking at
the statue and had been one of the first to retreat as
Pike ordered.  She realized that, previously, weight in
the top coffin-tunnel had opened the door. Rapina
hastened to climb up into the tunnel to see if she
could reopen the entrance.

The last pirate ran through the doorway from the statue
room.

"Brace up Brackston, here comes a flood 'o bones, an
look what's behind 'em.  Our own walkin' dead!

Brackston growled as he realized that the zombies were
all pirates he once knew.  Some of the bodies from last
night's battle had evidently been spirited off just
before dawn.

The skeletons advanced but exploded to pieces as they
were hit by Pike's mighty ax and club from one side,
and the sword and club of bloody Brackston from the
other.

"Demolition!  We got 'em licked, Pike!"

Rapina scowled, her weight was no longer triggering the
reopening of the entrance.  Somehow, the mechanism had
been jammed elsewhere.

Doanthalas found the flask of oil he was looking for
and stuffed an oil soaked rag in the end of it.  He lit
it on one of the remaining torches and hurled it into
the oncoming group of ghouls.  The flames were
spectacular as the ghoul Doanthalas nailed burst into
flames and the others flanking him suffered from
splashes of burning oil.

Doanthalas fought with every ounce of strength that he
still possessed, hacking at the head of the ghoul on
his right as Vanosh and George attempted to hold the
flaming ghoul at bay with spears.

Edgar ducked the ghoul's claws and simultaneously
launched a leg-breaking kick at the creature's knee. As
it staggered backwards Edgar opened the creature's guts
with his sword.

Brad, the flaming ghoul spun his way between the two
spears, nicked Yanosh's chin, and poked George in the
eye.  Both men froze in magical terror.  Still flaming
from Doanthalas' oil Brad jumped on the elf who had
just decapitated the ghoul next to him. If he was to be
destroyed by fire, he would take his destroyer with
him.

Rapina was climbing back down from the upper coffin
tunnel in the Southeast corner of the room when she
heard Pike bellow to Brackston as they fought at the
doorway to the statue room, or the "Hall of Eminence,"
to quote the runes on the wall.

"What the hell?  Back Brackston, It's a ghoulified
Kent, an' he's swingin' a cresset full o' burnin' oil!"
Pike bellowed.

Brackston shattered a skeleton and jumped back as the
cresset arced over the heads of the skeletons and
zombies bunched around the doorway and flew through it
into the entry room.

Rapina saw the cresset from the corner of her eye as
she watched the flaming ghoul jump on Doanthalas and
knock the both of them into the path of the flaming
cresset.  There was a clang as the cresset deflected
off the ghoul's shoulder and showered the pair of
combatants with burning oil.

Trevor skewered the remaining ghoul through the eye
with a spear as it fell from Edgar's kick.

Edgar swung his sword chopping into the ghoul's chest,
laughing mightily. "That wasn't so hard.  Fear is the
ghoul's real weapon.  Get past that an' they're
nothin'"

Rapina felt a tingling up her spine, and then she heard
deep laughter coming from the statue in the other room.


Suddenly the conflagration that had enveloped
Doanthalas and the ghoul blackened as a cloud of
choking black smoke billowed forth from it. In seconds
the room was filled with smoke and half-blind coughing
pirates.  The smoke just kept getting thicker.

Whoever had sprung this trap knew how Pike and the
scouting party had retreated into the narrow entryway
to defeat the skeletons before, and knew that Pike
would retreat beyond the doorway to use that trick
again. Now the entry room was filling with smoke fast.
It was already so choking it made speech difficult for
the coughing and filled the eyes with tears.

Into the statue room! Pike surged through the oncoming
skeletons, weapons cutting a swath of destruction
before him. The Norse giant swung steel and wood like a
maniac for a second before he suddenly hit flesh - the
zombies; they were not so easily destroyed. They were
the cork on the bottle.  No doubt they had been
instructed to remove any obstructions in the doorway as
well.  Pike wasn't about to let them get near it.

"Defend a path out ta the left o' the door, concentrate
our forces.  Brackston, cover me right flank, we have
ta hold the doorway and keep these monsters from
removing the timbers before we're ready.

Bloody Brackston sprung through the door and fought
beside the Norseman.  Thumper tore chunks of meat off
the zombies as he helped his master.

The tiny pirate was one of the first to race through
the door. He dodged and wormed his way around, through
and between the legs of the zombies. Once through, he
got to the statue in a hurry.  Originally he had
brought the hammer and chisels in case he had bad luck
with a lock or needed to place a piton. Now he hopped
up on the pedestal and the statue's feet, stood on his
tip-toes, put the chisel to the statue's eye and
slammed it with the hammer.  The wily pirate heard a
startled yelp when the chisel struck the socket, but he
did not know if he had driven it in hard or fast enough
to kill who or whatever was hiding inside.

"Sound off as ya get through the door!" Pike ordered.
"I need to know when we're all in here.  Rapina stay by
the opening studs an' give me a hand with the count!"
the Norseman bellowed.

One by one the pirates called out their names:
Brackston, Skitch, Trevor, Grom, Flint, Gape, Henry,
Buck, Rage, Edgar, Drake and Rapina.

"That's all of us but Doanthalas, Pike. The others are
paralyzed or worse!" Rapina hollered.


"One last good flurry friend and we step aside and hope
they remove the timbers for us." Pike said to
Brackston.

Brackston pushed himself to the limits, then stepped
aside as he heard Pike yell.

"Timbers away. Nothin' we can do for Doanthalas, he's
part o' the fire," Pike ordered.

With tears in her eyes from more than the smoke, Rapina
fought her way along the left wall of the statue room
though the press of zombies.  Luckily, Pike was right
next to her.

The stupid zombies, followed their instructions to the
letter. While a few of them continued into the entry
chamber, a couple of others pulled the timbers from the
doorway into the hall of eminence.  They capped their
trap even though only three living pirates -Doanthalas,
and the paralyzed pirates Venosh and George, remained
within the entry chamber.  The door slab slammed into
place.  The cork was on the bottle, but most of the
grasshoppers had sprung.

The pirates fought a fast and furious battle with heavy
losses, for they had thrown caution to the wind.  They
fought half-blind using every ounce of their strength
to get by the zombies who had tried to cage them in the
room of smoke. Grom was the first to fall followed by
Flint and Henry.  To his credit Trevor fought bravely
and took many zombies and skeletons with him before
succumbing to their onslaught.

"Back against the left wall, and keep that steel
moving! Hurry, if we can get into the room where some
of the skeletons came from, we'll have areselves
another doorway an' this one likely not a trap!

The party was able to make it to the door with few
lost. Because of an altercation with a particularly
tenacious zombie, Drake and Edgar were the last two to
reach the door.  As Drake turned to see if Edgar was
coming he froze.  Standing directly behind Edgar was
Kent.  Or the bloated and drowned body of what used to
be their friend Kent. Edgar had an odd pained look on
his face.  When he didn't rush for the door it became
obvious to Drake that his friend was paralyzed.  A sick
feeling washed over him as he watched the Kent-ghoul
traced a line across Edgar's neck with a claw.  The
light in Edgar's eyes faded just as quickly as the
blood flowed from the fresh wound in his neck.

Drake stood paralyzed, not by the touch of the ghoul,
but by grief for two friends lost.  The screams of
Doanthalas did nothing to alleviate this feeling.  in
fact Drake was really beginning to understand what true
fear was for the first time in his life...

Tears flowed from Rapina's eyes as she tugged Drake
through the doorway. Pike and Brackston were standing
on either side of it ready to demolish the first zombie
to try to breach the opening.

[Click here for a sketch of the tomb.  The entry
chamber is the same room in which the scouting party
first met and fought skeletons, but the side/coffin-
tunnels are not pictured.]

The room the pirates entered was some sort of family
mausoleum.  It was richly decorated.  Tapestries
adorned the walls and six suits of bronze plate mail
equipped with halberds or two-handed swords stood
around the periphery of the room on small stone
pedestals.  On the west side of the room were two stone
sarcophagi, each had a lid with a relief sculpture of
the way the occupant had looked in life.  The corners
and trim of the sarcophagi were solid gold, and the
likenesses were chased with gold leaf. Bronze
candelabras adorned the walls.  On the East wall were
many bronze plaques, some with lettering on them. On
the South wall was a large coat of arms with a plaque
beneath it. Parts of the coat of arms were studded with
gems.

"Nobody move, This looks to be some noble family
mausoleum.  I know ye see some booty around ye, don't
touch it till we kill our enemies.  That's the way
Backster set off a trap in that first room.  Buck,
Drake, help me an' Brackston at the doorway here, we
still got plenty o' customers, just that this time we
got 'em one at a time through the doorway. Rest of you
Cluster aroun' Rapina and keep an eye out 'case of
shadows.  Rapina, patch wounds while we got the time,"
Pike ordered.

Rapina worked as rapidly as she could, and by the time
Pike and his warriors were through demolishing the last
zombie, Rapina had patched the wounds of the other
warriors.

"All right, lets check this room out.  The zombies and
skeletons that came from this room and the one next
door had to have gotten in here somehow.  Could be they
came from somewhere else, or it could be there is a
secret exit out of one of these back rooms.

Rapina began to read the various plaques.  The ones on
the east wall were probably entrances to coffin-sized
side tunnels wherein corpses were stored.  The plaque
on the Southern end of the room talked about the noble
deeds and lineage of the baronial family whose remains
rested within the room.

As the men started opening the plaques on the east
wall, Rapina looked at the sarcophagus in the Southwest
area of the room. The carving on the lid depicted a
woman.  Rapina looked at the runes on carving.

"This was the first baroness of the family Le-"

Rapina's line was cut off in mid stream.  The lid of
the sarcophagus suddenly hinged open.  Inside were the
skeletal remains of a woman, and laying next to her was
Kent, who tossed the dead baroness' golden ring into
the room as a part of the motion of grabbing Rapina
just below the breasts and pulling her into the
sarcophogus.

Rapina had hardly managed a startled screech when
Kent's claws pierced her tunic and a hideous paralyzing
fear surged through her body, stiffening every muscle.

Drake felt a ring bounce off his back.

The six suits of armor standing around the room
suddenly raised their weapons as the brainless minds of
the skeletons within them perceived treasure, in the
form of the Baroness' ring, being removed from the
room's deceased occupants. Each swung its sword or
halberd at the nearest pirate.

Once he pulled Rapina into the sarcophagus, the goulish
Kent activated the lid-closing mechanism with one foot,
while he activated the mechanism that lowered the panel
in the East side of the sarcophagus with the other. The
sarcophagus only seemed to be separate from the wall,
it was actually attached to it. Kent rolled Rapina and
himself Eastward as the East wall of the coffin slid
into the floor.  Once in the area within the room's
East wall, Kent pushed a stud with his finger.  The
East wall of the sarcophagus lifted back into place and
the stone beneath him and Rapina tilted. Down they
slid.  At the bottom of the short slide, Kent pulled a
lever and the slide hinged back up.

The ghoul then opened a door and ran out of the room
for a few minutes.  He returned, hoisted Rapina off the
floor and carried her across the small room at the base
of the slide to a door. He opened the door and carried
her into a narrow, low-ceilinged passageway that went
North and South.  Kent closed the door and shot home a
bolt, then took a few large reaching steps Southward.
He carried Rapina South up a very long flight of stairs
to a room.  In one corner of the room three shadows
cowered, disliking Rapina's mage-light.  The room also
contained a few skeletons and several chests.

Two of the skeletons bore a litter.  Kent placed Rapina
on the litter then opened one of the chests.  He took
some granite-colored grey robes with a heavy hood and a
black lining from the chest and put them on.  The
litter-bearing skeletons were dressed in identical
attire. Kent then left though a doorway in the other
side of the room that led to another staircase up.  The
two skeletons followed carrying Rapina between them.
Kent pushed open a trapdoor at the top of the staircase
and cringed as the light hit his robes.

The daylight stung Kent's eyes and made him feel weak
in spite of the protective cowl.  The ghoul struggled
along a trail that ran atop the granite cliffs into
which the tomb was carved.  The ghoul and his entourage
fled south and followed the curve of the island's cliff
top as it went gradually Southwestward.  The path was
well concealed from watchers in the interior of the
isle, for it usually ran through the lowest area in the
center of the cliff so that there was stone between
watchers from the water or land and the path.

At first Rapina could do nothing but be afraid, but
after a while she struggled to get a hold of her mind.
If Kent was going to kill her, she reasoned, he would
have done it by now. She was not sure where he was
taking her, but it seemed likely that she would soon be
meeting the chief of the undeads.  Rapina supposed it
could be some even more horrible undead monster, but
clung to the hope that it would be a living priest or
magician - a necromancer.

Kent struggled through the sunlight for what seemed
like ages. About every quarter hour he scratched Rapina
in the arm with a claw.  The walk was a mile and a
half.  It was nearly an hour before it took him along
the base of some even higher cliffs that towered above
the cliffs he was on and the rest of the isle.

Just when she thought things were getting a little
better, Kent jumped on the litter with her.


"Go that way," Kent rasped and pointed for the bone-
headed skeletons, then he squirmed around on top of
Rapina and licked her face with his hideous long
tongue.

The breath stuck in her throat, Rapina was terrified
but she couldn't scream.  Kent smelled dead, he even
looked dead.  She could not move a muscle, but she
wanted to escape in the worst way.

Kent directed the skeletons into a hidden fissure in
the Southern rock face.  He jumped off the litter about
ten feet into the fissure. The narrow crack led
downward and eventually forked Kent stopped the
skeletons then walked into the fork on the left. Rapina
briefly heard the grinding of stone on stone such as a
hidden door might make and Kent was gone for close to
fifteen minutes.  When he returned he jumped back on
the litter with Rapina and directed the skeletons to
proceed down the other fork of the fissure.  It opened
up into a much wider fissure - a canyon some fifteen to
twenty-five feet in breadth. Daylight was visible far
above, but the ghoul felt better because the deep
canyon afforded much shadow. The skeletons carried Kent
and Rapina South along the canyon floor.

As time went by Rapina had to force herself to keep her
eyes open so she had some idea of where she was being
taken.  She was a woman, an oddity among pirates.
Perhaps she was being captured because the lord of the
isle felt she was at least as much a victim as a
collaborator, having been abducted by the pirates, or
perhaps he was just hungry for female companionship.
Rapina shuddered, if the necromancer was undead, she
might just be a dainty meal.  She would have to try to
keep her wits about her in spite of her terror.

The skeletons zigzagged along with the canyon in a
generally southerly direction.  When they reached an
area familiar to the ghoul, Kent reached down off the
litter, took up a large rock from the canyon floor and
directed the skeletons to the cliff edge where he
bashed the rock against the stone wall.  Had he not
known exactly where he was, the ghoul would not have
known what to do. Even the ghoul could see no
difference about the walls of the canyon from his
vantagepoint at its bottom.  From Some sixty feet above
him hidden from view by a natural outcropping in the
wall of the canyon, a boom swung out.  On the boom was
a large wicker cage.  The cage was lowered.  Kent
opened a door in the cage and led the skeletons bearing
the litter inside.  Kent closed the door and struck a
cowbell attached to the inside of the cage, with a
metal rod dangling from a chain.  The cage began to
rise quite rapidly.

When the cage struck the boom, it was swung inwards and
the cage was lowered a foot or two to rest on the floor
of a room cut into the face of the granite cliff. One
wall was open to the canyon but the room was invisible
from below because of the narrowness of the canyon, a
natural outcropping just below where the room was
carved into the cliff face, and the height the room was
above the canyon floor.  There was a slit-like window
in the south wall of the room.

Kent opened the cage door and led the skeletons out.

A skeletal hand grasped Rapina's chin and turned her
head from side to side.

Rapina was so terrified she shut her eyes.  She was
sure the lord of the isle was undead, and she would
soon be as well.

"Excellent work, my servant," a smooth baritone voice
spoke to Kent.

Rapina opened her eyes.  The face of a middle-aged man
stared assessingly down at her.  The man was neither
hideous nor handsome. He was actually rather plain.
High on his forehead was a bandage. Otherwise, he would
not have looked out of place behind the counter of a
library, but for the intense look in his dark eyes.
Those eyes were the one thing that marked him as a man
of great cunning and intellect.

"You have a reward coming."  The man Removed Rapina's
bow and quiver, then undid Rapina's weapons belt and
took it and her weapons from her. He hung her things on
a skeleton that wore a steel breastplate and was clad
in wax-boiled leather.  The necromancer then removed
the mage light from around her neck and raised an
eyebrow as he placed it in a pouch on his belt.  After
that he frisked her, found the sheath knife on her calf
and removed it.

The necromancer spoke to Kent as he worked, "Although
the battle did not go as well as planned, you played
your part flawlessly and accomplished this
extemporaneous task as well.  I realize the daylight
must have caused you great pain and weakness, but I
have just the thing to replenish your strength for this
evening. One of the pirates we captured has no tongue
and is thus useless to me, yet I think you'll like him,
he's a fat one."

The necromancer commanded the skeletons to open the
stout oak door in the East wall of the room, the one
opposite the canyon. Two of the breast-plate wearing
skeletons led the way and four others followed.  After
a short distance, the party came to a "T" intersection.
The corridors were lit by an eerie red glow that
emanated from large crystals that hung at intervals
from the ceiling.

"Take the girl to the door to my chambers and keep her
there. You three guards, see that she does not try to
wander off." The skeletons bore Rapina Northwards while
Kent and the necromancer went in the other direction.

Rapina thought about trying to escape.  Had she not
been paralyzed, she felt sure she could outrun the
skeletons.  Even if she could, where would she go,
certainly not back to the cliffside room?  There was no
way down to one who could not control the wicker cage.
Abruptly Rapina's muscles eased.  She felt sore all
over.  She directed the bit of energy she had gleaned
from her morning's tryst to her back and limbs.

Suddenly she sprung from the litter and sprinted down
the hallway to the South.  It took a second for the
skeletons to react, but Rapina heard the rasp of steel
as the skeletons drew swords and clattered after her.
They were fast, astonishingly so, but Rapina was
terrified and had a head start.  Doors punctuated the
hallway at intervals.  Rapina opened one and saw rough-
hewn shelves with various armaments and equipment but
no way out.  She snatched a rusty broadsword and rushed
down the hallway again.  She passed several doors on
her way down the hall.  One, an iron door was just
slightly ajar.  She avoided that one and pulled on the
door at the end of the hall. It would not open but she
could see no lock!

The three guard skeletons were already near her. Rapina
jumped to the left and saw the skeletons veered to the
left as they ran towards her.  At the last minute,
Rapina jumped right and sprinted.  She felt the wind
from a sword blade close to her neck as she passed the
boney trio.  The skeletons were astonishingly fast. She
already felt winded.  In desperation Rapina ran to the
iron door, opened it, jumped in and slammed it as the
impacts of three sword blades rang off the other side
of the door.  Rapina saw a keyhole but no bolt on her
side of the door.  Remembering how light the skeletons
in the mausoleum cavern had been, Rapina braced herself
against the door.

There was a second identical door ten feet East beyond
the one she held, but she was sure that the skeletons
would just keep bashing the door with their swords
forever.  She was wrong. Something started pushing on
the door.  The force doubled and Rapina made a dash for
the next door.  She slammed that one shut as well.  She
found herself in some sort of guardroom with a stout
table and four chairs.  She could reach one of the
chairs with her foot.  She snagged it and used it to
wedge the door shut.

There was a ring of three keys hanging on a peg on the
other side of the room.  Rapina dashed for it, grabbed
it and got back in time to keep the chair from slipping
away from the door because of the force being applied
to the other side.  Rapina tried all three of the keys
in the lock but none of them worked. On the other side
of the room was another door.  This one had a barred
window.  Rapina ran for it, snagging another chair on
her way by the table.  She had the third door shut and
wedged before the last door grated open.  Rapina tried
the shorter of the three keys on the ring and the lock
turned.

The door Rapina had just locked was at the head of a
hallway. There were six other doors leading off the
hallway, three on the right side, and three on the
left.  The door to the cell on the right near the
hall's other end was ajar.  Rapina looked through the
barred window of the nearest cell on the left.  Inside
shackled to the wall was Jonas.

"Jonas?," Rapina asked.

Jonas looked up.  "Rapina?  How in hell did you get
here?"

"I got paralyzed by Kent.  He's a ghoul.  How about
you?"

"There were some skeletons stained black; they were
collecting the dead bodies and the ghouls were
collecting the living.  I spooked when those skeletons
attacked us and before I knew it, some ghoul jumped out
of nowhere.  It dragged me to a black litter borne by
skeletons and I was brought here. What happened to the
others?"

"Pike and Hock rallied the troops and they fought off
the skeletons.  I'm not sure what they're doing now,
either fortifying and staying or trying to raft out,
one or the other."

"Quick, get me out of here, maybe we can free the
others and escape."

Rapina tried the next longer key and opened the cell
door.

"Lets skip the escape scene, shall we?" said the
necromancer's voice.

Rapina froze.  At the end of the hall stood the
necromancer, and next to him with blood all over his
face, chest and grossly bloated belly was Kent, still
chawing on a fat human leg. They had come out of the
cell at the end of the hall on the right. Rapina nearly
threw up as she realized that Kent had been eating
Piggy, the mute cook that Rapina had worked for when
she'd first joined Red Jack's crew.

Now that she was standing, Rapina got a better look at
the necromancer.  He was about average height and
build, only an inch or two taller than she was.  He was
partly bald, but had hair on the sides of his head.  He
was dressed in black robes with a black leather
bandoleer crossing his chest from his left shoulder to
his waist on the right.  He wore several bone-handled
daggers on his belt and the bandoleer held a dozen or
so crude bone darts with metal spikes on both ends.

"Drop the blade.  Be reasonable, you have no chance to
escape. There is only one way out of here and that is
through those doors and the three guards.  The
necromancer chuckled, "You must be a fast runner or I'd
be trying to piece your skeleton back together at this
moment."

Rapina tossed the keys through the partly opened door
to Jonas and advanced towards the necromancer.

The necromancer grinned.  "Guards," he said.  Three
leather-clad breast-plated skeletons came out of the
cell the necromancer and Kent had previously been in.
"Surely you do not want to try to face these three.
Have you not yet realized that these skeletons are
superior to the others?  The necromancer smiled.  They
are double-animated, once by the power of my magic, and
once by the power of Mortaebius, god of the dead.  They
are stronger, faster, and a little bit smarter than the
average skeleton."

Rapina held her ground but eyed the skeletons now
standing in front of Kent and the necromancer.

"Surrender now and I will go easy on you, otherwise,
you'll pay dearly.  Shards, orbit her."

The crude bone darts left the necromancer's bandoleer
and flew down the hallway, orbiting Rapina at a
distance of about three feet.  Rapina shuddered. The
bone parts of the darts were made of what Donal had
named "singing bones," the ones that flew through the
air.  How could she hope to defeat flying bone spikes
and three double-strength skeletons plus a wily ghoul
and a necromancer?  Rapina reluctantly layed down her
rusty blade.

"Retrieve the blade," the necromancer bid one of the
skeletons. The skeleton snatched up the blade.  Now,
girl, stand back against the guard room door.

Rapina backed up.

"You two, the necromancer pointed to a couple of the
skeletons, guard the girl.  And you, open that cell
door.  Kent, I think the prisoner needs calming."

Kent grinned and bounded into Jonas' cell.

"Aaaaiigh! Jonas screamed.

"Kent, put him back in the shackles and take the keys,"
the necromancer ordered.

In a minute or two Kent came out of the cell and tossed
the keys to the necromancer.  "Very good, I will talk
to you again this evening.  Enjoy your meal."

[Rapina]015 Death Battles The Living

The pain was excruciating.  Doanthalas could hardly
breathe because of the smoke and his eyes were gunked
up with ash and smoke and tears. Needles of pain shot
through his back as the flames continued to burn. Soon
the flames would die out; Doanthalas could feel the
pain lessening by the moment.  After the flames died
out it would not be that long before he started
bleeding.

It was time to get to a safer place, and quickly too.
The elf tried tearing off a piece of his clothes to
wipe his eyes with, but his charred clothing just
crumbled in his hands.  There had to be something in
the room somewhere he could use to wipe out his eyes
with. Otherwise he'd have to fight through the
remaining zombies and find a way out while still blind.
He did not think he could do it.  Not in his already
weakened condition.

The remaining ghoul and a few of the zombies had been
reduced to walking torches.  A few remained relatively
unharmed.  These few closed in on the prone form of
Doanthalas.  They were unaffected by the smoke and
advanced steadily on the elf.

Doanthalas' keen hearing picked up the sound of the
zombie's shuffling feet approaching.  It was getting
harder to breathe and a fit of coughing seized the elf.
At least nearer the floor the air wasn't as filled with
smoke.

A slight breeze blew across the elf's face.  The fact
that there was a breeze meant one thing: There was a
way out. Doanthalas began crawling towards the breeze.
He had to hurry. The fire was almost out and that meant
that his time was almost up.

The remains of his clothes crumbled to nothing as well
as the other items he carried that were flammable.  The
elf's knee nudged something as he crawled. Reaching
down his hand closed around the hilt of his sword.  The
blade scraped against the ground as he lifted it.

The sound of shuffling feet was very close now.  With
great effort Doanthalas swung his sword.  He felt it
chop though something solid and then stop as it hit
something else solid. There was a loud thump as
something heavy hit the ground.

One of the zombies lay on the floor struggling feebly
to stand. The other paused its progress impeded by his
fallen companion. Darkness had descended upon the room
as the last of the fires burned themselves out. The
zombies continued in their pursuit of their prey
unaffected by the darkness.  Their minds understood
nothing other than their hunger for flesh...their
thirst for blood.  The scent was getting stronger.
Their quarry was near. Bits of rotting flesh dropped
off their arms as they reached out to feast.

The sound of shuffling feet and something sharp
scraping across the stones sounded very close behind
him.  Doanthalas blindly dragged himself towards the
source of the breeze.  If he could reach it he might be
able to escape. Whatever he did, he would have to
hurry.  His strength was fading fast. Doanthalas' hand
closed over a metal grate in the floor.  It was small.
Most likely, it was a drain.  It had to lead somewhere.
He hoped it was large enough for him to crawl through.

Wiping his eyes with his grimy hand did little to
improve his situation.  The elf turned and tried to see
through the sweat, blood, and grime that had found its
way into his eyes.  He was able to see very little, but
did notice two still slightly warm forms moving in his
direction.  One was crawling and the other was walking.


Clutching his sword the tattooed elf sat up and
prepared to meet his foes. The zombies closed before
Doanthalas could stand.  They pressed their attack. The
crawling zombie lost an arm right away.  The other arm
was next followed shortly by his head. Each time he
swung his sword Doanthalas felt it slipping out of his
hands.  He adjusted his grip before turning to deal
with the remaining zombie.

This zombie had the advantage.  It held the higher
ground and did not tire. Doanthalas on the other hand
was so weak that he could barely lift his sword.  The
sword went clattering to the floor after being easily
batted away by the zombie.  Things were getting worse
by the second.  Doanthalas' head began to swim. "I
cannot die like this," he thought as he backed away
from the advancing zombie.

The smell of iron reached his nostrils.  "Not now!" he
thought as his hand slipped in the fresh blood that had
begun to flow from his fiendish tattoos. Doanthalas
crawled back as far as he could. He stopped with his
back to the wall and the zombie practically on top of
him.  It seemed like it was to end there. Fortunately
for Doanthalas the zombie slipped in some of his blood
and went toppling to the floor.  The sound of nails
scraping the floor was audible through the darkness.

He could not see the zombie anymore; the heat from the
fire that had threatened to consume it had long since
dissipated. It seemed like hours that the zombie lay
there scraping at the floor. Doanthalas did not take
time to ponder this turn of events.  He just crawled
around the floor until his hand closed over the hilt of
another weapon.  With every ounce of strength he could
muster he crawled back towards the sound of scraping.

Unable to comprehend its situation the zombie struggled
to scrape the flesh off its victim.  It could smell the
blood, but could not seem to scrape the flesh off its
bones.  It struggled on fueled by its hunger.
Doanthalas ended its struggles a few moments later as
he dismembered piece by piece.

The weapon clattered to the floor.  Doanthalas did not
have an ounce of strength left.  He slumped to the
ground and drifted off into unconsciousness. A cool
breeze blew through his hair as the blood from his
tattoos flowed through the grate in the floor.

-----------


Pike scowled.  His luck in battle had never been so
sour.  The day had not gone so badly at first, but now
depression was settling on the Norseman's shoulders
like the globe on the shoulders of Atlas.  He had
fought his way out of a diabolic trap loosing half his
men only to have his favorite wench stolen and probably
killed by a ghoulish Kent.  The armored skeletons Kent
triggered killed Buck and cost his party in both wounds
and precious time.  Skitch had figured out the secret
door and slide in the sarcophagus, but that too had
cost time.  They had broken through the door in the
room at the base of the slide and found the lower
corridor.  Thumper had led them North instead of South
and that had cost time.  The wily ghoul must have left
a false trail.

Skitch had found the ladder that led up into the hollow
statue. After he had come down from there he found and
quickly un-jammed the mechanisms for the stone doors in
the rooms above, but that hadn't helped them find
Rapina.  They had gone North when they should have gone
South. When they did go south, Pike had lost strength
and sustained an annoying wound to his left shoulder.
He had been too hasty about demolishing the four
skeletons in the room at the top of the staircase and
had not noticed the three shadows until after they
started feeding on him and his men.  Drake had
sustained wounds and lost some strength to the shadows
and so had Gape.

Thumper had tracked the ghoul South along the cliff
tops and along the base of some cliffs higher than the
ones Pike and his men were walking on, but then the dog
had inexplicably lost the trail.  It cost more precious
time before Rage found a hidden fissure.  There Thumper
had picked up the trail of the ghoul again.  It led to
a blank wall when the fissure forked.  Skitch had
correctly identified a secret door in the wall.  The
door led to a narrow, low-ceilinged staircase mined
through the granite.  The staircase twisted down and
down endlessly before it and finally let out at a
secret door in a warren of confusing tunnels.  The
tunnels went through the dirt of the valley Pike and
his men had seen from high above on the cliffs near the
entrance to the fissure. Thumper had started tracking
in circles and the party had become hopelessly lost in
the maze of tunnels.  If anything, they were farther
from finding Rapina than when she had first been
abducted.

"Pike, I hate ta say it, but we're lost an' wounded,
'an if Rapina ain't dead by now, then she's a prisoner
o' the dark lord o' the isle. Thumper ain't doin' us a
bit o' good, an' we can't go back ta where we were
without startin' over at the tombs.  My bid is that we
jus' try ta find a way outa here before yer ghouls an'
things start wakin' up."

Pike glared at Brackston. "I hate it when yer right.
Okay, lets try to find a tunnel that goes up."

A few minutes later Rage called out

"Hey, where's Gape, he was behind me just a minute
ago."

"Damn it! Ghouls, I'll wager.  Demon or not, I sure as
hell wish we had an elf to take up the rear.  My bet is
that Thumper might be able to smell 'em.  Brackston,
take the rear. Rage, you make sure to look over your
shoulder a lot, understand?"

"Gotcha."

A more couple hours passed, but, although they had
gained some elevation and had gone a good distance in a
roughly northerly direction, an exit from the warrens
still eluded them.

Suddenly Thumper growled.

Ghouls! Brackston shouted.

Thumper grabbed a ghoul's hand as it tried to strike
his master and ripped at it.

Brackston lunged, his usual sword techniques were
worthless hunched over in a cramped dirt tunnel.  He
ran his sword through the creature's chest and twisted
it but the creature did not die!

A second ghoul erupted from the floor of the tunnel and
attempted to grab Drake's leg.

Drake yelped, jumped back against the tunnel wall and
cut the ghoul's hand off at the wrist.

A third ghoul burst through the tunnel wall behind
Drake and grabbed him, claws ripping into his sides -
immobilizing Drake with magical fear.

Skitch whipped two throwing knives into the chest of
the ghoul on the ground.

Pike's axe came down on the floor-ghoul's head,
splitting it like a melon.

The Norseman grabbed Drake's legs just as he was
disappearing into a hidden side tunnel behind the ghoul
and heaved.

Brackston's ghoul cut into the yellow dog's head with
his free hand leaving deep bloody furrows, but the
ghoul's magic was wasted on the mean yellow dog.
Thumper's simple mind did not fear death.

Brackston lunged again half gutting the ghoul who'd
hurt his dog.

Near pike, the skulless ghoul reached up in its death
throws and sunk its claws savagely into the Norseman's
calf.

Pike bellowed as he felt the ghoul's magic sizzle up
his nerves. Every ounce of the indomitable courage bred
into the Norseman fought the ghoul's magic...

Blood an' Bones!  Pike roared as he heaved Drake out of
the side tunnel with the ghoul still attached to him.

The ghoul let go of Drake, setting the Norseman off
balance and then dove for Skitch.

"Ulp!" Try as he might, once the ghoul had grabbed him,
ripping into his ribs with its claws, Skitch could not
move a muscle. His whole body seemed to freeze in
horror.

Rage drove his gladius into the ghoul's side as it
began to make off with Skitch.

Pike grabbed Skitch's legs just as they were
disappearing down the tunnel and heaved once again.

Brackston's ghoul hissed as Brackston skewered it a
second time and opened the wrist of Brackston's sword
arm with its hideous claws. Blood gushed from the
wound.

Brackston froze.  He struggled, but the magical fear
had him firmly in its unyielding grasp.

Thumper jumped knocking the ghoul on its back. The dog
growled ferociously ripping flesh from the monster.

The Ghoul from the wall lashed out at Pike's arm with
its toe nails, tearing furrows through his skin.

Pike bellowed, his great muscles flexed... and released
as he pulled Skitch and the ghoul back into the tunnel.


Rage jammed his short sword into the side of the
ghoul's chest and twisted it, Killing the foul thing at
last.

Thumper ripped out the ghoul's throat as one of the
creature's claws sunk into the dog's eye socket. Blood
flooded from the dog's wound.  He curled up at the
paralyzed feet of his master whining ever more quietly
as his life's blood drained away.

"Damn ghouls, Pike snarled as he bandaged Brackston's
wrist. Rage, let's move Drake, Skitch an' Brackston up
there and get some bandages on all the wounds before we
bleed ta death. There's a boulder forming one wall of
the tunnel.  There's no way we're going to be able to
move with three of our guys out. We'll just have to
wait.  Poor dog.  I'd bandage the eye, but the wound's
too damn deep, I can see his brains in there. He'd just
bleed into his skull."

Pike, them ghouls hit ye twice, but ye didn't freeze.

"Courage mate, it's bred into the bones 'o every
Norseman."

It was well over an hour before the party could move,
and it was another hour before they emerged into the
open air.  The sun was low in the sky when they saw it
again at last.  They were in a forested canyon dotted
with piles of bones marked by various stone markers.

"I'm namin' this place the valley of the dead, any
objections? Looks like these various heaps o' bones
were from the loosing side of old battles.  You don't
get good graves when ye loose."

Pike looked at his men.  "If we were fresh, I'd say
let's double-time it back to Red Jack's fort, but we
wouldn't get there before night fall.  Plus we'd have
to fight our way through the enemy to get in, but I'm
limpin' like a club-foot, an it's easy ta see
Brackston's dizzy from lack o' blood.  Skitch winces
ever time he takes a big step 'an whenever Drake bends
over I see the pain in 'is eyes.  We're ripped ta shit.
Tryin' to fight our way through to the fort would be
simple suicide."

"Here's my plan, there's one other gate to the water
besides the cove - the box canyon.  Right now we're on
the edge of this valley.  We're going up hill, the
trees are starting to thin, and the terrain is getting
a little rockier. Let's take some trees, about four
straight medium-sized fairly long ones.  This valley
and the area around Jack's camp are the only two places
on the isle I've seen good timber.  Look at that tree
right over there, it's still standing, but it's dry and
dead.  We find four trees, clean off most of the
branches and attach ropes.  Once we're out the valley
we turn East an' scramble up the steep hills and cliffs
and into more open terrain.  It'll be tough because
just about every one of us will have to drag a tree an'
we're not in the best o' shape, but I think we can do
it."

"We'll be dead beat once we reach the plateau South of
the tombs and the burial mounds.  We can rest there.
Visibility is good up there even in moon light because
there are no trees an' few bushes.  We've got to be up
the cliffs by the time that sun sets, an' we don't have
long if we're going to get our timber and drag it up.
After we have a rest an' a meal, we start dragging our
trees over to the box canyon.  Skitch, you'll be
gathering something ta use for oars an' haulin' them.
It's going to be one hell of a tough time given how
beat up we are, but just remember.  If we get timber to
the Box canyon, we can build a raft usin' the rope we
have for climbing to lash the trees together.  Then we
can get the hell out while the undeads an' their lord
are still too preoccupied with the battle to be keeping
track of us. "

Pike cut and stripped four trees with his battle axe
and the group laboriously headed North, then East and
up. Thankfully they knew the terrain, for they had seen
from the cliff tops, while tracking Kent and Rapina,
that North was the only way out of the pit that Pike
called the valley of the dead.

-----

Rapina was escorted through a stout oak door and up a
long circular stair that wound its way around a central
shaft.  At the top of the shaft, beneath a domed stone
roof, hung another large whicker elevator-cage.  About
50 feet below the cage there was a landing in the
staircase that wrapped from the North side of the shaft
all the way around to the East and South.  It ended on
the South face of the shaft before continuing up as a
staircase.  Off the landing there were several oaken
doors, the first one led to the necromancer's chambers.
As the door was opened, her nose caught the scent of
myrrh.  The necromancer's abode was well-lit with white
mage-light from clear crystals suspended from the
ceilings.  The rooms were spacious, if stark and a bit
dusty.  Rapina was shown to a small guestroom.

"You'll be staying here for now.  If you prove a
difficult guest, then perhaps you would prefer to stay
with Kent instead of me?"  The necromancer raised an
eyebrow questioningly.  "Try to get some sleep.  I
usually sleep in the morning and early afternoon.  It
is more convenient to deal with my minions that way, as
they are normally quite sluggish during the daylight
hours."

"There is a chamber pot behind that door, a basin
there, and a desk.  This room was designed for an
acolyte, but the church has not seen fit to provide me
with one in all the time I have been here.  Kent said
you read. There are books there on the desk. Treat them
well and ask nicely and you will be given replacements
if you tire of them."

"Let us get one thing straight, young lady, you have
been rescued from the pirates and their fait because
war is not a woman's place. You are as much a criminal
as they are no matter what they might have done to you,
and if you do not behave yourself, you will face the
king's justice or mine, understood?"

"Yes Sir," Rapina said, hanging her head.  Rapina could
sense hardly a whit of lust from the necromancer.  At
the moment she was being treated like a child and she
felt at least as helpless as one. She knew the
necromancer's left hand was animated bone, but his
robes hid anything beyond that and she had no idea just
how much of the necromancer was man, and how much was
animated skeleton.  At this point she was feeling as if
there were more skeleton than man.

The necromancer locked the door to her room as he left,
and Rapina flopped onto the bed with a sigh. -----

As the last Rays of the sun disappeared over the
horizon, Pike's men pulled their timbers up onto the
plateau South of the tomb and burial mounds.

"Damn iv we dild id."  Brackston blinked.  The sky was
twirling overhead.

Pike winced as he saw Brackston fall.  "Damn is right."
The Norseman limped over to Brackston. "You okay?"

"Heey, wad habbent?" Brackston asked.

"Drink this, man, you're in bad shape.  You got dizzy
an' fell down, but we made it.  We're on the plateau,
and none too soon. Let's sit down, and have something
to eat.  Skitch, you un-jammed the door mechanisms to
the tomb, do you think the entry door opened?

Skitch puffed as he set down some oars he'd made from
the crusts of a couple old hollow logs.  "Hard to say.
How'd you get out the first time you got caught in the
entry room?"

"If there's weight in the top coffin-like side-tunnel
in the Southeast corner of the room, the entry slab
opens."

Well, if there was weight there, then the door will be
open.  If not, it'll be closed.  Why do you ask?

"Two reasons," Pike said between mouthfulls of hard
roll. "We left some dead in there that the necromancer
might be able to use unless we chop 'em up.  That an'
those men had weapons, valuables an' so on we could
take.  Once we reach land we're going need to live."

"We can check on the way by, I'd give it about a fifty-
fifty chance of bein' open.  Could be we could pry the
entry slab up a ways with one of these timbers too.  If
we can, I can get in and open it up.  Seems ta me if we
pry those gems off the coat of arms in the one room we
already tripped the trap in, we'd be set fer years."

"Good thinking." ----

A perimeter had been set up and the pirates had taken
up their positions in anticipation of attack.  Torches
and bonfires illuminated the area as well as casting
ominous looking shadows on the edge of the camp. The
centerpiece of Red Jack's defensive arrangement was a
fortified hillock. On the top of the hill was a couple
small tents and a large shallow, flat-bottomed
depression where the pirates' many wounded were
resting.  There was a ring around the hilltop with a
three-foot high, stockade-style log wall.  Behind it,
the pirates' archers took cover.

On the outside of the short stockade wall that ringed
the top of the hill was a dirt embankment.  Starting
from the embankment and going all the way down the
sides of the hill and beyond were row upon row of stout
wooden spears planted into the ground so that they
bristled toward the enemy.  Pikes and small trees
positioned around the top of the hill could be used to
pierce or bludgeon enemies trying to squeeze between
the rows and approach the fort.  Twenty yards away from
the base of the hill a ditch had been dug to stifle the
approach of battering rams that might rapidly break the
spears protecting the fort.  The ditch that ringed the
fort had a ring of spears planted on the near side to
slow the enemy and make them easier to hit for the
archers of the fort.

In anticipation of undead shadows not directed by the
isle's lord, because of having been spawned only last
night, a field of bon-fires and torches had been
arranged.  These sat between the base of the array of
spears on the hill and the ring of spears near the
ditch so that the archers might spot and fire on the
shadows.  This plan would only be good for as long as
the fires burned brightly, but Red Jack expected these
uncontrolled undeads to come to feed as soon as night
fell.  Some of the heartier pirates stood near the
start of the spears not far from the base of the hill.
The archers could fire over their heads with ease, but
these men were present to kill any shadows the archers
missed before they started working their way through
the spears to the fort.

As tired as they were from building the fort all day,
none of the pirates was able to sleep.  Their fear was
too strong to allow that.  It was fortunate that they
were all awake.  Had even a few of them been sleeping
the undead that surged forth would have overwhelmed
them in minutes.

The half-elf was one of the first to spot the shadows
trying to slip into camp.  A silent hand signal from
Arzeal was all it took to spur the other archers to
action.  Flaming arrows flying overhead alerted the
pirates on the ground to the shadows' presence.  The
shadows had lost the element of surprise.

The pirates on the ground took up their positions
holding their weapons at the ready. Arzeal smiled as
one of his resin-arrows engulfed a shadow in its fiery
embrace.  The pirates were ready this time.  He let fly
another flaming arrow as he spotted another shadow
working its way around the left flank.

The archer's arrows lit up the sky alerting Logan and
his men to the shadows' approach.  Torch in one hand
and sword in the other he took up his position with his
men. The front line was a dangerous place to be. Yet,
how could Logan expect his men to die for him if he was
not ready to die for them?  He might not live to see
the light of another day, but at least he would die
fighting. Three dark forms surged around the sharpened
stakes and at Logan and his men. They rushed forth to
meet their foes with fearsome battle cries.

From the hilltop fort, the captain surveyed the scene
unfolding before him with his spyglass. Arzeal and his
archers were doing quite a number on the shadows.  The
fact that they picked their shots wisely and didn't
madly fire all their arrows away said something for the
master archer's training of his men. Logan and his
soldiers were doing well so far at keeping the shadows
that slipped through at bay.  He shivered as he
remembered the chill touch of the shadow.  "Good luck
my friend," the captain said aloud.

Movement at the perimeter caught Jack's eye.  A joint
force of skeleton's and zombies was emerging from the
darkness.  The zombies were in front and the first rank
of them carried shields. Behind the zombies were
skeletons bearing a bridge of planks covered in a layer
of mud. Behind and flanking them were skeletons
wielding bows.  As they walked forward, the skeleton
archers let fly arrows over the heads of the soldiers
in front of them.  "Damn!  He's got a small army of tha
walkin' dead an' some of 'em have bows!  I was
wonderin' where are dead from last night got to, damned
zombies!" Jack bellowed.

If it weren't for the archers, his men could have held
the skeletons off with only small losses.  At least
Jack was pretty sure they could have. Unfortunately the
men who were gathering to meet the zombies when they
crossed the ditch were being filled full of holes.

"Jump the spears an' into the ditch, Logan, them arrows
are decimatin' ye!

Arzeal and his archers let fly trying to cut down some
of the skeletons firing on Logan's men.  Unfortunately,
many of the shots that hit went right through the
skeletons.  Damn! shoot for the pelvis and use
broadheads if you've got 'em, it's our best bet! Arzeal
yelled.

"Arzeal, unveil yer little monster.  I don't want these
hair-cuts ye gave us ta be in vain.  That bridge
they're carryin' could be are doom, knock it out o'
their hands.  Archers, concentrate on tryin' ta blast
through th' zombies in front o' the right side o' the
bridge they're carryin' that's are target," Captain Red
Jack ordered.

A couple of archers pealed back the supply tent
revealing a small catapult with a torsion spring made
of the men's shorn hair.

Arzeal released a flame-arrow that turned the zombie
walking in font of the right side of the earth-covered
bridge into a walking torch.  This lit the way for his
archers' arrows.  That accomplished he put his bow back
on his back and unveiled his little monster, a
catapult.

Arzeal aimed the little monster he had worked on all
day and let fly.  The first stone went long and to the
right.  Arzeal made a couple of adjustments as four of
his men worked to cock the catapult again.

The Zombies in front of the right side of the portable
bridge fell down in a hail of arrows.

Without the zombies in front of them, the skeletons
were not as well protected, but they were able to move
more quickly.  The archers behind them rained arrows on
any of Logan's men not already in the ditch.

The second shot of the catapult was short, but centered
nicely. Crank it with everything you've got, men, if
you're quick enough, that bridge will be passing though
the area our last stone hit.  The men redoubled their
efforts. "Just as soon the catapult's arm hits the
stops, release it. I'll see if I can soften 'em up for
you," the half-elf said.

Arzeal took his bow up again and pulled arrow after
arrow from his quiver.  He had almost no time to aim,
but many of his shots were superb.  One by one the
Skeletons along the right side of the bridge began to
fall.  Oddly, other skeletons from farther back dropped
their weapons and took the places of their fallen
comrades, though not nearly as quickly as would have
been the case had the army been a little less deficient
of intelligence. Arzeal suspected someone was giving
orders, but all he could see was an army of skeletons.
He and his archers kept up a heavy rain of arrows.

The men released the catapult.  The stone arced up and
slammed onto the right side of the portable bridge, the
one weakened by the concentrated fire of Arzeal's
archers.  That side of the bridge dropped and a great
deal of mud loosened from the surface of the bridge.

Arzeal dropped his bow and made the slightest
adjustment to the aim of the catapult.  His men cranked
it back so fast it seemed that they knew their lives
depended on it. The bridge was dangerously close to the
ditch, and this would be their last, best shot.

Arzeal grabbed his bow and crouched at the edge of the
stockade wall, releasing arrow after arrow.

Zombies began pouring into the ditch.  Logan and his
men fought hard, hacking at the unyielding zombies with
energy born of terror.

"Fighting withdrawal men, fighting withdrawal! There
are too damn many reachin' the ditch at once!  Let's
fall back to the opposite side of the ring to hole up
in the fort if necessary.  We're outnumbered, those
damned unexpected undead archers hit too damn many of
us.

The impromptu artillerists released the catapult arm
again and the stone slammed into the left side of the
bridge.  The shock shattered the wrists of many of the
skeletons.

There was a moment when it seemed as though the one
side of the bridge would remain up.  That moment passed
as Arzeal took out two of the skeletons whose wrists
had held and the second side of the bridge fell to the
ground.  "Keep firing! Arzeal screamed.

There was a moment of hesitation as arrows poured down
at the skeletons, and then the remainder of the undead
army ran forward and took cover in the ditch.  The
skeleton army began to fire on the pirates behind the
stockade wall of the fort, but few shots were telling
on either side because both sides had good cover.

Logan and his men fought bravely, but even with support
from the better pirate archers, it was a loosing battle
against superior numbers. ---

Rapina could not sleep. She just lay on the bed curled
into a ball.  So much had happened and it was all so
horrible.  Rapina did not even want to think about it.
The room and the rest of the Necromancer's chambers
were a bit chilly owing to the fact that they had been
carved inside a granite cliff.  Deep underground
temperatures stayed around fifty degrees, and Rapina
estimated the chambers of the Necromancer were no
warmer than sixty-five degrees.  Rapina hardly noticed,
because she had dressed for underground temperatures
owing to the mission she had been on. She wore baggy
drawstring pants, a loose long-sleeved tunic and a
baggy sir-coat pillaged from some soldier on the
blockade Red Jack had recently destroyed.

After a time she looked at her surroundings. The room
was lit by two tiny mage-lights, one on a plaque-like
arrangement just above the head of the bed, and the
other similarly attached to the wall above the desk.
Both lamps had a cap held by a loose ring and chain
that could be screwed on over the lights.  The one over
the bed also had a red glass cap that could be used
instead of the metal one. The walls were rough, and
showed the mark of both chisel and pickaxe.  Rapina
guessed that tireless undead workers had mined the room
out of the stone.

Rapina got up to look around.  On one side of her room
were two doors.  One opened into a tiny room containing
the chamber pot, the other led into a small room with a
decanter, basin and dressing table, and the entrance to
a walk-in closet.  Rapina decided that if this room had
been designed for an acolyte, the church of Mortaebius
must be wealthy, or the necromancer and his servants
had too much time on their hands.

Rapina sat down at the dressing table.  She was a mess,
her hair was tangled and she smelled like smoke.  Her
face was covered with a mixture of soot and dried slime
from Kent's hideous tongue.  The closet was mostly
empty, but a few garments hung from hooks and hangers,
and there were a few more in the chest of drawers at
the far end of the closet. Rapina did not know where
the Necromancer had come by women's clothing, but she
tried not to dwell on the obvious conclusion that the
garments had been "borrowed" from someone too dead to
miss them. At least they seemed clean. Rapina used
nearly all of the water in the decanter washing
herself.  She needed a bath but she did the best she
could using the basin.  When she was done, she put on
the petticoats, dress, and sweater within the closet.
The dress was actually a little big for her, except in
the bust where it was too small, but at least she could
get it on.

There were three books on the shelf beside the desk,
two were storybooks, and one was a holy book concerning
the god of the dead.  Rapina quickly read the first
chapter of one of the storybooks and then got into bed
with the book on Mortaebius.  She needed to find out
everything she could about the necromancer and his god.


At some point, Rapina must have fallen asleep.  The
horrors of the previous night and morning had taxed her
severely.  She slept like the dead for a few hours and
then began having horrible nightmares as her mind tried
to cope with what she had been through.  She woke in a
sweat when there came a knocking on her chamber door.

"Rouse yourself. "

Rapina flew from her bed and replaced the Mortaebius
book on the shelf.

"Come out and follow the guards I have assigned to you.
They will escort you to the kitchen where you are to
prepare breakfast for us both. Do not attempt to take
any knives out of the kitchen, or the guards will kill
you.  I will return shortly after a conference with my
minions."

Rapina scowled.  She had only been here a few hours and
already she was being put to work.

Once in the kitchen, Rapina cooked a breakfast
consisting of eggs and oatmeal.  The necromancer did
not have a great deal in his kitchen. There were large
crocks of various grains and beans, and a loaf of
bread.  The iron cook stove was small, but modern.
Rapina served the priest in the great hall when he
arrived.  It would have been easier to serve him in the
breakfast nook off the kitchen, but not as safe for the
necromancer since knives were close at hand.

When the necromancer arrived, he placed a board on the
table before him.  There was a model of sorts built on
top of it, a little hillock fort with a ditch around it
rendered in clay and twigs.

"You may serve breakfast now, Ripina, I have arrived."

"There wasn't much here so I fixed oatmeal and eggs,"
Rapina called from the kitchen.

"Splendid, I am used to simple fare.  We are too far
away from a town for better, and up until now I have
always had to cook for myself.  The skeletons are too
simple for such tasks.  They can scrub floors
adequately, but they have no sense of smell and tend to
burn anything they attempt to cook.

Rapina brought the tray of food in from the kitchen.
"Did Kent tell you my name?"

The necromancer raised his eyebrows as he saw Rapina,
"Indeed."

Rapina's nose tingled as she sensed lust.  "It's
Rapina, actually, he doesn't pronounce things very
clearly anymore."

"Yes.  I am Guardian Thane of the Mortaebian order of
Death's Peace."

"A priest?" Rapina wrinkled her nose involuntarily.

Thane chuckled, "You don't like priests?"

"I've had a little experience with priests, all of it
bad.  One was a lecherous 'celibate' priest, and well,
the other turned one of the only friends I had into a
terrifying undead monster who recently ate the cook I
worked for when I was first taken by the pirates."

Thane laughed.  "My order is not known for its
kindness.  Most of the priests of Mortabius are nothing
more than undertakers - morticians.  They conduct
funerals, build caskets, embalm, dress and beautify the
deceased, serve feasts in honor of the dead, that sort
of thing.  It strikes most as a ghoulish profession,
but many of Mortaebius' priests are married in spite of
that, for the business of the church provides a good
living.  Those of us who distinguish ourselves as
powerful guardians of the dead often take on more
serious duties.  We are a little less... naive of our
god's strengths."

"A little?" Rapina asked.

"Every church has its strong arm.  Some have orders of
knights or militant orders of monks.  Mortaebius'
church is no exception.  We are the guardians of the
dead when our more peaceful brethren find the enemies
of Mortaebius too difficult to best.  Our order
generally grows during times of war, and gets swept
under the rug during times of peace, but we are an old
and powerful order. The church has always needed us.
Few priests enter the order directly.  Most are
recruited from other orders.  I am also a member of the
order of Death's Peace, a common funereal order that
specializes in the maintenance and protection of burial
sites.  It is not so uncommon for priests of my order
who have distinguished themselves in combat or magic to
receive a secret invitation to join a hidden order."

Rapina sat down to eat, "You were a mortician?"

The necromancer nodded.

"A family thing?" Rapina asked.

"No, actually my father was a clothier who catered to
the wealthy.  His life was an endless series of social
events with people above his station who lauded his
design sense and depended on him to keep them in up-to-
date fashions.  He knew just how to play them, just how
to appeal to their vanity.  I found it intolerable.
Thankfully, one of our good customers died and I had
the chance to work with a priest of Mortaebius on the
clothing for the deceased."

"And now you make them walk instead of dressing them?"

"That is another story.  Now how did you happen to
become a member of the crew of the infamous Red Jack?"

Rapina was about to make up a tail when she realized
that Kent had probably told the necromancer everything
he knew.  At least she could not rule out the
possibility of Guardian Thane checking out her story
with the ghoul.  "How did I become a crewman?  A
priest, of course, my luck with priests is hideous. He
was a powerful man with the town wrapped around his
finger. Very like your father in some ways, he knew
just how play them, and he loved it.  The townspeople
hung on his every word, he was a holy man among holy
men, and during his off-hours, he was a lecher and a
rapist who preyed on the town's young women. If a woman
talked or refused to cooperate, she sickened or had an
accident.

I escaped his clutches and ran from the constable who
he controlled.  Kent and his friends fished me out of
the river onto their stolen fishing boat. I was nearly
drowned, but the river had delivered me from my
priestly troubles.  The boys wanted to join Red Jack's
crew; they had a romantic vision of piracy.  I knew the
priest would get the law after me.  Therefore when the
pirates found us, before the boys could give me over as
a gift to the captain as they'd planned, I told the
pirates that the boys and I wanted to join the crew."

"And they let you join just like that?" the necromancer
asked dubiously.

"It was sometimes a horror, sometimes not so bad, but
it was probably better than a damp cell under a church
with a man who, for all his vaunted holiness, was
meaner to me than Captain Red Jack."

"Meaner than a notorious pirate captain?  No wonder you
mislike priests," Thane chuckled.  I suppose you know
his better side, but your captain is infamous up and
down the river Augustana. Even I know about him, and I
do not get out much.  He has brought so much business
to my church I almost feel like thanking him. He and
his men are cold-blooded killers, criminals of the
first degree, and tonight I will crush them like bugs
under Mortaebius' mighty boot."

"Is that?" Rapina pointed to the clay hillock on the
board.

"A model of the fort they built.  You told Dominic you
did not know whether they would go or stay, evidently
they have decided to stay. Now I must figure out how to
best them with what remains of my resources."

"You're wearing a glove today?" Rapina asked.

"Only because I was painting," replied the necromancer.

"You're an artist?" Rapina asked.

The necromancer laughed.  "I am if you count painting
ghouls and skeletons black.  Actually, I did paint
white bones on a ghoul painted black so he would look
like a skeleton.  Does that count?"

Rapina closed her eyes.  "I can't believe I'm talking
to a man who makes dead people walk and kill and eat
living people."

"It seems hideous to you now, but remember, I was a
mortician, dead bodies to me are like trees to a
lumberman.  Red Jack makes living people rape, ruin and
kill living people.  I ask you, which of us is *really*
more frightening?"

"Okay, so you're both horrors," Rapina said.

"Quite so, but at least we're honest," the necromancer
affirmed.

Rapina groaned.

"This is war, Rapina.  You may see my forces as
something out of a nightmare, but essentially Jack and
I are fighting.  He wants this island as a base. I want
to wipe him from the face of Ifreann as a public
service and because, frankly, It will boost my
reputation in the Order of the Shroud by a thousand
percent. Moreover it might secure me access to learning
that might take me a lifetime to acquire otherwise -
true wizardry."

Rapina sighed.

------------

Logan's men retreated up the hill on the opposite side,
away from the downed bridge and the highest
concentration of archers. Unfortunately, as his forces
were climbing through the spears to the safety of the
fort, more and more enemy archers reached Logan's side
of the hillock.  Arzeal tried to pin them down with
fire, but too many shots got through, killing many good
men.  Logan himself barely made it over the stockade
wall. He'd been grazed several times and had an arrow
sticking through the skin of his calf.

The next hour flew by.  What remained of Logan's men
had their wounds patched and either joined the many
wounded at the fort's center or joined the defenders if
they were able-bodied.  Some who should have been lying
with the wounded helped the archers instead.  Their
fear prevented them from lying back to trust their
mates to take care of the battle. ----


"Who's winning?" Rapina said pensively as Thane emerged
from his chambers to fetch a snack.  She was doing the
dishes with several skeletons standing between her and
Thane.  She thought about tossing a knife at him, but
considering he'd ordered the skeletons to kill her if
she did, she thought better of it.

"Neither side, but I am making progress.  Your captain
built himself a small catapult and foiled my plan to
quickly bridge his ditch and use a battering ram on his
spears to win the night.  His archers have caused much
greater casualties to my forces than I had anticipated,
but I captured the ditch and let the bon fires between
the ditch and the base of the hill burn down to embers.


While some relief archers dashed in from the South
drawing missile fire and, more importantly that half-
elven archer, a few ghouls painted black snuck up on
the ditch from the North.  Kent is already there.  It
was he who was painted like a skeleton. He commanded
the main body of my forces."

"Now he and the other ghouls will start tunneling in
earnest, and they are excellent tunnelers.  Kent
himself has already in this last hour made progress on
a tunnel, and some of the skeletons who lack bows or
arrows have built a bridge of earth over the ditch well
away from the tunnel.  Now that I have more ghouls on
the job, the skeletons will pile more dirt up and build
bridges across the ditch.  I have a little surprise in
store for the pirates, just something to keep them busy
and weaken their defenses..." ---

Arzeal crouched behind the fort's South stockade wall.
"That's the best we'll do, the new skeleton archers are
in the ditch now. Those two ranks in the front with
shields didn't help us any, but you did well, men, we
knocked out a third of 'em, and wounded at least half.
Every one of those archers that gets through to the
ditch is another thorn in our sides."

"I sure wish we had more regular flame arrows, those
bon fires are useless anymore. I know you men are
having trouble seeing the enemy.  Trouble is we've shot
more arrows already tonight than we'd use in several
raids.  How're things over North, Brent?"

"Seem quiet sir, but I think I seen a shadow out there
jump into the ditch."

"Damn, I'd hoped we'd rid areselves o' all th' shadows
at the start o' th' evening, but I guess there had ta
be a few that got here late." What worried Jack was the
fact that he hadn't seen any ghouls yet.  They had hurt
the pirates badly the last time. "Wonder where he's got
'is damn ghouls."

"Skeletons! Damn they're almost on top of the ditch
already. It's hard to see 'em even with my eyes, their
bodies are no warmer than the air," Arzeal said.

"What the hell Arzeal, have you gone daft?" the captain
asked.

Arzeal picked up one of his remaining resin arrows and
let fly. There was the familiar poof! and a skeleton no
one could see went up in flames.  He was the front
creature in a team of runners carrying a tall dead
evergreen like a lance.

Archers, man th' Nor' wall!  What in hell's name is
that?  A team o' Skeletons painted black carryin' a
dead pine tree like a lance?" Captain Red Jack queried.


The archers fired on the tree-wielding skeletons, but
even with the light of Arzeal's flameing skeleton, it
was still hard for the men to see the black skeletons
against the dark night and the dark tree branches, and
by the time the men from the South wall switched sides
to the North, the skeletons had already run across the
ditch.

"Did ye see that, those skeletons hardly sank down when
they hit the ditch, it must be partly filled right
there," the captain observed.

Only the men to the far sides of the North wall had
good shots, the rest were left trying to shoot through
hundreds of tree branches.

The black skeletons sprinted over the earth bridge
across the ditch and headed for the base of the hill.

One of the men happened to shoot a flaming arrow into
the tree's dead folliage, and the whole tree, save the
base where the skeletons held it went up in a roar of
flames.

By the time the skeletons reached the base of the hill,
only half their original number remained, but it was
barely enough.  Their great spear was already tilted
and aflame, it fell nearly all the way up the hill.
Their mission completed, the black skeletons sprinted
for the ditch.  In spite of the darkness, the pirate
archers shattered several with arrows before they
reached safety.

The archers backed away from the heat of the flaming
tree.  Pine burned fast, and this tree was burning even
faster than it should have, the flames were intensely
hot and they were burning the wooden spears all the way
up the hill.

"You men, take those buckets an' start throwin' dirt on
the upper section o' the tree, it may seem like a
fool's errand now, but every pair 'o spears we can save
will slow a charge by a few precious seconds," Red Jack
said.

A man stood high to get a good shot at the fire with
his bucket of dirt and fell back with three arrows
buried in his chest.

"Keep low an' behind cover, men, yer just as vulnerable
ta enemy fire with a bucket as ye are with a bow!" Jack
shouted. ---

Rapina was cleaning the kitchen when the necromancer
returned.

"My trick worked, but that damned archer nearly foiled
me again. He and his men have bailed Captain Red Jack
out several times now."

"He's one of Jack's nicest men."

"A nice pirate?  Please!  Nice or not, he _is_ a
problem," Thane rubbed his chin as if thinking.

"What did you do?" Rapina asked.

"The skeletons I painted black ran a pine tree up to
the base of the pirate fort's spears and landed it
nearly the whole way up the hill.  I had Kent paint the
trunk and many of the major limbs with pine tar.  It's
burning wildly, taking the pirate's spears in that area
with it."

Rapina scowled.

"Thane chuckled.  Such loyalty for a bunch of cold-
blooded killers is astounding, especially in a lady
they no doubt abused to no end.  Red Jack must be
charismatic, indeed."

Rapina felt like stabbing the necromancer with a
kitchen knife, but she knew his six skeleton guards
would cut her to ribbons in an instant if she tried
anything.  Even if she killed the man instantly with an
incredibly lucky throw, she would be joining him in
death before she could even pick up another knife, and
a knife would be a laughable weapon against one of the
necromancer's double-strength skeletons.

On the other hand, she could not help but see the evil
magician's point.  Jack and all his men killed innocent
people for a living. It seemed that ever since
Evangeline had brought his evil down upon her and
forced her to claim the powers of the lust spirit, she
could not escape the darkness. -----

[Rapina]016 Defeat in Darkness

Rapina yawned as she sat on a large chair in the
necromancer's dinning hall.  She was reading here only
because she knew Thane would walk through the hall on
his way from his scrying chamber to the kitchen.  She
had finished cleaning and knew from the water clock
above the mantle that dawn would be coming in about
three hours.

Thane wiped the sweat off his brow and wandered by
Rapina into the kitchen.

Rapina followed.  "You didn't say anything, is
something wrong?"

"Yes, that damned half-elven archer.  Every time I
expend the power to look into my magic pool for a
glance at the battlefield, he's knocked the skulls off
a few more of my archers.  My minions tried another
burning tree, but this time the pirates saw it sooner
and set it immediately aflame.  They concentrated on
the skeletons on only one side, and the tree fell down
just short of the hill.  Thanks to Kent, the remaining
skeletons lifted it and tried to land it as they had
the other, but it went over on an angle.  Its swath
only reaches about half way up the hill."

"My troops are nearly gone.  The pirates might storm
out of their camp and kill the skeleton archers that
are left, but for the fact that Kent has the remaining
troops crawling around in the ditch poking their heads
up and firing at different locations around the ditch
so that it appears as though there are more archers
than there really are. I've quite a few headless
archers, but I don't dare have them set their skulls on
the edge of the ditch.  Your Arzeal would shoot them
off with one arrow to the skull.  I believe the pirates
will eventually run out of arrows, but we too are
running low."

"You mean you've lost?"  Rapina could not help that her
voice brightened slightly.

Thane chuckled, "You sound so disappointed that I have
not wiped the infamous Red Jack and all his men off the
face of Ifreann, but I must win.  I am not getting any
younger, and I've cast the spells I have a thousand
times.  I can practically do them in my sleep!  I need
access to greater wizardry and to be initiated into
Mortaebius' inner circle.  This battle has been
tiresome and draining on my resources.  I've used up
all of the skeletons and animation scrolls I had saved
up over the years and I've still come up short.

It appears that I will have to make a personal
appearance if I am to deliver Red Jack to the
authorities in chains, which reminds me, I'd better
bring manacles.  I'll bolster my forces with some
additional arrows, my household guards and the
skeletons remaining in the tomb.  With the addition of
a little magic, my final back-up plan should be far
more lethal than it would have been without me, and I
have a most interesting surrogate to draw the archer's
arrows." ---

"Arr, it's been a long, evil night.  Only a couple
hours left until dawn.  How're we doin' Arzeal?"

"Not well sir.  We don't have more than four score
arrows left, and a quarter of those are in my own
quiver. Half of the remainder we got from the enemy by
pulling them out of the ground in the fort and out of
our own men.  The bright side is, I think the enemy is
low on arrows as well.  They've been firing fewer and
fewer as the hours passed.  I think I've made a dent in
their numbers too, although skulless skeletons cannot
really be counted as dead, being headless seems to ruin
them for good archery."

"Aye," the captain chuckled.  We 'ave ye ta thank for
most o' the headlesses, but they aren't the only ones
with wounded. I've ne'r seen a sorrier lot o' pirates.
We could break out o' the fort on one side, an see if
we could best th' boneys hand ta hand, but I'm afraid
there'd not be enough able-bodied left ta make us some
bloody rafts ta get the hell outa here."

"Arzeal nodded.  True, and we'll not escape with our
wounded unless we can make it until dawn.  The thing
that bothers me is, if the enemy has anything left to
throw at us, chances are we'll be seeing it soon."

"Aye."

Slasher cupped his hand to his hear.  "Cap'n I think ye
better take a look this way, I'm hearin' mail."

Tense minutes passed as the pirates strained their
eyes, trying to see what they were hearing.

"Son o' a bitch!  You men get that catapult over here."


Riding in from the East in a loose wedge formation on
black, leather-clad skeletal horses were nine black-
robed horseman.

"Damn it! Look at the one in th' front, 'is eyes're
glowin' red like embers an look at the size of 'im, 'es
got ta be eight foot tall.  'Is shield would make a
good table top 'an th' skeleton horse 'e's ridin' must
'ave won prizes when she warr alive fer bein' the
biggest draft nag around.  Th' other two horses are
near as big, an' th' riders are big, but nothin' like
their leader. Give 'em hell in arrows as they approach,
men."

Behind the horsemen marching double-time were 18 troops
in bronze plate mail with halberds or two-handed
swords.

"Heavy armor, I don't like it.  Arzeal, how many o'
them incendiary arrows have ye got left?" the captain
asked.

"Three sir," said Arzeal.

"Get the horsemen on either side o' the big guy, then
see if ye can nail Ol' Red-Eyes w' the catapult.  Save
one o' those flame arrows fer emergency use," the
captain ordered.

Arzeal grinned and peaked his head up from the wall.  A
couple enemy arrows sang though the air, but neither
hit the half-elf as he loosed two shafts.

The robed figures on either side of the giant burst
into flames.

The pirates cheered, but the cheer was short-lived as
the riders threw off their thick cowls, and with them,
most of the flaming resin.  Underneath the cowls the
pirates saw skeletons clad in leather with metal
helmets and breast plates.  Astonishingly, they seemed
to have enough sense to pat out the remaining flames.

The riders picked up their pace and thundered towards
the ditch around the fort.  The mail-clad warriors
behind them broke into a run.  They did not have far to
go, for the dark cowls had allowed them to approach
relatively close to the camp, in spite of the sound of
their mail.

"Damn cowls.  Spend are arrows, this is it boys!
Catapult, loose when ready!  Keep low an' snatch up th'
arrows the enemy shoots inta camp!" the captain
ordered.

Arzeal released the catapult arm, then gritted his
teeth as the rock flew. Slam!  The catapult stone
crashed into the giant's shield, knocking him off his
horse.

"Yeahhhss!"  The pirates yelled in triumph.

"Damn!"  The captain watched as Ol' Red Eyes threw his
ruined shield aside drew a two-handed sword with one
hand and ran to remount his horse.  "Crank it mates!"

The pirates at the catapult cranked like maniacs.

The pirate archers let loose with a hail of arrows,
many of them piercing the breast plates of the oncoming
skeleton cavalrymen, but piercing plate on a man was
much more telling than piercing plate on a monstrosity
of bone.  The cavalry kept coming.

The first horseman reached the ditch, jumped it and
thundered up the hill where the pine tree had burned
the fort's spears to ash. The other's followed, save
the fourth horse.  It jumped into the ditch and lied
down out of sight.

"What's with that fourth cavalryman?  Archers, keep
doin' what ye're doin.  Logan, prepare ta raise pikes
an' defend th' wall, but keep low an' don't raise pikes
till those horses are in pikein' range."

Arzeal said a silent prayer and let loose with another
catapult stone.  Damn!  The stone went wide of the huge
warrior as he remounted his skeletal horse and jumped
the ditch in a single bound following the rest of the
cavalry.

At the last second, Logan's men raised pikes, the lead
rider could not stop in time.  He crashed into the
pike, snapping it and falling from his skeleton horse.
The horse itself was pierced in three places but it was
not broken.  It pushed forward threatening to overwhelm
the men.

"Push left men, flip the beast off its hooves."

The pirates wrestled with the stupid bag of bones, and
then cheered as it went over.

The next skeleton rider tried to jump the first but
went down when the first horse kicked the second
horse's legs as it was trying to regain its footing.
The cavalry charge was broken!

"If this is all ye've got, we'll carve yer hoard Ol'
Red Eyes!" the captain bellowed

A welter of weighty curses roared up from the fighting
men as they defended the fort.

A wounded pirate whimpered and was silent.

The mailed troops arrived at the ditch, many with a few
arrows sticking out of them.  They jumped in and spread
around, surrounding the fort.

As the pirates fought to keep several skeleton horses
and riders out of the fort, they were taken by a
horrible surprise.

"Aaaaiiiii!"  From the center of the fort in the
depression where the wounded were kept out of harms
way, a man screamed.

The captain glanced at the wounded and his face
contorted into a grimace of horror.

five ghouls and three shadows burst from the ground in
several locations.

Ghouls! Grab a spear!  The captain himself bent to grab
a spear, then suddenly the lights went out.  "Damn it
Arzeal I can't see! What's happinin'" Captain Red Jack
hollered.

Blinded Pirates screamed as the ghouls and shadows
attacked from within the camp.

"Sir, I'm blind as well!  Arzeal scrambled for the
parapet wall bumping past a few men and receiving a
horrible chill to the belly as he went to the West, the
side opposite the cavalry charge.  He could see
nothing, the darkness around him was as thick and black
as old ink.  Logan can you see?"

"Nay! but the riders can!  I don't know if I'm cuttin'
me own men or th' enemy.  Uhhhhh!"

Screams and paralyzed yelps erupted all over the camp
as the ghouls and shadows slashed and chilled their way
through the blinded pirates.

Kent sensed the presence and life force of Captain Red
Jack as the pirate captain whirled his bladed spear
around and around, turning frequently to fend off
unseen enemies.  Kent dropped to a crawl, his grossly
bloated belly dragging on the ground.  The screams of
the pirates covered any sound he made.  Suddenly Kent
lunged; he sunk both sets of his claws through the
captain's pants just above the boots as he bit the
captain's knee cap.

Aaargh! ghoulish claws pierced his skin behind one knee
and a welter of fear surged up the pirate captain's
leg.  No! he growled, resisting the fell magic.  The
captain raised his spear and brought it down, but
before it struck flesh, teeth and claws sunk into the
other leg sending a double-blast of fear up the
captain's spine.  Red Jack froze in horror, he could
not move!

Kent poked his prize several times making sure the fear
had taken hold of him.  He pushed the captain down and
made for the next pirate.

Arzeal jumped the parapet wall. Keeping low he squeezed
between the spears and headed downhill as fast as he
could.  An arrow grazed his side and another stuck in
his boot before he could again see.  Positioned around
the ditch were skeleton archers. At least half had set
ruined skulls in the dirt at the edge of the ditch,
while their bodies fired from behind.  A glance back at
the camp confirmed his suspicion - magical darkness.

The archer moved nimbly down hill, jumping through the
spears, loosing a shaft each time he landed.  With each
shot the skull of an enemy archer splintered or was
knocked back into the ditch.  Arzeal could see the
mailed troopers moving to surround the fort.  The half-
elf jumped into the area cleared by the enemy's second
flaming pine tree and took off at a dead run. Five of
the cavalrymen had broken off their attack and were now
circling around the base of the hill, just outside the
first ring of spears.  Arzeal reached the bottom of the
hill and sprinted between two circling horsemen, one
was Ol' Red-Eyes himself.  The half-elf took the ditch
in a single leap with two enormous cavalry not far
behind.  An arrow pierced his quiver and stuck into his
back, but Arzeal was running for his life, he could
barely feel the pain.

The horses gained with every step, Arzeal ran faster
than he'd ever run before.  There was a warrior on
either side of him and blades were coming to end his
life when, somehow, Arzeal ran under the limb of a
large oak that had been too big for the men to spend
the time cutting when they were clearing for the fort.
Arzeal went down as the tip of a giant sword snagged
his quiver and gashed his back, then there was an
explosion of splintering bones and wood as the oak
defended its elven child.

The fall had snapped the arrow in his back and half
pulled it out.  The archer rolled out of his fall and
came up standing, bow in hand.  The heads and necks of
both skeletal horses had been removed, and Red-Eyes'
taller horse had a sundered chest and shoulders, it's
hind legs tried to move but were useless without
forelegs.  Red-Eyes had been unhorsed once again.
Arzeal watched in horror as the giant stood and grabbed
his sword.  The other horse had lost its head, and it's
rider had lost both its head and shoulders.

Arzeal pulled the arrow tip from his back as the giant
warrior stood. The half-elf loosed a shaft into the
giant's kneecap and took off running while Red-Eyes
retrieved his sword.  Arzeal made it to the edge of the
forest West of the camp and darted into the trees,
sticking to heavy foliage.  He could hear limbs
snapping as the juggernaut behind him crashed through
the forest in hot pursuit.  The archer veered South.
After a few minutes, he ran through an area where some
timber had been cut in the making of the fort and its
bon fires.  He knew about where he was.  The half elf
sheathed his bow and scooped up an eight-foot section
of a tree that was being cut into logs of firewood for
the bon fires when evening had forced the cutting to a
halt.

Arzeal remembered how the pirates' cook, Fishy, had
lost his legs. The archer hid behind a large tree, and
when the giant skeleton thundered through the clearing
towards him, the half elf swung the heavy length of
timber at the skeleton's nearest knee.  The skeleton's
huge sword swished just above Arzeal's hunched head,
embedding itself fully six inches into the tree as the
skeleton's knee snapped with the combined force of the
giant's forward momentum and Arzeal's frantic whole-
body swing.  Arzeal darted around back of the tree as
the huge skeleton went down. When he came around behind
it, he saw the creature was still hanging onto its
sword, although the sword was still embedded in the
tree.  The archer wasted no time.  He brought his
length of firewood down on the giant's shoulder, just
outside the breast plate.  There was a crunch and the
monstrosity's right arm, still grasping the sword, was
severed from its shoulder.

The archer tossed the log aside and scrambled for a
smaller one that he could swing more rapidly.  At seven
feet long and two to three inches in diameter, it was
still a huge club. The skeleton had just managed to
flop its way around so that its left arm could grasp
its sword when Arzeal brought the new club slamming
into the side of its neck, but the neck held.  Arzeal
jumped but still his boot and some of the skin of his
foot was carved right off.  The skeleton had incredible
speed and strength.  The archer countered with a swing
to the giant's wrist.  It's grip was broken, but its
wrist was not.  Arzeal stood on the sword and swung
again, breaking the wrist to flinders.

The nimble half elf raced around the giant as it
flipped and stumbled, trying to reach him in spite of
missing half it's right leg, it's right arm and its
left hand.  Arzeal had a hunch.  He pulled his sheath
knife, darted in and jumped on the creature's back. The
skeleton bucked like a bronco, but the archer severed
the strap of its helm before being tossed off and
rolling away.  Another deft swing of the club and the
monster's steel helmet flew from its skull.  Its Red
ember eyes stared blankly at the half elf as he darted
in to club the creature's skull, once, twice, thrice...
Cracks began forming, and on the seventh blow Arzeal
blew the giant's mighty cranium apart. Arzeal smiled.

The skull had been carefully sectioned off just below
the eyes by a stout piece of tar-paper.  The ember
effect was caused by the pattern of ink stains within
the top half of the creature's skull.  The intricate
pattern of black and white inside the skull reflected
the light of a clear crystal mage-light set and screwed
into the skull between the eyes just above the nasal
hole.  Every angle one looked at the red glass eyes
produced different reflections, and movement of the
head changed the pattern seen and made the eyes seem to
flicker like embers.  Arzeal carefully unscrewed the
mage light and slipped it into his pouch.  He could
hear his mates scream off to the Northeast.  Arzeal
sighed, hefted his original eight-foot length of wood
and headed South.

The half-elf staggered the fifty paces remaining before
reaching the lagoon, and then he slipped into the water
behind the log. Beneath the water, he kicked as
strongly as he could, but the pain in his back was
growing.

Thane peeked over the edge of the ditch with a
commandeered skeleton's shield in hand.  It was very
dark but a spell of life-vision had fixed that.  Thane
now saw the world in much the same way as did his
skeletons and ghouls, the amount of life force
emanating from each object distinguishing it from
others.

The ghouls were proving most decisive within the
magical darkness, but Thane worried about the accursed
half-elven archer.  A stroke of luck or wit had
preserved the archer from the two cavalry Thane had
spared to hunt him, and he knew his most powerful
skeleton had taken off after the half-elf, but there
were too many things that could go wrong.

Shadows, come to me!  You, come here, Thane pointed to
one of the remaining 5 cavalry.

The three shadows the necromancer had summoned to help
Kent emerged from the magical darkness and came down
the hill where the spears had been burned away.

"I am unsure if the cavalry I sent after the half-elven
archer succeeded in their task. I fear he may escape."

Thane concentrated as he muttered arcane words.
Shadows, being composed of vapors, were not heavy
creatures.  The infusion of only a small amount of
magic allowed them to walk on water.

"You three shadows climb up on the horse.  Skeleton,
take these shadows to the cove then return here.
Shadows, check the water in case he swam for it.  I
have temporarily reduced your weight so you can walk on
water.  If you see life force on the water, you will
run to it and feed.  Now go." ---

Rapina must have fallen asleep in the large chair at
the head of the necromancer's dining hall.  She was
awakened when the parlor door opened.  Thane was
accompanied by three of his household guards, their
shiny breastplates now dented and salted with arrow
holes.

Thane looked exhausted.  Even though he had only had to
cast a few spells, the animation and scrying earlier on
had nearly drained him of energy.  He had ridden safely
enough inside a special "coach" he had made long ago
within the leather-clad rib cage of one of the large
horses.  He had been in the forth horse, the one that
had been positioned in the middle of the cavalry wedge
and had lied down in the ditch rather than joining the
charge.

Rapina lifted an eybrow.

A smile crept over the necromancer's lips.

"You won?"

"A few simple spells, a fine performance by Kent and
his ghouls, and I have won the night.  The pirates
fought well, at first, but the darkness I brought down
on them soon had them screaming and whining like
whipped dogs in the face of Kent's comrades in death.
The dread Captain Red Jack has been strip-searched,
clothed in simple garb and soundly manacled in a cell.
Thane smiled proudly, I beat him.  I will be a lowly
undertaker no more."

Rapina shed a tear, all the men she had known had been
destroyed, all for the vanity and ambition of a single
man. Yet Rapina saw the other side as well.  Red Jack's
men had lived to kill, and now death had claimed them.
Somehow a humble priest had conquered an army of
bloodthirsty pirates. Rapina sniffled.

"Mortaebius is the lord of death, girl.  The pirates
flirted with him for many years, now they've met him
face to face."

"Rapina sniffed and nodded.  If I never knew them, I
might be worshipping you as a hero, Guardian Thane, but
I did know them, and a few of them, especially some of
the recruits, they could have been good men under other
circumstances."

"Alas, other circumstances... Go on to bed and cry
yourself to sleep, milady.  If it's any consolation, I
let your half-elf get away."

"You did?"

Thane nodded.  "He successfully ran, and I chose not to
send anything to hunt him.  I was more interested in
containing the pirates within the fort. He swam for it.
I have no idea where he is."  Thane's kindly smile hid
a mighty lie.

"Oh thank you, thank you, Thane.  Rapina hugged the
necromancer in genuine gratitude.  "Arzeal was the best
man Jack had.  He taught me to fence and to defend
myself against bigger, stronger men."

Thane took a deep breath as the young woman's breasts
pillowed against his chest.  A single hand signal from
the necromancer, and his guards halted the lifting of
their swords.  They were about to cut Rapina down for
assaulting their master.

Rapina released the necromancer, who looked a bit
flushed. "What happened to the group I was originally
with?"

"Mmmm, they killed the skeletons Kent triggered and
tried to track you, but Kent left them a false trail -
twice. Such a brilliant ghoul, he will go far.  A few
of them must have survived, because the pirate dead in
the mausoleum had been chopped to bits when I arrived
to pick up the mailed skeletons to help in the final
stage of the battle.  I'm not sure where the grave
robbers have gotten to.  That's something I will look
into.  For now, I must rest for a moment, then try to
drag enough power out of myself to activate my magic
pool and report to my superior, however briefly.  Go to
bed and I will see you this afternoon."

Rapina nodded and went to her room.  She heard the lock
turn shortly after she entered.

[Rapina]017 A Captain In Chains

"Awaken Rapina, I know you have not slept long, nor
have I, but it is noon and we have much to do today.  I
do not wish you to wash today, and I have your old
clothes.  You must look your worst for the constable
when he arrives this evening or tomorrow."

Rapina jumped out of bed and opened the door.

"Constable?" Rapina asked as she came out of her room
wearing a nightshirt and nothing else.

"Indeed," the necmancer smiled as he glanced at
Rapina's legs. "I sent a message via pigeon to my
brother priest in Granville. It's a large town on the
River Augustana just West of the confluence of the
river Augustana and Grand Lake about 15 miles from
here. It is the area's largest settlement.  Lumbering,
quarrying, farming and fishing keep it going.  My
brother priest, Mortician Hagston, will be sending
supplies and the constable.  Thanks to a local
superstition about the restless dead not being able to
cross water, all of the towns in the area send their
departed here to Graveston Isle.  There are several
small settlements on or near the lake, but only
Granville is large enough to have its own priest of
Mortaebius. He travels around the area a lot, but I
send to him or his wife for supplies every month or
so."

"Why didn't they give you a job like that?"

"At one time they did.  I was one of several priests in
a city on the river, but because I had a natural
inclination towards the study of necromancy, and
because of the incident concerning my hand, I was
allowed to join the order of the Shroud and take this
obscure assignment.  My stipend covers basic supplies,
and my naive brother priest gives me a percentage of
his funereal take when I help bury one of the deceased,
so I get by.  On occasion, I locate a book, scroll or
alchemical item I need for my magical practice, and
that usually wipes out my savings.  In the past I could
not have afforded even to feed a servant, but I believe
my fortunes have taken a definite change for the
better," the necromancer smiled.  With your cooperation
I believe I could convince the authorities to sentence
you to indentured servitude here for your crime of
grave robbing."

"Me, stay here with you?" Rapina shook her whole body
no, her nipples wavering from side to side beneath her
nightshirt. "You might as well ship me off to the other
priest," Rapina sighed.

"You would rather be indentured to a "celebate" rapist
than serve as my maid?"

"You terrify me, your ghoulish servitors, your skeletal
hand, your zombies, it's all so frightening.  I'm sure
I would have stabbed myself with a kitchen knife long
before this if..."

"If what?" the necromancer asked.

"Well, your magic, the lights, the way you could see
the battle in your pool, summon shadows, and cast
spells, its fascinating.  My Auntie was a wise woman.
She knew herbs and petty curses.  I learned herbal
medicine from her and Leech Kennon, the pirate doctor.
I have fantasized about casting spells, but I had never
seen a man wield *true* magic until these past few
days."

Thane chuckled, "So you find me terrifying, yet
fascinating, both because of my magic."

Rapina nodded.

"Well you know, as my maid, you might be called upon to
clean and tend my laboratory.  You might pick up a
little knowledge of the creation of potions."

Rapina frowned.  "Maids don't learn magic, they're just
drudges. I might as well be a drudge in a town
somewhere; at least I'd get to see other people, even
if they were slaves and prisoners. Working here would
just be a frustration, seeing magic but never learning
it, alone and being terrorized by the dead, what kind
of life is that?"

"I could try to get the constable to assign you to me
without your help, and I might easily succeed."

"Fine!  I have so much to live for, I'll just attack
you with a kitchen knife and get cut to pieces.  Then
I'll never have to worry about evil men ruining my life
again! Rapina burst into tears.  "It's not fair, what
did I ever do to deserve all this?" Rapina cried.

Thane sighed, "Probably nothing."  There was a long
moment of uncomfortable silence.

Rapina sniffled.

"There is no guarantee you could even learn magic, and
an apprentice most certainly works harder than a maid.
In truth, apprentices do many of the chores of a maid
and then they must learn in addition... If you agree to
serve me well, young lady, I will endeavor to right
some of the many wrongs men have heaped on you because
of your beauty, and give you a chance to prove yourself
as an apprentice rather than a simple servant."

Rapina looked up between her tears, "Do you really mean
that Thane?  You won't just give me the hardest book
you have, then use me once you have proved I'm
incapable?"

"Nay," Thane stepped back. "Mark me lady, you have my
word, to the degree you put forth effort to serve me
and to learn, to that same degree I will put forth
effort to teach you, and I will start you with the
easiest book of magic that I own, not the most
difficult.  Furthermore, I will not force you to my bed
or mistreat you for no reason."

"Do you really mean that?" Rapina asked.

"I do." Thane replied succinctly.

Rapina took hold of Thane and cried against his chest
for several minutes.

The necromancer was flushed and at a loss for words.
After some time he said, "Shall we get started?"

Rapina let go of the necromancer, sniffed and nodded.
"You want me to wear those smokey old clothes?

"Actually, I had one of the skeletons do the laundry
yesterday while you were preparing breakfast.  Now I
almost wish I hadn't. You need to look plain for the
constable, and if you have committed other crimes with
the pirates we must make you look a bit different so
that you will not be connected to them, to be shipped
off to some prison where you will no doubt suffer much
as you have been.  Also the constable is a married man,
but we cannot be too careful.  He must not think I want
you as a mistress.  He must also believe you are
repentant, and we may have to convince a judge as well.
As long as we make no glaring errors, and I am seen as
the hero who saved the world from Red Jack, then the
judge will likely grant any reasonable request."

Rapina nodded.

"Now, we must hurry.  Today will test you severely. The
only reason I was willing to take you on as a servant
and now am willing to make you my apprentice is because
I expect to be much wealthier than I currently am.
Formerly I could simply not have afforded it.  You see,
Red Jack and many of his men have sizable bounties on
their heads, some of them quite obscene.  Dead or
alive, altogether they are worth a king's ransom.  The
constable will be bringing a stack of wanted posters
for Jack's men.  We must help him by identifying all
the bodies.

Rapina grimaced, "All right."

"Make breakfast and I will ready our mounts," Thane
said.

After breakfast, the necromancer and Rapina were
lowered down into the canyon in the wicker cage.  Thane
helped Rapina onto a skeletal horse cowled in black,
and then mounted another such horse. They and what
remained of Thane's guards rode briskly to the pirate
fort where Thane had Rapina identify a score of
deceased recruits that Thane had his guards drag to a
central location.

"Pay close attention," Thane held a symbol of the god
of death, mumbled incantations, and four of the dead
men rose as zombies. "That was the power of Mortaebius.
Now I will demonstrate the wizardly version of the same
spell."  Thane tossed bone powder over the bodies and
wove a different, more impressive magic. Four more
zombies rose.  Thane then repeated the first spell.

Rapina wrinkled her nose.

"Thane chuckled.  "We will need the workers."  The
constable will want to see the battlefield.  I will
tell him I used magic to best the pirates, but he must
not know the exact nature of the magic.  The law takes
a dim view of necromancy.  Illusion is a much more
palatable form of magic."

Thane ordered the zombies about and they began laying
out the dead pirates, face up, at the top of the hill.

"Now, you and I must collect skeletons that could be
reassembled and reanimated. The pirates destroyed so
much of what I had that the isle is largely
unprotected.  I have a special magical glue as well as
a mending spell that both work magnificently on bone.
Here are some burlap sacks.  In each put the pieces of
a full skeleton." Thane said.

Rapina's stomach complained, but she worked diligently.
She did not want to stay on the isle or think what she
was doing, but she knew that she might never have the
opportunity to learn real magic again.  It seemed to
her that the beauty she had been given by the lust
spirit had carried with it a curse.  She needed to be
more powerful than that curse, or she would always be
at its mercy.

By mid afternoon, Thane had perused the captain's
various strong boxes in the fort.  The records included
a list of Red Jack's men.  Thane sent Rapina around to
identify each man, and tie a label naming him to each
dead man's big toe.

After fetching the cut-up bodies from the mausoleum and
laying them out with the others, the necromancer
checked them against the list.

"Counting the ones caught alive, we have one hundred
forty-seven of one hundred fifty-three accounted for.
We are missing Arzeal, Brackston, Drake, Pike, Rage,
and Skitch.  The ghouls took this man, Gape, in their
tunnels yesterday.  I have his head and skeleton back
home.

Rapina nodded.  It was obvious that the days work had
kept her in horror and tears, but she refused to let
the one chance she had to overpower her fate slip away.


"Now let us cover these corpses with pirate tents to
keep the carrion birds off them and have our workers
take the various usable weapons, arrows and equipment
back to my storage rooms, and pack up the skeletons too
shattered to be of use.  We must hurry, the constable
could be here soon."

---

Thane entered Red Jack's cell.  The pirate captain's
ankles were manacled together, his wrists were manacled
and attached to a chain around his waist, and another
chain went from his wrists to his ankles. A chain ran
from the wall of the cell to an iron collar around
Jack's neck.  Thane was not taking any chances.

"Well now, has Kent been keeping you entertained?"
Thane asked.

Captain Red Jack scowled.

"I have come to make a business proposition.  You will
no doubt be hung for your crimes, and I have kept you
alive for one reason only.  I seem to recall that some
perverse bureaucrat made you considerably more valuable
alive than dead.  Perhaps you have some noble enemy who
wishes to take personal revenge against you?"

The captain looked stonily up at the necromancer.  He
idly wondered why the man wore gloves in this weather.

Thane continued. "It's really no matter to me.  I'm
just a simple priest charged by the church of
Mortaebius to keep this isle free of grave robbers.  I
realize you may have a tendency to talk, to try to drag
me down with you by alleging that I am a necromancer."

Jack scoffed, "alleging?"

"Indeed.  Of course all that you saw was simply the
power of illusion." Thane smiled.

"My Ass, it was."

"Perhaps I can persuade you to change your mind."

"How in hell da ye expect ta do that?" the captain
asked.

"I realize you are not inclined to keep any bargains
being that you are on your way to the gallows, but I
believe you might make an exception in this case.  I
have a bit of information you might be interested in,
and I have captured someone I will be keeping on as an
indentured servant for the crime of grave robbery.  I
assure you, if I go down, Rapina will go down with me."


Captain Red Jack tried not to react to the mention of
his favorite wench, but he could see the cold gaze of
the necromancer duly noted his reaction.

"What information do ye suppose a dead man like me
might be interested in?"

"Six of your men escaped. I have their names.  This
noon I made a little deal with Rapina and she has since
been quite helpful. I suppose she did realize Kent and
I could figure it out ourselves, but one can not always
trust the recollections of a ghoul."

"What kind o' deal did ye cut with th' wench, you
swine, ye'd not kill 'er if she spread 'er legs for
ye?" Red Jack growled.

Thane looked down his nose at Red Jack, "Nay, I'd say
that particular deal has already been over-used in her
case... Actually, she drove a hard bargain, threatening
to stab me with a kitchen knife, which would result in
her death by my guards, if I gave her nothing to live
for."

Jack chuckled.  "Plucky wench, ain't she?"

"Indeed.  Now, do we have a deal?" Thane asked.

"Aright, I'll bargain w' ye.  My silence about yer fell
magery, in return fer th' names o' me men that escaped,
yer word ye won't harm th' wench, th' details o' yer
deal with 'er, an two hours alone w' 'er without these
damned chains before they cart me off."

"And what do you plan to do in those two hours?"

"Say gbye ta her like a proper pirate if she'll have
me.  It'll likely be th' last time I see 'er or any
woman."

"Hmmmm, you drive a hard bargain indeed." Thane pursed
his lips.  "I am not so sure I wish to grant that last
request, but I will tell you what. In addition to
failing to mention necromancy, if you will tell me
everything you know about the girl, and promise you
will not force her, then I will grant your request."

"Aye, I don't need ta force th' wench, she's a healthy
young woman if er' there was one.  Ye got a deal," The
captain said.

Thane raised an eyebrow at Jack's comment.  "The men
who escaped are Arzeal, Brackston, Drake, Pike, Rage,
and Skitch.  Once they left the isle, I have no idea
what they did, and it is none of my concern what they
do hereafter.  As I said, I am a humble priest charged
to protect this isle from grave robbers, and up to the
time I collect the bounties on you and your men, I will
also be a relatively impoverished priest."

Red Jack Chuckled.  "An after that ye'll be richer'n a
baron. How in hell's name did Arzeal escape?"

"He left the darkness on the opposite side of the hill
as I was on and made a run for it.  He shot many of the
archers shooting at him on his way down the hill and
likely veered south and swam for it once he reached the
cove.

Thane smiled, "As for the details of my arrangement
with Rapina, legally speaking I will hold her here on
indenture for her crimes.  After her sentence runs out
she will still have to face sentence on whatever crimes
she may have committed elsewhere."

Captain Red Jack grimaced.

"It is the best I can do within the law.  Is there
something she has not told me?  We do have a deal don't
we?" the necromancer asked.

"Aye, there is, an' I don't know if I should be tellin'
ye, but a deal's a deal, an' I guess ye'll be rich
enough that th' wench'll be better to ye than some
pretty reward," Red Jack said.

"There's money on her head?" Thane asked.

"There was a powerful priest who ran 'er town an'
preyed on' th' young women on th' sly.  He died on 'er
while rapin' 'er fer th' umpteenth time.  Least that's
what I got out o' her.  He was mean, crazy mean - had a
few screws loose.  She was tryin' ta tire 'im out so
'ed sleep 'stead o' leave when 'e'd finished with 'er
so she could make 'er escape.  She got 'im sleepin'
deep aright, six feet deep, but she claims 'e broke a
vessel or somethin' 'cause she didn't lift 'er hand
again' 'im.  I don't know if that part is true.  I only
'ave 'er word on it.  I do know some o' the boys pulled
'er out o' th' river near dead drowned when they were
on their way ta join me crew, so she warr makin' an
escape from somethin', 'an believe me, I know a
hardened criminal when I see one, Rapina was just a
kid, she ain't a natural born killer.

She's also told me 'er aunt was th' villiage witch 'an
th' aunt did curses on that ol' letcher o' a priest
'till 'e had th' aunt executed.  Rapina ain't a normal
girl.  She's deadly smart, 'an she's frisky as a mink.
That's 'ow this all started for 'er. 'Er stupid mother
didn't believe th' rumors about th' reverend. He warr
good at shutin' up anyone who squealed, sometimes
permanent.  Her dad caught 'er w' one o' 'er
boyfriends, a nice lad too, 'e warr th' one who helped
teach 'er ta read, but they wasn't readin' at th' time.


Rapina was what ye call precocious, a real natural w'
th' boys, a born lover.  Th' damned priest were
probably a bit leary about takin' 'er given Rapina's
aunt an' 'er family maybe knowin' about 'im.  Thing
was, 'er stupid mother delivered the poor girl right
inta th' priest's foul hands fer foolin' w' th' boys.
The foul priest gave 'er her first lesson on 'ow sick
some folks can be 'tween th' sheets.  He beat 'er, cut
'er and would 'ave done worse if th' god o' th' dead
hadn't dragged 'im under.  Least that's what she told
me, an' I'm inclined ta belive 'er.

I'm sure th' man's family will make like she bewitched
'im 'an drained th' life out o' 'im.  Who knows, maybe
she did, an if 'e did even 'alf 'o what she said 'e
did, 'e deserved everything 'e got.  One thing's sure
though, first time I were with 'er warrn't entirely w'
'er consent, but she was a good sport about it, and we
'ad a little wine and conversation before th' event.
'Fact that I'm still alive, an th' fact that any pirate
boyfriend she 'ad was still kickin' up 'till ye snuffed
'em says somethin' about 'er.  If she's got bewitchin'
powers, she sure as hell ne're used em' on me.  Any
attachment I got, I came by th' natural way, Red Jack
winked saltily."

Thane scowled.

"Don't ye be judgin' 'er too harsh.  She ain't a lady
that way, but she's a goddess in a man's bed, an' if ye
treat 'er right ye'll find out fer yerself.  She told
me straight up she coudn't 'elp foolin' w' th' boys.
'Said 'er father used ta beat 'er for it 'an 'er mother
used ta heap th' guilt on 'er, but that's 'ow she is, a
natural born lover 'an comely as they come.  Not a
woman I've known could 'old a candle to 'er.  Ye're
holdin' a girl any man would give 'is eye teeth for,
an' ye're not keepin' 'er on 'cause she's ugly, so ye
can be glad she ain't a cold bitch.  On th' other 'and,
it's best ye know 'er nature up front, or yer like ta
kill 'er fer bein' her, an' regret it fer th' rest o'
yer life an' then some.

Other than bein' th' finest woman ye'll ever lay eyes
on, She's got more guts an' determination than any
pirate recruit I've ever had. Leech Kennon, me camp
doctor who ye snuffed, 'e said she was th' finest
student an' assistant he'd ever had 'er seen. Me arms
master tried ta wash 'er out o' basic 'an failed.  He
didn't take kindly ta women in 'is trainin'. Instead
she got 'erself some advice 'an trainin' from other men
'an learned skill at arms better'n th' bigger, tougher
recruits 'e put 'er up against.  Fer someone who's had
just eight weeks o' basic trainin' an a few weeks o'
practice on th' boats, she sails better, shoots a bow
straighter and wields short sword an shield or rapier
an' main gauche as good as any recruit I ever had. She
could kill ye with that kitchen knife if she 'ad a mind
to, but she can be th' best friend ye ever 'ad if ye
treat 'er right.

I gave it to ye straight.  She's a pirate wench, an' ye
knew that when ye got 'er, but she's a sweet kid too in
spite o' everything she's been through, an' that's even
more considerable now what w' all ye're cursed walkin'
dead.  Ye're no prize yerself, an ye don't deserve a
wench like Rapina."

Thane looked down his nose at Red Jack.

"I know what ye're thinkin', an' I'll be th' first ta
admit it. I didn't deserve 'er neither, but I'm an
opportunist, 'an I'm a killer same as ye are.  I hate
ye for killin' me men, but I'd o' killed yer men too,
if they 'adn't been dead already. Now, I gave ye all I
know.  Yer turn."

"This reverend she killed, what was his name?" the
necromancer asked.

Red Jack sighed, "Ye promise not ta turn her in fer
killin' the bastard?"

"If what you say about him is true, then I will not
fault the woman for defending herself," Thane said.

"Evangeline Avengene.  I 'ad 'is signet from her fer a
while, but I sold it." Jack scowled as he saw the
priest freeze in surprise for just an instant.  "That's
all I know, now what's the rest of yer agreement with
th' wench?" Jack asked.

"I have agreed to give Rapina the chance to be more
than a servant.  In the unlikely event that her
intellect is sufficient, She is to be my apprentice in
magic."

Red Jack nodded, "Me first officer Roger, who ye
killed, he liked ta imagine th' recruits in some
profession that fit 'em when they first joined on. Kent
'e saw as a naval officer good as any o' th' captains
in th' king's navy.  He couldn't place Rapina, said she
gave 'im th' willies, but 'e finally did place 'er.
She was a sorcerer's apprentice."

Thane raised his eyebrow. "The constable may arrive at
any time.  I have other things to show him so you'll
have your two hours, perhaps more, but I'll need to
fetch the girl straight away."

Thane left and then returned a few minutes later and
let Rapina into Jack's cell.  He hung a large censor on
the bars of the cell's window that released myrrh-
scented smoke into the air.

Rapina carried the key to Jack's chains, but she'd been
instructed not to release the pirate unless she wanted
to, and to chain him up again before she left. Kent,
Edgar, and a few of their fellow ghouls were on call in
the guardroom.

"Jack, I'm so sorry, he... beat us," Rapina stammered.

"Aye, 'an 'e beat us as well.  I warr a fool, I should
'ave seen th' 'and writin' on th' wall.  That priest is
as cold an' calculatin' a general as I've seen."

Rapina nodded, "Guardian Thane is a magician and a
priest, a member of The Order of the Death's Peace.
It's the militant arm of the church of Mortaebius, god
of the dead.  I'm sure he was trained in tactics when
he joined the order.  They specialize in protecting the
church, and protecting tombs from grave robbers."

Jack sighed, "I'm sorry Rapina, I should 'ave known, I
warr too wrapped up in th' loss o' me ships an' I
fought when I should 'ave run.  That's what 'as kept me
off th' king's gallows fer this long.  In th' past, I
always knew when it warr time ta run."

Rapina hugged Jack and unlocked the iron collar around
his neck. "You couldn't have known Jack.  Thane uses
magic; no one could have estimated his power or his
resources.  If he had not come down to fight you
himself, you would have won.  What you saw at the end
was all he had left, his household guards and whatever
he could borrow from the tombs."

Rapina unlocked the chain around Jack's waist.

"Damn!  I nearly had 'im.  How's 'e been treatin' ye,
girl?"

"Kent abducted me using a secret door in the tomb after
one of Thane's traps failed him but still killed half
of our party."

"That man's full o' infernal traps 'an schemes," Jack
snapped.

Rapina unlocked Jack's ankles.  "Once here, I unfroze
and tried to escape once but wound up just outside this
cell.  It was the only door I could find that I could
hold against the guards Thane assigned to me, because I
found a key to it on the wall of the guardroom.  I saw
Jonas, but I'm not sure he's here anymore.  When I
holed up here, it turned out that Kent and Thane were
talking in the last cell. Kent was eating Piggy.  It
was horrible!

"Aye, I don't know what Thane's doin' ta Kent, but 'e's
th' only ghoul guard I've seen who looks eighteen
months pregnant."

"Anyway, Thane and Kent came out of a cell with three
of Thane's special armored skeletons, and Thane
surrounded me with flying bones.  I had to surrender;
it was hopeless.  Thane took me out of here and put me
up in one of his guest rooms.  He turned me into his
maid straight away, and I cooked and cleaned for him
while he occupied himself with the battle.  He's very
creepy, and he treats death as casually as the weather,
but he's not beat me or anything, even though I tried
to escape."

The captain nodded. "He's a' evil man, but I'm no angel
meself. I hope 'e  treats ye right.  'Fraid I'm not
goin' ta be able ta watch over ye any longer.  I can
hope me escaped men will find me an' manage ta spring
me afore I'm hanged, but It ain't likely. 'Least th'
'ol bastard gave me that hope.  'e told me Arzeal
escaped, an' Pike, Brackston, Drake, Skitch and Rage."

Rapina Nodded, "I saw the bodies, they weren't among
them, and early this morning when he came home from the
battle, Thane told me Arzeal had gotten away at the end
of the battle."

"Aye, then maybe 'e's tellin' th' truth," Red Jack
said.

"But enough 'o that, if I'm goin' ta hang 'an then be
slavin' an' burnin' in some death god's underworld, I'd
like ta 'bring as many memories of ye as I can."

Jack drew Rapina to him and kissed her deeply. ---

After leaving Jack and Rapina, Thane had gone to the
cliffs above his abode.  From there he had seen a ship
approaching from the South and had gone to meet it. The
constable always anchored his boats off the box canyon
entrance to the isle and sent a ship's boat with the
bodies of executed criminals.  Thane had provided the
constable with a few thick iron rings set into the
stone of the canyon so that he could leave living
prisoners to be killed and buried, but the constable
usually had criminals publicly executed.  Thus Thane
usually was just left with recently dead bodies, and
often supplies sent from his brother priest via the
constable's ship. These things sustained his ghouls and
himself, but not in high style.

When there were no bodies of criminals from the
constable and no burials of local people brought to the
isle by his brother priest, Mortician Hagston,  Hagston
sent a hired boat, but that cost money.  Thus Thane
relied on the constable and burial parties to do him
the kindness of delivering supplies whenever possible.
On this occasion, Thane had sent a request for wheat,
various other foodstuffs and cloth to his brother
priest when he sent the message about Red Jack via
pigeon.  In addition to the supplies, the constable
would be bringing a caged pigeon from Hagston to
replace the one Thane had used to send the last
message.  When the constable and his chief deputy
arrived, Thane took them straight away to see the
pirate camp.

"This was their fort, and that's the lot of them, laid
out for you, constable Barns.  I found this list in Red
Jack's logs, and a prisoner helped me sort out who was
who.  I have labeled each body."

Constable Olsen shook his head.  "That's amazin' work
Guardian Thane.  I got to admit, when Mortician Hagston
tol' me you had defeated Red Jack and his men with th'
power o' Mortaebius, I was more'n a bit skeptical, but
seein' em all laid out like this in your usual
efficient manner, well, seein' is belevin', eh deputy?"


"Sure is, hard ta believe a man can conjure shades ta
hack men up like this."

"Indeed, I see you're point, Deputy.  Frankly, I'm
still quite beat from the battle.  It took quite a bit
out of me, but I believe I will be sufficiently
recuperated to muster a small demonstration for you
tomorrow morning if you like."

"Of m-magic?" Barns looked at Olsen.

"That would be good of you Guardian Thane.  Why it'd be
a pleasure to see how the Infamous Red Jack met his
doom. Speakin' of whom, where is his carcass?"

"Actually, I was able to capture Red Jack alive," Thane
said.  "After we return to my residence for a short
break, I'll take you on a little tour of the dungeon."

"Alive! Wow," deputy Barnes exclaimed.

By the time Thane escorted the men into the canyon, the
sun was already down.

Olsen looked at the sky.  "Sure glad you got that magic
light, Guardian Thane, I got a little worried we'd fall
off the cliffs soon as the sun went down."

Ah, it is nothing; light is a very common spell.  Thane
stopped. "Lower!" he yelled.

The wicker cage was lowered for them.  After Thane had
shown the men their rooms and served wine and cheese on
the table of the dining hall, the priest excused
himself for a moment.

Thane took a circuitous route around the men and back
down the stairs to the corridor with the dungeon and
storage areas the men had entered after exiting the
cage.

"Rapina, Captain, I'll be bringing the constable in
shortly.  I believe you've had over two hours now.
Rapina, please come out as soon as you are ready,
hurry."

Rapina hugged Jack one last time and put his chains
back on. Jack was exhausted from their earlier love-
making, but wore a salty grin that threatened never to
leave him.

"Fare the well, lass.  I pray I can slip th' noose, but
'least I'll die a happy man if me luck ain't up ta a
miracle."

"Rapina smiled but shed a tear.  I hope I'll see you
again Jack, but just in case, I want to thank you for
watching over for these last few months."

"Aye, it was my pleasure lass, an' if th' worse
happens, why I'll jimmy me way outa hell, an' ye'll
have a ghost Red Jack ta watch over ye fer as long as
ye need me."

Rapina smiled through her tears, waved one last time
and left the cell.

"Let's see your face, quickly," Thane said taking the
key from Rapina's hand. Thane produced a little
mortician's makeup kit and went to work on Rapina's
face in key locations, adding shadows and making her
look older and a bit different.  Now, go in, undress
and take this strip of cloth and bind your breasts
tight to your chest, then dress again.  When the
constable comes, hunch your shoulders over a bit, and
look at the floor a lot. It will help you look plainer.
The constable must not think anything untoward. I will
be calling you Serina.  If the constable and the judge
fail to recognize you for the crimes that the priest's
family accused you of, then so much the better."

Rapina nodded.

Kent checked Captain Red Jack's chains, then locked
Jack's cell and left the dungeon with the rest of the
ghouls for the storage room across the hall.

"I shall return with the constable and his deputy
shortly."

After a few minutes, Thane arrived with the officers
and opened Jack's cell.

Barns took a deep breath, "It's really him!"

"Nay, can't ye see I'm th' Duke an' I hereby pardon
meself all transgressions, legal 'r otherwise past an
future.  Now unchain me an' get me back ta me palace."

"Good try Jack, but the Duke is a shorter man.  Olsen
held up a wanted poster.  That's you all right."

"Ach, they got the beard all wrong, can't ye see?" Jack
snapped.

"It will be a pleasure to turn you over to the Duke's
men, Red Jack, you've burned your last town and killed
your last innocent victim!"

"I'll see ye in th' hells o' Mortabius, constable."

"Stop gawking, Barns.  We'll be taking him back to town
tomorrow.  Any others you wanted us to see, Guardian
Thane?" Barns said ushering his deputy back into the
corridor.

"Just one other.  I didn't think it would be right to
kill a young woman, even if she had gotten mixed up
with the pirates. She and several other of the pirates
robbed one of the Baronial tombs.  Unfortunately, six
of her mates got away, so you men and your sailors best
keep on the lookout for trouble.  The escapees are
wounded, but any veteran of Red Jack's band is
dangerous in any condition short of deceased."

"That's good advice if I ever heard it," Olsen said.

Thane opened Rapina's cell. "This is Serina, she has
been very helpful in identifying the bodies, and before
that in cooking and cleaning for me while I was
concentrating on the battle.  I will, of course be
pressing charges for her grave robbing, but I believe
this woman can be rehabilitated.  I wonder if I might
get her sentenced to an indenture here as my maid?  It
seems I will finally be able to afford to feed a
servant, but it is so difficult to get the locals to
hire on for a stint on the infamous Graveston isle."

"I'm sure the Judge'll be favorably inclined to you,
Guardian Thane.  You'll be a mighty big hero in
Granville.  Why don't you keep her for now, and I'll
arrange for a hearing for you when you come to pick up
the reward money.  I hope you've got a big boat,
because the gold from those bounties would sink a
lesser one."

Thane chuckled, "I'll work something out.  Please give
my brother priest a note to send me via pigeon as to
when to collect the bounty and attend the hearing.
That's one date I'd hate to be late for.  Shall I bring
the girl for the hearing?"

"Likely you'll need to, but it should be just a
formality," Olsen said.

"Very well, let us retire to my chambers.  The girl can
fix us something to eat and then after a little
conversation, I expect you men will want to turn in.
You are, of course, invited to stay in my guest rooms.
No need for you to stay on your boat with your other
men, when I am glad to provide better accommodations."

"Sure thing, it's been a long day," Olsen said.

The next morning after breakfast, Thane ushered the men
to one of his storage rooms.

Thane handed Olsen a dim, red mage light.  "My magic
works best in poor lighting, that is why I took Jack
and his men at night. As you might imagine, with my
background as a mortician, I have little trouble
conjuring up images that terrify the unschooled. Now
here we have one of the bodies of the pirates that I've
hung from a pillar.  Now let me work and you will soon
see how the morale of Jack's troops was robbed from
them, allowing my quasi-real troops to close in for the
kill."

Thane made a show of coalescing the shadows into
terrifying beings and forming a ghoulish monster from
the shadows as well. The creatures tore up the body. In
truth, the illusion hid the real players until they
were "conjured;" the three shadows and the ghoul were
authentic.  When the demonstration was over, the undead
monsters escaped through a secret door, once again
under cover of Thane's illusion.

Thane removed the cover from a strong, white mage-light
and the men were suddenly transported from the horror
of the night to standing in a well-lit ordinary, nearly
empty storage room.  It was obvious that there was now
nothing living in the room but Thane, Olsen and Barns.
"There now, I hope I managed to scare you at least a
little bit."

"A-a little b-bit I'd say," stammered Barns

Olsen chuckled nervously, "Those pirates must have
really lost it when you conjured monstrosities like
that at night."

"Yes, fear itself can be the greatest enemy."  Thane
wiped his brow.  "I'd best spend a few more days
resting, I think, but I am glad I could show you men a
little of the magic that bested Red Jack."

"Guess we better get goin'.  After that demonstration,
I sure's heck want ta be back in Granville before
nightfall.  My skin's still a-crawlin'."

"Thank you constable, you flatter my humble powers.
Let's get Red Jack and you can be on your way."

Sometime later Thane watched as the constable and
several deputies loaded Red Jack and his many chains
onto a long boat bound for the constable's stout little
ship.

"Thank you for coming, and have a safe trip, Constable
Olsen, deputy Barns and you other sailors and gentlemen
of the law. I'll look forward to a note from you,
constable Olsen via my brother priest, Mortician
Hagston," Thane said.

"Thank *you* Guardian Thane, your heroism has saved
countless innocent lives.  Every community along the
Augustana owes you a deep debt of gratitude, and I will
be glad to see you are amply rewarded," Olsen said.

Thane bowed humbly and watched as the boat sailed off.
When it was gone, he turned and grinned.

The story continues in [Rapina]018 Judgement in
Disguise.


New Beginnings
This Page Includes:
Back to the, Pirates, page
[Rapina]010 New Beginnings
[Rapina]011 Hall of the Dead
[Rapina]012 Shadows of the Dead
[Rapina]013 Night Terrors
[Rapina]014 The Noble Jaws of Death
[Rapina]015 Death Battles the Living
[Rapina]016 Defeat in Darkness
[Rapina]017 A Captain in Chains
[See a sketch of Graveston Isle (Dead Man's Isle)]


[Rapina]010 New Beginnings

As Red Jack scanned the horizon with his spy glass, he
liked what he saw. The outlet from the lake flowed into
the North side of the River Augustana between high,
widely-spaced granite cliffs. The lake itself was quite
large, and did not neck down much as it joined the
river.  This would make it near impossible to blockade,
since the entrance to the lake, the lake itself and the
river Augustana were both wide and deep in this area
owing to the granite cliffs, riverbed and lake bed.

The island was situated a good 5 miles away from the
east and west shore of the lake, about 8 miles from the
Northern lakeshore, and around twelve miles from the
entrance to the lake to the South.  The isle in the
middle of the lake was a pirate's dream.  It rose out
of the lake like a fortress roughly three miles in
diameter.  To the South, West, And East the isle faced
the water with high cliffs.  To the North the cliffs
gradually became lower but remained quite defensible.
There was a double notch in the cliffs at their lowest
point to the North.  This proved to be the entrance to
a cove just large enough for a few ships.  The entrance
to the cove was shallow, and the men had to spend quite
a while measuring depths before they were able to get
the merchant ship into the cove.  The longships, with
their shallow drafts and narrow beams were an easier
matter.

As one might have expected, the cove was the lowest
part of the isle, and the terrain rose, sometimes
gradually, sometimes abruptly as one went farther
South.  There was a forest growing near the cove in the
north central area of the isle. To the south as the
terrain rose and became rougher and more rocky, the
trees gave way to scrub, and thence to rocky, open
terrain punctuated with a few scattered bushes and
trees.

The longships were anchored in the cove and rowboats
with supplies were launched.  Captain Red Jack's
pirates busied themselves with setting up a new camp.
They were quite efficient for a bunch of pirates.  By
early evening, the temporary camp was mostly set up.
Tents and lean-tos would provide shelter until the the
pirates obtained lumber for more permanent structures.
The captain and his officers marched through the camp
discussing layout of guard posts, traps, and other
defensive strategies. Most of the recruits were too
busy unloading supplies or pitching tents to take
notice.

"First thing I'll be needin' is a map of th' area.
Think ya can handle it Roger?" Jack asked.

"Yes captain.  Ill get right on it."  Roger turned with
scarcely a nod and headed off into the camp.  He had
been teaching Kent mapmaking before they had packed up
camp to move here.  One of his trainees was carrying a
large coil of rope. The first mate walked up to the boy
and clapped his hand on the boy's shoulder.

"William!  I need you, Kent, and Rolf to meet me back
here in five minutes." That said, Roger headed off to
get his mapmaking equipment.

"But, sir...I don't know where Kent and Rolf are... "
The slightly confused recruit stammered.

"Well then you had better find them...and quick!" Roger
shouted over his shoulder.

Minutes later, three to be exact, the three recruits
were assembled and awaiting Rogers arrival.  Roger
smiled as he watched them through his tent flap.  They
were all coming along nicely, especially Kent.  Kent
had a sharp mind and that was a rare commodity among
pirates.  Satisfied that they were nervous enough,
Roger walked out to brief them on their next duty. The
first mate handed out the necessary equipment and led
the recruits towards the outskirts of the camp.  "It'll
be gettin dark soon so were goin ta have to hurry."

Drake watched as they walked off.  He was worried about
Kent. Lately he seemed to be more distant from Drake.
He was troubled, but had no idea of what to do. "Ya
ready on your end Doanthalas?" Drake asked as he got a
better grip on the handle of the chest.  The tattooed
elf just nodded.  "Okay.  On three then. One. Two.
Three." They both grunted as their muscles strained to
lift the chest full of weapons off the ground.  This
was one of the last weapons runs that needed to be
made. Soon everything would be unloaded and ready for
sorting and storage until needed.

Drake glanced down at Doanthalas belt.  He wasn't
carrying any weapons. That wasn't surprising.  The
pirates were still deathly afraid of the elf. Its
amazing what a few rumors will do to superstitious
people. The young pirate recruit smiled; he had
believed the rumors himself.  At least until he had
gotten to know the savage-elf better.  Drake found it
amusing that the so-called savage was more well-
mannered than any of the civilized pirates. Still Drake
didn't know the elf very well either.  Doanthalas had
yet to say more than ten words to him. He had a lot to
tell, though.  Drake could tell. The look in his eyes
alone was testament to that fact. He shrugged.
Doanthalas would talk when he was ready to.

Sunset came and the pirate camp was still alive with
activity. Jack would be very upset if the camp was not
in working order by morning.  The pirates hurried about
their tasks, as none of them wanted to be the focus of
Red Jack's anger.

The captain looked around the large tent at the
assembled faces: Roger, Sak, Logan, Leech Kennon, Hock,
Arzeal, and Brackston. All of the officers were
accounted for. Jack looked at everyone for a moment
before beginning. "From what I can see we've got
ourselves a good spot here.  Its a good defensible
position.  What we need now is a good defensive plan. I
have Roger working on a map of the area for us.  How
goes the mapmaking?"

"Good sir.  We've staked out four good reference
points. Tomorrow we will be able to get some
measurements and by afternoon we will have an accurate
working map of the area.  For now we have this rough
sketch of the area."  The first mate stood up and
approached the captain.  He held out a rolled up piece
of parchment to the captain.

Red Jack took the parchment and unrolled it.  He
perused it and the look on his face told the others
that he was pleased.  "This is a fine sketch Roger. The
best I've seen you do so far."

"Thank you captain, but I didn't draw that map.  Kent
did.  He has an amazing eye for detail.  I'm guessing
that the finished map with accurate measurements won't
be too different from that map in your hands."

"Really?  That's what I like to hear, but Roger..."

"Yes captain?"

"Lets schedule some extra weapons training for that
lad. Shall we?"  Everyone in the room snickered.  "Gods
know he needs it!"  More laughter filled the room.
Roger just nodded and sat down. "Everyone gather around
and look at this map.  You especially, Logan."  The
captain unrolled the map and set it on the ground.  He
weighted down the four corners with rocks and looked up
at Logan. "Alright. How do ya want to lay this camp out
Logan?  You're the one who's got ta run it while I'm
out plunderin"

Logan looked at the map for a long time.  He pointed to
eight different points on the map.  "Guard posts should
be set up here.  We should stick with three guard
changes per night.  It keeps the guards fresh and alert
and it worked out well for us at the last camp.  And
during the..."

"Speakin of guards and such...why don't we use the elf
as much as possible for night watch...after all he can
see in the dark..."

"That's a good idea, but do you think we can trust him?
I don't think the men would sleep very well with him on
watch," Logan said.

"I agree," Brackston said.  "Yew know they're all
afraid of I'm.  He's like some sort of demon.  We
should lock 'im back up or kill em.  Either's fine by
me."

"You'd like that.  Wouldn't you Brackston?" Arzeal
asked. "What are you afraid of?  If he had wanted you
dead he would have killed you by now."

"Why you sonuva mother..."

"Okay!  Knock it off you two! The captain interrupted.
"I know he's dangerous and I know the men fear him, but
don't worry.  It'll do the men some good to be
constantly on their toes.  Besides Rapina seems to
trust him and from what I've seen she's a good judge of
character."

"Drake seems to have developed a bond with the elf as
well. It's the strangest thing.  They're together a
lot, but I've yet to see them speak to each other. They
usually just sit there or go about their duties in
silence.  I don't get it."

"Maybe he likes tha boys too.  Hmmm?" Brackston
conjectured.

"In yer dreams Brackston.  You'd love a good piece of
elf meat like that wouldn't ya?  Heh."  The room
erupted in raucous laughter.

"I'm still not convinced.  You all saw what he did
to...to..." Sak didn't have to finish.  They all knew
what he was referring to.  "Who's to say that he won't
rip my face off next?  And what's to keep him from
escaping?"

"Those are two very good points Sak.  Rest assured that
I have already addressed them both.  First, I have made
it known that no one is to arm the elf under penalty of
having their balls cut off!  Second, I have assigned
two crewmen to watch him all day and night.  Two other
crewmen relieve them once daily.  I guarantee you if he
tries anything we'll know it."

Those recruits who missed training because of being
wounded during the raid were given a chance to make up
on lost practice time.  Doanthalas was given the
opportunity to hone his fighting skills as well. The
recruits performed as well as any green sailor could be
expected to.  They were slightly better than lousy.
Doanthalas, on the other hand, handled his weapons with
considerably more skill.  The practice sword rested
easily in his hand and he seemed to breeze through the
practice session. His archery skills were excellent as
well.  More arrows found their mark than not.  Hock and
Arzeal were impressed.

After arms practice it was time to eat.  The sylvan-elf
got his plate of food from the mess hall and walked
outside to eat. Most of the other recruits chose to eat
outside as well, but moved away when Doanthalas walked
by.  The elf paid them no mind and sat down under a
tree by himself.

Drake noticed the elf and went over to sit down next to
him. "Hey there Doanthalas.  Mind if I join you?" Drake
heard only silence.  "I'll take that as a sure, sit
down and enjoy yourself, okay?"  The young recruit sat
down and noticed Kent walking past. "Hey Kent! Why
don't you join us?"

Kent barely glanced in Drake's direction as he walked
by.  He found William and Rolf and sat down to eat with
them.

"What's his problem?  I thought we were friends," Drake
said.  He's been acting this way ever since we picked
up to move here.  I don't get it."  Drake looked in
Doanthalas direction and shrugged.

The tattooed elf just looked at Drake with his emerald
eyes for a moment.  He shrugged as well and then went
back to eating.

"Hi Drake, Hi Doanthalis," Rapina walked up with her
dinner and found a spot to eat next to the boys.  "The
good news is, we are not trapped on a moving boat
twenty-four hours a day, the bad news is Captain Red
Jack wants the camp done yesterday.  I see you two got
put on unloading stuff from the merchant ship duty.
I've been helping the leech set up a temporary
infirmary. Pretty soon we'll all be turned into amateur
carpenters, I think."

Evening arrived and the recruits made their way to
their tents for a much-deserved sleep.  The guards were
changed and all unnecessary fires were doused. A
solitary figure made its way towards a copse of trees.
A few of the straggling pirates noticed it was the elf.
Doanthalas never slept with the other pirates.  He
always spent the night outside.  The pirates wondered
if the sylvan elf even slept at all.  Whatever his
reason for not sleeping in the same tent as the others
the pirates didn't care.  They felt much safer with him
somewhere else.

The tattooed elf surveyed the new copse of trees he had
chosen for the site of this evenings reverie.  It would
do.  The trees would provide minimal protection from
the elements as well as a convenient escape route if
trouble arose. Doanthalas turned his emerald eyes to
the sky and breathed deeply.  It had been many years
since he had smelled air so sweet.  The stars seemed to
twinkle to some silent melody.  For a moment, his heart
soared.  For a moment, he almost forgot.

The elf contemplated not entering the reverie at all
this evening.  Without the reverie he would forget. All
the horrors and torments would be forgotten. Gone. And
his spirit would be at peace once again. Unfortunately,
there was a price.  Not only would he forget everything
bad, but he would also forget everything good.  His
family, friends, loved ones, and every moment of
happiness he had ever lived would be gone.  They would
fade away like a forgotten dream.

He shook his head.  It was time to enter the reverie.
Doanthalas sat cross-legged on the ground and assumed a
meditative pose.  His chest rose and fell with every
breath he took.  It wasn't long before the present
faded and the past came flooding back. Doanthalas
looked peaceful and serene sitting there on the ground.
His hair waved as the wind blew through it.  He wasn't
sleeping nor was he awake; he was somewhere else
entirely.

About twenty minutes after he entered the reverie the
sylvan-elfs body began to shake.  A casual looker would
have thought he was just cold.  Considering how lightly
dressed he was it would not have been a surprise.
Nevertheless, he was not cold.  In fact, he was
sweating. As time passed, his body shook more and more
violently.  He seemed to be having some sort of fit.
Suddenly his eyes opened and his arms shot out to his
sides.  He looked about wildly a look of utter fear on
his face.

Although Doanthalas was looking from side to side his
eyes didn't seem to be focusing on anything.  In an
instant he was on his feet and backpedaling away from
the camp.  A root caught his heel and sent him crashing
to the ground. He struggled to get back up, but could
only manage to crawl backwards.  When his back hit the
tree he stopped backpedaling.  The elf curled up into
the fetal position and screamed,"NOOOOOOOO!!!!!"
Tremors seized his body as the elf began to sob.  For
almost an hour he just lay there shaking and sobbing.
He didn't utter a single word the rest of the night.

"What's 'ee doin' now Skitch?" Guts asked.

"Jus' sittin there shakin.'" Skitch whispered.


"Is that all?  I might as well sit down and get some
rest."


"Don't fall asleep.  'Captain wants the elf watched 24
hours."

"Yeah, yeah," Guts sat down and yawned.  Just watching
Skitch walk around was enough to keep him up, at least
for a while.

When morning came Doanthalis just stood up, dusted
himself off, and reported for his duties.

Doanthalas breezed through the morning's weapons
training session.  He had used all of them before.
Experienced as he was with the weapons he was by no
means a master.  For that reason he applied himself
fully to the practice. In the afternoon he had a more
difficult time.  The pirates explained and demonstrated
the basic workings of a ship.  It looked easy enough to
Doanthalas, but the actual doing was very difficult.
The sylvan elf had never been on a ship before much
less tried to sail one.  He had never had a reason to
leave the land.

On land Doanthalas was as agile as a cat.  At sea he
was more like a fish out of water.  He almost tipped
the rowboat twice and the swaying of the ship made him
sick.  The men would have laughed if they hadn't feared
for their lives. At dinnertime the tattooed elf hobbled
to the mess tent with the rest of the recruits.  The
sun was setting in the distance and clouds were forming
on the horizon.  Meanwhile the captain was meeting with
his officers once again.

"I'm sure that ye all know tha reason I called ye
here," Jack said.  He paused as his eyes scanned the
room.  "I've been hearing some things about tha elf
Doanthalas.  Rumors is rumors and they don't concern
me.  What does concern me is any truth behind those
rumors."  The Captain took another dramatic pause as he
paced up to Armsmaster Hock.  "So tell me tha truth. Is
what I'm hearin true?  Hock?  Arzeal?"

"I take it yer referrin ta his fightin skills..." Hock
paused to see if the captain would answer him.  The
captain didn't so the armsmaster continued, "He handles
the weapons with a skill far superior ta that of our
best recruits. If'n I had ta guess I'd say he was some
sort of soldier or mercenary."

"I agree," Arzeal said. "He knows his way around bows.
That's for sure.  He picked the best one out of the
bunch without any help from me or anyone for that
matter.  And his aim was too accurate for anyone but a
soldier...or a mercenary."

"So yer sayin that he's good with weapons eh?  Which
ones?" The captain asked.

"Far as I can tell, captain, he's good with all of em,"
Hock said.

"ALL of em?" The captain asked.

"Yes sir.  All that we have anyway," Hock replied.

"Well I guess its good that we haven't allowed him any
weapons so far.  Eh boys?  Else he might have skewered
us all.  Heh."

"Well although he IS proficient in all the weapons we
have...he ISN'T the best at using them.  Don't get me
wrong...he IS good. But he still has a lot to learn.  I
just thought it interesting that he would be so good in
so many different weapons." Hock said.

"Elves do live for hundreds of years so it doesn't
surprise me that much, but what does surprise me is
that an elf as young as he is would be that proficient
in them." Arzeal said.

"What do ya mean Arzeal?" Jack asked.

The half elf paused to consider his words for a moment,
"Most elves spend their youth enjoying life and
learning about things like music and history. They
don't usually begin training elvish children in warfare
until they're two hundred to three hundred years old.
Doanthalas doesn't look a day over one hundred and
fifty.  He's practically a child..."

"A child?!?!?!?"

The half-elf laughed.  "Well a child by elvish
standards is more like an adult by our standards..well
your standards.  Still....since they outlive humans by
generations they have more time to devote to learning
the skills they need to survive," Arzeal said.

"Why do they wait so long to learn how to fight?  You'd
think they'd need it at an earlier age," Hock asked.

"The adult elves protect the younger elves when
threatened. Besides elves don't like to fight.  They
find it barbaric and distasteful."

"Well that wild elf out there sure had me fooled!  Ya'd
think he was born to fight!  Distasteful my arse!  Ha!"
Brackston said.

"There are always exceptions, but...I don't think
Doanthalas is an exception. I think he fights because
he has to, not because he wants to," Arzeal said.

"what makes you say that Arzeal?" the captain asked.

"I'm not sure.  It's mostly a gut feeling, but he
doesn't have the look of a cold blooded killer in his
eyes.  He has more of the look of a lost soul...besides
he had the perfect chance to kill me and Rapina back
when we recaptured him."

Brackston frowned and grumbled to himself at Arzeals
words.

"But he didn't kill you...or Rapina for that matter.
Drake seems to think the world of him."  Logan smiled,
shook his head and laughed.

"What's so funny, Logan?" Captain Red Jack asked.

"Just some of the stories Drake has been telling me
about the elf's sailing skills...or should I say LACK
of sailing skills?" Logan said.

Roger, the normally stoic first mate couldn't help but
smirk.  "It's true captain.  He may be a natural when
it comes to fightin,' but I've never seen a more clumsy
sailor."

"He hasn't got his sea legs yet?" Red Jack asked.

"More like he's gotten his sea legs amputated!" Roger
laughed.

Laughter filled the tent at Roger's joke.  A few
stories of Doanthalas' misadventures on the water
followed.

"That's all well and good, but the fact remains that
the men fear 'im.  I don't blame them.  He gives me the
willies.  And those tattoos of his...he looks like a
demon he does.  I'll betcha that none of them sailors
laughs at I'm when he's bumblin around the boat.  Do
they?"

"No.  They don't." Roger replied.

"Well if the men don't trust him then how can we?" Sak
asked.

"That's a very good question Sak.  I'm hoping that
they'll come around sooner or later," the captain said.

"And if they don't?" Sak asked.

"We'll deal with that when and if it happens," Captain
Red Jack replied.

"Besides Drake's already taken a liking to him," Logan
said.

"And so has Rapina...and...and I think he's ok," Arzeal
said.

"We'll see.  Three pirates out of a camp of almost a
hunnerd ain't even a drop in tha bucket!" Sak said. ---
------

That evening a few of the pirates were drinking as
usual.  Only this time they were discussing the elf.
Pike was part of the group as was Fishy, Milo, Grulka,
and Targ.

Targ was a beefy pirate with a prominent brow and no
noticeable neck.  He was having trouble speaking after
his seventh mug of ale.  "Now that alf e fights like
the devil e does.  I'd hate ta be facin I'm in battle."


"I agree," said Grulka, a lanky pirate with a pinched
face.  "He'd tear me limb from limb he would."

"Ha.  Yer a buncha scaredy cats!  Afraid of a little
elf," Fishy scoffed.

"Sure the elf's a tough one, but he's not invincible,"
Pike said. "I'm sure a good number of the pirates here
could beat him in a fair fight."

"Ha!  Ya wish!" Grulka said.

"Okay.  Goin find one then," Targ argued. "Ya won't!
Thar all scared of I'm."

"I'm not," Pike said.

"Oh.  Big talk from that big man.  Why don't you go
fight I'm then?" Tark asked.

"Because I have no quarrel with him," Pike said.

"Or is it cuz yer scared?" Gulka asked.

The large Norseman stood to his full height and glared
down at Grulka.  "What did you say?"  He growled.

"Easy Pike.  He didn't mean it.  It's the ale talkin,"
Fishy said.

"If'n yer not scared of the alf then...how's about we
make a little wager?" Tark asked.

"Now yer talkin,' What's the bet?" Fishy asked.

Bets were made and when everyone was in agreement they
headed off to find the elf.  Grulka pulled Fishy aside
when they started walking.

"What got Pike so steamed before?" Grulka asked.

The lame cook flashed a toothy grin.  "Ya insulted him
when ya suggested he were scared.  An that's somethin
ya don't do to a Norseman.  Insult their honor and
their pride and they'll rip yer legs off.  Ha!" Fishey
said.

The four inebriated pirates walked around the camp
until they found Doanthalas.  He was sitting on a rock
watching the water. Drake and Rapina were there with
him.  None of them were talking.  They just seemed to
be silently enjoying the evening air.  Pike stepped
forward and issued his challenge.

"Elf!  I challenge you to a fight.  I've been hearing
stories about how tough you are.  Talk is nothing so
I'm here to find out for myself.  What say you?" Pike
asked.

The elf turned and walked over to Pike.  He looked from
face to face before finally resting his eyes upon Pike.
He removed his shirt, nodded his head, and adopted a
fighting stance.

The pirates cheered since they were going to get a
fight.  Drake looked worried and shot Rapina a glance
that told her so.  Pike removed his shirt and adopted a
fighting stance of his own. It looked like the fight
wouldn't last very long.  The Norseman towered about
three heads above the tattooed elf.  And although
Doanthalas was big for an elf he was dwarfed by Pike.

The fight was clean and lasted longer than anybody
would have guessed. Although Pike was easily able to
swat the sylvan elf away with his longer reach and
stronger arms Doanthalas did not give up.  Every time
he got knocked down he would get right back up and go
at Pike. Doanthalas was able to land his fair share of
blows, but it was obvious that he was not going to win.
Pike was just too powerful and experienced for
Doanthalas.

The sylvan elf could barely stand by the time Pike
called the fight. Doanthalas had just hobbled to his
feet and was shuffling back towards Pike when the
oarsmaster held up his hand and said, "Draw!"

The assembled pirates looked at him in disbelief.  Why
had he done that? Clearly he would have won and
collected his share of the betting money.  They didn't
know what to do.

The oarsmaster put his arm around Doanthalas for
support and guided him towards the center of camp.  "I
have to hand it to you elf.  You're a tough one.  Not
too smart...but tough.  Most men would have given up
long before you did and for good reason too.  You've
got guts.  I respect that.  My name's Pike.  What's
yours?"

Doanthalas turned his tattooed face towards Pike but
didn't say anything.  He just stared at him with his
emerald eyes.  After a moment, apparently satisfied
that Pike was someone he could trust, the elf replied,
"Doanthalas."

At first Rapina had been nervous about Pike's
challenge, but now her faith in the Norseman was
renewed.  He had tested Doanthalas' mettle and liked
what he saw enough to embrace Doanthalas as a comrade.
Pike was a strong and popular junior officer, well-
liked by the men.  Rapina hoped that the new friendship
Pike seemed to be striking up would spread to the
Norseman's comrades.

It was a few hours before dawn and Skitch was busy
chinning himself on a tree limb keeping awake while on
elf-watching detail.

Guts sat against a tree trunk snoring softly.

Skitch contemplated waking Guts up for the fifth time
when he realized that Doanthalas was no longer where he
had been. "Damn, where'd he go, I just looked at him a
few minutes ago. " Skitch kicked Guts.  "Wake up,
stupid, the elf was just over there quakin' a few
minutes ago, and now 'ee's gone."

"The large, dim pirate awakened.  "Ouch, what'cha
kickin' me for?"

"Yer sleepin' on the job again, lout.  We got ta find
the elf quick, an' I have no idea which way he went.
You know how quiet 'e is when he moves through the
trees.  Damn it, we'll have ta get Brackston, an' 'e
ain't going to like it."

Skitch ran off full tilt and returned with Brackston
and Thumper a few minutes later.

Thumper tracked the elf to the Southeast.

"Damn demon elf! Look at this, Blade and Cudge were
here on watch.  Look at all the damn blood," Brackston
said.

"Track 'Im thumper, track 'I'm."

Thumper sidled away from the area, whining and
whimpering.

"What the hell's wrong with yew, dog?  That elf cast a
hex on yew? Brackston asked. "Damn it, yer not sneezin'
so it ain't them herbs 'e used on yew at the other
camp.  What in hell happened ta my fearless fuckin'
dog!?  Well come on, it's a cinch he didn't go back in
the direction of camp.  Let's head South."

About five minutes later Skitch pointed out the elf's
tattoos in the moonlight, and the group ran up to him.

Doanthalis was bent over something.

Skitch heard Brackston's infamous neck shackle lock
over the elf's neck.

"Demon elf!  I got yew, caught yew red-handed!  We'll
see what the captain says about yew now." Brackston
said.

Skitch caught hold of Guts.  "Hold on, take a look at
this..."

Logan let the matter rest until morning, but first
thing, the Captain conferred with Brackston, Skitch and
Guts.


"'e murdered 'em, I tell yew, 'e's a demon!" Brackston
practically hollered.

"Hold yer horses, Brackston, tell me the whole story
from the beginnin'" Captain Red Jack snapped.

"Skitch came an' got me ta track the elf.  He slipped
'em a few hours 'fore dawn.  We tracked 'I'm ta the
Southeast guard watch post an' there was blood
everywhere, yew should'a seen it!"

"Thumper was actin' real funny and wouldn't track th'
elf anymore, so we went South an' found 'Im areselves.
There 'e was bendin' over th' corpse.  I tell yew, I
caught 'im red handed."

"Skitch, is that how it went?"

Skitch nodded.  "Yeah, Brackston's got the story right,
but I don't like 'is conclusions.  'ee wasn't outa my
sight long.  I just did some chin-ups ta keep awake.
Guts was watchin' me 'stead of the elf.  Then I
realized the elf wasn't there so I ran an' got
Brackston.  The rest is like 'e said, but I seen the
body.  I got no idea whether it was Blade or Cudge,
'cause there ain't a lot o' meat left on th' carcass,
understand?"

"If that elf killed 'I'm 'e set a new record fer eatin'
raw meat. I checked 'is belly when we got back ta camp.
I'm tellin' ya, if that elf ate most of a 200 pound
pirate, 'ed have ta 'ave a belly out ta here, but that
weren't the case.  I'd say it'd be worth askin' the elf
what happened.  Me an' Guts looked for th' other
corpse, but we couldn't find it nowhere.  I'm hopin'
now that it's gettin' light, we can figure out where
it's gotten to."

"It's magic, I tell yew, the elf just withered the
corpse away after guttin' it, an 'e cast a spell so's
my dog turned as yellah as 'is coat."

"Get me Rapina, and I'll see what the elf has ta say
for 'imself soon enough."

"Mean time, Skitch, take a few men an' see if ye can
find the other corpse, but first, show me the one ye
got."

A little while later the captain came to the tree
Brackston had chained Doanthalas to not far from the
Barracks tent. Rapina arrived from the infirmary tent
at about the same time.  The camp was already abuzz
with rumors of how the demonic elf had chewed the meat
off from Cudge's bones.

"Brackston has it that ye killed an' ate two o' me men
early this mornin.'  Skitch wasn't so sure ye did it.
Ye don't look like yer stuffed wif 400 pounds 'o
pirate.  I'd like ta hear yer side o' th' story
startin' when ye left yer sleepin' spot.

Doanthalas was sitting on the ground holding the chain
in his hands.  He was staring at it with a resigned
look.  "It seems I shall be bound for life.  The path I
walk is forever soaked with blood."  The sylvan elf
paused and then looked up at the captain.

"I...awoke...from the reverie to the sounds of the wolf
pack feasting.  I thought the pack had made a kill to
the unereif...south...east.  To chase away the clouds I
followed the feast music.  The scent of life lost
caressed the air.  There was no wolf pack...only the
shadows of men.  My presence was known for the shadow
men were removing the life husks when I arrived.  They
dropped one as they faded to the...south...east.  Their
spirits were tired... or... sleeping... their bodies
were cold like shadows.  My eyes could barely glimpse
them."

"Well ya sure do speak funny, but I think I understand
ya.  No offense ta yer combat abilities, Doanthalas,
but I'm inclined ta believe ye.  Those were good men.
I'm hopin' even someone like you could not have killed
'em without sa much as a scream out 'o 'em. As fer the
men ye saw, I can't make heads ner tails o' it.  I
suppose they could 'ave been wearin' heavy coats ta
foil yer vision, but in this weather, it don't make
sense."

"Any ideas Rapina?  Is their magics fer such?"

"I've read about illusions and things that can fool
vision. I've also read about elementals, golems and
creations of necromancy that would not have body heat.
Any of those could be basically human-shaped."

"Aye, likely it's nothin' more'n island men wearin'
coats.  Just the same, get me Pike, Donal, Backster,
Drake, an' Kent. Brackston, unchain the elf.  I have ta
agree with Skitch.  If Doanthalas had the kind 'o magic
ye're conjecturin' 'ed of got out o' that old cage at
th' other camp in short order and ate us all.  I'm
thinkin some 'o the island's natives just gave us a
good pirate's welcome."

Brackston glowered but did as he was told.

A few minutes later Rapina had fetched the various
people the captain wanted.

"All right.  I want ye ta arm up, an' head South an
East. Backster, you an' the elf see if ye can track
whoever done the deed.  See if ye can find their camp
'an see how many there are. Don't engage 'em unless yer
pretty sure o' the odds."

"Pike, yer in charge.  Rapina, yer along 'cause ye've
read most anything I own concernin' th' supernatural,
an' I'm too busy ta go meself.  Kent, yer ta map the
trip as best ye can as yer goin'.  The rest o' ye are
soldierin' so look alive.  Get yer gear an' meet over
at the mess tent.  Fishy an' Piggy'll fix ye up with
provisions 'an I'll have some climbin' gear left for
ye. Be snappy about it.  I'd prefer ta see ye back here
before night fall."

Rapina got her Rapier, main gauche, knife, bow and
quiver and met the others back at the mess tent.

Doanthalas checked his gear as he led the group to the
spot where he had found the first body.  Although the
body had been removed there was still plenty of dried
blood on the ground.  The sylvan elf examined the area
while the group stood back.

Whatever or whomever was responsible for the death of
Blade and Cudge hadn't been too worried about hiding
their presence.  There were footprints all over the
place.  Some had been obliterated by the pirates when
they came to investigate and collect the body.  But
Doanthalas had no trouble picking up the trail that
would lead them to the murderers.  The footprints
headed off to the Southeast.

"The men of shadow returned to the darkness this way."
Doanthalas said as he pointed towards the cliffs to the
Southeast.  Those in the group who were not used to
hearing Doanthalas speak. After hearing the strange
manner in which he spoke, they looked at each other
curiously.  They followed the elf through the forest
even if they had not understood his speech.

The murderers had left plenty of evidence of their
passing.  Deep footprints, dried blood, broken twigs
and branches, and shreds of old dry-rotted cloth led
the elf and the party through the forest and on to some
low cliffs and more rocky terrain.

It was harder to track the "men of shadow" through the
cliffs and rocky areas.  Doanthalas was hard pressed to
find any sort of evidence.  Luckily he spotted a few
scuff marks on the rocks and some drops of dried blood.


Eventually the vegetation all but disappeared, as did
the trail.  It was far too rocky to make heads or tails
of any kind of evidence.  Doanthalas stopped and
scanned the area for possible escape routes.  He
spotted some higher cliffs and headed for them.

"Their shadows have faded in the light.  We must climb
those cliffs to see with the clarity of the hawk.  Then
we may be able to find our quarry."

Drake pulled Rapina up a seven-foot cliff onto higher
terrain and the others followed.

Oarmaster Pike pointed, "what do ye make o' that?"

Rapina walked up a steep hill to where Pike was
standing, there in front of them was a large, flat,
rocky field nearly devoid of trees.  Oval piles of
stone littered the field to the East up until it ended
at the base of cliffs to the East and South.  To the
North the terrain sunk.

"Burial mounds?" Rapina asked.

"Only one way to find out."  Pike walked North and
found an older, smaller pile of rocks and began tossing
the ones on top aside.  Donal and Drake Joined in.

"Yer right, looks like it was a kid.  The bones are
mostly crushed and plenty old, looks like.  I guess we
just found ourselves a graveyard on th' isle of the
dead."  Pike shifted the large double-edged battle axe
slug over his back, and pursed his lips. "There's a
trail here through the mounds leadin' North and South,
I think."

The group went Northeast and found that the trail
descended into a box canyon at the Northeast edge of
the isle.  The trail had obviously been modified by
ancient chisels and was in some cases cut into the side
of the canyon.  At the bottom was a pool of water with
some sort of sunken funeral boat in it.  A natural
archway led from the canyon out through a short cave to
the lake.  The opening was hidden from those viewing
the isle from the waters Northeast of it by a spur of
rock.

"A side door ta the isle," Pike said. "This'll be handy
ta know about.  If they left from here, we'll not be
tracking 'em.  Hey look," Pike pointed to some ancient
characters carved into the canyon wall to be visible
from boats sitting in the water. "Any ideas."

"They're runes.  This one means death, and this
sanctuary. Hmmm, maybe something like sanctuary of the
dead?  These others are more obscure, some sort of
warning maybe, and this one means respect.  That one is
the sun or day.  I think that it is warning us to
respect the sanctuary of the dead and to drop off our
dead only by day. How creepy."

"It's been my experience that dead men're less trouble
than the living, and my guess is whoever carved those
letters was just trying ta cow any would-be grave
robbers," Pike said.

"There could be some serious booty up in those mounds.
Sometimes they bury people with their gold rings and
such on 'em," Backster said.

"Let's go have another look at the graveyard and see if
this warning did the trick 'r not," Pike said.

After the group climbed their way back up to the field
of stones, Pike led the way South.

"These mounds closest to the canyon are a little
smaller and flatter.  I'd say they're older.  Let's see
if we can find something newer."

The search led to the Southern edge of the field.

"Give me a hand here.  None of these looks real fresh,
but they're taller and newer than the ones to the
North," Pike said.

Rapina helped the others move the stones.

"Hehheheh, it don't look like that warnin' was very
successful. All we got here is a few scraps o' old
linen.  There ain't even a body."

"But what kind of grave robber takes the valuables and
the bones?" Rapina asked.

"Likely they ditched the bones in one of these other
mounds," Backster replied.

The tattooed elf was staring at the ground intently. He
kept looking from the ground to an outcropping of rock
a short distance away.  "I sense the caress of the
shadow here." Doanthalas stood up and walked over to
the rock outcropping.  He discovered that the
outcropping hid a cave entrance.  The elf beckoned the
others closer and pointed at the runes chiseled into
the rock.

Pike and the others came to look.  "More letters,
Rapina."

"Hall of the Dead," Rapina said matter of factly.  "It
must be a cave that's been turned into a mausoleum. Let
me take a look at these smaller runes just above the
entrance." ---

[Rapina]011 Hall of the Dead


Backster opened an ancient bamboo gate that fit into
the entrance and stepped in.

"Hold on, you're supposed to intone some sort of prayer
before entering, at least that's what I think it says
here," Rapina said.

From inside the cavern Backster's voice echoed, "Oh
sure, gods grant me a heavenly hoard 'o booty. Damn
it's dark in here."

Rapina sighed. "That's no kind of prayer. Besides,
you're supposed to do it before you open the gate,
silly."

Rapina fished the crystal pendant out from beneath her
tunic. She took the little black leather sack off the
lighted crystal and put it in her belt pouch. She wore
the crystal light outside her shirt to provide light
for her party.

"Gold!" Backster shouted.

"Hold up Backster, yer gettin' too far ahead of us."
Pike unslung his axe and went into the tunnel with
Donal next to him.

Rapina followed, her light allowing them to see.

"AAAAAiiiiiih!" Backster screamed.

Just inside, the cavern was like a narrow hall that
slanted downwards. After about twenty feet the corridor
widened and leveled off. Carved into the sides of the
level main tunnel were tiers of Coffin-sized dead-end
tunnels. There were three tunnels to a column, one near
the floor, one about waist-level and one above the
level of most men's heads. Each tunnel held a corpse.
Column after column of coffin tunnels lined the walls.

Currently Backster flew backwards out of one of the
waist-high tunnel entrances about fifteen feet down the
wide hall and on the East side. He held his face as
blood gushed from his eye sockets. A golden ring
clattered to the floor as he pulled out of the side-
tunnel. ---------------[click to see a rough sketch of
this room]

[you can only see the top side tunnels in this view
from above, but there are two more side tunnels below
each one pictured. All of the skeletons are on the map
though. If it looks like there are 2 or 3 in a side
tunnel, there is really only one in a tunnel but there
are 3 tunnels in a column.] ---------------

A boney hand dripping blood emerged from the tunnel
after Backster. A skull followed, then a bony hand
holding a dagger. The unholy skeletons of the dead
awakened from their slumber and began to boil out of
their resting-places. They were armed with ancient
blades, or wooden cudgels. The only sound they made was
the ticking of their boney feet on the stone floor.

For an instant, Rapina froze in horror. In some
rational corner of her mind, she idly wished she had
brought her big Roman shield.

In front of Rapina, Pike sprinted forward to try to
rescue Backster. The Norseman dodged the bony hands of
the emerging skeletons and got to Backster just as the
first of the emerging skeletons stood and lifted their
weapons. Pike cleaved the skull and rib cage of the
dagger-wielding skeleton about to spit Backster, then
tossed the pirate over his shoulder like a screaming
sack of potatoes.

It was then that the Norseman realized that numerous
skeletons had sealed off his retreat back to the party.
The skeletons had him trapped. Red rage swam before the
Norseman's eyes as he yelled a blood-curdling battle
cry.  In a single blow he shattered the skull and rib
cage of the skeleton coming out of the side tunnel at
the level of his head and danced to avoid the grasp of
the one emerging at his feet. Thankfully, he had
already dispatched the one from the waist level tunnel
on his side of the room, but the skeletons from the
other side were quickly emerging.

Pike's battle-cry snapped Rapina out of her dumbfounded
state. She flattened herself against the wall allowing
Drake, Donal and Doanthalas to get by her. At the same
time she drew her rapier and main gauche. From the
corner of her eye she saw Kent pushing on a slab of
stone that had slid from the ceiling near the entrance
to block their escape.

Donal rushed to within striking distance of the first
tier of side tunnels. As a skeleton emerged from the
top tier, Donal relieved it of its head with his broad
sword. To Donal's horror, the headless skeleton jumped
to the ground and swung its oaken cudgel at him, nearly
braining the pirate before he ducked -just in time.

The pirate brought his sword up chopping through
several ribs and sundering the spine of the skeleton.

Another skeleton from one tier lower came out of its
side tunnel and stood as the one from the tier near the
floor grabbed Donal's boot. In addition, the skeleton
that Donal had been fighting, now lacking a pelvis and
legs, swung its cudgel at the pirate's knees from its
position on the floor.

Donal parried the cudgel by slicing off both of the
skeleton's hands with a single stroke of his
broadsword. Simultaneously, he blocked the blow of the
ancient dagger of the second skeleton with his buckler.


The skeleton near the floor pulled itself out of its
side tunnel and bit into Donal's boot.

The pirate yelled obscenities as he dropped his sword
and grabbed the cudgel of the first skeleton.

Rapina realized the ever-valiant Drake was charging
forward to try to save Pike. She steeled herself and
slipped to the right. She used her main gauche to parry
the sword of the skeleton that tried to skewer her, and
severed its spine just below the rib cage with a swipe
of her rapier. As it's upper half fell, Rapina jumped;
pretending she was stamping on Trevor's instep, she
managed to largely shatter the monster's rib cage.

Although she was paying little attention to it, Rapina
saw Donal's fight and realized that swords were not the
best weapons against these creatures.

With cudgel in hand, Donal shattered the upper ribs of
his second skeleton while trying to stamp on the neck
of the third that was now biting into his foot.
Unfortunately, his stomping was unsuccessful and the
third skeleton pulled his legs as he tried to trample
it.

"Aaaagh!" The pirate toppled over.

Doanthalas slid the bastard sword from the scabbard he
wore on his back. The sword had an extra long handle so
that it could be wielded with one or two hands. He
opted for a two handed grip as he moved to help Donal.

The skeletons raised their weapons as Donal tried
desperately to escape. The skeleton that had brought
Donal down released its grip only to sink its teeth
deep into Donal's leg.

The young pirate screamed in pain and tried to kick the
skeleton away. He was unsuccessful. Donal closed his
eyes in anticipation of the killing blow that was sure
to come at any moment.

He flinched as a loud cracking noise filled the air and
shards of bone rained down around him. Donal opened his
eyes in time to see the remains of his attackers
clatter to the floor. The tattooed elf was standing
over him cutting swaths of destruction through the
ranks of the skeletons.

Drake noticed Doanthalas' technique from the corner of
his eye. Instead of fighting the skeletons as one would
fight a normal fleshy opponent, Doanthalas was aiming
his attacks at their rib cages. Instead of stabbing and
hacking in a downward motion, the elf was swinging his
sword in a side to side sweeping motion. It seemed to
be working so Drake adopted this technique and stepped
up to give Pike a hand.

Pike's heavy axe shattered skeletons right and left as
the Norseman whirled and side-stepped to dodge the
clubs and blades of his supernatural foes. He stayed
near the wall, jumping past columns of openings when he
could.

The Norseman swung again, another opponent shattered,
its bones tangling with the bones of the creature
behind it, but the stupid creature came forward just
the same. Pike caught its club and kicked it backwards
breaking its hold. At the same time he shattered one of
it's comrades to his right as his axe continued to
weave patterns in the air. Pike roared and jumped
forward as a third skeleton opened a gash in his side.

The Norseman flipped the big club he had wrested from a
skeleton end for end, caught it and swung it with
gusto, his mighty muscles sweating with red rage. The
skeleton that had cut him disintegrated into a hail of
bones as the mighty Viking's club came down through
both skull and rib cage.

"Hang on Backster, I got ta use both hands 'er we're
both dead men!" He bellowed.

The next skeleton Rapina encountered swung a heavy
club. So heavy that the parrying strength behind
Rapina's main gauche was not sufficient. The blow drove
Rapina's left hand side. Her main gauche clattered to
the floor as her nerveless hand released it.

With her good hand she swung hard and shattered one of
the hands of the monster. Her blade bit into its other
wrist but did not sever it.

With only one hand, the creature brought up its club to
strike again, but it was much too slow. Rapina severed
it's good arm at the shoulder with her rapier and
kicked it hard in the ribs. It flew back into one of
its advancing comrades and they both went down in a
tangle of bones. Rapina grabbed the skeleton's cudgel
and sheathed her rapier while the two tangled skeletons
struggled to get up.

Her left hand was weak, but she directed healing energy
to it and swung the cudgel with both hands and all her
strength. One of the skeletons shattered, the other
flew to the side with pieces of the first entangled in
its ribs. She advanced trying to protect Drake's right
flank as he charged forward.

The skeletons advanced steadily. They did not plan
their attacks defensively for they had no brains and
they did not fear for their lives. The search party,
however, did fear for their lives and rightly so.  The
skeletons outnumbered them by more than three to one.
They needed some kind of strategy if they were to
survive. As it was the skeletons had them separated
into two small groups. Kent, Rapina, Doanthalas and
Donal were fighting with their backs to the cavern
entrance.

Drake had fought his way to Pike and Backster. Pike and
Drake were in a bind. Skeletons surrounded them and
Backster was in no condition to fight. The members of
the search party knew how to fight, but none of them,
except for one member, had any experience in the
tactics of large scale battles. This hardly qualified
as a large scale battle, but the idea was the same.
Whoever fought harder and smarter would be victorious.

"We're Trapped!" Kent screamed.

"We can retreat back towards the closed entrance, it's
much narrower there but we have to get to Pike and
Drake, They're only ten feet away now but there are so
many skeletons! Rapina shouted.

Donal came limping back to Rapina and Kent. "Damned
pile o' bones bit me!" He swung his cudgel and
shattered another skeleton that stepped too close to
him.

The sylvan elf deftly swept his leg in a half circle as
he crouched near the ground. Two skeletons went
tumbling to the floor. Doanthalas brought his sword in
a powerful upwards arc and cleaved a third skeleton in
two.

A few quick steps and shattered skeletons later the
tattooed elf had fought his way back to Rapina, Kent
and Donal. The three of them looked fine, but Pike,
Backster and Drake were in deep trouble. Soon the
skeletal warriors would overrun them.

"Rapina, Donal With me!" The elf shouted as he stepped
forward and swung his bastard sword in a tight arc
shattering the torso of another skeleton. "We must
clear the way for our comrades! Kent, guard our backs!"


terror paralyzed The young pirate. Otherwise, he might
have told the presumptuous elf where to go. For the
moment, it was all Kent could do to hold on to his
weapon. His hands were shaking so badly.

Rapina ducked and swung the cudgel she had rescued from
one of the skeletons she had fought. Several of the
upper ribs of the nearby undead monster broke and fell
away, but unlike Doanthalas, Rapina lacked the strength
always to shatter a skeleton with one blow. It often
took Rapina two or even three blows to destroy a
skeleton, and the floor was treacherous. Some of the
skeletons Doanthalas had cut in half at the lower ribs
were still animated. Although they had no legs, they
still tried to swing weapons, or crawl along the floor
towards their opponents.

Rapina tried a different tactic, she held the club with
both hands wide, using it to parry the heavy club of
the skeleton while she kicked the skeleton in the ribs.
Her kick did little actual damage, but the skeletons
were not very heavy and a good kick sent them flying.
They usually fell or got entangled with their comrades.
For one of her strength, the tactic worked better than
trying to hack away at a skeleton while others got too
close.

Although he was hurt and more than a bit scared Donal
heeded the elf's words. If he had thought about it, he
might have given Doanthalas attitude. After all who had
put him in charge? However, for the moment his words
seemed to make sense.

Pike yelled to Drake above the din of weapons and
skeletons, "Back to back, mate an' stick w' me an the
East wall. If ye can cover my butt, I can cut are way
back ta the others."

The number of skeletons coming in from the South nearly
overwhelmed Drake but he gritted his teeth and kept his
broadsword in constant motion, straining his powerful
arm to do maximum damage.

His back protected for the moment, Pike directed both
of his weapons forward. When Rapina struck, she was
lucky to break away several of a skeleton's ribs, but
when the mighty Norseman struck, a skeleton positively
exploded with every blow. Pike saw Doanthalas fighting
his way towards him as he fought towards the elf.

Rapina was so happy with the way her kicking strategy
was working that she turned her head to see if Kent had
seen it and taken it up. Her moment of vanity saved her
life. As she looked back she saw a cudgel descending to
brain her, she ducked just enough that the blow hit her
across the shoulder blades rather than shattering her
skull. The wind was knocked from her and she was driven
to the floor with an oof!

Although wounded when the headless skeleton surprised
him and its two buddies got the best of him, Donal was
a good fighter. Captain Red Jack was a wise man and had
made sure that three of the pirates he had sent out
were seasoned veterans. His bit foot hurt like the
devil but Donal turned when he heard Rapina go down,
parried a club blow and kicked the skeleton West to
clear some room.

Kent had taken a fright. a skeleton swinging a cudgel
had him cornered in the Northeast corner of the room.
The only trouble was, the skeleton did not seem to have
a brain in its head and its back swing kept knocking
into the wall. Without a back swing it was not
inflicting bone-shattering damage on the recruit, it
was just giving him a good beating with short swings
and scaring the daylights out of him with its gnashing
teeth and vacant eyes. Donal's kick bounced a skeleton
against the back of the one trying to pummel Kent to
death and drove it forward so it momentarily bashed
into Kent, it's boney teeth bruising his jaw.

Rapina gasped as she hit the floor. Skitch had taught
her how to take a fall when a big boy hit her in order
not to add insult to injury. As she went to stand, she
saw boney feet advance on her. She was weaponless; the
blow to her back had knocked the club out of her hands
along with her wind. Rapina grabbed the ankles of the
skeleton and swung it as she stood. She released it and
it skidded off the top of one of its compatriot's
skulls and slammed into the opposite wall where it
struggled to stand, oblivious to its cracked skull.

Donal grinned, "now thar's a wench!," he said as he
shattered another skeleton with his cudgel.

Drake was fighting with every ounce of his strength and
speed. He had been forced to sheath his parrying dagger
so he could use his broadsword in both hands. The
dagger was useless against the skeletons anyway. He
found his feet were a better weapon. When the skeletons
got especially thick, driving them back was a better
idea than cleaving them. They were so stupid they all
crowded into each other and a good kick would send a
bunch of them falling to the floor like dominoes. Then
Drake could shatter one that did not fall with his
sword while the dupes got up.

Pike exploded the last skeleton between Doanthalas and
him.

"Slip behind me along the wall, Drake. We've made it to
our mates."

Pike stepped forward just enough to let Drake by. He
turned and shattered a skeleton with his club while the
flat of his battle axe turned a second into a shower of
bones. All the while the Norseman moved slowly sideways
toward the North wall. When Drake was by him, he turned
to face fully south and backed North in a fighting
retreat.

Rapina grabbed the rear ribs of the skeleton that was
terrorizing Kent and heaved it. Luckily, the skeletons
were quite light.

After slipping by Pike, Drake helped Doanthalas fight
the skeletons attacking from the West as Donal and
Rapina cleared the Northeast corner, turning it into a
safe zone.

Seeing Drake and Doanthalas now protected him, Donal
took his broadsword from the floor of the Northeast
corner of the room and quickly sheathed it. At the same
time, he picked up Rapina's cudgel and handed it to
her.

Rapina saw Drake run into the entrance tunnel and
followed.  Donal behind her pushing Kent in front of
him.

Pike and Doanthalas took up positions at the southern
end of the narrower entry tunnel just before the point
where the tunnel widened and leveled off.  They fought
a pitched battle with a hoard of skeletons coming at
them from the main room.  Fortunately, the tunnel would
only admit two or three skeletons abreast, so the
number of opponents the men had to fight at a time was
much more manageable.

Drake faced two skeletons that had already been in the
entry tunnel when he entered and Pike and Doanthalas
had cordoned it off. As Rapina entered the narrower
corridor, the light she carried provided better
illumination. To Drake's horror, he saw that one of the
skeletons still had bits of flesh clinging to its
bones. "Cudge, is that you?"

The Skeleton vacantly swung a broadsword at Drake who
parried with a clang.

Rapina ducked as the second skeleton took a swing at
her. She drove the end of her cudgel forward into the
pelvis of the skeleton like a battering ram and knocked
it backwards. It fell against the slab that blocked the
entryway and began to scramble to its feet. While it
was scrambling, Rapina jumped forward and shattered its
right shoulder.

As he parried, Drake stepped in and kicked the knee-cap
of the skeleton. The bones snapped and the skeleton
fell sideways still swinging its blade. It cut into the
side of Drake's boot and slightly wounded his calf as
he tried to dodge.

Drake's sword severed the neck of the skeleton and its
skull went rolling across the floor. Undaunted, it
lifted its blade to take another swing. Drake drew his
parrying dagger and jumped to the right.

Rapina dodged right but took a glancing blow to the
hip. Her cudgel took out four ribs on the left side of
the skeleton. The skull from Drake's opponent rolled
towards her, its teeth still gnashing.

Rapina jumped back, and when her Skeletal opponent came
forward she was ready. She crouched and took out one of
the skeleton's knees. It fell and she shattered its rib
cage before it could rise again.

The Norseman grinned at Doanthalas as three more
brainless bags of bones approached and were shattered
by the two muscular fighters. Pike's eyebrows raised -
the rib of one of the skeletons he had shattered did
not fly right. "Heads up back there."

Donal looked in Pike's direction, his mouth opened as
something whistled like breath blown over the mouth of
a bottle. A flying rib stabbed him in the gut with much
more power than a simple flying object. Donal
instinctively dropped his cudgel and grabbed the bone.
His quick reflexes saved his life. He bled profusely,
but he muscled the bone out of the wound in his gut and
got a two- handed grip on it. It was alive as though
the entire strength of a skeleton had clung to it.
Donal muscled the bone against the stone wall and
rubbed it there, but all he did was work off it's
jagged point.

Damn, Drake thought. The new skeleton, whichever pirate
it had recently been, had bones stronger and less
brittle than its drier and more aged comrades did.
Drake realized his last swing should have gone through
the neck and shoulder of the skeleton but it had not.

Drake charged in, parrying the blade of the skeleton
and severing its arm near the shoulder. The skeleton's
broadsword clattered to the floor and Drake swung and
swung again, this time severing the other arm of the
creature. The arms crawled towards him pulling
themselves along with their fingers. Drake swung again
and again slicing the ribs off the creature and
sundering the pelvis. He was about to stamp on the
creature's fingers when Rapina called out.

"Wait! No one is going to believe this unless we have
proof."

Drake nodded. He grimaced and picked up one of the
arms.

Rapina picked up the other arm and the skull. The
fingers and jaw were still moving, trying to kill.

Donal took a stout burlap bag from his belt pouch.
"Here, put those in the bag, Drake, and Rapina see what
ye can do fer Backster.

Rapina found that Backster's right eye was a ruin, but
his left eye would be okay, there was a deep cut just
above it where a skeletal finger had glanced off.
Rapina cleaned the wound and applied a bandage. She
gave Backster some herbs for the pain from his ruined
eye.

Pike and Doanthalas shattered skeleton after skeleton
until finally the last one lay in pieces at their feet.
"Damn! I'm bruised or bleedin' on most parts of my
body, but that was one hell of a fight," Pike said.

"That was the best fightin' I've seen a 'green' recruit
do in years," Pike winked at Doanthalas. 'Course the
important thing for fighting these brainless bags o'
bones seems ta be strength and endurance, and I know ye
got 'em both from havin' had that bout we had
tagether." Pike grinned and turned to Rapina. "What do
the wounds look like?"

"Backster's lost an eye, but I think the other eye will
be okay as soon as the gash above it heals. Donal has a
bad belly wound and a deep bite in his foot. I got hit
across the back and on the hip, but I was pretty
lucky."

Pike helped himself to some bandages and supplies from
Rapina's pack and patched up several nasty gashes he
had received.

Rapina finished Donal and looked at Kent while Drake
and Doanthalas patched up their own hurts. Kent was
severely bruised all over his upper body but Rapina
could not help but realize that Kent's pride had taken
a worse beating.

"The way I see it, we better see if we can get out 'a
this place. That slab's real stone. Before today I'd 'a
said there was no magic about it. Now I figure there
could be.  On the other hand, one of these skeletons
might a triggered it from one o' these restin' holes.
Those of ye who're not too badly wounded, lets give 'em
a search. Any booty ye find goes in this bag,
understand? We'll take a look at the skeletons fer
rings, daggers 'an swords too, though most of 'em had
clubs."

There were a number of silver and several gold rings.
Most of them were on the fingers of shattered
skeletons. Rapina retrieved her main gauche and went to
the Southern end of the wide hall of the dead. There
was another doorway there blocked by a slab of stone.
Above the doorway were more runes.

When Doanthalas climbed into the top-most resting place
on the Northwest wall, his weight triggered something,
and the slab slid up and out of the way of the
entrance. Everyone was much relieved. It turned out
that even the weight of a skeleton in that side tunnel
would keep the entry open, but when the weight was
removed, the slab slid back to block the entryway.

Still deciphering the runes above the door, Rapina
said, "No wonder there was not much booty here, these
were probably all commoners. This next door leads to,
"The Hall of Eminence," and we're supposed to make the
sign of man to enter." There was a pentacle carved into
the wall next to the door. At each point, a stone stud
could be pushed.

Pike waved his hand. "We'll go no farther now. Are
first duty is ta get Backster and Donal back ta camp
and make our report before dark."

Rapina nodded. She wanted to make sure she had the sign
of man right anyway. She had not really been paying a
lot of attention to signs, but she was pretty sure that
one of Captain Red Jack's old holy books had several
different signings in it for banishing evil spirits and
such.

The still-animated arms and skull of the fresh skeleton
were put in a bag tied to the end of a cudgel for Drake
to carry. All other still-living pieces were destroyed
save the, "singing bone," that had stabbed Donal. He
had worn the jagged, pointed ends of the bone smooth
against the stone wall and worked the marrow out of the
bone with his boot knife and small shards of bone. He
stashed the six-inch piece of bone in his stoutest belt
pouch with the strings tied tightly closed. The bone
was ever intent on stabbing him but now lacked points.
Just the same, it pushed on him with a fair amount of
force. This made the pirate stagger even more than he
should have, given his wounded foot. The singing bone
was unique in that it seemed to have nearly the full
strength of a skeleton to it. Whereas the other still
animated bones could not lift off the ground and fly,
the singing bone seemed to be able to fly around
without trouble. The party hurried back to the pirate
camp and arrived just as the sun sank below the
horizon. With the wounded, the going had been much
slower on the way back. When they arrived, Pike
reported to the captain. After a few minutes, he called
the others in.

"So, I hear ye had an adventure. I'm hav'in a heap 'o
trouble believin' what Pike has told me, but 'e says ye
insisted on keepin' some souvenirs for me ta see, did
ye lass?"

Rapina nodded. "Drake is carrying them in that sack."

"Good thinkin' girl, let me see 'em. I'm 'bout ready ta
have Pike put in a cage fer bein' daft."

Drake opened the sack and dumped the contents carefully
out onto the captain's table. The severed bony arms
wasted no time pulling themselves along by their
fingers towards the Captain who was the closest person
to the table after Drake stepped back. The scull rolled
a bit then rocked as it gnashed its teeth. The skeletal
fingers seemed slower and weaker, though the skull
still seemed to gnash its teeth with exuberance.

"Mother o' all the gods, Pike is a sane man after all,"
the captain grinned. So this is what happened ta Blade?
What a harrible end he most 'o met. He'll make a grisly
souvenir though, 'e will.

Now what o' this flyin' bone that pegged Donal?

Donal limped forward and removed his belt pouch. "It's
in here captain, but it's been trying ta stab me ever
since it did the first time. Donal held his belt pouch
out to the captain who took it. The pouch pushed on the
captain as it sensed a presence nearer than Donal and
attempted to stab it.

The captain's eyebrows shot up. "That be strange
stuff." The captain kept the pouch. Ye can take that
back later if ye want it, ye earned it takin' th' belly
wound. Fer now let's keep it out 'o the men's sight.

The captain looked at Rapina. "Pike says ye read some
old runes fer the group 'an there's another door with
writin's as well. Do ye know how to open it?

"I think so sir, but I need to check one of your books
to make sure I have it right."

"Ye did good. Pike said ye killed yer share o'
skeletons an kicked many o' 'em back when ye found that
warr easier for ye than killin' em outright."

"Yes sir, Pike and usually Doanthalas and Drake could
make them shatter by hitting them hard, but I could not
hit them hard enough to finish one in a single blow.
They were very light, though, so once I discovered
kicking them, I usually did that and I threw a couple
too."

The captain chuckled. "Ye got guts Rapina, some would
'ave bet ye would freeze first time ye saw real
combat."

Rapina blushed, "Well, actually I did freeze, but
Pike's battle cry snapped me out of it."

"Well, well, I guess that old battle roar 'o yers is
worth somethin' after all, Pike," the captain smiled.

"Kent, yer maps 'r excellent, but ye were a liability
in th' combat. A pirate that can't fight gets dead
fast. Th' way I heard it, the fact ye were in a corner
and the skeleton attackin' ye was brainless, saved yer
life. It would be a shame ta loose one w' yer talents.
I know th' enemies ye fought taday weren't exactly
normal and ye didn't have combat instincts ta fall back
on like Pike, 'er Donal, 'er Doanthalas.  Nevertheless,
Rapina did okay, an' Drake helped Pike outa a spot
although he's green. I know I'm comparin' ye ta the
best in yer basic class, but ye got ta git yer combat
skills up. Usually, I just let a kid like ye sink 'er
swim on 'is own, but I don't get many men w' a head
like yers on their shoulders, so I've given Roger
orders ta get ye more combat trainin'. See that ye
apply yerself, as ye've seen, yer life depends on it.

The rest of ye, listen up. Pirates can be a
superstitious lot, 'an what ye encountered weren't at
all natural. I want ye ta keep a tight lip. Anyone asks
ye how ye got wounded, ye tell 'em it were, "natives 'o
the isle," and don't tell em they tried ta carve ye
even though they were already dead. I'll make sure the
guard posts have some hefty clubs around in case any o'
these boney nightmares attack.

Pike has told me about the other water entrance ta the
isle Southeast 'o here. Soon as we can we'll set up a
base camp there and ye can try ta get ta the bottom o'
this. In the mean time, lick yer wounds and I'll have
Rapina study up on this matter again before ye go out.
Remember ta keep the lips buttoned, I don't want the
men spookin' on me. Don't talk about what happened even
if no one else is around. Save it fer later.

Fer now, I see ye've brought me some booty. I'll be
givin' ye some money out of it if ye earned it. Drake,
I know ye have weapons, an' I loaned Doanthalas that
bastard sword. Far as I'm concerned, Doanthalas, ye
have a couple 'o weapons comin' to ye. Logan will show
ye through the weapons crates tomorrow an' ye can pick
out a set 'o hand weapons for yer own, includin' that
sword if ye can find nothin' better."

"Rapina, I'd like ta talk ta ye more about these
supernatural creatures an' such. Please come by after
yer bath."

Rapina nodded.

"Good work, mates. 'Less ye have somethin' ta add, yer
dismissed," the captain said. Doanthalas, watch yer
back.  That damn Brackston has half the pirates
thinkin' ye summoned those demons last night, an I
can't tell 'im what really happened or the other half
'o me men'll be shakin' in their boots just as hard as
the ones Brackston's got to. Stick w' yer friends. ---

Later that night after seeing, Beck, Fishy and Pike,
Rapina arrived at the captain's clean from her bath.

Scary day ye had wench. Sit down an' 'ave a glass 'o
wine.

Rapina sat down on Red Jack's couch and snuggled
against the captain as she drank wine from a glass he
had handed her.

"What do ye make o' these skeletons. Where do ye
suppose they're comin' from an' how do ye figure one o'
me own men was turned into one of 'em.

"It has to be necromancy, I think. The magic book talks
about the theory behind necromancy. It all has to do
with life force. People have it, dead men don't, and
undead men have less than none, like a suction or a
debt. That's why they try to kill, they want the life
force of the living. I wish I knew more, but your
library isn't the best where supernatural monsters are
concerned. I think some of the holy books may talk
about the undead. A lot of priests feel it's their duty
to destroy them, and I guess some evil churches train
their priests in necromancy so they can create and
control the undead."

"Aye, I think ye're right. Those chests be full o' me
books, why don't ye get a start on findin' th' volumes
ye need while I finish the night's logs."

Rapina nodded. "Okay, I'll look for that one with the
signs too." Rapina found one or two of the books she
needed that night, but spent little time reading and
much more time moaning with pleasure beneath the
captain's capable hands.

[Rapina]012 Shadows of the Dead

It was three or four in the morning when there came a
scratching on the tent flap accompanied by the dim glow
of an oil lantern turned down low, and the whisper of
Logan's voice. "Sir, we have a problem."

"Nay, again? Come in an' tell me about it."

"We've lost the Southeast watch post, sir," Logan said
opening the tent flap. Suddenly Logan dropped the
lantern he was carrying and lurched to catch it in mid
air before it spilled. The light flickered and shadows
danced but Logan caught the lantern before it hit the
floor. "Aai! Jus' had the mother 'o chills, been having
'em off and on since we checked the post."

"Didn't we double the guard ta tha Southeast?" the
captain asked while getting out of bed and fetching his
robe?

Rapina held the covers to her neck with one hand while
she got her sheathed crystal light pendant from the bed
post and slipped it on over her neck with the other.
She hoped whatever was attacking would stick to picking
off guard posts as it had last night, but she felt a
foreboding presence and feared that would not be so. As
soon as Logan left, Rapina thought maybe she would get
up, but right now, she was not wearing even a stitch of
clothing.

"Aye, an' had we not we'd 'ave never heard the single
scream that marked the passin' o' the men," Logan said.

"Did ye re- iiiiee! aaa! ssss!, I got yer aaaa! oooh!
rrrr! chills! Damn it what's aaaaiiiuuuooou! gonin' on?
The captain grimaced and cringed this way and that as
chills struck him.

Rapina could hear yelling outside the tent in the
direction of the water that was only about two or three
score paces away.

When the guards at the Northeast guard post had
mysteriously disappeared with only a scream to mark
their passing, Logan had sent a man to rouse the
pirates early.  Someone had gotten past the sentries,
and Logan did not want the men killed in their sleep. -
--

The sylvan elf splashed cool water onto his face. He
stood there for a few minutes basking in the
invigorating feeling of cleanliness. Doanthalas opened
his eyes and stared at the stars. They twinkled, as
they seemed to dance in the heavens. It felt as if they
were beckoning the tattooed elf to come dance with them
in the sky. Some of the burden lifted from his heart as
his spirits soared for a moment.  A moment later they
came crashing down as his thoughts turned to the recent
encounter with the skeletons. Although his body was
clean of the dirt and bone fragments from the fight his
soul still felt tainted.  Something was dreadfully
wrong if the dead walked this island.

Doanthalas seemed to be lost in thought again. Drake
noticed that the elf would frequently stop whatever he
was doing and stare at some fixed spot somewhere in the
distance. The muscles in his face would move in such a
manner that his facial tattoos seemed to come alive. It
was a bit disconcerting at first, but Drake was getting
used to the strange elf and his ways. In spite of the
fact that Doanthalas did not engage in conversation
often Drake was taking a liking to him.

"So...Doanthalas....what's it like being the only elf
around so many humans? Doesn't it make you
uncomfortable?"

The only reply the elf made was a slight shaking of his
head. There was no way to describe to Drake the horrors
he had borne witness to. The battle with the skeletons
had been a walk in the park compared to some of the
battles he had fought. Living with humans was far
preferable to being the slave of fiends so grotesque
that their faces haunted Doanthalas' reverie every
night.

Seeing that nothing more was forthcoming from
Doanthalas Drake continued, "I know we're not supposed
to talk about it, but..." He looked from side to side
and whispered. "Do you think there are more of them up
there? There's got to be. When we found the
other...er...body and those skeletons... well... I
don't think it was them that dragged the body away.
What do you think?"

Doanthalas dunked his head under the water and then
threw his head back spraying water into the air as his
long hair whipped backwards. He fixed his emerald eyes
on Drake and spoke in the clear methodical manner he
always did, "When the dead walk the earth the living
must rise up and put their spirits to rest. Otherwise
the living are doomed to join the dead in their
tormented walking..."

Had anyone else said those same words Drake would have
dismissed them as being drunk or crazy or both.
However, Doanthalas said it with such utter conviction
that there was no doubting his words. The young man
fell silent and looked off in the distance towards the
cliffs. A feeling of dread was fast descending upon
him. All Drake wanted to do was get off the island as
fast as possible.  The noise made by some of the other
pirates bathing a little further down distracted him.
The other pirates still didn't trust Doanthalas enough
to linger too close to him. This annoyed Drake, but
what annoyed him more was the sight of Edgar and Kent
talking in hushed tones and looking in his direction.

"He's a demon I tell ya. Look at him! You're right for
not trusting him! He's a danger to us all. That story
about shadow men or whatever he called them was made
up.  We both know it was him who killed the two guards.


Kent looked at Drake and Doanthalas bathing in the
distance. The elf seemed to be oblivious of his
watchful gaze, but Drake noticed Kent watching them.
The young man averted his eyes and turned to talk to
Edgar. "What do you care Edgar? You don't give a damn
about anyone in the camp except for maybe Trevor."

Edgar scowled and grabbed Kent roughly by the arm.
"That's not true and you know it! You and Drake were
like brothers to me until we ended up here. As soon as
we were here you both turned your backs on me! Sure I
started a lot of trouble myself...I don't deny it. I
like trouble! But, not once did you or Drake stand up
for me. When that pirate beat me down you and Drake
just stood there like cowards! At least Trevor cared
enough to see that I was okay. And not once did you
check up on me to see how I was coming along. Not once.
I've been watching you and Drake every step of the
way." He stopped for a moment to catch his breath and
stared at Kent.

The young man lowered his eyes. He knew there was some
truth to Edgar's words. Some of the facts had been
distorted, but the meaning remained unchanged. "You're
right...Edgar. I'm sorry. I've been so wrapped up in
what I've been doing that I have totally neglected
you."

"Don't worry about it too much runt. Drake obviously
isn't. Look at him over there being all buddy buddy
with that damnable elf." He hissed the last word like
it left a bad taste in his mouth. "There's been nothing
but trouble since the elf was released from his cage."

"Yeah, but do you think he's the cause of it all?" Kent
asked.

"Hell yeah! And the question is what are we going to do
about it..."

Kent was about to respond when he felt a sharp pain in
his leg. It was like his flesh was being ripped open.
He tried to scream, but his body went rigid as all his
muscles tightened. His eyes darted around in terror as
his mind tried to come to grips with what had just
happened.

Edgar saw Kent's body jerk suddenly and his eyes
looking about wildly, but Edgar did not know how to
react. He was not sure what was going on until he saw
the hideous face of Kent's attacker rise from the
water. In his moment of terror and surprise, Edgar
backpedaled onto land falling backwards into the water
twice in the process. He grabbed his sword and leapt
back into the water with a loud cry.

By this time a few of the other pirates knew something
was amiss. They had heard Edgar's cry and also
witnessed another of their number being dragged under
the water. Chaos erupted as more of the hideous
creatures emerged from the water. Pirates scrambled for
their weapons as the creatures advanced. The creatures
skin had a pale sickly color to it and their teeth were
long and pointy. Long tongues twisted like serpents in
their mouths and their wild eyes scanned the camp. Any
clothing they wore was in tatters.

Drake turned as he heard Edgar's scream and started to
run in that direction. An iron grip on his shoulder
stopped him. He turned to shake off the hand only to
come face to face with the sylvan elf.

"Death comes to the foolish more swiftly than to the
prepared...man. Arm yourself my friend." Doanthalas
released his grip and raced onto the land. He knew that
the enemy they faced was more dangerous than the
pirates realized. These creatures were familiar to the
elf; he had seen and fought them before, but back then
he had been better prepared. He scooped up his sword as
well as Drake's. When Drake was close enough he tossed
him his sword and then raced off to engage the ghouls.

Edgar tried to position himself so that he could attack
the ghoul without harming Kent, but the ghoul seemed to
sense this and kept moving so that Kent was constantly
between it and Edgar. "Hang on Kent!" Edgar shouted.
"I'll get you out of this." As he said those words,
another ghoul emerged from the water beside him. He
turned and swung at it with all his might. The creature
jumped back well out of the way of the wild swing.

Drake saw the creature with Kent start to drag him
under the water. Drake Hoped he would get there in time
to save Kent.  Doanthalas' strong legs were carrying
him to the battle more quickly than Drake could manage,
but that did not matter. Drake could only think of
helping his friend.

The sylvan elf raised his sword to attack as he closed
on the two ghouls engaged with Kent and Edgar. He was
going to help Kent, but the ghoul on Edgar succeeded in
slashing its claws across the young man's chest.
Doanthalas saw Edgar go rigid and knew that the ghoul
would devour him if he did not do something fast. Drake
would have to help Kent. The tattooed elf brought his
sword down swiftly slicing the ghoul's arm off neatly
at the shoulder.

The fight taking place in front of him didn't register
at all. The only thing that Edgar could see was the
ghoul dragging Kent under and Drake struggling feebly
to stop it.

"Let him go!" Drake screamed as he sank his sword into
the ghouls back. The ghoul didn't even flinch. It just
kept walking further out into the water dragging Kent
with it. Drake hacked at it some more and knocked off
big chunks of flesh, but the ghoul just turned and
swatted him with its meaty hand. Drake only felt the
sting of the blow for a moment. His muscles tightened
immediately as the claws on the ghouls' hand scraped
his face. He could do nothing to stop his fall as he
fell backwards into the water. The sounds of battle
faded as the water enveloped him. Try as he might, he
could not will his muscles to move. "Gods! I'm going to
drown!", he thought. Fear gripped him as surely as the
paralysis had.

The ghoul had turned on Doanthalas after the loss of
its arm. It pressed its attack with a cunning rivaling
that of some of the best pirates in the camp. A clawed
hand raked across his chest, but apart from the blood
flowing from the wound, Doanthalas seemed unaffected.
He swung his sword deftly and proceeded to dismember
the ghoul. The severed pieces of the ghoul sank swiftly
to the bottom. Doanthalas turned and lifted Drake's
rigid body from the water. Luckily he was still
breathing. As the elf hoisted the form of Drake from
the water he scanned the area for any sign of Kent. For
a moment there was no sign of him. Then a large group
of bubbles broke the surface of the water off in the
distance. Doanthalas knew that all hope of rescuing the
boy was lost at that moment. He grabbed the rigid forms
of Edgar and Drake and dragged them to shore.

What was he doing? The elf had just left Kent to die.
He could have dove in after them and saved him, but he
didn't. That damned elf! Tears streamed down Edgar's
eyes and he would have sobbed if he had control of his
body. At least Drake had tried to help.

Drake was feeling the same grief that Edgar was,
although he wasn't blaming Doanthalas for Kent's fate.
He knew there was nothing the elf could have done.
Instead, he blamed himself for getting there too late
and allowing the ghoul to paralyze him.

The elf turned quickly as a noise caught his attention.
Another ghoul had crept up on him while he was dragging
Drake and Edgar out of the water. He stood there
weaponless trying to figure out what to do. He had left
his sword a few paces back so he wouldn't accidentally
stab one of the boys. Time seemed to slow down as he
turned and prepared to make a dash for his sword. A
combination of water and sweat rolled down his face
tracing the contour of his cheek. A rivulet of blood
ran down his chest as he turned and dug his feet in.
The ghoul slashed at Doanthalas with its clawed hand
just as a point of light caught the elf's attention. A
drop of blood hung off of his chest for a split second
before falling. It spattered to the ground just as a
flaming arrow embedded itself into the back of the
ghoul with a loud thunk-poof.

Doanthalas seemed to have a demonic look to him as the
light from the flames danced across his tattooed form.
The tattoos seemed to come alive and writhing and
twisting around his body as he embraced the ghoul and
they both burst into flames.

Arzeal nocked another flaming arrow and took aim. These
arrows were special, and Arzeal had bought many of them
from a tinker.  They had proved invaluable against the
rigging of enemy ships. Each was tipped with a glass
bulb full of resinous spirits and coated with the same
sort of pine tar used for torch-heads. The archer set
the bulb aflame and fired. When the arrow hit, the bulb
burst - splashing the target with a cloud of flaming
resin.  He did not want to hit Doanthalas, but that was
a chance he would have to take if he wanted to save
him. "Damn!" He muttered as the ghoul bowled the sylvan
elf over and they both burst into flames. He would have
to grieve for his friend later, for now he targeted
another ghoul.

Two other ghouls had surfaced a little further down and
were wreaking havoc on the few pirates that had been
bathing there. One pirate fell quickly to the ghouls
attack and was dragged to a watery grave like Kent had
been. the other fought the remaining pirates. Had they
not been gripped by sheer terror the pirates might have
mounted a formidable defense and defeated the ghoul.
But the ghoul managed to paralyze most of them before
being driven back into the water by a combination of
attacks from the remaining pirates and a flaming arrow
embedded in its neck. Reinforcements arrived in time to
see the last ghoul disappear beneath the surface of the
water. They tended to their wounded comrades and
watched as the flaming ghoul and Doanthalas struggled
near Drake and Edgar.

The heat from the flame was unbearable, but the elf did
not worry. He focused on the task at hand, ripping the
ghoul limb from limb. He managed to maneuver the ghoul
close to his discarded sword as they struggled. The
ghoul had managed to inflict a few moderate wounds
during the struggle, but it was clearly distracted by
the fire. Doanthalas took advantage of the distraction
and reached for his sword. After a few tries, he
managed to grasp it. He hacked at the ghoul as they
struggled. His flesh felt like it was melting off his
skin, but the ghoul seemed to be in much worse shape.
Its skin was blackened and had melted completely off
some parts of its body. With a few agile strokes, he
managed to extract himself from the flaming creature.

The group of pirates that had witnessed the struggle
stared in awe as the flaming elf stood up straight and
tall apparently unharmed by the fire. As the last lick
of flame dissipated, they noticed for the first time
that his demonic looking tattoos were glowing an
unearthly shade of red.

The sudden silence was deafening to the elf. He looked
up and saw fear painted across every face in the
camp...including Pike who had reached the fight a
little too late to help. Doanthalas stood there
silently staring at the assembled crowd with his
emerald eyes. They knew nothing of what he had been
through...what he had gained and what he had lost.
There was no way he could make them understand so he
stood there in silence waiting for them to do
something.

Arzeal could not believe his eyes. Doanthalas was
unharmed! The flames had not so much as singed a hair
on his head. He was scared, that much was true. At the
same time he was fascinated. He stood at the head of
the group and studied the elf. He had no idea what he
should do or say, but he knew that he had to say
something before the frightened pirates took action.

---------------

Maybe it was instinct, or perhaps some part of Rapina's
intellect had noted a discrepancy in the way the
shadows had danced when Logan nearly dropped the
lantern.  For whatever reason, Rapina pulled the sheath
from the crystal light around her neck.

Light flooded the tent; the shadows disappeared - all
except three of them surrounding Captain Red Jack.

"Bastards!" the captain bellowed.

Logan drew his sword and lunged for the nearest shadow
as quickly as any man could have.

Red Jack slammed into one of the shadows with his foot,
which took a horrible chill. He jumped clumsily past
the downed shadow and drew his blade from where it hung
on the bedpost while the creature tried to regain its
feet.

Rapina jumped up in bed. The covers were still in her
hands and she threw them over the downed shadow as she
hopped over to Red Jack's side of the bed. Jack had
hung all of the weapons there. After throwing the
blankets, Rapina hurriedly drew her rapier.

Logan's blade pierced the monster nearest him. Wisps of
shadowy vapors erupted from the creature's chest as the
sword passed through it, but the thrust did not destroy
it. It turned and lunged, touching Logan's neck.
Iiieee!

The captain felt weak as a baby. It was all he could do
to muster an effective two-handed swing with his
broadsword, but muster he did, chopping down beside the
abomination's neck. The sword easily passed through the
neck, shoulder and upper chest of the creature that
spewed shadowy vapors with the passing blade, but the
creature seemed undaunted.

The shadow was too intent on the Captain's life force
to worry about the assault. It grabbed one of the
captain's arms and drained, regaining some of the life
force lost to its wound.

Aaaah! The creature's touch was so chill, and the
pirate captain could feel his strength being drawn away
from him.

Rapina swung her rapier like a baseball bat with both
hands and easily chopped right through the creature's
neck. A flood of shadowy vapors fountained from the
creature's neck around Rapina's moving blade, but its
head did not drop off.

Surprised for only an instant, the shadow tangled in
the blankets fought it's way out from under the covers.
Rapina heard more screams and yelling from the
direction of the water.

The shadow touched Logan's upper arm. The chill was
unbearable. Logan swung his sword right through the
creature's chest. vapors burst out from around the
blade as it sliced.

The shadow reached out and chilled the pirate captain
to the bone before his opponent's blade could touch
him.

Rapina reversed the direction of her swing and chopped
across and down through the shadow's neck and chest.

Jack felt so weak, his swing was slowed but as his
blade joined Rapina's already slicing through the
creature. The creature exploded into a harmless puff of
vapor.

Aaaaaa! The captain roared as the shadow that had
crawled out from under the blankets Rapina had thrown
over it grabbed his ankle. -

Logan went to swing his blade back through his shadow,
but the creature grabbed his elbow, the horrible chill
temporarily froze his joint. The pirate lieutenant
sidestepped towards his captain, he could see the other
creature was making a mess of him.

Now that Rapina realized the semi-ethereal nature of
her foe, she abandoned the two-handed swing, snapped
into a proper fencing stance and aimed her rapier at
the shadow that had just touched the captain's ankle.
Her blade entered the shadow's neck and sliced all the
way down through its back. Vapors erupted everywhere.

The shadow sprung away from the pain lancing its back,
turned and lunged to touch The captain.

The captain moaned as still more strength was torn from
him. Weakly he whirled around and brought his blade
through his tormenter -

Logan's shadow ducked unexpectedly and grabbed his
belly as Logan took up his sword with the other hand.
His swing only nicked the creature's head, but
thankfully, his elbow unfroze in the few seconds the
exchange took.

The mindful creature in tent on killing Jack dodged
Rapina's blade.

The captain swung weakly, but connected. Vapors poured
out as he cut a swath through the shadow.

The shadow's hand darted out and touched the captain's
face.

Logan's shadow jumped, sucking rich life force from his
victim's side and taking only a nick from his dangerous
blade.

A quick lunge to the pirate captain's vitals brought
another small taste of life force to Jack's shadowy
foe.

The captain felt so weak he could barely stand. Only
adrenaline held him up, but he was unable to muster an
effective blow.

As the captain staggered, Rapina stepped in between him
and the shadow and sliced a diagonal through the
shadow's upper chest.

The captain staggered a few steps backward then fell
when his legs failed to hold him up. All he could do is
lay helplessly by and watch the battle.

Logan was chilled to the bone, the horror he was
fighting was dodging too well. It touched Logan again
strengthening itself, and all he was able to do was
nick its side. A faster lighter weapon might have been
a better choice, he thought.

Rapina's blade hissed through the air and through the
shadow's chest leaving only a puff of vapors where once
the creature stood.

Logan spun and struck, but the shadow's lunge chilled
him again. It seemed that every time he struck the
monster, it struck him and used his energy to regain
its strength.

A tune Arzeal had played during her training was
singing though her head. Rapina leapt, and landed as
her rapier carved an "s" in the back of Logan's shadow.


Rapina almost felt guilty attacking the creature's
back, but not really, she struck again passing her
blade through the shadow from shoulder to waist.

The shadow took two vicious strikes to it's back, it
turned trying to touch it's victim and dodge the
terrible blade from behind at the same time, but in
doing both, it accomplished neither.

Logan felt so weak, but he was a fine swordsman.  He
took advantage of the creature's confusion and struck
successfully.


Rapina saw Logan was now holding his broadsword with
both hands and wavering a bit on his feet. As long as
the shadow had to face two opponents at once, it would
be at a disadvantage, but if Logan went down as the
captain had, they were doomed. Rapina steeled herself
and launched blade and body in an attempt to get
between Logan and the shadow.

Rapina's jump was too late! She knocked into the
creature's arm as it touched Logan.

Ahhhhh! Logan hissed as the creature nearly froze his
neck and shoulders. Just for a moment, the creature
paralyzed his arms with cold.

When Rapina's body hit the shadow's arm, it was already
draining Logan. Rapina's lust senses tingled wrongly as
she actually felt Logan's life force and just a bit of
her own travel up the creature's arm. It was like a
much less delicious rendition of the life force
traveling down a lover's manhood. Her mind reeled, was
she nothing more than a pretty shadow, draining men's
strength from them? Her blade whipped through the
creature's shoulder doing only a little damage but
helping her get firmly between it and Logan.

The woman that had cut its back so grievously had now
cut it off from its intended victim.  Nevertheless, he
had drank deeply of him before they parted. The shadow
reached out to relieve the woman of a portion of her
life energy.

Rapina gasped as the Shadow ducked her blade, grabbed
her lower thigh and ripped at her life force. She felt
nearly all of what little sex-magical energy she still
had stored in her breasts after the skeleton battle
leave her, but her strength was untouched. It was
obvious that what Rapina stored was some form of life
force. Rapina's rapier whipped back with a vengeance,
sundering the back of the creature for bringing her
such an unsettling realization.

Logan felt like a child, his sword was so heavy in his
hands, but as a child he had played with wooden swords
whenever he could. His weak two-handed blow cleaved
through the shadow's rear end spewing vapors in its
wake.

Logan watched as the shadow reached out to grab
Rapina's breast. He knew why she had put herself
between him and the shadow. His strength was nearly
gone, but as long as both pirates were standing, the
shadow would be taking double hits, and Logan meant to
make this one count. He grimaced as he put every
pitiful ounce of strength he had left into the blow and
cleaved through the shadow's side.

The shadow sensed a rich source of life force and
lunged to grasp it. Had it been any slower, it would
have died from Logan's blow, but the sustenance it
gained held it together just for an instant.

Rapina felt the last vestige of her stored power leave
her and then the horrible chill of strength being
wrenched from her. As the creature drained her, she
forced herself to remember what it must feel like when
a person gave more life force than she could afford.

Her rapier sung as it whipped through the shadow on a
diagonal. There was a puff of vapor and the monster was
no more.

Rapina rushed to see how the captain was faring. He was
sprawled on his back at the foot of the bed. "Jack, are
you okay?"

"I'm weak as a kitten girl, but I'm still barely
alive."

Logan staggered over to the captain and Rapina and sat
on the foot of the bed just above the captain.

"How are ye mate?" The captain asked.

"Nearly too weak ta stand, but alive as ye are,"
replied Logan.

"How about you, wench?"

"My chest feels like it's frost bit inside. My leg
wasn't hit as bad, but it's not so good either. Luckily
the shadow only hit me a couple of times.  I'm not as
weak as you guys are."

"I heard some commotion outside girl, but ye can't
leave us in this condition. Go ta the flap and see what
ye can see. Yell fer Drake 'an Pike or Arzeal. I need
ta know what's up and I need gardin' by someone I can
trust, cause I'm in no shape ta fight."

Rapina ran to the flap and opened it. She couldn't see
beyond the radius of her light so she just yelled out.
"ARZEAL! PIKE! DRAKE! Report to the captain's tent soon
as you can!"

Just then Rapina saw arms master Hock on the outskirts
of the illumination cast by her light. Rapina turned
back to the captain. "How about arms master Hock?"

"Is 'e out there? Bring 'im in."

[Rapina]013 Night Terrors

Rapina grinned and reopened the flap, "HOCK, in here on
the double! She relished giving the arms master an
order. It was a rare treat.

Hock came running up and blinked at Rapina and her
bright light.

Rapina felt her lust sense tingle, then realized that,
unless you counted a Rapier and two pendants, she
wasn't wearing any clothes.

Hock burst into the tent. "What's with th' naked
Valkyrie?"

Rapina blushed crimson

"It's th' latest in pirate-wench fashion," Jack
chuckled weakly. "See if you and Rapina can hoist me up
onto the bed an' prop me up. While yer at it, tell me
what's happenin' out there."

Hock looked at Logan, "aren't ye gonna help?"

"Sorry mate, I can barely lift a broadsword. I'm near
as wrecked as he is."

"What happened ta you men? I'd say ye'd been wenchin' a
bit too hard."

Logan started laughing, and he could not seem to stop.
Trouble was he was so weak already that the laugher
laid him out on the bed.

Rapina giggled and took the captain's feet while Hock
lifted him from behind under the arms. They carried him
to the head of the bed and propped him in a sitting
position against the headboard. Once they had the
captain situated, Rapina started dressing hurriedly.

"I just got done puttin'' a quadrupled guard on the
Southeast post 'an on me way back I heard a commotion
from the water front, an' then the wench ordered me in
here like a soldier."

"Careful Hock, any wench 'can last through me an Logan
at are best deserves a ton 'o respect," the captain
said firmly, trying to keep from laughing and failing
miserably.

Logan shook the bed with renewed laughter.

"We were attacked by somethin' in here, Hock, damndest
thing ye ever saw, livin' shadows with a touch chiller
than a winter day. Ye couldn't see em at all, an' their
touch drained yer strength an hurt ye too. They must
'ave come back from the Southeast guard post with
Logan, and I dare say they were lookin' fer me an
almost had me an Logan both dead ta rights.  Me lucky
wench saved are ass. Otherwise ye'd be runnin' th' camp
without us.

Hock raised his eyebrows. This was the first time he
had heard of a green recruit saving the Captain and his
right hand man.

"I know what yer thinkin' Hock, how could a recruit
just out o' basic save two seasoned pirates like us. Ye
have ta understand, fer some reason when I yelled out
about the chills, the wench got her mage light right
quick and opened it up. All the shadows in the room
disappeared but three and those three seemed ta all
want ta touch me some more. Logan drew on one, Rapina
jumped up an' tossed the covers over one I kicked out'
o' my way so I could get to me sword. She an I drew
steel and we was fightin' first the one, an' then the
other when it found it's way out from under the
blankets. The things were hittin' on me not her so I
warr the one gettin' weaker by the second."

"Near the end of the second shadow I was done for.
Rapina shielded me an' I staggered out o' the way and
went down, too weak ta stand. All I could do was watch,
but I had one hell o' a view from down on the floor
there," Jack grinned saltily. "She finished the second
one off 'an went an' did the same fer Logan as she did
fer me. By that time he was weak as a two-year-old."

Pike burst into the captain's tent visibly shaken. This
worried those present because not a one of them had
seen Pike shaken before. Ever. "Sir." He gasped as he
caught his breath. "There's been trouble down by the
water...we...were attacked by...by...hideous creatures.
We got two of them but they made off with two of our
men..." He paused and gave Rapina a meaningful look.
"Kent was one of them." Before the captain could say
anything he continued, "And there's something else
sir...The elf...Doanthalas...well he was fighting one
of the creatures when Arzeal sank a special flaming
arrow into it. It grappled with Doa...the elf...and
they both burst into flames."

"AND!!!" The captain said with an annoyed tone.

"Well sir. The ghoul was burned to a cinder,
but...but...the elf...he doesn't have a mark on
him...except for the claw and bite marks. The fire
didn't hurt him one bit! And that's not all! All the
men who the creatures struck were paralyzed. The elf
wasn't affected by that either. The men are scared sir.
'Can't say that I blame them, but they might do
something drastic. Arzeal has them under control for
the moment, but you'd better hurry." Pike paused as he
noticed for the first time the state that the captain
and Logan were in.

"So th' elf 'as been holdin' out on me, 'e failed ta
mention a magical power. Hock an' Roger always ask
about skills an powers. It'll go rough on 'im, but 'e
'as the skeleton battle 'an fightin'' th' ghouls ta 'is
credit.  Was 'e valuable in the ghoul fight?

"I think so, sir, I arrived after the battle had begun.
He helped kill the one ghoul I saw killed - the one
Arzeal set aflame with a special arrow.  The others
were only driven back under water by being set aflame.

"If I weren't weak as a babe, I'd have ye clap that elf
in chains an' bring 'im 'ere; 'e's got some serious
explainin' ta do.  Seein' as how I'm an invalid, I'll
deal w' him later. No one's ta see me like this but me
officers.  I need guards I can trust outside th' tent
flap.

'An believe me Pike, I'd be out thar ta beat th' men
down ta order in a heart beat, but I'm weak as a
kitten.  The things that killed th' Southeast guard
post followed Logan back ta me tent an' attacked us
here.  If it weren't fer me lucky wench, Logan an' I'd
be dead, 'er shadows, 'cause that's what th' creatures
that about killed us looked like.  Hock, what do ye
know about the undead?"

"Precious little, sir.  I've heard a few tall tales,
but nothin' I could put any stock in.  The way I hear,
most of 'em slink around at night.  They don't like the
daylight."

"Good, yer just the man fer the job.  Whip those
pirates inta shape, arm 'em up, move 'em back from th'
water, an' have 'em make a tight camp in a ring right
around this tent.  We need ta hold out till dawn.  Tell
'em th' water front weren't th' only attack we suffered
tanight.  Make sure they realize that the enemy so far
has only attacked at night, an' let 'em know I'll be
talkin' to 'em soon as me officers brief me on th'
various battles."

"Plant torches an' make fires.  We need plenty o'
light.

"Pike, send me Drake, an' Arzeal.  I need men I can
trust in here ta guard me."

"Speakin' o' answers, Rapina, get into them books, find
me everything ye can about undead monsters,
particularly any o' the ones we've seen."

"Everyone's got 'is orders, now go too."

There was a chorus of, "Yes sir," and everyone rushed
off, save Rapina who began to delve into the captain's
books there in his tent, and Logan who was too weak to
move much.

Rapina sniffed back her tears and told herself she
would cry for Kent later.  Her expression became very
serious, Kent was dead, and Doanthalas was in big
trouble.  She went to one of the chests of books and
began digging almost frantically, but the look in her
eyes was pure determination.

Soon arms master Hock's voice could be heard barking
orders rapid-fire outside.  Intermingled with the
orders were blood-curdling screams from here and there
around the periphery of the camp.  A little while later
Pike came into the tent.

"Here is Drake, sir, but he's in no condition for guard
Duty. One of those creatures on the water front gashed
him and froze him up solid. Edgar and a half dozen of
the men are the same way.  I had a devil of a time just
getting the sword out of Drake's hand so I could put it
back in his sheath."

"Damn! Organize a detail ta bring the other frozen men
up here," Jack ordered.

"How ye doin' Logan?" the captain asked.

"I think me strength is seepin' back, but it's sure
takin' it's time. How 'bout you?"

"Hard ta say yet, but I think ye're right.  Rapina,
Give Logan here a book that needs searchin'.  Might as
well put 'im ta work."

Rapina handed a book to Logan from the stack she was
building.

Just then, Arzeal came into the tent.

Arzeal, good ta see ya, what's happenin'' out there,
Logan an' me got attacked by things lookin' like
shadows an' we're pretty much laid up fer the moment.
'Tweren't fer me wench we'd both be dead men.

Arzeal cocked an eyebrow at the captain's remark but
knew that captain had better things to do than explain.


"The men are real restless, sir.  They've seen that
Doanthalas is impervious to flame and they were going
to lynch him, but I told Brackston to chain him up,
that you wanted some answers out of him.  He was the
only person I figured could keep the elf from being
lynched since he was the one who got the men all scared
of him in the first place.

Kind a' oversteppin' yer authority, don't ya think.

"Yes, sir but it was that or let them kill him.  I
don't know what to think about Doanthalas myself, but
when I saw him, he was fighting those creatures on the
waterfront, not conjuring them.  The men are sure he's
a demon, and they want blood.  Only the fact that he
was chained and a prisoner of Brackston and on his way
to answer to you kept them from lynching him."

"Aye, e's got some grave answerin'' ta do.  'Ave
Brackston steak 'im down outside the tent.  I'll deal
w' him later.  What're those screams I keep hearing.

"Men keep getting chills sir."

Listen up, Arzeal, those aren't chills, they're the
attack of a nearly invisible critter that looks like a
shadow, ye can only see 'em in strong light an three o'
'em nearly killed me an Logan.  Th' fact that ye can't
really tell anything's attackin' ye an' ye can't see
'em is what makes 'em so dangerous.  They drain
strength every time they hit 'an the cold gives ye a
real wound if ye'll look under yer clothes ta see it.
Ye can hit 'em with swords, but ye can only see 'em in
good light. Go on an' warn 'em.  It'll scare 'em ta
death, but at least they might be able ta save their
own skins.

Arzeal nodded and left the tent in a hurry.

Not too long after Arzeal left, Brackston's voice could
be heard outside the tent.

"I told 'em all this elf was a demon, but no, they
didn't believe me.  We'll see what kinda trouble ye're
in now freak! "

Gods! He's bleedin' bleedin out 'is tattoos.  Yiiii!,
'e's possessed! Run! Woof! Grrrr, woof!  Aaaaagh!

"Well I'll be damned!" Brackston said.

"Step out there an' see what's up Rapina - an leave the
light."

Rapina set her book and light down and jumped up.
Outside, the torches that often illuminated the area
around the captain's tent had been lit.

Brackston was standing and staring at Doanthalas whose
tattoos were bleeding all over his body.

Brackston was dumfoundedly holding the other end of his
infamous neck chain and staring at Doanthalas.  Thumper
was barking wildly.  Several pirates had drawn back and
a few were running away.

Rapina crouched down and lifted Doanthalis' sagging
chin. "Doanthalis, What's happening to you?"

The elf barely had any strength left.  He had lost a
lot of blood yet he still managed to speak.  "My...
curse... a 'gift' from... from... those of... the
flaming... black... heart... I..." Doanthalas collapsed
as unconsciousness enveloped him.

When Rapina came back into the tent about five minutes
later, Brackston could be heard pounding a huge steak
into the ground with a sledge hammer.

"Gods girl, ye're covered w' blood, what happened?"

"It's Doanthalas, sir, he bled profusely from his
tattoos and passed out.  It scared the men badly.
Brackston's chaining him to an iron post outside."

"There's a rag over there, wipe yerself down an' use me
basin. Then get me old Blue shirt from me chest an' put
it on.  No sense in ye gettin' the books bloody.  Damn,
all this goin' on an' me weak as a wilted flower."

Once Rapina got back to the books she and Logan began
to find some references to the undead.  Whenever they
located a passage, they read it aloud to Captain Red
Jack.

About a quarter hour after Rapina got back to the
books, Hock stuck his head into the tent.

"I tried recallin' the watch posts, but the central
post is gone and one man on the Southwest came runnin'
in here telling me his partner started complaining o'
chills then disappeared right before 'is eyes.  My
messenger for the quadrupled Southeast post an' six o'
the eight men from the post came back runnin' here like
a ghost was chasin' 'em, an they said the other two'd
been killed by walkin' skeletons.  Is everybody goin'
daft?" Hock asked.

"Those are real Hock, I got me a skull an' two arms
that still move in that bag over there from th'
scoutin' mission.  'Found out last night, the South o'
this isle's a grave yard.  Ye'd best set up a defense."


Hock did a double-take.  "I'll believe it when I see
it."

"Believe it, Hock.  The best weapons again' 'em are
heavy an' blunt.  Ask Pike if ya need any pointers."

Rapina heard Renewed screams and the clash of steal
from the Southeast.

Hock left shaking his head.

Before long Pike's battle cry could be heard loud and
clear. "Blood an' Bones! Hold yer ground an' drive
these bags a bones back ta the hells they came from."

It had been nearly an hour since the attack started
when Drake felt his muscles ease.  Some time ago, Pike
had carried him up from the waterfront and left him
standing in the captain's tent like a statue.  He could
see and hear what was going on, but he could not move.
The scratch of the ghoul had filled him with
supernatural fear that had locked up every muscle in
his body.

"Uhhh!" he said as he collapsed to the floor.  His
muscles were so sore it felt as if he had just worked
two days and two nights on his father's farm without a
break.

"Can ye speak Drake?"

"Uh, yes sir," Drake said quietly; "'muscles all hurt,
sir."

The captain swung his legs off the bed.  "Damn, I'm
still weak but gettin' better."

"Rapina, I need ye ta help me up.  I'm going ta get
dressed an' I'm going ta talk ta the men.  Hopefully by
the time I'm ready, I'll 'ave the strength o' a four-
year-old 'stead of a two-year-old."

Once he was up, the captain put on his trousers and got
some keys from the pocket.  He opened a strong box and
took out a vial.  He drank half and gave the other half
to Logan."

"Drink a third o' what remains an' give th' rest ta
Drake an' Rapina.  That there is a magical potion I got
off th' noblemen who was in charge 'o that blockade we
broke.  Seein' as Rapina was wieldin'' 'is blades
tanight, I'd say killin' 'im helped save me life twice
so far.

Drake drank about half of what was left, then passed
the rest to Rapina.

Rapina tipped back the vial heartily, but only drank a
bit of the potion.  It tasted somewhat odd and made her
nose and lust sense tickle.  Rapina knew it must
somehow contain healing life force.  She could feel her
wounds shrinking as warmth flooded her belly. She paid
a great deal of attention to the feel of the potion. It
was not too unlike the feel she got when healing her
wounds using the power men gave her. Rapina wondered if
there might be a way she could heal others with life
force she stored, just as the potion was now healing
her.

"There's a little left, may I save it for later?  I
don't have as much meat to wound as you big men."

"Aye, it's yers girl, save some if ye want.  It seems
ta be helpin' me wounds, but it ain't doin' much fer me
strength. Just the same, it were a good draught."

The captain dressed very slowly as his wounds
disappeared.

"How ye feelin' now, Drake? If ye're up to it, tell me
about the battle earlier this night at the water
front."

"Well, sir.  The battle was quick and deadly.  Those
creatures...I'm not sure what they are...they are
hideous looking...I'd call them men, but whatever they
were they weren't men. I was bathing in the water along
with a few other men...and Doanthalas.  We heard some
screams and saw... them... rising out of the water.
They caught a few of the men by surprise.  Kent...
Kent... was one of them."  Drake paused as the tears
flowed down his face. When he had regained his
composure he continued, "They carried no weapons, but
they had claws that would cause your muscles to freeze
up if they scratched you.  I was clawed by one of
them... It was terrifying!  All I could do was stand
there and watch as the ghouls dragged... they... I
couldn't do anything to help Kent... I tried, but...
The creature paralyzed me and I'd be dead if Doanthalas
hadn't saved me. I fell over in the water and would
have drowned because I couldn't move, But he saved
me...me and Edgar...but there wasn't anything he could
do for Kent..."  The young pirate stopped and wept for
a few minutes.  The captain respected his grieving
silence before speaking.

"Good then, Drake, 'least I know what happened.  Step
outside an' See what's up.  If they're free, get me
Arzeal, Pike an' Hock.  If th' elf's up, take this key,
unlock th' chain from th' steak an haul th' elf in here
yerself.  It's damn near dawn but I still need a bit o'
time more ta recover me strength fer me speech, but
there's goin' ta be a lot ta do soon as I step outside
that flap. Might as well do what I can do sittin' down
right now.  And Drake...I'm sorry about yer friend. But
right now I need ya to be strong.  Our very survival
just might depend on it.  Now get gone boy!"

Arzeal was the easiest for Drake to find.  He was doing
his best to keep some semblance of order in the camp.
The half-elf reluctantly left the frightened pirates
behind and reported to the captain. Pike and Hock were
busy breaking out weapons for the defense of the camp.
They grabbed what they needed and left another pirate
in charge until they returned. Doanthalas was barely
conscious when Drake reached him.  He was grateful that
the elf had saved him, but he was also scared.  There
was something to the elf that Drake wasn't sure he
wanted to know about. The young pirate unlocked the
chain from the stake and reluctantly lifted the elf in
his arms.  Doanthalas' skin felt cold and clammy and
bits of dried blood flaked off as they headed towards
the captain's tent.

After about fifteen minutes, the birds could be clearly
heard heralding the coming of the dawn.  Hock, Arzeal
and Pike came into the tent.  Drake followed holding
the elf in his arms the chain dragging on the ground
behind him.

"Yer in a heap 'o trouble Doanthalas.  Holdin' out
information on powers ye 'ave when Hock an Roger ask ye
ain't healthy, an' holdin' out on magical powers can be
a killin' offense.  The best thing ye can do now is
come clean an' tell me all about every power ye 'ave.
Ye can start by tellin' me what ye know about them
creatures that attacked on the waterfront, an why th'
other men who got raked by 'em froze solid, but ye
didn't."

It was obviously a great effort for the elf to even
speak, but after a short pause Doanthalas did speak,
"power... is... not... not... tis a curse.  Bestowed
upon... me... by those of the... flaming black...
hearts.  To me the... sun... flower does not kill,
but... it does burn... and in exchange for... my
life... my life... nectar flows freely... from..." The
elf managed to feebly indicate one of his many fiendish
looking tattoos. "The... creatures... ghouls... dead
men walking... hungering for the... life nectar...
and... flesh they lack.  The foul touch of their...
tainted flesh... causes men to take root as the oak.
My... people have... always been... immune to the
foul... touch of... the ghoul.  Why?  I know not.  It
just... is... as the sun is... so is this..." That said
the elf laid his head back and closed his eyes for a
moment.

"Sir, I can vouch for elves being more resistant to
magic that warps a man's mind or makes him sleep, but
that's as far as I know." The half-elf cast a worried
look in Doanthalas' direction.  "Sir.  He's in bad
shape.  I've got a little something I learned from an
elf a while back that should help him."

Red Jack looked at Arzeal and nodded, "Okay.  Do what
ye need.  I'll be needin' im healthy and soon.  Go now!
Doanthalas, I don't know if I can believe ye about th'
undead 'r at all anymore since ye held out on me, an
yer in deep w' the men's superstitions.  Fer now yer
the best source o' information we got, so I'll have ta
take what ye say as true whether I like it or not.  If
bein' impervious ta flame ain't an elven
characteristic, then I want ye ta fill me in on where
ye came by it 'an any other powers ye been hidin',
understand?"

The elf's body shivered for a few moments before
Doanthalas regained his composure and continued.
"Countless seasons ago... I and... my... brother lived
amongts our... people.  Here.  One sun cycle we... were
gathering... herbs for our parents when... when we were
surrounded... by a radiant... pool of magical waters.
The forest... seemed to fade like the light... as dusk
approaches.  The earth mother had... lost all color.
All was grey.  The sky... the earth
mother...everything.  Except my brother, me... and...
and one of the flaming dark hearted.  I believe... you
word... for them... is...Dee-mahn... or Fiend. My...
brother..." Doanthalas paused as a lump caught in his
throat.  "My brother... my elder... tried to bargain
with... the dar... feend... so that we might return
home... we were lost... later we would... discover...
just how lost we... were."

"Ya mean ta tell me ye were captured by DEMONS!?!?!?  I
find that a little hard ta swallow."  The captain said
with a snicker.  Most of those assembled nodded their
heads in agreement thinking this to be some sort of
elaborate fairy tale.

Doanthalas waited for the gathered pirates to scoff for
a bit before he began speaking.  The words that the elf
produced were horrible to hear and left a sickening
feeling in the stomach of those assembled.  Images
flooded into the minds of the pirates.  Images so
horrible that many of them covered their ears and
shrank back fearing the elf was attempting to cast some
sort of evil spell. The tattooed elf stopped and let
the pirates compose themselves.  "I... just spake to
you... in their tongue... the wicked tongue of the Dee-
mons.  It is a horrible... tongue that no... mortal
should... ever hear... much less learn... I have done
both... be grateful that... you only had to... hear it.
Your nightmares will be strong, but... nothing like..."


Doanthalas shook his head and continued his story, "The
feend... my brother thought he... could trick him
into... helping us... but that was just... youth...
ful... arrogance.  We both paid for it... in the
end..." Doanthalas paused as horrible images came
flooding back into his mind. Images of rivers of blood
and towers built out of the broken living bodies of
countless races.  He saw their tormented faces as they
screamed in agony and begged for a quick and merciful
death.  He felt their flesh on his feet; their feeble
struggles to achieve freedom.

More and more dreadful images assaulted him, but he
fought against them and pushed them to the dark
recesses of his mind. He did not know how to make them
understand how to adequately describe what he had been
through.  What they had heard of the fiend's language
gave them a little insight, but nothing more.  He
swallowed hard and continued, "We were held... captives
by the dark ones for... many seasons.  They tortured
us... and forced us to... fight in their... vile...
war.  They... 'gave'... me these tattoos so that... I
might survive...in a few... of their... hostile
environments.  But they also made... sure... there
was... a... a... price.  Though my flesh does... not
melt... I still feel... the pain.  I still pay the...
price... in blood.  My blood.  I would gladly
embrace...death... rather than endure... this. That
was... how... I acquired... my... 'powers'." Doanthalas
decided that he had told the captain enough. Besides he
did not want to relive any more of his experiences at
the hands of the fiends that night.  All he wanted was
sleep. He was so weak from the loss of blood that he
could barely move.

"Tanight we got attacked by things that look like
shadows an are nearly invisible.  Tell me what ye know
about 'em."

"They... are shadows.  They... feed off... of your
life... spirit... soul... yes.  I believe... that to
be... the correct word.  They are weakest in bright
light... and strongest in the... darkness from
whence... they came.  That is... all that I know...
about... shadows."

"All right, put Doanthalas back out on th' steak.
That's probably the safest place for 'im w' th' men as
riled as they are by now."

"Hock, what's been goin' on out there?"

The arms master looked as though he'd aged a couple of
years in the last couple of hours.

"Well sir, first it was shadows.  They took out the
central guard post and half of the one on the
Southwest.  When they attacked the men in camp, they
seemed to like to hit and run. I've never seen the men
so terrified, sir, and we lost a few even though we
used the torches and the fires and flailing around with
weapons once I managed to get the men organized."

"Just a little later during that mayhem a dozen
skeletons came from the Southeast, routing the guard
post.  When the skeletons got here, some of the men
ran.  I wouldn't count on ever seeing 'em again. I got
the lion's share of 'em ta stand an' fight by yellin'
myself hoarse.  Pike and a squad of men that had been
moving supplies in from the waterfront ran ta bolster
my forces, then all hell broke loose when we saw what
was following 'em - forty more bags of bones wet from
bein' in the water were followin' them."

"The men were stunned, sir, Pike turned back the way
he'd come, stepped forward a few paces with that battle
axe o' his an' that old club he brought back from the
scoutin' mission.  He screamed bloody murder an' lit
into 'em. They practically exploded when 'e hit.  Not
ta be outdone, Brackston lit into 'em with a broadsword
an a Roman shield.  I previously had the men arm up,
an' many o' em' had been usin' shields tryin' ta keep
the shadows off em. I just started yellin' again,
"Shield bash an' strike! Shield bash and strike!"

"Th' men were terrified, at first it were a rout, but
as soon as some of em' saw Pike annihilatin' skeletons
like there was no tomorrow an heard me yellin those
familar orders I drum into 'em in basic, fewer of 'em
ran an' we stopped givin' ground.  The tide turned and
we beat those skeletons ta bones.  We got more wounded
than I can count. Leach Kennon's goin' crazy an we got
plenty o' dead too sir, we'll have ta pick em' up an'
burn em so's they don't get up on their own," Hock
grimaced.

"Arzeal?"

"I was keeping an eye out for Pike's men moving
essential supplies up from the waterfront. It's only
fifty paces, but we were tightening the camp up.  One
thing you should know, sir. I haven't told anyone
because there wasn't a thing any of us could do about
it. Every boat you own is sunk in the cove."

The officers drew a collective gasp.

"Ghouls from under water, I expect, sir," Arzeal said.
"There wasn't a thing we could do about it.  At best
maybe the rowboats and the fishing boat are okay, they
were pulled up on shore."

"Me ships."  The captain's face and ears went red and
anger leaked out of his every pore.

"Pike, carry me table just outside, plant a couple o'
torches next to it and assemble the men in front o' the
tent."

Pike left to get things ready, then came in and
whispered something in the captain's ear.

As the men were assembling for the captain's speech
Rapina's determination paid off.

"Sir, look at this.  She handed an old crusty holy book
to the captain and pointed to a passage."

Jack took the book and red aloud,  "The touch o' th'
ghoul or barrow fiend freezes a man's mind an' muscles
w' supernatural fear.  Only th' wisest an' most
courageous men can resist.  The touch o' the barrow
fiend is a supreme test o' a priest's faith.  Those who
resist magical influence on th' mind, such as wise men
an' th' elves o' the forest are like ta resist the
paralyzin'' touch o' the ghoul.  Ghouls inhabit
graveyards where they tunnel to feast on the flesh of
the dead.  When possible, they also feast on the
living."

"I found a reference to shadows, sir," Logan added. "It
doesn't say much we don't already know from Doanthalas
and the battle, but it does say if ye loose all yer
strength, yer body decomposes inta dark vapors and
reforms as a shadow.  If I hadn't seen 'em with me own
eyes, I'd think this book was tellin' tales taller than
a tower, but I'll bet this tail is true."

Red Jack nodded, "Aye then, Rapina, ye've proven
Doanthalas right on one count.  Bein' an elf is likely
why 'e didn't freeze up.  That cuts th' charges again'
him in half.  Seems like I'm about ready ta talk ta th'
men.  Keep up th' good work.  We need every scrap o'
knowledge we can get on th' undeads, an' we don't have
much time ta get it.  I know in me heart that elf had
nothin' ta do w' th' works o' th' undead.  This ain't
random conjuration 'r consortin' with demons, this is
low down, cut throat military-grade strategy."

With that, the captain shoed everyone out ahead of him
and stepped out the flap to make his speech.

"Rumors an' superstitions 'ave been flyin' aroun' this
camp like stones in a hail storm.  Grown men 'ave been
shakin' in their boots an' peein' their pants like kids
because they were afraid o' a stupid damn elf.  Well
now ye got somethin' *real* ta be afraid of, an' it
ain't no elf!"

"Remember Cudge an' Blade.  Brackston caught th' elf
hangin' over Cudge's body, an jumped to a few
conclusions, but me an' Skitch weren't so sure the elf
had eaten th' meat off two big men an left only one o'
their skeletons behind.  It was easy ta see somethin'
dragged the other body off.  Ye want ta know what
happened to it, what happened ta yer friend Blade? I'll
show ye what happened to 'im."

The captain dumped the animated arms and skull of Blade
onto his table, then scooped up the scull and held it
from the back so the men could see its teeth gnashing.
The arms crawled towards the captain on their fingers
but the captain kept moving and forcing them to change
directions."

"I bet yer all wonderin' why Pike is so damned good at
fighting skeletons.  'Cause practice makes perfect!
They tracked Blade's missin' body yesterday.  It wasn't
hard 'cause the ghouls that got 'im left a trail 'o
blood.  Ghouls, you know, them creatures that froze a
number of ye like statues.  They're undead, they hang
around haunted graveyards, an yesterday I found out the
whole damn Southeast o' this island is a big fuckin'
graveyard."

"Whoever got Blade's skeleton here made it walk.  An
how much do ye want ta bet we might be seein' Kent an'
some o' the other men we lost this night again real
soon?  I'll bet some o' the men from the guard posts
were givin' ye chills an' drainin' yer strength last
night, because a man that gets killed by a shadow,
turns into a shadow.  Just by havin' the ill luck of
choosin' this isle ta camp on, we've given its lord
plenty o' fodder ta swell 'is armies.  Why am I so sure
this isle has a lord?  Is it the fact that on this isle
there are mausoleum caves carved out o' the granite and
adorned with runes and equipped with traps? That might
o' had a bit ta do w' it."

"I'll tell ye why I know this isle ain't run by a bunch
o' these ol' bone heads or a kid elf w' enchanted
tattoos.  The captain pointed at the gnashing skull and
Doanthalis in turn.  "'Night before this last one, some
ghouls bumped into a guard post, Two men were no
problem for ghouls, just a light snack.  Doanthalas
here was bein watched, but 'them that were watchin' 'im
didn't look at 'im fer a second an 'e was gone, so they
ran fer Brackston ta track 'im."

"Doanthalas heard the damn ghouls eatin' my men -ghouls
do that, drag ye off an eat ye.  The wild elf tracked
'em, an got in a hell of a lot o' trouble for it from
bloody Brackston.  He didn't know shit about this
island, an' everyone knows he don't like th' elf. But
those ghouls, they brought a body an' a little news ta
their master, an th' next night what happened?"

"I'll tell ye what happened, a doubled Southeast guard
vanished with only one scream that could be heard from
camp, and then the pack o' shadows that killed 'em did
somethin' awful damn intelligent for a collection o'
dark vapors.  They came back through the camp, snackin'
a bit on Logan but not botherin' another soul, an then
when he stepped into my tent ta tell me what was goin'
on, they all jumped on me - a surgical strike, couldn't
a planned it better meself."

It's a cinch me an' Logan were dead 'cept I invited are
favorite wench ta me bed that night.  She has that mage
light o' hers, and when I doubled over w' chills, she
turned it on straight away ta see why 'er captain was
actin' so strange.  Well, in good light it was obvious
-shadows.  Bein' able ta see 'em, was nice, but they
'ad already drained most o' me strength, an Logan's. We
fought 'em, an while they were drainin' us silly,
Rapina killed em, even shielded each o' us near the end
there w' her body.  Could' a easily got 'erself killed.
By all rights, I should be dead right now 'an so should
Logan."

"At th' same time the lord o' the isle sent a ghoul
attack ta distract you men from th' fact that shadows
was killin' me an' Logan -nice little diversion.  Was
that effective 'er what? Without, the damned 'demon'
elf, and the damned half elf an' his damned special
fire arrows, them ghouls woulda stacked you men up like
cord wood an' hauled ye off ta the ghoul farm. Ye
better open yer eyes and think about how yer treatin'
them that saved all o' yer miserable lives, stead o'
worryin' about them elven differences that make ye feel
uncomfortable.  Without them differences, a dozen 'er
two o' ye'd be corpses."

"'An if that wasn't enough, when th' enemy's troops
weren't quite as effective as they should 'ave been
'cause o' a wench an a couple o' elves, th' lord o' th'
isle had a fuckin' back-up plan.  Fifty skeletons!  'An
what 'appened?  It was a rout, men ran like scared
children.  Me mistress Rapina did bettern' that when a
score o' skeleton's attacked the scoutin' party. An ye
know we'll be seein' the men who ran again, they'll be
walkin' an' fightin' but they won't be alive, now will
they?"

"I know what yer thinkin'.  Yer thinkin', "Are you
daft, Red Jack?  We'll never see those goddamned men
again 'cause we're gettin' the hell off this isle
quicker than ye can light a fire under us."  Ye're
forgettin' one thing.  The lord o' this isle is one
hell o' a fine general, an 'is troops don't need ta
breath.  They're dead! Stayin' under water ain't a
problem fer them.  The captain pointed to the
waterfront.  It was still too dark to tell much, but
that was rapidly changing."

"Every fuckin' ship in me fleet is sunk in that cove!"

The men blanched.

"We got a couple choices.  We can put are tails between
are legs an' make some rafts 'an see if any 'o the
smaller boats are seaworthy 'an try ta get off this
isle before night falls.  In that case we will be
hopin' beyond hope that the lord o' the isle doesn't
send a party ta wipe us out on the shore."

"That or we can fortify the hell out of some ground an
hole up tanight."

"Either way, if any o' ye are brave enough, ye can form
a party ta try ta root the devil pullin' the strings on
these undeads out o' his catacombs an' cut the head off
his army o' undead before 'e has time ta stage another
brilliant attack tanight."

"Regardless, If we don't best the lord o' the isle we
forfeit are ships.  Right now, my guess is they've got
a few holes stove in 'em so they'd sink.  We'd have ta
build us a make-shift dry dock, but we could fix 'em if
we can tame th' isle."

Whether the rest o' us go or stay, if any of ye are
goin' after th' general who routed us last night, ye'll
need ta be packin' up an startin' off soon.  I don't
need ta tell ye this mission is goin' ta be dangerous.
Th' best I can do is appeal ta yer greed.  Men who go
can split half the booty among 'em, er ask me fer a
really big boon in exchange fer their share. A boon
like forgettin' about them not tellin' me about their
magical skin, fer instance.  The captain glared at
Doanthalas.  Volunteers, form up w' Pike, 'e's yer
leader.

[Rapina]014 The Noble Jaws of Death

The giant Norse man stood off to one side.

There was a hesitation in the crowd.  The captain's
speech had set the record straight, but the men had the
hollow look of terror written all over their faces.
They were trapped on the isle of the dead, and they'd
already had a taste of its bitter medicine.

Brackston was the first in the crowd to stand and walk
to Pike's side. I'd sooner die makin' a difference than
cowerin' behind th' wall of a fort."

The diminutive pirate approached the Norse giant,
"Could be ye'll need a man who can climb inta tight
spots an' handle locks an' mechanisms.

"Could be," Pike smiled.

The elf was feeling much better after partaking of the
elven mixture Arzeal had prepared for him.  Though
still very weak he could at least stand up by himself.
Doanthalas stood fighting off a wave of dizziness and
spoke, "I will go."

"You might need someone who can read runes," Rapina
said.

"That proved handy last time," Pike grinned.

"I'm in too.  I have to...for Kent..." Drake said.

Edgar stepped forward and cast a meaningful look at
Drake, "Hell.  Ya'll know that I'm always up for
kickin' ass."

Several other pirates including Trevor stepped forward
to reserve their place in the assault party.  When all
the members were assembled they were hastily outfitted
with provisions and equipment enough to last half a
week on the trail, and torches for caverns and tunnels.
Some of the men also carried ropes, grappling hooks and
spikes for climbing. As soon as the first hint of light
appeared on the horizon the assault party led by
Doanthalas headed off towards the caverns of the dead.

While the others were getting ready, Rapina stole an
intimate moment in a supply tent with Beck, Jake, and
Jonas.  All of them knew this might be their last time,
and they were happy to be doing something life-
affirming, if only for a few precious moments.  For her
part, Rapina felt a little bad taking as much from them
as she did, but she was careful to go to the men she
knew had iron constitutions.  Rapina left the tent
fully healed with a little something to fall back on.
She gave the quite appreciable amount that remained of
the captain's potent healing potion to Pike.  He had
seen two battles in the last twenty-four hours, and
even as skilled as he was, he had not escaped battle
without wounds.

Every step was sheer agony for the elf.  He was still
weak from the loss of so much blood, but able to carry
on because of Arzeal's elven elixir.  Where Arzeal
learned how to prepare it he didn't know.  He'd have to
ask the half-elf if they survived. Elixirs like that
were closely guarded secrets of the elven people.
Doanthalas was glad that Arzeal knew how though, it had
saved the elf the trouble of making it himself.

Doanthalas leaned heavily on his walking stick for most
of the way.  Pike had to help him scale the cliffs to
reach the cavern. Eventually they arrived at the
entrance.  Sitting down on a rock the Elf glanced at
the party.  He saw Rapina advance along with Drake,
Grom, Edgar and Yanosh.

This time, Rapina made sure she made it to the cave
first, and recited a prayer to Mortaebius, god of the
dead.  Then she opened the gate and let the warriors in
to check the place out. The first room was as they had
left it. Buck and Rage wedged stout timbers in the
first doorway as Rapina took a deep breath, crossed the
room and pressed the studs on the pentagram carved in
the wall as if signing the sign of man.  When she
pushed the last stud, the inner-door slab groaned and
slid upwards.  Buck and Rage rushed forward to set
timbers in the new door.

As the inner door slid open the party was assaulted by
a quick rush of air strong with the smell of decay. The
faint outline of a statue was barely visible towards
the front of the room.

Outside in the sunlight, a pirate named Rebel stood
guarding the timbers set in the first doorway while the
others gained access to the hall of eminence.  He heard
a sound like a few stones rolling off a burial mound,
but the outcropping of rock in front of the doorway to
the mausoleum cave blocked his vision.  He stepped out
to get a look.  He saw a pirate who'd run during the
battle with the fifty skeletons last night.  Brad!

The pirate hissed and a long tongue came out of his
mouth.  One scratch from the new ghoul and Rebel froze.
From nearby mounds, two more ghouls cowled in dark
robes, emerged and followed Brad into the tomb.  Brad
cut Rebel's throat with a claw as the other two ghouls
quietly removed the timbers from the doorway.

Meanwhile, the pirates advanced into the room with the
statue, and took out a few more torches.  Rapina
entered behind most of the men, her mage-light
illuminating the front of the statue.

"It's Mortaebius, god of the dead, Rapina said."

Ah, so what, it's 'is gold I want, not 'is name.

The mean yellow dog sniffed the air and growled.

Rapina blinked.  She could swear she saw the statue's
eyes move, but now they seemed to be staring straight
ahead, right at her.

"I could swear I saw the statue's eyes move," Rapina
said.

"Look mates, that statue's robe is buttoned an' chased
w' real gold an' is ring is set w' a ruby! Flint
whipped out a chisel and went to pry.

"Defilers!" The statue of Mortaebius shouted.

Somewhere on the other side of the room doors opened
and skeletons began pouring out.

"Retreat back past the doorway to the first room!" Pike
said running for the doorway.  "They die easy if only
one or two can come at ye abreast!" Pike ran back into
the first room and took up a position just inside next
to the doorway.  Brackston slipped to the other side as
he ran in and prepared to slaughter the bone-brains.
The other pirates ran between their mates, trying to
get back into the first room before the skeletons from
the second reached them.

A loud rumbling could be heard coming from the entrance
to the outdoors.  By this time, most of the pirates
were back in the first chamber or running through the
doorway.  On the other side of the hall of the dead a
slab slid over the entrance cutting the shaft of
sunlight leaking in to nothing.  Three ghouls charged
towards the pirates hissing.

"Aye Doanthalas!  We got ghouls back here by th'
entrance," Skitch hollered.

Doanthalas ran through the door from the room with the
statue. The elf shouted as he fished through his pouch
for the flasks of oil he had brought.

"Spearmen, Doanthalas, back there on the double," Pike
ordered.

After reentering the entry chamber, Rapina had made her
way to the Southeast corner.  She had been looking at
the statue and had been one of the first to retreat as
Pike ordered.  She realized that, previously, weight in
the top coffin-tunnel had opened the door. Rapina
hastened to climb up into the tunnel to see if she
could reopen the entrance.

The last pirate ran through the doorway from the statue
room.

"Brace up Brackston, here comes a flood 'o bones, an
look what's behind 'em.  Our own walkin' dead!

Brackston growled as he realized that the zombies were
all pirates he once knew.  Some of the bodies from last
night's battle had evidently been spirited off just
before dawn.

The skeletons advanced but exploded to pieces as they
were hit by Pike's mighty ax and club from one side,
and the sword and club of bloody Brackston from the
other.

"Demolition!  We got 'em licked, Pike!"

Rapina scowled, her weight was no longer triggering the
reopening of the entrance.  Somehow, the mechanism had
been jammed elsewhere.

Doanthalas found the flask of oil he was looking for
and stuffed an oil soaked rag in the end of it.  He lit
it on one of the remaining torches and hurled it into
the oncoming group of ghouls.  The flames were
spectacular as the ghoul Doanthalas nailed burst into
flames and the others flanking him suffered from
splashes of burning oil.

Doanthalas fought with every ounce of strength that he
still possessed, hacking at the head of the ghoul on
his right as Vanosh and George attempted to hold the
flaming ghoul at bay with spears.

Edgar ducked the ghoul's claws and simultaneously
launched a leg-breaking kick at the creature's knee. As
it staggered backwards Edgar opened the creature's guts
with his sword.

Brad, the flaming ghoul spun his way between the two
spears, nicked Yanosh's chin, and poked George in the
eye.  Both men froze in magical terror.  Still flaming
from Doanthalas' oil Brad jumped on the elf who had
just decapitated the ghoul next to him. If he was to be
destroyed by fire, he would take his destroyer with
him.

Rapina was climbing back down from the upper coffin
tunnel in the Southeast corner of the room when she
heard Pike bellow to Brackston as they fought at the
doorway to the statue room, or the "Hall of Eminence,"
to quote the runes on the wall.

"What the hell?  Back Brackston, It's a ghoulified
Kent, an' he's swingin' a cresset full o' burnin' oil!"
Pike bellowed.

Brackston shattered a skeleton and jumped back as the
cresset arced over the heads of the skeletons and
zombies bunched around the doorway and flew through it
into the entry room.

Rapina saw the cresset from the corner of her eye as
she watched the flaming ghoul jump on Doanthalas and
knock the both of them into the path of the flaming
cresset.  There was a clang as the cresset deflected
off the ghoul's shoulder and showered the pair of
combatants with burning oil.

Trevor skewered the remaining ghoul through the eye
with a spear as it fell from Edgar's kick.

Edgar swung his sword chopping into the ghoul's chest,
laughing mightily. "That wasn't so hard.  Fear is the
ghoul's real weapon.  Get past that an' they're
nothin'"

Rapina felt a tingling up her spine, and then she heard
deep laughter coming from the statue in the other room.


Suddenly the conflagration that had enveloped
Doanthalas and the ghoul blackened as a cloud of
choking black smoke billowed forth from it. In seconds
the room was filled with smoke and half-blind coughing
pirates.  The smoke just kept getting thicker.

Whoever had sprung this trap knew how Pike and the
scouting party had retreated into the narrow entryway
to defeat the skeletons before, and knew that Pike
would retreat beyond the doorway to use that trick
again. Now the entry room was filling with smoke fast.
It was already so choking it made speech difficult for
the coughing and filled the eyes with tears.

Into the statue room! Pike surged through the oncoming
skeletons, weapons cutting a swath of destruction
before him. The Norse giant swung steel and wood like a
maniac for a second before he suddenly hit flesh - the
zombies; they were not so easily destroyed. They were
the cork on the bottle.  No doubt they had been
instructed to remove any obstructions in the doorway as
well.  Pike wasn't about to let them get near it.

"Defend a path out ta the left o' the door, concentrate
our forces.  Brackston, cover me right flank, we have
ta hold the doorway and keep these monsters from
removing the timbers before we're ready.

Bloody Brackston sprung through the door and fought
beside the Norseman.  Thumper tore chunks of meat off
the zombies as he helped his master.

The tiny pirate was one of the first to race through
the door. He dodged and wormed his way around, through
and between the legs of the zombies. Once through, he
got to the statue in a hurry.  Originally he had
brought the hammer and chisels in case he had bad luck
with a lock or needed to place a piton. Now he hopped
up on the pedestal and the statue's feet, stood on his
tip-toes, put the chisel to the statue's eye and
slammed it with the hammer.  The wily pirate heard a
startled yelp when the chisel struck the socket, but he
did not know if he had driven it in hard or fast enough
to kill who or whatever was hiding inside.

"Sound off as ya get through the door!" Pike ordered.
"I need to know when we're all in here.  Rapina stay by
the opening studs an' give me a hand with the count!"
the Norseman bellowed.

One by one the pirates called out their names:
Brackston, Skitch, Trevor, Grom, Flint, Gape, Henry,
Buck, Rage, Edgar, Drake and Rapina.

"That's all of us but Doanthalas, Pike. The others are
paralyzed or worse!" Rapina hollered.


"One last good flurry friend and we step aside and hope
they remove the timbers for us." Pike said to
Brackston.

Brackston pushed himself to the limits, then stepped
aside as he heard Pike yell.

"Timbers away. Nothin' we can do for Doanthalas, he's
part o' the fire," Pike ordered.

With tears in her eyes from more than the smoke, Rapina
fought her way along the left wall of the statue room
though the press of zombies.  Luckily, Pike was right
next to her.

The stupid zombies, followed their instructions to the
letter. While a few of them continued into the entry
chamber, a couple of others pulled the timbers from the
doorway into the hall of eminence.  They capped their
trap even though only three living pirates -Doanthalas,
and the paralyzed pirates Venosh and George, remained
within the entry chamber.  The door slab slammed into
place.  The cork was on the bottle, but most of the
grasshoppers had sprung.

The pirates fought a fast and furious battle with heavy
losses, for they had thrown caution to the wind.  They
fought half-blind using every ounce of their strength
to get by the zombies who had tried to cage them in the
room of smoke. Grom was the first to fall followed by
Flint and Henry.  To his credit Trevor fought bravely
and took many zombies and skeletons with him before
succumbing to their onslaught.

"Back against the left wall, and keep that steel
moving! Hurry, if we can get into the room where some
of the skeletons came from, we'll have areselves
another doorway an' this one likely not a trap!

The party was able to make it to the door with few
lost. Because of an altercation with a particularly
tenacious zombie, Drake and Edgar were the last two to
reach the door.  As Drake turned to see if Edgar was
coming he froze.  Standing directly behind Edgar was
Kent.  Or the bloated and drowned body of what used to
be their friend Kent. Edgar had an odd pained look on
his face.  When he didn't rush for the door it became
obvious to Drake that his friend was paralyzed.  A sick
feeling washed over him as he watched the Kent-ghoul
traced a line across Edgar's neck with a claw.  The
light in Edgar's eyes faded just as quickly as the
blood flowed from the fresh wound in his neck.

Drake stood paralyzed, not by the touch of the ghoul,
but by grief for two friends lost.  The screams of
Doanthalas did nothing to alleviate this feeling.  in
fact Drake was really beginning to understand what true
fear was for the first time in his life...

Tears flowed from Rapina's eyes as she tugged Drake
through the doorway. Pike and Brackston were standing
on either side of it ready to demolish the first zombie
to try to breach the opening.

[Click here for a sketch of the tomb.  The entry
chamber is the same room in which the scouting party
first met and fought skeletons, but the side/coffin-
tunnels are not pictured.]

The room the pirates entered was some sort of family
mausoleum.  It was richly decorated.  Tapestries
adorned the walls and six suits of bronze plate mail
equipped with halberds or two-handed swords stood
around the periphery of the room on small stone
pedestals.  On the west side of the room were two stone
sarcophagi, each had a lid with a relief sculpture of
the way the occupant had looked in life.  The corners
and trim of the sarcophagi were solid gold, and the
likenesses were chased with gold leaf. Bronze
candelabras adorned the walls.  On the East wall were
many bronze plaques, some with lettering on them. On
the South wall was a large coat of arms with a plaque
beneath it. Parts of the coat of arms were studded with
gems.

"Nobody move, This looks to be some noble family
mausoleum.  I know ye see some booty around ye, don't
touch it till we kill our enemies.  That's the way
Backster set off a trap in that first room.  Buck,
Drake, help me an' Brackston at the doorway here, we
still got plenty o' customers, just that this time we
got 'em one at a time through the doorway. Rest of you
Cluster aroun' Rapina and keep an eye out 'case of
shadows.  Rapina, patch wounds while we got the time,"
Pike ordered.

Rapina worked as rapidly as she could, and by the time
Pike and his warriors were through demolishing the last
zombie, Rapina had patched the wounds of the other
warriors.

"All right, lets check this room out.  The zombies and
skeletons that came from this room and the one next
door had to have gotten in here somehow.  Could be they
came from somewhere else, or it could be there is a
secret exit out of one of these back rooms.

Rapina began to read the various plaques.  The ones on
the east wall were probably entrances to coffin-sized
side tunnels wherein corpses were stored.  The plaque
on the Southern end of the room talked about the noble
deeds and lineage of the baronial family whose remains
rested within the room.

As the men started opening the plaques on the east
wall, Rapina looked at the sarcophagus in the Southwest
area of the room. The carving on the lid depicted a
woman.  Rapina looked at the runes on carving.

"This was the first baroness of the family Le-"

Rapina's line was cut off in mid stream.  The lid of
the sarcophagus suddenly hinged open.  Inside were the
skeletal remains of a woman, and laying next to her was
Kent, who tossed the dead baroness' golden ring into
the room as a part of the motion of grabbing Rapina
just below the breasts and pulling her into the
sarcophogus.

Rapina had hardly managed a startled screech when
Kent's claws pierced her tunic and a hideous paralyzing
fear surged through her body, stiffening every muscle.

Drake felt a ring bounce off his back.

The six suits of armor standing around the room
suddenly raised their weapons as the brainless minds of
the skeletons within them perceived treasure, in the
form of the Baroness' ring, being removed from the
room's deceased occupants. Each swung its sword or
halberd at the nearest pirate.

Once he pulled Rapina into the sarcophagus, the goulish
Kent activated the lid-closing mechanism with one foot,
while he activated the mechanism that lowered the panel
in the East side of the sarcophagus with the other. The
sarcophagus only seemed to be separate from the wall,
it was actually attached to it. Kent rolled Rapina and
himself Eastward as the East wall of the coffin slid
into the floor.  Once in the area within the room's
East wall, Kent pushed a stud with his finger.  The
East wall of the sarcophagus lifted back into place and
the stone beneath him and Rapina tilted. Down they
slid.  At the bottom of the short slide, Kent pulled a
lever and the slide hinged back up.

The ghoul then opened a door and ran out of the room
for a few minutes.  He returned, hoisted Rapina off the
floor and carried her across the small room at the base
of the slide to a door. He opened the door and carried
her into a narrow, low-ceilinged passageway that went
North and South.  Kent closed the door and shot home a
bolt, then took a few large reaching steps Southward.
He carried Rapina South up a very long flight of stairs
to a room.  In one corner of the room three shadows
cowered, disliking Rapina's mage-light.  The room also
contained a few skeletons and several chests.

Two of the skeletons bore a litter.  Kent placed Rapina
on the litter then opened one of the chests.  He took
some granite-colored grey robes with a heavy hood and a
black lining from the chest and put them on.  The
litter-bearing skeletons were dressed in identical
attire. Kent then left though a doorway in the other
side of the room that led to another staircase up.  The
two skeletons followed carrying Rapina between them.
Kent pushed open a trapdoor at the top of the staircase
and cringed as the light hit his robes.

The daylight stung Kent's eyes and made him feel weak
in spite of the protective cowl.  The ghoul struggled
along a trail that ran atop the granite cliffs into
which the tomb was carved.  The ghoul and his entourage
fled south and followed the curve of the island's cliff
top as it went gradually Southwestward.  The path was
well concealed from watchers in the interior of the
isle, for it usually ran through the lowest area in the
center of the cliff so that there was stone between
watchers from the water or land and the path.

At first Rapina could do nothing but be afraid, but
after a while she struggled to get a hold of her mind.
If Kent was going to kill her, she reasoned, he would
have done it by now. She was not sure where he was
taking her, but it seemed likely that she would soon be
meeting the chief of the undeads.  Rapina supposed it
could be some even more horrible undead monster, but
clung to the hope that it would be a living priest or
magician - a necromancer.

Kent struggled through the sunlight for what seemed
like ages. About every quarter hour he scratched Rapina
in the arm with a claw.  The walk was a mile and a
half.  It was nearly an hour before it took him along
the base of some even higher cliffs that towered above
the cliffs he was on and the rest of the isle.

Just when she thought things were getting a little
better, Kent jumped on the litter with her.


"Go that way," Kent rasped and pointed for the bone-
headed skeletons, then he squirmed around on top of
Rapina and licked her face with his hideous long
tongue.

The breath stuck in her throat, Rapina was terrified
but she couldn't scream.  Kent smelled dead, he even
looked dead.  She could not move a muscle, but she
wanted to escape in the worst way.

Kent directed the skeletons into a hidden fissure in
the Southern rock face.  He jumped off the litter about
ten feet into the fissure. The narrow crack led
downward and eventually forked Kent stopped the
skeletons then walked into the fork on the left. Rapina
briefly heard the grinding of stone on stone such as a
hidden door might make and Kent was gone for close to
fifteen minutes.  When he returned he jumped back on
the litter with Rapina and directed the skeletons to
proceed down the other fork of the fissure.  It opened
up into a much wider fissure - a canyon some fifteen to
twenty-five feet in breadth. Daylight was visible far
above, but the ghoul felt better because the deep
canyon afforded much shadow. The skeletons carried Kent
and Rapina South along the canyon floor.

As time went by Rapina had to force herself to keep her
eyes open so she had some idea of where she was being
taken.  She was a woman, an oddity among pirates.
Perhaps she was being captured because the lord of the
isle felt she was at least as much a victim as a
collaborator, having been abducted by the pirates, or
perhaps he was just hungry for female companionship.
Rapina shuddered, if the necromancer was undead, she
might just be a dainty meal.  She would have to try to
keep her wits about her in spite of her terror.

The skeletons zigzagged along with the canyon in a
generally southerly direction.  When they reached an
area familiar to the ghoul, Kent reached down off the
litter, took up a large rock from the canyon floor and
directed the skeletons to the cliff edge where he
bashed the rock against the stone wall.  Had he not
known exactly where he was, the ghoul would not have
known what to do. Even the ghoul could see no
difference about the walls of the canyon from his
vantagepoint at its bottom.  From Some sixty feet above
him hidden from view by a natural outcropping in the
wall of the canyon, a boom swung out.  On the boom was
a large wicker cage.  The cage was lowered.  Kent
opened a door in the cage and led the skeletons bearing
the litter inside.  Kent closed the door and struck a
cowbell attached to the inside of the cage, with a
metal rod dangling from a chain.  The cage began to
rise quite rapidly.

When the cage struck the boom, it was swung inwards and
the cage was lowered a foot or two to rest on the floor
of a room cut into the face of the granite cliff. One
wall was open to the canyon but the room was invisible
from below because of the narrowness of the canyon, a
natural outcropping just below where the room was
carved into the cliff face, and the height the room was
above the canyon floor.  There was a slit-like window
in the south wall of the room.

Kent opened the cage door and led the skeletons out.

A skeletal hand grasped Rapina's chin and turned her
head from side to side.

Rapina was so terrified she shut her eyes.  She was
sure the lord of the isle was undead, and she would
soon be as well.

"Excellent work, my servant," a smooth baritone voice
spoke to Kent.

Rapina opened her eyes.  The face of a middle-aged man
stared assessingly down at her.  The man was neither
hideous nor handsome. He was actually rather plain.
High on his forehead was a bandage. Otherwise, he would
not have looked out of place behind the counter of a
library, but for the intense look in his dark eyes.
Those eyes were the one thing that marked him as a man
of great cunning and intellect.

"You have a reward coming."  The man Removed Rapina's
bow and quiver, then undid Rapina's weapons belt and
took it and her weapons from her. He hung her things on
a skeleton that wore a steel breastplate and was clad
in wax-boiled leather.  The necromancer then removed
the mage light from around her neck and raised an
eyebrow as he placed it in a pouch on his belt.  After
that he frisked her, found the sheath knife on her calf
and removed it.

The necromancer spoke to Kent as he worked, "Although
the battle did not go as well as planned, you played
your part flawlessly and accomplished this
extemporaneous task as well.  I realize the daylight
must have caused you great pain and weakness, but I
have just the thing to replenish your strength for this
evening. One of the pirates we captured has no tongue
and is thus useless to me, yet I think you'll like him,
he's a fat one."

The necromancer commanded the skeletons to open the
stout oak door in the East wall of the room, the one
opposite the canyon. Two of the breast-plate wearing
skeletons led the way and four others followed.  After
a short distance, the party came to a "T" intersection.
The corridors were lit by an eerie red glow that
emanated from large crystals that hung at intervals
from the ceiling.

"Take the girl to the door to my chambers and keep her
there. You three guards, see that she does not try to
wander off." The skeletons bore Rapina Northwards while
Kent and the necromancer went in the other direction.

Rapina thought about trying to escape.  Had she not
been paralyzed, she felt sure she could outrun the
skeletons.  Even if she could, where would she go,
certainly not back to the cliffside room?  There was no
way down to one who could not control the wicker cage.
Abruptly Rapina's muscles eased.  She felt sore all
over.  She directed the bit of energy she had gleaned
from her morning's tryst to her back and limbs.

Suddenly she sprung from the litter and sprinted down
the hallway to the South.  It took a second for the
skeletons to react, but Rapina heard the rasp of steel
as the skeletons drew swords and clattered after her.
They were fast, astonishingly so, but Rapina was
terrified and had a head start.  Doors punctuated the
hallway at intervals.  Rapina opened one and saw rough-
hewn shelves with various armaments and equipment but
no way out.  She snatched a rusty broadsword and rushed
down the hallway again.  She passed several doors on
her way down the hall.  One, an iron door was just
slightly ajar.  She avoided that one and pulled on the
door at the end of the hall. It would not open but she
could see no lock!

The three guard skeletons were already near her. Rapina
jumped to the left and saw the skeletons veered to the
left as they ran towards her.  At the last minute,
Rapina jumped right and sprinted.  She felt the wind
from a sword blade close to her neck as she passed the
boney trio.  The skeletons were astonishingly fast. She
already felt winded.  In desperation Rapina ran to the
iron door, opened it, jumped in and slammed it as the
impacts of three sword blades rang off the other side
of the door.  Rapina saw a keyhole but no bolt on her
side of the door.  Remembering how light the skeletons
in the mausoleum cavern had been, Rapina braced herself
against the door.

There was a second identical door ten feet East beyond
the one she held, but she was sure that the skeletons
would just keep bashing the door with their swords
forever.  She was wrong. Something started pushing on
the door.  The force doubled and Rapina made a dash for
the next door.  She slammed that one shut as well.  She
found herself in some sort of guardroom with a stout
table and four chairs.  She could reach one of the
chairs with her foot.  She snagged it and used it to
wedge the door shut.

There was a ring of three keys hanging on a peg on the
other side of the room.  Rapina dashed for it, grabbed
it and got back in time to keep the chair from slipping
away from the door because of the force being applied
to the other side.  Rapina tried all three of the keys
in the lock but none of them worked. On the other side
of the room was another door.  This one had a barred
window.  Rapina ran for it, snagging another chair on
her way by the table.  She had the third door shut and
wedged before the last door grated open.  Rapina tried
the shorter of the three keys on the ring and the lock
turned.

The door Rapina had just locked was at the head of a
hallway. There were six other doors leading off the
hallway, three on the right side, and three on the
left.  The door to the cell on the right near the
hall's other end was ajar.  Rapina looked through the
barred window of the nearest cell on the left.  Inside
shackled to the wall was Jonas.

"Jonas?," Rapina asked.

Jonas looked up.  "Rapina?  How in hell did you get
here?"

"I got paralyzed by Kent.  He's a ghoul.  How about
you?"

"There were some skeletons stained black; they were
collecting the dead bodies and the ghouls were
collecting the living.  I spooked when those skeletons
attacked us and before I knew it, some ghoul jumped out
of nowhere.  It dragged me to a black litter borne by
skeletons and I was brought here. What happened to the
others?"

"Pike and Hock rallied the troops and they fought off
the skeletons.  I'm not sure what they're doing now,
either fortifying and staying or trying to raft out,
one or the other."

"Quick, get me out of here, maybe we can free the
others and escape."

Rapina tried the next longer key and opened the cell
door.

"Lets skip the escape scene, shall we?" said the
necromancer's voice.

Rapina froze.  At the end of the hall stood the
necromancer, and next to him with blood all over his
face, chest and grossly bloated belly was Kent, still
chawing on a fat human leg. They had come out of the
cell at the end of the hall on the right. Rapina nearly
threw up as she realized that Kent had been eating
Piggy, the mute cook that Rapina had worked for when
she'd first joined Red Jack's crew.

Now that she was standing, Rapina got a better look at
the necromancer.  He was about average height and
build, only an inch or two taller than she was.  He was
partly bald, but had hair on the sides of his head.  He
was dressed in black robes with a black leather
bandoleer crossing his chest from his left shoulder to
his waist on the right.  He wore several bone-handled
daggers on his belt and the bandoleer held a dozen or
so crude bone darts with metal spikes on both ends.

"Drop the blade.  Be reasonable, you have no chance to
escape. There is only one way out of here and that is
through those doors and the three guards.  The
necromancer chuckled, "You must be a fast runner or I'd
be trying to piece your skeleton back together at this
moment."

Rapina tossed the keys through the partly opened door
to Jonas and advanced towards the necromancer.

The necromancer grinned.  "Guards," he said.  Three
leather-clad breast-plated skeletons came out of the
cell the necromancer and Kent had previously been in.
"Surely you do not want to try to face these three.
Have you not yet realized that these skeletons are
superior to the others?  The necromancer smiled.  They
are double-animated, once by the power of my magic, and
once by the power of Mortaebius, god of the dead.  They
are stronger, faster, and a little bit smarter than the
average skeleton."

Rapina held her ground but eyed the skeletons now
standing in front of Kent and the necromancer.

"Surrender now and I will go easy on you, otherwise,
you'll pay dearly.  Shards, orbit her."

The crude bone darts left the necromancer's bandoleer
and flew down the hallway, orbiting Rapina at a
distance of about three feet.  Rapina shuddered. The
bone parts of the darts were made of what Donal had
named "singing bones," the ones that flew through the
air.  How could she hope to defeat flying bone spikes
and three double-strength skeletons plus a wily ghoul
and a necromancer?  Rapina reluctantly layed down her
rusty blade.

"Retrieve the blade," the necromancer bid one of the
skeletons. The skeleton snatched up the blade.  Now,
girl, stand back against the guard room door.

Rapina backed up.

"You two, the necromancer pointed to a couple of the
skeletons, guard the girl.  And you, open that cell
door.  Kent, I think the prisoner needs calming."

Kent grinned and bounded into Jonas' cell.

"Aaaaiigh! Jonas screamed.

"Kent, put him back in the shackles and take the keys,"
the necromancer ordered.

In a minute or two Kent came out of the cell and tossed
the keys to the necromancer.  "Very good, I will talk
to you again this evening.  Enjoy your meal."

[Rapina]015 Death Battles The Living

The pain was excruciating.  Doanthalas could hardly
breathe because of the smoke and his eyes were gunked
up with ash and smoke and tears. Needles of pain shot
through his back as the flames continued to burn. Soon
the flames would die out; Doanthalas could feel the
pain lessening by the moment.  After the flames died
out it would not be that long before he started
bleeding.

It was time to get to a safer place, and quickly too.
The elf tried tearing off a piece of his clothes to
wipe his eyes with, but his charred clothing just
crumbled in his hands.  There had to be something in
the room somewhere he could use to wipe out his eyes
with. Otherwise he'd have to fight through the
remaining zombies and find a way out while still blind.
He did not think he could do it.  Not in his already
weakened condition.

The remaining ghoul and a few of the zombies had been
reduced to walking torches.  A few remained relatively
unharmed.  These few closed in on the prone form of
Doanthalas.  They were unaffected by the smoke and
advanced steadily on the elf.

Doanthalas' keen hearing picked up the sound of the
zombie's shuffling feet approaching.  It was getting
harder to breathe and a fit of coughing seized the elf.
At least nearer the floor the air wasn't as filled with
smoke.

A slight breeze blew across the elf's face.  The fact
that there was a breeze meant one thing: There was a
way out. Doanthalas began crawling towards the breeze.
He had to hurry. The fire was almost out and that meant
that his time was almost up.

The remains of his clothes crumbled to nothing as well
as the other items he carried that were flammable.  The
elf's knee nudged something as he crawled. Reaching
down his hand closed around the hilt of his sword.  The
blade scraped against the ground as he lifted it.

The sound of shuffling feet was very close now.  With
great effort Doanthalas swung his sword.  He felt it
chop though something solid and then stop as it hit
something else solid. There was a loud thump as
something heavy hit the ground.

One of the zombies lay on the floor struggling feebly
to stand. The other paused its progress impeded by his
fallen companion. Darkness had descended upon the room
as the last of the fires burned themselves out. The
zombies continued in their pursuit of their prey
unaffected by the darkness.  Their minds understood
nothing other than their hunger for flesh...their
thirst for blood.  The scent was getting stronger.
Their quarry was near. Bits of rotting flesh dropped
off their arms as they reached out to feast.

The sound of shuffling feet and something sharp
scraping across the stones sounded very close behind
him.  Doanthalas blindly dragged himself towards the
source of the breeze.  If he could reach it he might be
able to escape. Whatever he did, he would have to
hurry.  His strength was fading fast. Doanthalas' hand
closed over a metal grate in the floor.  It was small.
Most likely, it was a drain.  It had to lead somewhere.
He hoped it was large enough for him to crawl through.

Wiping his eyes with his grimy hand did little to
improve his situation.  The elf turned and tried to see
through the sweat, blood, and grime that had found its
way into his eyes.  He was able to see very little, but
did notice two still slightly warm forms moving in his
direction.  One was crawling and the other was walking.


Clutching his sword the tattooed elf sat up and
prepared to meet his foes. The zombies closed before
Doanthalas could stand.  They pressed their attack. The
crawling zombie lost an arm right away.  The other arm
was next followed shortly by his head. Each time he
swung his sword Doanthalas felt it slipping out of his
hands.  He adjusted his grip before turning to deal
with the remaining zombie.

This zombie had the advantage.  It held the higher
ground and did not tire. Doanthalas on the other hand
was so weak that he could barely lift his sword.  The
sword went clattering to the floor after being easily
batted away by the zombie.  Things were getting worse
by the second.  Doanthalas' head began to swim. "I
cannot die like this," he thought as he backed away
from the advancing zombie.

The smell of iron reached his nostrils.  "Not now!" he
thought as his hand slipped in the fresh blood that had
begun to flow from his fiendish tattoos. Doanthalas
crawled back as far as he could. He stopped with his
back to the wall and the zombie practically on top of
him.  It seemed like it was to end there. Fortunately
for Doanthalas the zombie slipped in some of his blood
and went toppling to the floor.  The sound of nails
scraping the floor was audible through the darkness.

He could not see the zombie anymore; the heat from the
fire that had threatened to consume it had long since
dissipated. It seemed like hours that the zombie lay
there scraping at the floor. Doanthalas did not take
time to ponder this turn of events.  He just crawled
around the floor until his hand closed over the hilt of
another weapon.  With every ounce of strength he could
muster he crawled back towards the sound of scraping.

Unable to comprehend its situation the zombie struggled
to scrape the flesh off its victim.  It could smell the
blood, but could not seem to scrape the flesh off its
bones.  It struggled on fueled by its hunger.
Doanthalas ended its struggles a few moments later as
he dismembered piece by piece.

The weapon clattered to the floor.  Doanthalas did not
have an ounce of strength left.  He slumped to the
ground and drifted off into unconsciousness. A cool
breeze blew through his hair as the blood from his
tattoos flowed through the grate in the floor.

-----------


Pike scowled.  His luck in battle had never been so
sour.  The day had not gone so badly at first, but now
depression was settling on the Norseman's shoulders
like the globe on the shoulders of Atlas.  He had
fought his way out of a diabolic trap loosing half his
men only to have his favorite wench stolen and probably
killed by a ghoulish Kent.  The armored skeletons Kent
triggered killed Buck and cost his party in both wounds
and precious time.  Skitch had figured out the secret
door and slide in the sarcophagus, but that too had
cost time.  They had broken through the door in the
room at the base of the slide and found the lower
corridor.  Thumper had led them North instead of South
and that had cost time.  The wily ghoul must have left
a false trail.

Skitch had found the ladder that led up into the hollow
statue. After he had come down from there he found and
quickly un-jammed the mechanisms for the stone doors in
the rooms above, but that hadn't helped them find
Rapina.  They had gone North when they should have gone
South. When they did go south, Pike had lost strength
and sustained an annoying wound to his left shoulder.
He had been too hasty about demolishing the four
skeletons in the room at the top of the staircase and
had not noticed the three shadows until after they
started feeding on him and his men.  Drake had
sustained wounds and lost some strength to the shadows
and so had Gape.

Thumper had tracked the ghoul South along the cliff
tops and along the base of some cliffs higher than the
ones Pike and his men were walking on, but then the dog
had inexplicably lost the trail.  It cost more precious
time before Rage found a hidden fissure.  There Thumper
had picked up the trail of the ghoul again.  It led to
a blank wall when the fissure forked.  Skitch had
correctly identified a secret door in the wall.  The
door led to a narrow, low-ceilinged staircase mined
through the granite.  The staircase twisted down and
down endlessly before it and finally let out at a
secret door in a warren of confusing tunnels.  The
tunnels went through the dirt of the valley Pike and
his men had seen from high above on the cliffs near the
entrance to the fissure. Thumper had started tracking
in circles and the party had become hopelessly lost in
the maze of tunnels.  If anything, they were farther
from finding Rapina than when she had first been
abducted.

"Pike, I hate ta say it, but we're lost an' wounded,
'an if Rapina ain't dead by now, then she's a prisoner
o' the dark lord o' the isle. Thumper ain't doin' us a
bit o' good, an' we can't go back ta where we were
without startin' over at the tombs.  My bid is that we
jus' try ta find a way outa here before yer ghouls an'
things start wakin' up."

Pike glared at Brackston. "I hate it when yer right.
Okay, lets try to find a tunnel that goes up."

A few minutes later Rage called out

"Hey, where's Gape, he was behind me just a minute
ago."

"Damn it! Ghouls, I'll wager.  Demon or not, I sure as
hell wish we had an elf to take up the rear.  My bet is
that Thumper might be able to smell 'em.  Brackston,
take the rear. Rage, you make sure to look over your
shoulder a lot, understand?"

"Gotcha."

A more couple hours passed, but, although they had
gained some elevation and had gone a good distance in a
roughly northerly direction, an exit from the warrens
still eluded them.

Suddenly Thumper growled.

Ghouls! Brackston shouted.

Thumper grabbed a ghoul's hand as it tried to strike
his master and ripped at it.

Brackston lunged, his usual sword techniques were
worthless hunched over in a cramped dirt tunnel.  He
ran his sword through the creature's chest and twisted
it but the creature did not die!

A second ghoul erupted from the floor of the tunnel and
attempted to grab Drake's leg.

Drake yelped, jumped back against the tunnel wall and
cut the ghoul's hand off at the wrist.

A third ghoul burst through the tunnel wall behind
Drake and grabbed him, claws ripping into his sides -
immobilizing Drake with magical fear.

Skitch whipped two throwing knives into the chest of
the ghoul on the ground.

Pike's axe came down on the floor-ghoul's head,
splitting it like a melon.

The Norseman grabbed Drake's legs just as he was
disappearing into a hidden side tunnel behind the ghoul
and heaved.

Brackston's ghoul cut into the yellow dog's head with
his free hand leaving deep bloody furrows, but the
ghoul's magic was wasted on the mean yellow dog.
Thumper's simple mind did not fear death.

Brackston lunged again half gutting the ghoul who'd
hurt his dog.

Near pike, the skulless ghoul reached up in its death
throws and sunk its claws savagely into the Norseman's
calf.

Pike bellowed as he felt the ghoul's magic sizzle up
his nerves. Every ounce of the indomitable courage bred
into the Norseman fought the ghoul's magic...

Blood an' Bones!  Pike roared as he heaved Drake out of
the side tunnel with the ghoul still attached to him.

The ghoul let go of Drake, setting the Norseman off
balance and then dove for Skitch.

"Ulp!" Try as he might, once the ghoul had grabbed him,
ripping into his ribs with its claws, Skitch could not
move a muscle. His whole body seemed to freeze in
horror.

Rage drove his gladius into the ghoul's side as it
began to make off with Skitch.

Pike grabbed Skitch's legs just as they were
disappearing down the tunnel and heaved once again.

Brackston's ghoul hissed as Brackston skewered it a
second time and opened the wrist of Brackston's sword
arm with its hideous claws. Blood gushed from the
wound.

Brackston froze.  He struggled, but the magical fear
had him firmly in its unyielding grasp.

Thumper jumped knocking the ghoul on its back. The dog
growled ferociously ripping flesh from the monster.

The Ghoul from the wall lashed out at Pike's arm with
its toe nails, tearing furrows through his skin.

Pike bellowed, his great muscles flexed... and released
as he pulled Skitch and the ghoul back into the tunnel.


Rage jammed his short sword into the side of the
ghoul's chest and twisted it, Killing the foul thing at
last.

Thumper ripped out the ghoul's throat as one of the
creature's claws sunk into the dog's eye socket. Blood
flooded from the dog's wound.  He curled up at the
paralyzed feet of his master whining ever more quietly
as his life's blood drained away.

"Damn ghouls, Pike snarled as he bandaged Brackston's
wrist. Rage, let's move Drake, Skitch an' Brackston up
there and get some bandages on all the wounds before we
bleed ta death. There's a boulder forming one wall of
the tunnel.  There's no way we're going to be able to
move with three of our guys out. We'll just have to
wait.  Poor dog.  I'd bandage the eye, but the wound's
too damn deep, I can see his brains in there. He'd just
bleed into his skull."

Pike, them ghouls hit ye twice, but ye didn't freeze.

"Courage mate, it's bred into the bones 'o every
Norseman."

It was well over an hour before the party could move,
and it was another hour before they emerged into the
open air.  The sun was low in the sky when they saw it
again at last.  They were in a forested canyon dotted
with piles of bones marked by various stone markers.

"I'm namin' this place the valley of the dead, any
objections? Looks like these various heaps o' bones
were from the loosing side of old battles.  You don't
get good graves when ye loose."

Pike looked at his men.  "If we were fresh, I'd say
let's double-time it back to Red Jack's fort, but we
wouldn't get there before night fall.  Plus we'd have
to fight our way through the enemy to get in, but I'm
limpin' like a club-foot, an it's easy ta see
Brackston's dizzy from lack o' blood.  Skitch winces
ever time he takes a big step 'an whenever Drake bends
over I see the pain in 'is eyes.  We're ripped ta shit.
Tryin' to fight our way through to the fort would be
simple suicide."

"Here's my plan, there's one other gate to the water
besides the cove - the box canyon.  Right now we're on
the edge of this valley.  We're going up hill, the
trees are starting to thin, and the terrain is getting
a little rockier. Let's take some trees, about four
straight medium-sized fairly long ones.  This valley
and the area around Jack's camp are the only two places
on the isle I've seen good timber.  Look at that tree
right over there, it's still standing, but it's dry and
dead.  We find four trees, clean off most of the
branches and attach ropes.  Once we're out the valley
we turn East an' scramble up the steep hills and cliffs
and into more open terrain.  It'll be tough because
just about every one of us will have to drag a tree an'
we're not in the best o' shape, but I think we can do
it."

"We'll be dead beat once we reach the plateau South of
the tombs and the burial mounds.  We can rest there.
Visibility is good up there even in moon light because
there are no trees an' few bushes.  We've got to be up
the cliffs by the time that sun sets, an' we don't have
long if we're going to get our timber and drag it up.
After we have a rest an' a meal, we start dragging our
trees over to the box canyon.  Skitch, you'll be
gathering something ta use for oars an' haulin' them.
It's going to be one hell of a tough time given how
beat up we are, but just remember.  If we get timber to
the Box canyon, we can build a raft usin' the rope we
have for climbing to lash the trees together.  Then we
can get the hell out while the undeads an' their lord
are still too preoccupied with the battle to be keeping
track of us. "

Pike cut and stripped four trees with his battle axe
and the group laboriously headed North, then East and
up. Thankfully they knew the terrain, for they had seen
from the cliff tops, while tracking Kent and Rapina,
that North was the only way out of the pit that Pike
called the valley of the dead.

-----

Rapina was escorted through a stout oak door and up a
long circular stair that wound its way around a central
shaft.  At the top of the shaft, beneath a domed stone
roof, hung another large whicker elevator-cage.  About
50 feet below the cage there was a landing in the
staircase that wrapped from the North side of the shaft
all the way around to the East and South.  It ended on
the South face of the shaft before continuing up as a
staircase.  Off the landing there were several oaken
doors, the first one led to the necromancer's chambers.
As the door was opened, her nose caught the scent of
myrrh.  The necromancer's abode was well-lit with white
mage-light from clear crystals suspended from the
ceilings.  The rooms were spacious, if stark and a bit
dusty.  Rapina was shown to a small guestroom.

"You'll be staying here for now.  If you prove a
difficult guest, then perhaps you would prefer to stay
with Kent instead of me?"  The necromancer raised an
eyebrow questioningly.  "Try to get some sleep.  I
usually sleep in the morning and early afternoon.  It
is more convenient to deal with my minions that way, as
they are normally quite sluggish during the daylight
hours."

"There is a chamber pot behind that door, a basin
there, and a desk.  This room was designed for an
acolyte, but the church has not seen fit to provide me
with one in all the time I have been here.  Kent said
you read. There are books there on the desk. Treat them
well and ask nicely and you will be given replacements
if you tire of them."

"Let us get one thing straight, young lady, you have
been rescued from the pirates and their fait because
war is not a woman's place. You are as much a criminal
as they are no matter what they might have done to you,
and if you do not behave yourself, you will face the
king's justice or mine, understood?"

"Yes Sir," Rapina said, hanging her head.  Rapina could
sense hardly a whit of lust from the necromancer.  At
the moment she was being treated like a child and she
felt at least as helpless as one. She knew the
necromancer's left hand was animated bone, but his
robes hid anything beyond that and she had no idea just
how much of the necromancer was man, and how much was
animated skeleton.  At this point she was feeling as if
there were more skeleton than man.

The necromancer locked the door to her room as he left,
and Rapina flopped onto the bed with a sigh. -----

As the last Rays of the sun disappeared over the
horizon, Pike's men pulled their timbers up onto the
plateau South of the tomb and burial mounds.

"Damn iv we dild id."  Brackston blinked.  The sky was
twirling overhead.

Pike winced as he saw Brackston fall.  "Damn is right."
The Norseman limped over to Brackston. "You okay?"

"Heey, wad habbent?" Brackston asked.

"Drink this, man, you're in bad shape.  You got dizzy
an' fell down, but we made it.  We're on the plateau,
and none too soon. Let's sit down, and have something
to eat.  Skitch, you un-jammed the door mechanisms to
the tomb, do you think the entry door opened?

Skitch puffed as he set down some oars he'd made from
the crusts of a couple old hollow logs.  "Hard to say.
How'd you get out the first time you got caught in the
entry room?"

"If there's weight in the top coffin-like side-tunnel
in the Southeast corner of the room, the entry slab
opens."

Well, if there was weight there, then the door will be
open.  If not, it'll be closed.  Why do you ask?

"Two reasons," Pike said between mouthfulls of hard
roll. "We left some dead in there that the necromancer
might be able to use unless we chop 'em up.  That an'
those men had weapons, valuables an' so on we could
take.  Once we reach land we're going need to live."

"We can check on the way by, I'd give it about a fifty-
fifty chance of bein' open.  Could be we could pry the
entry slab up a ways with one of these timbers too.  If
we can, I can get in and open it up.  Seems ta me if we
pry those gems off the coat of arms in the one room we
already tripped the trap in, we'd be set fer years."

"Good thinking." ----

A perimeter had been set up and the pirates had taken
up their positions in anticipation of attack.  Torches
and bonfires illuminated the area as well as casting
ominous looking shadows on the edge of the camp. The
centerpiece of Red Jack's defensive arrangement was a
fortified hillock. On the top of the hill was a couple
small tents and a large shallow, flat-bottomed
depression where the pirates' many wounded were
resting.  There was a ring around the hilltop with a
three-foot high, stockade-style log wall.  Behind it,
the pirates' archers took cover.

On the outside of the short stockade wall that ringed
the top of the hill was a dirt embankment.  Starting
from the embankment and going all the way down the
sides of the hill and beyond were row upon row of stout
wooden spears planted into the ground so that they
bristled toward the enemy.  Pikes and small trees
positioned around the top of the hill could be used to
pierce or bludgeon enemies trying to squeeze between
the rows and approach the fort.  Twenty yards away from
the base of the hill a ditch had been dug to stifle the
approach of battering rams that might rapidly break the
spears protecting the fort.  The ditch that ringed the
fort had a ring of spears planted on the near side to
slow the enemy and make them easier to hit for the
archers of the fort.

In anticipation of undead shadows not directed by the
isle's lord, because of having been spawned only last
night, a field of bon-fires and torches had been
arranged.  These sat between the base of the array of
spears on the hill and the ring of spears near the
ditch so that the archers might spot and fire on the
shadows.  This plan would only be good for as long as
the fires burned brightly, but Red Jack expected these
uncontrolled undeads to come to feed as soon as night
fell.  Some of the heartier pirates stood near the
start of the spears not far from the base of the hill.
The archers could fire over their heads with ease, but
these men were present to kill any shadows the archers
missed before they started working their way through
the spears to the fort.

As tired as they were from building the fort all day,
none of the pirates was able to sleep.  Their fear was
too strong to allow that.  It was fortunate that they
were all awake.  Had even a few of them been sleeping
the undead that surged forth would have overwhelmed
them in minutes.

The half-elf was one of the first to spot the shadows
trying to slip into camp.  A silent hand signal from
Arzeal was all it took to spur the other archers to
action.  Flaming arrows flying overhead alerted the
pirates on the ground to the shadows' presence.  The
shadows had lost the element of surprise.

The pirates on the ground took up their positions
holding their weapons at the ready. Arzeal smiled as
one of his resin-arrows engulfed a shadow in its fiery
embrace.  The pirates were ready this time.  He let fly
another flaming arrow as he spotted another shadow
working its way around the left flank.

The archer's arrows lit up the sky alerting Logan and
his men to the shadows' approach.  Torch in one hand
and sword in the other he took up his position with his
men. The front line was a dangerous place to be. Yet,
how could Logan expect his men to die for him if he was
not ready to die for them?  He might not live to see
the light of another day, but at least he would die
fighting. Three dark forms surged around the sharpened
stakes and at Logan and his men. They rushed forth to
meet their foes with fearsome battle cries.

From the hilltop fort, the captain surveyed the scene
unfolding before him with his spyglass. Arzeal and his
archers were doing quite a number on the shadows.  The
fact that they picked their shots wisely and didn't
madly fire all their arrows away said something for the
master archer's training of his men. Logan and his
soldiers were doing well so far at keeping the shadows
that slipped through at bay.  He shivered as he
remembered the chill touch of the shadow.  "Good luck
my friend," the captain said aloud.

Movement at the perimeter caught Jack's eye.  A joint
force of skeleton's and zombies was emerging from the
darkness.  The zombies were in front and the first rank
of them carried shields. Behind the zombies were
skeletons bearing a bridge of planks covered in a layer
of mud. Behind and flanking them were skeletons
wielding bows.  As they walked forward, the skeleton
archers let fly arrows over the heads of the soldiers
in front of them.  "Damn!  He's got a small army of tha
walkin' dead an' some of 'em have bows!  I was
wonderin' where are dead from last night got to, damned
zombies!" Jack bellowed.

If it weren't for the archers, his men could have held
the skeletons off with only small losses.  At least
Jack was pretty sure they could have. Unfortunately the
men who were gathering to meet the zombies when they
crossed the ditch were being filled full of holes.

"Jump the spears an' into the ditch, Logan, them arrows
are decimatin' ye!

Arzeal and his archers let fly trying to cut down some
of the skeletons firing on Logan's men.  Unfortunately,
many of the shots that hit went right through the
skeletons.  Damn! shoot for the pelvis and use
broadheads if you've got 'em, it's our best bet! Arzeal
yelled.

"Arzeal, unveil yer little monster.  I don't want these
hair-cuts ye gave us ta be in vain.  That bridge
they're carryin' could be are doom, knock it out o'
their hands.  Archers, concentrate on tryin' ta blast
through th' zombies in front o' the right side o' the
bridge they're carryin' that's are target," Captain Red
Jack ordered.

A couple of archers pealed back the supply tent
revealing a small catapult with a torsion spring made
of the men's shorn hair.

Arzeal released a flame-arrow that turned the zombie
walking in font of the right side of the earth-covered
bridge into a walking torch.  This lit the way for his
archers' arrows.  That accomplished he put his bow back
on his back and unveiled his little monster, a
catapult.

Arzeal aimed the little monster he had worked on all
day and let fly.  The first stone went long and to the
right.  Arzeal made a couple of adjustments as four of
his men worked to cock the catapult again.

The Zombies in front of the right side of the portable
bridge fell down in a hail of arrows.

Without the zombies in front of them, the skeletons
were not as well protected, but they were able to move
more quickly.  The archers behind them rained arrows on
any of Logan's men not already in the ditch.

The second shot of the catapult was short, but centered
nicely. Crank it with everything you've got, men, if
you're quick enough, that bridge will be passing though
the area our last stone hit.  The men redoubled their
efforts. "Just as soon the catapult's arm hits the
stops, release it. I'll see if I can soften 'em up for
you," the half-elf said.

Arzeal took his bow up again and pulled arrow after
arrow from his quiver.  He had almost no time to aim,
but many of his shots were superb.  One by one the
Skeletons along the right side of the bridge began to
fall.  Oddly, other skeletons from farther back dropped
their weapons and took the places of their fallen
comrades, though not nearly as quickly as would have
been the case had the army been a little less deficient
of intelligence. Arzeal suspected someone was giving
orders, but all he could see was an army of skeletons.
He and his archers kept up a heavy rain of arrows.

The men released the catapult.  The stone arced up and
slammed onto the right side of the portable bridge, the
one weakened by the concentrated fire of Arzeal's
archers.  That side of the bridge dropped and a great
deal of mud loosened from the surface of the bridge.

Arzeal dropped his bow and made the slightest
adjustment to the aim of the catapult.  His men cranked
it back so fast it seemed that they knew their lives
depended on it. The bridge was dangerously close to the
ditch, and this would be their last, best shot.

Arzeal grabbed his bow and crouched at the edge of the
stockade wall, releasing arrow after arrow.

Zombies began pouring into the ditch.  Logan and his
men fought hard, hacking at the unyielding zombies with
energy born of terror.

"Fighting withdrawal men, fighting withdrawal! There
are too damn many reachin' the ditch at once!  Let's
fall back to the opposite side of the ring to hole up
in the fort if necessary.  We're outnumbered, those
damned unexpected undead archers hit too damn many of
us.

The impromptu artillerists released the catapult arm
again and the stone slammed into the left side of the
bridge.  The shock shattered the wrists of many of the
skeletons.

There was a moment when it seemed as though the one
side of the bridge would remain up.  That moment passed
as Arzeal took out two of the skeletons whose wrists
had held and the second side of the bridge fell to the
ground.  "Keep firing! Arzeal screamed.

There was a moment of hesitation as arrows poured down
at the skeletons, and then the remainder of the undead
army ran forward and took cover in the ditch.  The
skeleton army began to fire on the pirates behind the
stockade wall of the fort, but few shots were telling
on either side because both sides had good cover.

Logan and his men fought bravely, but even with support
from the better pirate archers, it was a loosing battle
against superior numbers. ---

Rapina could not sleep. She just lay on the bed curled
into a ball.  So much had happened and it was all so
horrible.  Rapina did not even want to think about it.
The room and the rest of the Necromancer's chambers
were a bit chilly owing to the fact that they had been
carved inside a granite cliff.  Deep underground
temperatures stayed around fifty degrees, and Rapina
estimated the chambers of the Necromancer were no
warmer than sixty-five degrees.  Rapina hardly noticed,
because she had dressed for underground temperatures
owing to the mission she had been on. She wore baggy
drawstring pants, a loose long-sleeved tunic and a
baggy sir-coat pillaged from some soldier on the
blockade Red Jack had recently destroyed.

After a time she looked at her surroundings. The room
was lit by two tiny mage-lights, one on a plaque-like
arrangement just above the head of the bed, and the
other similarly attached to the wall above the desk.
Both lamps had a cap held by a loose ring and chain
that could be screwed on over the lights.  The one over
the bed also had a red glass cap that could be used
instead of the metal one. The walls were rough, and
showed the mark of both chisel and pickaxe.  Rapina
guessed that tireless undead workers had mined the room
out of the stone.

Rapina got up to look around.  On one side of her room
were two doors.  One opened into a tiny room containing
the chamber pot, the other led into a small room with a
decanter, basin and dressing table, and the entrance to
a walk-in closet.  Rapina decided that if this room had
been designed for an acolyte, the church of Mortaebius
must be wealthy, or the necromancer and his servants
had too much time on their hands.

Rapina sat down at the dressing table.  She was a mess,
her hair was tangled and she smelled like smoke.  Her
face was covered with a mixture of soot and dried slime
from Kent's hideous tongue.  The closet was mostly
empty, but a few garments hung from hooks and hangers,
and there were a few more in the chest of drawers at
the far end of the closet. Rapina did not know where
the Necromancer had come by women's clothing, but she
tried not to dwell on the obvious conclusion that the
garments had been "borrowed" from someone too dead to
miss them. At least they seemed clean. Rapina used
nearly all of the water in the decanter washing
herself.  She needed a bath but she did the best she
could using the basin.  When she was done, she put on
the petticoats, dress, and sweater within the closet.
The dress was actually a little big for her, except in
the bust where it was too small, but at least she could
get it on.

There were three books on the shelf beside the desk,
two were storybooks, and one was a holy book concerning
the god of the dead.  Rapina quickly read the first
chapter of one of the storybooks and then got into bed
with the book on Mortaebius.  She needed to find out
everything she could about the necromancer and his god.


At some point, Rapina must have fallen asleep.  The
horrors of the previous night and morning had taxed her
severely.  She slept like the dead for a few hours and
then began having horrible nightmares as her mind tried
to cope with what she had been through.  She woke in a
sweat when there came a knocking on her chamber door.

"Rouse yourself. "

Rapina flew from her bed and replaced the Mortaebius
book on the shelf.

"Come out and follow the guards I have assigned to you.
They will escort you to the kitchen where you are to
prepare breakfast for us both. Do not attempt to take
any knives out of the kitchen, or the guards will kill
you.  I will return shortly after a conference with my
minions."

Rapina scowled.  She had only been here a few hours and
already she was being put to work.

Once in the kitchen, Rapina cooked a breakfast
consisting of eggs and oatmeal.  The necromancer did
not have a great deal in his kitchen. There were large
crocks of various grains and beans, and a loaf of
bread.  The iron cook stove was small, but modern.
Rapina served the priest in the great hall when he
arrived.  It would have been easier to serve him in the
breakfast nook off the kitchen, but not as safe for the
necromancer since knives were close at hand.

When the necromancer arrived, he placed a board on the
table before him.  There was a model of sorts built on
top of it, a little hillock fort with a ditch around it
rendered in clay and twigs.

"You may serve breakfast now, Ripina, I have arrived."

"There wasn't much here so I fixed oatmeal and eggs,"
Rapina called from the kitchen.

"Splendid, I am used to simple fare.  We are too far
away from a town for better, and up until now I have
always had to cook for myself.  The skeletons are too
simple for such tasks.  They can scrub floors
adequately, but they have no sense of smell and tend to
burn anything they attempt to cook.

Rapina brought the tray of food in from the kitchen.
"Did Kent tell you my name?"

The necromancer raised his eyebrows as he saw Rapina,
"Indeed."

Rapina's nose tingled as she sensed lust.  "It's
Rapina, actually, he doesn't pronounce things very
clearly anymore."

"Yes.  I am Guardian Thane of the Mortaebian order of
Death's Peace."

"A priest?" Rapina wrinkled her nose involuntarily.

Thane chuckled, "You don't like priests?"

"I've had a little experience with priests, all of it
bad.  One was a lecherous 'celibate' priest, and well,
the other turned one of the only friends I had into a
terrifying undead monster who recently ate the cook I
worked for when I was first taken by the pirates."

Thane laughed.  "My order is not known for its
kindness.  Most of the priests of Mortabius are nothing
more than undertakers - morticians.  They conduct
funerals, build caskets, embalm, dress and beautify the
deceased, serve feasts in honor of the dead, that sort
of thing.  It strikes most as a ghoulish profession,
but many of Mortaebius' priests are married in spite of
that, for the business of the church provides a good
living.  Those of us who distinguish ourselves as
powerful guardians of the dead often take on more
serious duties.  We are a little less... naive of our
god's strengths."

"A little?" Rapina asked.

"Every church has its strong arm.  Some have orders of
knights or militant orders of monks.  Mortaebius'
church is no exception.  We are the guardians of the
dead when our more peaceful brethren find the enemies
of Mortaebius too difficult to best.  Our order
generally grows during times of war, and gets swept
under the rug during times of peace, but we are an old
and powerful order. The church has always needed us.
Few priests enter the order directly.  Most are
recruited from other orders.  I am also a member of the
order of Death's Peace, a common funereal order that
specializes in the maintenance and protection of burial
sites.  It is not so uncommon for priests of my order
who have distinguished themselves in combat or magic to
receive a secret invitation to join a hidden order."

Rapina sat down to eat, "You were a mortician?"

The necromancer nodded.

"A family thing?" Rapina asked.

"No, actually my father was a clothier who catered to
the wealthy.  His life was an endless series of social
events with people above his station who lauded his
design sense and depended on him to keep them in up-to-
date fashions.  He knew just how to play them, just how
to appeal to their vanity.  I found it intolerable.
Thankfully, one of our good customers died and I had
the chance to work with a priest of Mortaebius on the
clothing for the deceased."

"And now you make them walk instead of dressing them?"

"That is another story.  Now how did you happen to
become a member of the crew of the infamous Red Jack?"

Rapina was about to make up a tail when she realized
that Kent had probably told the necromancer everything
he knew.  At least she could not rule out the
possibility of Guardian Thane checking out her story
with the ghoul.  "How did I become a crewman?  A
priest, of course, my luck with priests is hideous. He
was a powerful man with the town wrapped around his
finger. Very like your father in some ways, he knew
just how play them, and he loved it.  The townspeople
hung on his every word, he was a holy man among holy
men, and during his off-hours, he was a lecher and a
rapist who preyed on the town's young women. If a woman
talked or refused to cooperate, she sickened or had an
accident.

I escaped his clutches and ran from the constable who
he controlled.  Kent and his friends fished me out of
the river onto their stolen fishing boat. I was nearly
drowned, but the river had delivered me from my
priestly troubles.  The boys wanted to join Red Jack's
crew; they had a romantic vision of piracy.  I knew the
priest would get the law after me.  Therefore when the
pirates found us, before the boys could give me over as
a gift to the captain as they'd planned, I told the
pirates that the boys and I wanted to join the crew."

"And they let you join just like that?" the necromancer
asked dubiously.

"It was sometimes a horror, sometimes not so bad, but
it was probably better than a damp cell under a church
with a man who, for all his vaunted holiness, was
meaner to me than Captain Red Jack."

"Meaner than a notorious pirate captain?  No wonder you
mislike priests," Thane chuckled.  I suppose you know
his better side, but your captain is infamous up and
down the river Augustana. Even I know about him, and I
do not get out much.  He has brought so much business
to my church I almost feel like thanking him. He and
his men are cold-blooded killers, criminals of the
first degree, and tonight I will crush them like bugs
under Mortaebius' mighty boot."

"Is that?" Rapina pointed to the clay hillock on the
board.

"A model of the fort they built.  You told Dominic you
did not know whether they would go or stay, evidently
they have decided to stay. Now I must figure out how to
best them with what remains of my resources."

"You're wearing a glove today?" Rapina asked.

"Only because I was painting," replied the necromancer.

"You're an artist?" Rapina asked.

The necromancer laughed.  "I am if you count painting
ghouls and skeletons black.  Actually, I did paint
white bones on a ghoul painted black so he would look
like a skeleton.  Does that count?"

Rapina closed her eyes.  "I can't believe I'm talking
to a man who makes dead people walk and kill and eat
living people."

"It seems hideous to you now, but remember, I was a
mortician, dead bodies to me are like trees to a
lumberman.  Red Jack makes living people rape, ruin and
kill living people.  I ask you, which of us is *really*
more frightening?"

"Okay, so you're both horrors," Rapina said.

"Quite so, but at least we're honest," the necromancer
affirmed.

Rapina groaned.

"This is war, Rapina.  You may see my forces as
something out of a nightmare, but essentially Jack and
I are fighting.  He wants this island as a base. I want
to wipe him from the face of Ifreann as a public
service and because, frankly, It will boost my
reputation in the Order of the Shroud by a thousand
percent. Moreover it might secure me access to learning
that might take me a lifetime to acquire otherwise -
true wizardry."

Rapina sighed.

------------

Logan's men retreated up the hill on the opposite side,
away from the downed bridge and the highest
concentration of archers. Unfortunately, as his forces
were climbing through the spears to the safety of the
fort, more and more enemy archers reached Logan's side
of the hillock.  Arzeal tried to pin them down with
fire, but too many shots got through, killing many good
men.  Logan himself barely made it over the stockade
wall. He'd been grazed several times and had an arrow
sticking through the skin of his calf.

The next hour flew by.  What remained of Logan's men
had their wounds patched and either joined the many
wounded at the fort's center or joined the defenders if
they were able-bodied.  Some who should have been lying
with the wounded helped the archers instead.  Their
fear prevented them from lying back to trust their
mates to take care of the battle. ----


"Who's winning?" Rapina said pensively as Thane emerged
from his chambers to fetch a snack.  She was doing the
dishes with several skeletons standing between her and
Thane.  She thought about tossing a knife at him, but
considering he'd ordered the skeletons to kill her if
she did, she thought better of it.

"Neither side, but I am making progress.  Your captain
built himself a small catapult and foiled my plan to
quickly bridge his ditch and use a battering ram on his
spears to win the night.  His archers have caused much
greater casualties to my forces than I had anticipated,
but I captured the ditch and let the bon fires between
the ditch and the base of the hill burn down to embers.


While some relief archers dashed in from the South
drawing missile fire and, more importantly that half-
elven archer, a few ghouls painted black snuck up on
the ditch from the North.  Kent is already there.  It
was he who was painted like a skeleton. He commanded
the main body of my forces."

"Now he and the other ghouls will start tunneling in
earnest, and they are excellent tunnelers.  Kent
himself has already in this last hour made progress on
a tunnel, and some of the skeletons who lack bows or
arrows have built a bridge of earth over the ditch well
away from the tunnel.  Now that I have more ghouls on
the job, the skeletons will pile more dirt up and build
bridges across the ditch.  I have a little surprise in
store for the pirates, just something to keep them busy
and weaken their defenses..." ---

Arzeal crouched behind the fort's South stockade wall.
"That's the best we'll do, the new skeleton archers are
in the ditch now. Those two ranks in the front with
shields didn't help us any, but you did well, men, we
knocked out a third of 'em, and wounded at least half.
Every one of those archers that gets through to the
ditch is another thorn in our sides."

"I sure wish we had more regular flame arrows, those
bon fires are useless anymore. I know you men are
having trouble seeing the enemy.  Trouble is we've shot
more arrows already tonight than we'd use in several
raids.  How're things over North, Brent?"

"Seem quiet sir, but I think I seen a shadow out there
jump into the ditch."

"Damn, I'd hoped we'd rid areselves o' all th' shadows
at the start o' th' evening, but I guess there had ta
be a few that got here late." What worried Jack was the
fact that he hadn't seen any ghouls yet.  They had hurt
the pirates badly the last time. "Wonder where he's got
'is damn ghouls."

"Skeletons! Damn they're almost on top of the ditch
already. It's hard to see 'em even with my eyes, their
bodies are no warmer than the air," Arzeal said.

"What the hell Arzeal, have you gone daft?" the captain
asked.

Arzeal picked up one of his remaining resin arrows and
let fly. There was the familiar poof! and a skeleton no
one could see went up in flames.  He was the front
creature in a team of runners carrying a tall dead
evergreen like a lance.

Archers, man th' Nor' wall!  What in hell's name is
that?  A team o' Skeletons painted black carryin' a
dead pine tree like a lance?" Captain Red Jack queried.


The archers fired on the tree-wielding skeletons, but
even with the light of Arzeal's flameing skeleton, it
was still hard for the men to see the black skeletons
against the dark night and the dark tree branches, and
by the time the men from the South wall switched sides
to the North, the skeletons had already run across the
ditch.

"Did ye see that, those skeletons hardly sank down when
they hit the ditch, it must be partly filled right
there," the captain observed.

Only the men to the far sides of the North wall had
good shots, the rest were left trying to shoot through
hundreds of tree branches.

The black skeletons sprinted over the earth bridge
across the ditch and headed for the base of the hill.

One of the men happened to shoot a flaming arrow into
the tree's dead folliage, and the whole tree, save the
base where the skeletons held it went up in a roar of
flames.

By the time the skeletons reached the base of the hill,
only half their original number remained, but it was
barely enough.  Their great spear was already tilted
and aflame, it fell nearly all the way up the hill.
Their mission completed, the black skeletons sprinted
for the ditch.  In spite of the darkness, the pirate
archers shattered several with arrows before they
reached safety.

The archers backed away from the heat of the flaming
tree.  Pine burned fast, and this tree was burning even
faster than it should have, the flames were intensely
hot and they were burning the wooden spears all the way
up the hill.

"You men, take those buckets an' start throwin' dirt on
the upper section o' the tree, it may seem like a
fool's errand now, but every pair 'o spears we can save
will slow a charge by a few precious seconds," Red Jack
said.

A man stood high to get a good shot at the fire with
his bucket of dirt and fell back with three arrows
buried in his chest.

"Keep low an' behind cover, men, yer just as vulnerable
ta enemy fire with a bucket as ye are with a bow!" Jack
shouted. ---

Rapina was cleaning the kitchen when the necromancer
returned.

"My trick worked, but that damned archer nearly foiled
me again. He and his men have bailed Captain Red Jack
out several times now."

"He's one of Jack's nicest men."

"A nice pirate?  Please!  Nice or not, he _is_ a
problem," Thane rubbed his chin as if thinking.

"What did you do?" Rapina asked.

"The skeletons I painted black ran a pine tree up to
the base of the pirate fort's spears and landed it
nearly the whole way up the hill.  I had Kent paint the
trunk and many of the major limbs with pine tar.  It's
burning wildly, taking the pirate's spears in that area
with it."

Rapina scowled.

"Thane chuckled.  Such loyalty for a bunch of cold-
blooded killers is astounding, especially in a lady
they no doubt abused to no end.  Red Jack must be
charismatic, indeed."

Rapina felt like stabbing the necromancer with a
kitchen knife, but she knew his six skeleton guards
would cut her to ribbons in an instant if she tried
anything.  Even if she killed the man instantly with an
incredibly lucky throw, she would be joining him in
death before she could even pick up another knife, and
a knife would be a laughable weapon against one of the
necromancer's double-strength skeletons.

On the other hand, she could not help but see the evil
magician's point.  Jack and all his men killed innocent
people for a living. It seemed that ever since
Evangeline had brought his evil down upon her and
forced her to claim the powers of the lust spirit, she
could not escape the darkness. -----

[Rapina]016 Defeat in Darkness

Rapina yawned as she sat on a large chair in the
necromancer's dinning hall.  She was reading here only
because she knew Thane would walk through the hall on
his way from his scrying chamber to the kitchen.  She
had finished cleaning and knew from the water clock
above the mantle that dawn would be coming in about
three hours.

Thane wiped the sweat off his brow and wandered by
Rapina into the kitchen.

Rapina followed.  "You didn't say anything, is
something wrong?"

"Yes, that damned half-elven archer.  Every time I
expend the power to look into my magic pool for a
glance at the battlefield, he's knocked the skulls off
a few more of my archers.  My minions tried another
burning tree, but this time the pirates saw it sooner
and set it immediately aflame.  They concentrated on
the skeletons on only one side, and the tree fell down
just short of the hill.  Thanks to Kent, the remaining
skeletons lifted it and tried to land it as they had
the other, but it went over on an angle.  Its swath
only reaches about half way up the hill."

"My troops are nearly gone.  The pirates might storm
out of their camp and kill the skeleton archers that
are left, but for the fact that Kent has the remaining
troops crawling around in the ditch poking their heads
up and firing at different locations around the ditch
so that it appears as though there are more archers
than there really are. I've quite a few headless
archers, but I don't dare have them set their skulls on
the edge of the ditch.  Your Arzeal would shoot them
off with one arrow to the skull.  I believe the pirates
will eventually run out of arrows, but we too are
running low."

"You mean you've lost?"  Rapina could not help that her
voice brightened slightly.

Thane chuckled, "You sound so disappointed that I have
not wiped the infamous Red Jack and all his men off the
face of Ifreann, but I must win.  I am not getting any
younger, and I've cast the spells I have a thousand
times.  I can practically do them in my sleep!  I need
access to greater wizardry and to be initiated into
Mortaebius' inner circle.  This battle has been
tiresome and draining on my resources.  I've used up
all of the skeletons and animation scrolls I had saved
up over the years and I've still come up short.

It appears that I will have to make a personal
appearance if I am to deliver Red Jack to the
authorities in chains, which reminds me, I'd better
bring manacles.  I'll bolster my forces with some
additional arrows, my household guards and the
skeletons remaining in the tomb.  With the addition of
a little magic, my final back-up plan should be far
more lethal than it would have been without me, and I
have a most interesting surrogate to draw the archer's
arrows." ---

"Arr, it's been a long, evil night.  Only a couple
hours left until dawn.  How're we doin' Arzeal?"

"Not well sir.  We don't have more than four score
arrows left, and a quarter of those are in my own
quiver. Half of the remainder we got from the enemy by
pulling them out of the ground in the fort and out of
our own men.  The bright side is, I think the enemy is
low on arrows as well.  They've been firing fewer and
fewer as the hours passed.  I think I've made a dent in
their numbers too, although skulless skeletons cannot
really be counted as dead, being headless seems to ruin
them for good archery."

"Aye," the captain chuckled.  We 'ave ye ta thank for
most o' the headlesses, but they aren't the only ones
with wounded. I've ne'r seen a sorrier lot o' pirates.
We could break out o' the fort on one side, an see if
we could best th' boneys hand ta hand, but I'm afraid
there'd not be enough able-bodied left ta make us some
bloody rafts ta get the hell outa here."

"Arzeal nodded.  True, and we'll not escape with our
wounded unless we can make it until dawn.  The thing
that bothers me is, if the enemy has anything left to
throw at us, chances are we'll be seeing it soon."

"Aye."

Slasher cupped his hand to his hear.  "Cap'n I think ye
better take a look this way, I'm hearin' mail."

Tense minutes passed as the pirates strained their
eyes, trying to see what they were hearing.

"Son o' a bitch!  You men get that catapult over here."


Riding in from the East in a loose wedge formation on
black, leather-clad skeletal horses were nine black-
robed horseman.

"Damn it! Look at the one in th' front, 'is eyes're
glowin' red like embers an look at the size of 'im, 'es
got ta be eight foot tall.  'Is shield would make a
good table top 'an th' skeleton horse 'e's ridin' must
'ave won prizes when she warr alive fer bein' the
biggest draft nag around.  Th' other two horses are
near as big, an' th' riders are big, but nothin' like
their leader. Give 'em hell in arrows as they approach,
men."

Behind the horsemen marching double-time were 18 troops
in bronze plate mail with halberds or two-handed
swords.

"Heavy armor, I don't like it.  Arzeal, how many o'
them incendiary arrows have ye got left?" the captain
asked.

"Three sir," said Arzeal.

"Get the horsemen on either side o' the big guy, then
see if ye can nail Ol' Red-Eyes w' the catapult.  Save
one o' those flame arrows fer emergency use," the
captain ordered.

Arzeal grinned and peaked his head up from the wall.  A
couple enemy arrows sang though the air, but neither
hit the half-elf as he loosed two shafts.

The robed figures on either side of the giant burst
into flames.

The pirates cheered, but the cheer was short-lived as
the riders threw off their thick cowls, and with them,
most of the flaming resin.  Underneath the cowls the
pirates saw skeletons clad in leather with metal
helmets and breast plates.  Astonishingly, they seemed
to have enough sense to pat out the remaining flames.

The riders picked up their pace and thundered towards
the ditch around the fort.  The mail-clad warriors
behind them broke into a run.  They did not have far to
go, for the dark cowls had allowed them to approach
relatively close to the camp, in spite of the sound of
their mail.

"Damn cowls.  Spend are arrows, this is it boys!
Catapult, loose when ready!  Keep low an' snatch up th'
arrows the enemy shoots inta camp!" the captain
ordered.

Arzeal released the catapult arm, then gritted his
teeth as the rock flew. Slam!  The catapult stone
crashed into the giant's shield, knocking him off his
horse.

"Yeahhhss!"  The pirates yelled in triumph.

"Damn!"  The captain watched as Ol' Red Eyes threw his
ruined shield aside drew a two-handed sword with one
hand and ran to remount his horse.  "Crank it mates!"

The pirates at the catapult cranked like maniacs.

The pirate archers let loose with a hail of arrows,
many of them piercing the breast plates of the oncoming
skeleton cavalrymen, but piercing plate on a man was
much more telling than piercing plate on a monstrosity
of bone.  The cavalry kept coming.

The first horseman reached the ditch, jumped it and
thundered up the hill where the pine tree had burned
the fort's spears to ash. The other's followed, save
the fourth horse.  It jumped into the ditch and lied
down out of sight.

"What's with that fourth cavalryman?  Archers, keep
doin' what ye're doin.  Logan, prepare ta raise pikes
an' defend th' wall, but keep low an' don't raise pikes
till those horses are in pikein' range."

Arzeal said a silent prayer and let loose with another
catapult stone.  Damn!  The stone went wide of the huge
warrior as he remounted his skeletal horse and jumped
the ditch in a single bound following the rest of the
cavalry.

At the last second, Logan's men raised pikes, the lead
rider could not stop in time.  He crashed into the
pike, snapping it and falling from his skeleton horse.
The horse itself was pierced in three places but it was
not broken.  It pushed forward threatening to overwhelm
the men.

"Push left men, flip the beast off its hooves."

The pirates wrestled with the stupid bag of bones, and
then cheered as it went over.

The next skeleton rider tried to jump the first but
went down when the first horse kicked the second
horse's legs as it was trying to regain its footing.
The cavalry charge was broken!

"If this is all ye've got, we'll carve yer hoard Ol'
Red Eyes!" the captain bellowed

A welter of weighty curses roared up from the fighting
men as they defended the fort.

A wounded pirate whimpered and was silent.

The mailed troops arrived at the ditch, many with a few
arrows sticking out of them.  They jumped in and spread
around, surrounding the fort.

As the pirates fought to keep several skeleton horses
and riders out of the fort, they were taken by a
horrible surprise.

"Aaaaiiiii!"  From the center of the fort in the
depression where the wounded were kept out of harms
way, a man screamed.

The captain glanced at the wounded and his face
contorted into a grimace of horror.

five ghouls and three shadows burst from the ground in
several locations.

Ghouls! Grab a spear!  The captain himself bent to grab
a spear, then suddenly the lights went out.  "Damn it
Arzeal I can't see! What's happinin'" Captain Red Jack
hollered.

Blinded Pirates screamed as the ghouls and shadows
attacked from within the camp.

"Sir, I'm blind as well!  Arzeal scrambled for the
parapet wall bumping past a few men and receiving a
horrible chill to the belly as he went to the West, the
side opposite the cavalry charge.  He could see
nothing, the darkness around him was as thick and black
as old ink.  Logan can you see?"

"Nay! but the riders can!  I don't know if I'm cuttin'
me own men or th' enemy.  Uhhhhh!"

Screams and paralyzed yelps erupted all over the camp
as the ghouls and shadows slashed and chilled their way
through the blinded pirates.

Kent sensed the presence and life force of Captain Red
Jack as the pirate captain whirled his bladed spear
around and around, turning frequently to fend off
unseen enemies.  Kent dropped to a crawl, his grossly
bloated belly dragging on the ground.  The screams of
the pirates covered any sound he made.  Suddenly Kent
lunged; he sunk both sets of his claws through the
captain's pants just above the boots as he bit the
captain's knee cap.

Aaargh! ghoulish claws pierced his skin behind one knee
and a welter of fear surged up the pirate captain's
leg.  No! he growled, resisting the fell magic.  The
captain raised his spear and brought it down, but
before it struck flesh, teeth and claws sunk into the
other leg sending a double-blast of fear up the
captain's spine.  Red Jack froze in horror, he could
not move!

Kent poked his prize several times making sure the fear
had taken hold of him.  He pushed the captain down and
made for the next pirate.

Arzeal jumped the parapet wall. Keeping low he squeezed
between the spears and headed downhill as fast as he
could.  An arrow grazed his side and another stuck in
his boot before he could again see.  Positioned around
the ditch were skeleton archers. At least half had set
ruined skulls in the dirt at the edge of the ditch,
while their bodies fired from behind.  A glance back at
the camp confirmed his suspicion - magical darkness.

The archer moved nimbly down hill, jumping through the
spears, loosing a shaft each time he landed.  With each
shot the skull of an enemy archer splintered or was
knocked back into the ditch.  Arzeal could see the
mailed troopers moving to surround the fort.  The half-
elf jumped into the area cleared by the enemy's second
flaming pine tree and took off at a dead run. Five of
the cavalrymen had broken off their attack and were now
circling around the base of the hill, just outside the
first ring of spears.  Arzeal reached the bottom of the
hill and sprinted between two circling horsemen, one
was Ol' Red-Eyes himself.  The half-elf took the ditch
in a single leap with two enormous cavalry not far
behind.  An arrow pierced his quiver and stuck into his
back, but Arzeal was running for his life, he could
barely feel the pain.

The horses gained with every step, Arzeal ran faster
than he'd ever run before.  There was a warrior on
either side of him and blades were coming to end his
life when, somehow, Arzeal ran under the limb of a
large oak that had been too big for the men to spend
the time cutting when they were clearing for the fort.
Arzeal went down as the tip of a giant sword snagged
his quiver and gashed his back, then there was an
explosion of splintering bones and wood as the oak
defended its elven child.

The fall had snapped the arrow in his back and half
pulled it out.  The archer rolled out of his fall and
came up standing, bow in hand.  The heads and necks of
both skeletal horses had been removed, and Red-Eyes'
taller horse had a sundered chest and shoulders, it's
hind legs tried to move but were useless without
forelegs.  Red-Eyes had been unhorsed once again.
Arzeal watched in horror as the giant stood and grabbed
his sword.  The other horse had lost its head, and it's
rider had lost both its head and shoulders.

Arzeal pulled the arrow tip from his back as the giant
warrior stood. The half-elf loosed a shaft into the
giant's kneecap and took off running while Red-Eyes
retrieved his sword.  Arzeal made it to the edge of the
forest West of the camp and darted into the trees,
sticking to heavy foliage.  He could hear limbs
snapping as the juggernaut behind him crashed through
the forest in hot pursuit.  The archer veered South.
After a few minutes, he ran through an area where some
timber had been cut in the making of the fort and its
bon fires.  He knew about where he was.  The half elf
sheathed his bow and scooped up an eight-foot section
of a tree that was being cut into logs of firewood for
the bon fires when evening had forced the cutting to a
halt.

Arzeal remembered how the pirates' cook, Fishy, had
lost his legs. The archer hid behind a large tree, and
when the giant skeleton thundered through the clearing
towards him, the half elf swung the heavy length of
timber at the skeleton's nearest knee.  The skeleton's
huge sword swished just above Arzeal's hunched head,
embedding itself fully six inches into the tree as the
skeleton's knee snapped with the combined force of the
giant's forward momentum and Arzeal's frantic whole-
body swing.  Arzeal darted around back of the tree as
the huge skeleton went down. When he came around behind
it, he saw the creature was still hanging onto its
sword, although the sword was still embedded in the
tree.  The archer wasted no time.  He brought his
length of firewood down on the giant's shoulder, just
outside the breast plate.  There was a crunch and the
monstrosity's right arm, still grasping the sword, was
severed from its shoulder.

The archer tossed the log aside and scrambled for a
smaller one that he could swing more rapidly.  At seven
feet long and two to three inches in diameter, it was
still a huge club. The skeleton had just managed to
flop its way around so that its left arm could grasp
its sword when Arzeal brought the new club slamming
into the side of its neck, but the neck held.  Arzeal
jumped but still his boot and some of the skin of his
foot was carved right off.  The skeleton had incredible
speed and strength.  The archer countered with a swing
to the giant's wrist.  It's grip was broken, but its
wrist was not.  Arzeal stood on the sword and swung
again, breaking the wrist to flinders.

The nimble half elf raced around the giant as it
flipped and stumbled, trying to reach him in spite of
missing half it's right leg, it's right arm and its
left hand.  Arzeal had a hunch.  He pulled his sheath
knife, darted in and jumped on the creature's back. The
skeleton bucked like a bronco, but the archer severed
the strap of its helm before being tossed off and
rolling away.  Another deft swing of the club and the
monster's steel helmet flew from its skull.  Its Red
ember eyes stared blankly at the half elf as he darted
in to club the creature's skull, once, twice, thrice...
Cracks began forming, and on the seventh blow Arzeal
blew the giant's mighty cranium apart. Arzeal smiled.

The skull had been carefully sectioned off just below
the eyes by a stout piece of tar-paper.  The ember
effect was caused by the pattern of ink stains within
the top half of the creature's skull.  The intricate
pattern of black and white inside the skull reflected
the light of a clear crystal mage-light set and screwed
into the skull between the eyes just above the nasal
hole.  Every angle one looked at the red glass eyes
produced different reflections, and movement of the
head changed the pattern seen and made the eyes seem to
flicker like embers.  Arzeal carefully unscrewed the
mage light and slipped it into his pouch.  He could
hear his mates scream off to the Northeast.  Arzeal
sighed, hefted his original eight-foot length of wood
and headed South.

The half-elf staggered the fifty paces remaining before
reaching the lagoon, and then he slipped into the water
behind the log. Beneath the water, he kicked as
strongly as he could, but the pain in his back was
growing.

Thane peeked over the edge of the ditch with a
commandeered skeleton's shield in hand.  It was very
dark but a spell of life-vision had fixed that.  Thane
now saw the world in much the same way as did his
skeletons and ghouls, the amount of life force
emanating from each object distinguishing it from
others.

The ghouls were proving most decisive within the
magical darkness, but Thane worried about the accursed
half-elven archer.  A stroke of luck or wit had
preserved the archer from the two cavalry Thane had
spared to hunt him, and he knew his most powerful
skeleton had taken off after the half-elf, but there
were too many things that could go wrong.

Shadows, come to me!  You, come here, Thane pointed to
one of the remaining 5 cavalry.

The three shadows the necromancer had summoned to help
Kent emerged from the magical darkness and came down
the hill where the spears had been burned away.

"I am unsure if the cavalry I sent after the half-elven
archer succeeded in their task. I fear he may escape."

Thane concentrated as he muttered arcane words.
Shadows, being composed of vapors, were not heavy
creatures.  The infusion of only a small amount of
magic allowed them to walk on water.

"You three shadows climb up on the horse.  Skeleton,
take these shadows to the cove then return here.
Shadows, check the water in case he swam for it.  I
have temporarily reduced your weight so you can walk on
water.  If you see life force on the water, you will
run to it and feed.  Now go." ---

Rapina must have fallen asleep in the large chair at
the head of the necromancer's dining hall.  She was
awakened when the parlor door opened.  Thane was
accompanied by three of his household guards, their
shiny breastplates now dented and salted with arrow
holes.

Thane looked exhausted.  Even though he had only had to
cast a few spells, the animation and scrying earlier on
had nearly drained him of energy.  He had ridden safely
enough inside a special "coach" he had made long ago
within the leather-clad rib cage of one of the large
horses.  He had been in the forth horse, the one that
had been positioned in the middle of the cavalry wedge
and had lied down in the ditch rather than joining the
charge.

Rapina lifted an eybrow.

A smile crept over the necromancer's lips.

"You won?"

"A few simple spells, a fine performance by Kent and
his ghouls, and I have won the night.  The pirates
fought well, at first, but the darkness I brought down
on them soon had them screaming and whining like
whipped dogs in the face of Kent's comrades in death.
The dread Captain Red Jack has been strip-searched,
clothed in simple garb and soundly manacled in a cell.
Thane smiled proudly, I beat him.  I will be a lowly
undertaker no more."

Rapina shed a tear, all the men she had known had been
destroyed, all for the vanity and ambition of a single
man. Yet Rapina saw the other side as well.  Red Jack's
men had lived to kill, and now death had claimed them.
Somehow a humble priest had conquered an army of
bloodthirsty pirates. Rapina sniffled.

"Mortaebius is the lord of death, girl.  The pirates
flirted with him for many years, now they've met him
face to face."

"Rapina sniffed and nodded.  If I never knew them, I
might be worshipping you as a hero, Guardian Thane, but
I did know them, and a few of them, especially some of
the recruits, they could have been good men under other
circumstances."

"Alas, other circumstances... Go on to bed and cry
yourself to sleep, milady.  If it's any consolation, I
let your half-elf get away."

"You did?"

Thane nodded.  "He successfully ran, and I chose not to
send anything to hunt him.  I was more interested in
containing the pirates within the fort. He swam for it.
I have no idea where he is."  Thane's kindly smile hid
a mighty lie.

"Oh thank you, thank you, Thane.  Rapina hugged the
necromancer in genuine gratitude.  "Arzeal was the best
man Jack had.  He taught me to fence and to defend
myself against bigger, stronger men."

Thane took a deep breath as the young woman's breasts
pillowed against his chest.  A single hand signal from
the necromancer, and his guards halted the lifting of
their swords.  They were about to cut Rapina down for
assaulting their master.

Rapina released the necromancer, who looked a bit
flushed. "What happened to the group I was originally
with?"

"Mmmm, they killed the skeletons Kent triggered and
tried to track you, but Kent left them a false trail -
twice. Such a brilliant ghoul, he will go far.  A few
of them must have survived, because the pirate dead in
the mausoleum had been chopped to bits when I arrived
to pick up the mailed skeletons to help in the final
stage of the battle.  I'm not sure where the grave
robbers have gotten to.  That's something I will look
into.  For now, I must rest for a moment, then try to
drag enough power out of myself to activate my magic
pool and report to my superior, however briefly.  Go to
bed and I will see you this afternoon."

Rapina nodded and went to her room.  She heard the lock
turn shortly after she entered.

[Rapina]017 A Captain In Chains

"Awaken Rapina, I know you have not slept long, nor
have I, but it is noon and we have much to do today.  I
do not wish you to wash today, and I have your old
clothes.  You must look your worst for the constable
when he arrives this evening or tomorrow."

Rapina jumped out of bed and opened the door.

"Constable?" Rapina asked as she came out of her room
wearing a nightshirt and nothing else.

"Indeed," the necmancer smiled as he glanced at
Rapina's legs. "I sent a message via pigeon to my
brother priest in Granville. It's a large town on the
River Augustana just West of the confluence of the
river Augustana and Grand Lake about 15 miles from
here. It is the area's largest settlement.  Lumbering,
quarrying, farming and fishing keep it going.  My
brother priest, Mortician Hagston, will be sending
supplies and the constable.  Thanks to a local
superstition about the restless dead not being able to
cross water, all of the towns in the area send their
departed here to Graveston Isle.  There are several
small settlements on or near the lake, but only
Granville is large enough to have its own priest of
Mortaebius. He travels around the area a lot, but I
send to him or his wife for supplies every month or
so."

"Why didn't they give you a job like that?"

"At one time they did.  I was one of several priests in
a city on the river, but because I had a natural
inclination towards the study of necromancy, and
because of the incident concerning my hand, I was
allowed to join the order of the Shroud and take this
obscure assignment.  My stipend covers basic supplies,
and my naive brother priest gives me a percentage of
his funereal take when I help bury one of the deceased,
so I get by.  On occasion, I locate a book, scroll or
alchemical item I need for my magical practice, and
that usually wipes out my savings.  In the past I could
not have afforded even to feed a servant, but I believe
my fortunes have taken a definite change for the
better," the necromancer smiled.  With your cooperation
I believe I could convince the authorities to sentence
you to indentured servitude here for your crime of
grave robbing."

"Me, stay here with you?" Rapina shook her whole body
no, her nipples wavering from side to side beneath her
nightshirt. "You might as well ship me off to the other
priest," Rapina sighed.

"You would rather be indentured to a "celebate" rapist
than serve as my maid?"

"You terrify me, your ghoulish servitors, your skeletal
hand, your zombies, it's all so frightening.  I'm sure
I would have stabbed myself with a kitchen knife long
before this if..."

"If what?" the necromancer asked.

"Well, your magic, the lights, the way you could see
the battle in your pool, summon shadows, and cast
spells, its fascinating.  My Auntie was a wise woman.
She knew herbs and petty curses.  I learned herbal
medicine from her and Leech Kennon, the pirate doctor.
I have fantasized about casting spells, but I had never
seen a man wield *true* magic until these past few
days."

Thane chuckled, "So you find me terrifying, yet
fascinating, both because of my magic."

Rapina nodded.

"Well you know, as my maid, you might be called upon to
clean and tend my laboratory.  You might pick up a
little knowledge of the creation of potions."

Rapina frowned.  "Maids don't learn magic, they're just
drudges. I might as well be a drudge in a town
somewhere; at least I'd get to see other people, even
if they were slaves and prisoners. Working here would
just be a frustration, seeing magic but never learning
it, alone and being terrorized by the dead, what kind
of life is that?"

"I could try to get the constable to assign you to me
without your help, and I might easily succeed."

"Fine!  I have so much to live for, I'll just attack
you with a kitchen knife and get cut to pieces.  Then
I'll never have to worry about evil men ruining my life
again! Rapina burst into tears.  "It's not fair, what
did I ever do to deserve all this?" Rapina cried.

Thane sighed, "Probably nothing."  There was a long
moment of uncomfortable silence.

Rapina sniffled.

"There is no guarantee you could even learn magic, and
an apprentice most certainly works harder than a maid.
In truth, apprentices do many of the chores of a maid
and then they must learn in addition... If you agree to
serve me well, young lady, I will endeavor to right
some of the many wrongs men have heaped on you because
of your beauty, and give you a chance to prove yourself
as an apprentice rather than a simple servant."

Rapina looked up between her tears, "Do you really mean
that Thane?  You won't just give me the hardest book
you have, then use me once you have proved I'm
incapable?"

"Nay," Thane stepped back. "Mark me lady, you have my
word, to the degree you put forth effort to serve me
and to learn, to that same degree I will put forth
effort to teach you, and I will start you with the
easiest book of magic that I own, not the most
difficult.  Furthermore, I will not force you to my bed
or mistreat you for no reason."

"Do you really mean that?" Rapina asked.

"I do." Thane replied succinctly.

Rapina took hold of Thane and cried against his chest
for several minutes.

The necromancer was flushed and at a loss for words.
After some time he said, "Shall we get started?"

Rapina let go of the necromancer, sniffed and nodded.
"You want me to wear those smokey old clothes?

"Actually, I had one of the skeletons do the laundry
yesterday while you were preparing breakfast.  Now I
almost wish I hadn't. You need to look plain for the
constable, and if you have committed other crimes with
the pirates we must make you look a bit different so
that you will not be connected to them, to be shipped
off to some prison where you will no doubt suffer much
as you have been.  Also the constable is a married man,
but we cannot be too careful.  He must not think I want
you as a mistress.  He must also believe you are
repentant, and we may have to convince a judge as well.
As long as we make no glaring errors, and I am seen as
the hero who saved the world from Red Jack, then the
judge will likely grant any reasonable request."

Rapina nodded.

"Now, we must hurry.  Today will test you severely. The
only reason I was willing to take you on as a servant
and now am willing to make you my apprentice is because
I expect to be much wealthier than I currently am.
Formerly I could simply not have afforded it.  You see,
Red Jack and many of his men have sizable bounties on
their heads, some of them quite obscene.  Dead or
alive, altogether they are worth a king's ransom.  The
constable will be bringing a stack of wanted posters
for Jack's men.  We must help him by identifying all
the bodies.

Rapina grimaced, "All right."

"Make breakfast and I will ready our mounts," Thane
said.

After breakfast, the necromancer and Rapina were
lowered down into the canyon in the wicker cage.  Thane
helped Rapina onto a skeletal horse cowled in black,
and then mounted another such horse. They and what
remained of Thane's guards rode briskly to the pirate
fort where Thane had Rapina identify a score of
deceased recruits that Thane had his guards drag to a
central location.

"Pay close attention," Thane held a symbol of the god
of death, mumbled incantations, and four of the dead
men rose as zombies. "That was the power of Mortaebius.
Now I will demonstrate the wizardly version of the same
spell."  Thane tossed bone powder over the bodies and
wove a different, more impressive magic. Four more
zombies rose.  Thane then repeated the first spell.

Rapina wrinkled her nose.

"Thane chuckled.  "We will need the workers."  The
constable will want to see the battlefield.  I will
tell him I used magic to best the pirates, but he must
not know the exact nature of the magic.  The law takes
a dim view of necromancy.  Illusion is a much more
palatable form of magic."

Thane ordered the zombies about and they began laying
out the dead pirates, face up, at the top of the hill.

"Now, you and I must collect skeletons that could be
reassembled and reanimated. The pirates destroyed so
much of what I had that the isle is largely
unprotected.  I have a special magical glue as well as
a mending spell that both work magnificently on bone.
Here are some burlap sacks.  In each put the pieces of
a full skeleton." Thane said.

Rapina's stomach complained, but she worked diligently.
She did not want to stay on the isle or think what she
was doing, but she knew that she might never have the
opportunity to learn real magic again.  It seemed to
her that the beauty she had been given by the lust
spirit had carried with it a curse.  She needed to be
more powerful than that curse, or she would always be
at its mercy.

By mid afternoon, Thane had perused the captain's
various strong boxes in the fort.  The records included
a list of Red Jack's men.  Thane sent Rapina around to
identify each man, and tie a label naming him to each
dead man's big toe.

After fetching the cut-up bodies from the mausoleum and
laying them out with the others, the necromancer
checked them against the list.

"Counting the ones caught alive, we have one hundred
forty-seven of one hundred fifty-three accounted for.
We are missing Arzeal, Brackston, Drake, Pike, Rage,
and Skitch.  The ghouls took this man, Gape, in their
tunnels yesterday.  I have his head and skeleton back
home.

Rapina nodded.  It was obvious that the days work had
kept her in horror and tears, but she refused to let
the one chance she had to overpower her fate slip away.


"Now let us cover these corpses with pirate tents to
keep the carrion birds off them and have our workers
take the various usable weapons, arrows and equipment
back to my storage rooms, and pack up the skeletons too
shattered to be of use.  We must hurry, the constable
could be here soon."

---

Thane entered Red Jack's cell.  The pirate captain's
ankles were manacled together, his wrists were manacled
and attached to a chain around his waist, and another
chain went from his wrists to his ankles. A chain ran
from the wall of the cell to an iron collar around
Jack's neck.  Thane was not taking any chances.

"Well now, has Kent been keeping you entertained?"
Thane asked.

Captain Red Jack scowled.

"I have come to make a business proposition.  You will
no doubt be hung for your crimes, and I have kept you
alive for one reason only.  I seem to recall that some
perverse bureaucrat made you considerably more valuable
alive than dead.  Perhaps you have some noble enemy who
wishes to take personal revenge against you?"

The captain looked stonily up at the necromancer.  He
idly wondered why the man wore gloves in this weather.

Thane continued. "It's really no matter to me.  I'm
just a simple priest charged by the church of
Mortaebius to keep this isle free of grave robbers.  I
realize you may have a tendency to talk, to try to drag
me down with you by alleging that I am a necromancer."

Jack scoffed, "alleging?"

"Indeed.  Of course all that you saw was simply the
power of illusion." Thane smiled.

"My Ass, it was."

"Perhaps I can persuade you to change your mind."

"How in hell da ye expect ta do that?" the captain
asked.

"I realize you are not inclined to keep any bargains
being that you are on your way to the gallows, but I
believe you might make an exception in this case.  I
have a bit of information you might be interested in,
and I have captured someone I will be keeping on as an
indentured servant for the crime of grave robbery.  I
assure you, if I go down, Rapina will go down with me."


Captain Red Jack tried not to react to the mention of
his favorite wench, but he could see the cold gaze of
the necromancer duly noted his reaction.

"What information do ye suppose a dead man like me
might be interested in?"

"Six of your men escaped. I have their names.  This
noon I made a little deal with Rapina and she has since
been quite helpful. I suppose she did realize Kent and
I could figure it out ourselves, but one can not always
trust the recollections of a ghoul."

"What kind o' deal did ye cut with th' wench, you
swine, ye'd not kill 'er if she spread 'er legs for
ye?" Red Jack growled.

Thane looked down his nose at Red Jack, "Nay, I'd say
that particular deal has already been over-used in her
case... Actually, she drove a hard bargain, threatening
to stab me with a kitchen knife, which would result in
her death by my guards, if I gave her nothing to live
for."

Jack chuckled.  "Plucky wench, ain't she?"

"Indeed.  Now, do we have a deal?" Thane asked.

"Aright, I'll bargain w' ye.  My silence about yer fell
magery, in return fer th' names o' me men that escaped,
yer word ye won't harm th' wench, th' details o' yer
deal with 'er, an two hours alone w' 'er without these
damned chains before they cart me off."

"And what do you plan to do in those two hours?"

"Say gbye ta her like a proper pirate if she'll have
me.  It'll likely be th' last time I see 'er or any
woman."

"Hmmmm, you drive a hard bargain indeed." Thane pursed
his lips.  "I am not so sure I wish to grant that last
request, but I will tell you what. In addition to
failing to mention necromancy, if you will tell me
everything you know about the girl, and promise you
will not force her, then I will grant your request."

"Aye, I don't need ta force th' wench, she's a healthy
young woman if er' there was one.  Ye got a deal," The
captain said.

Thane raised an eyebrow at Jack's comment.  "The men
who escaped are Arzeal, Brackston, Drake, Pike, Rage,
and Skitch.  Once they left the isle, I have no idea
what they did, and it is none of my concern what they
do hereafter.  As I said, I am a humble priest charged
to protect this isle from grave robbers, and up to the
time I collect the bounties on you and your men, I will
also be a relatively impoverished priest."

Red Jack Chuckled.  "An after that ye'll be richer'n a
baron. How in hell's name did Arzeal escape?"

"He left the darkness on the opposite side of the hill
as I was on and made a run for it.  He shot many of the
archers shooting at him on his way down the hill and
likely veered south and swam for it once he reached the
cove.

Thane smiled, "As for the details of my arrangement
with Rapina, legally speaking I will hold her here on
indenture for her crimes.  After her sentence runs out
she will still have to face sentence on whatever crimes
she may have committed elsewhere."

Captain Red Jack grimaced.

"It is the best I can do within the law.  Is there
something she has not told me?  We do have a deal don't
we?" the necromancer asked.

"Aye, there is, an' I don't know if I should be tellin'
ye, but a deal's a deal, an' I guess ye'll be rich
enough that th' wench'll be better to ye than some
pretty reward," Red Jack said.

"There's money on her head?" Thane asked.

"There was a powerful priest who ran 'er town an'
preyed on' th' young women on th' sly.  He died on 'er
while rapin' 'er fer th' umpteenth time.  Least that's
what I got out o' her.  He was mean, crazy mean - had a
few screws loose.  She was tryin' ta tire 'im out so
'ed sleep 'stead o' leave when 'e'd finished with 'er
so she could make 'er escape.  She got 'im sleepin'
deep aright, six feet deep, but she claims 'e broke a
vessel or somethin' 'cause she didn't lift 'er hand
again' 'im.  I don't know if that part is true.  I only
'ave 'er word on it.  I do know some o' the boys pulled
'er out o' th' river near dead drowned when they were
on their way ta join me crew, so she warr makin' an
escape from somethin', 'an believe me, I know a
hardened criminal when I see one, Rapina was just a
kid, she ain't a natural born killer.

She's also told me 'er aunt was th' villiage witch 'an
th' aunt did curses on that ol' letcher o' a priest
'till 'e had th' aunt executed.  Rapina ain't a normal
girl.  She's deadly smart, 'an she's frisky as a mink.
That's 'ow this all started for 'er. 'Er stupid mother
didn't believe th' rumors about th' reverend. He warr
good at shutin' up anyone who squealed, sometimes
permanent.  Her dad caught 'er w' one o' 'er
boyfriends, a nice lad too, 'e warr th' one who helped
teach 'er ta read, but they wasn't readin' at th' time.


Rapina was what ye call precocious, a real natural w'
th' boys, a born lover.  Th' damned priest were
probably a bit leary about takin' 'er given Rapina's
aunt an' 'er family maybe knowin' about 'im.  Thing
was, 'er stupid mother delivered the poor girl right
inta th' priest's foul hands fer foolin' w' th' boys.
The foul priest gave 'er her first lesson on 'ow sick
some folks can be 'tween th' sheets.  He beat 'er, cut
'er and would 'ave done worse if th' god o' th' dead
hadn't dragged 'im under.  Least that's what she told
me, an' I'm inclined ta belive 'er.

I'm sure th' man's family will make like she bewitched
'im 'an drained th' life out o' 'im.  Who knows, maybe
she did, an if 'e did even 'alf 'o what she said 'e
did, 'e deserved everything 'e got.  One thing's sure
though, first time I were with 'er warrn't entirely w'
'er consent, but she was a good sport about it, and we
'ad a little wine and conversation before th' event.
'Fact that I'm still alive, an th' fact that any pirate
boyfriend she 'ad was still kickin' up 'till ye snuffed
'em says somethin' about 'er.  If she's got bewitchin'
powers, she sure as hell ne're used em' on me.  Any
attachment I got, I came by th' natural way, Red Jack
winked saltily."

Thane scowled.

"Don't ye be judgin' 'er too harsh.  She ain't a lady
that way, but she's a goddess in a man's bed, an' if ye
treat 'er right ye'll find out fer yerself.  She told
me straight up she coudn't 'elp foolin' w' th' boys.
'Said 'er father used ta beat 'er for it 'an 'er mother
used ta heap th' guilt on 'er, but that's 'ow she is, a
natural born lover 'an comely as they come.  Not a
woman I've known could 'old a candle to 'er.  Ye're
holdin' a girl any man would give 'is eye teeth for,
an' ye're not keepin' 'er on 'cause she's ugly, so ye
can be glad she ain't a cold bitch.  On th' other 'and,
it's best ye know 'er nature up front, or yer like ta
kill 'er fer bein' her, an' regret it fer th' rest o'
yer life an' then some.

Other than bein' th' finest woman ye'll ever lay eyes
on, She's got more guts an' determination than any
pirate recruit I've ever had. Leech Kennon, me camp
doctor who ye snuffed, 'e said she was th' finest
student an' assistant he'd ever had 'er seen. Me arms
master tried ta wash 'er out o' basic 'an failed.  He
didn't take kindly ta women in 'is trainin'. Instead
she got 'erself some advice 'an trainin' from other men
'an learned skill at arms better'n th' bigger, tougher
recruits 'e put 'er up against.  Fer someone who's had
just eight weeks o' basic trainin' an a few weeks o'
practice on th' boats, she sails better, shoots a bow
straighter and wields short sword an shield or rapier
an' main gauche as good as any recruit I ever had. She
could kill ye with that kitchen knife if she 'ad a mind
to, but she can be th' best friend ye ever 'ad if ye
treat 'er right.

I gave it to ye straight.  She's a pirate wench, an' ye
knew that when ye got 'er, but she's a sweet kid too in
spite o' everything she's been through, an' that's even
more considerable now what w' all ye're cursed walkin'
dead.  Ye're no prize yerself, an ye don't deserve a
wench like Rapina."

Thane looked down his nose at Red Jack.

"I know what ye're thinkin', an' I'll be th' first ta
admit it. I didn't deserve 'er neither, but I'm an
opportunist, 'an I'm a killer same as ye are.  I hate
ye for killin' me men, but I'd o' killed yer men too,
if they 'adn't been dead already. Now, I gave ye all I
know.  Yer turn."

"This reverend she killed, what was his name?" the
necromancer asked.

Red Jack sighed, "Ye promise not ta turn her in fer
killin' the bastard?"

"If what you say about him is true, then I will not
fault the woman for defending herself," Thane said.

"Evangeline Avengene.  I 'ad 'is signet from her fer a
while, but I sold it." Jack scowled as he saw the
priest freeze in surprise for just an instant.  "That's
all I know, now what's the rest of yer agreement with
th' wench?" Jack asked.

"I have agreed to give Rapina the chance to be more
than a servant.  In the unlikely event that her
intellect is sufficient, She is to be my apprentice in
magic."

Red Jack nodded, "Me first officer Roger, who ye
killed, he liked ta imagine th' recruits in some
profession that fit 'em when they first joined on. Kent
'e saw as a naval officer good as any o' th' captains
in th' king's navy.  He couldn't place Rapina, said she
gave 'im th' willies, but 'e finally did place 'er.
She was a sorcerer's apprentice."

Thane raised his eyebrow. "The constable may arrive at
any time.  I have other things to show him so you'll
have your two hours, perhaps more, but I'll need to
fetch the girl straight away."

Thane left and then returned a few minutes later and
let Rapina into Jack's cell.  He hung a large censor on
the bars of the cell's window that released myrrh-
scented smoke into the air.

Rapina carried the key to Jack's chains, but she'd been
instructed not to release the pirate unless she wanted
to, and to chain him up again before she left. Kent,
Edgar, and a few of their fellow ghouls were on call in
the guardroom.

"Jack, I'm so sorry, he... beat us," Rapina stammered.

"Aye, 'an 'e beat us as well.  I warr a fool, I should
'ave seen th' 'and writin' on th' wall.  That priest is
as cold an' calculatin' a general as I've seen."

Rapina nodded, "Guardian Thane is a magician and a
priest, a member of The Order of the Death's Peace.
It's the militant arm of the church of Mortaebius, god
of the dead.  I'm sure he was trained in tactics when
he joined the order.  They specialize in protecting the
church, and protecting tombs from grave robbers."

Jack sighed, "I'm sorry Rapina, I should 'ave known, I
warr too wrapped up in th' loss o' me ships an' I
fought when I should 'ave run.  That's what 'as kept me
off th' king's gallows fer this long.  In th' past, I
always knew when it warr time ta run."

Rapina hugged Jack and unlocked the iron collar around
his neck. "You couldn't have known Jack.  Thane uses
magic; no one could have estimated his power or his
resources.  If he had not come down to fight you
himself, you would have won.  What you saw at the end
was all he had left, his household guards and whatever
he could borrow from the tombs."

Rapina unlocked the chain around Jack's waist.

"Damn!  I nearly had 'im.  How's 'e been treatin' ye,
girl?"

"Kent abducted me using a secret door in the tomb after
one of Thane's traps failed him but still killed half
of our party."

"That man's full o' infernal traps 'an schemes," Jack
snapped.

Rapina unlocked Jack's ankles.  "Once here, I unfroze
and tried to escape once but wound up just outside this
cell.  It was the only door I could find that I could
hold against the guards Thane assigned to me, because I
found a key to it on the wall of the guardroom.  I saw
Jonas, but I'm not sure he's here anymore.  When I
holed up here, it turned out that Kent and Thane were
talking in the last cell. Kent was eating Piggy.  It
was horrible!

"Aye, I don't know what Thane's doin' ta Kent, but 'e's
th' only ghoul guard I've seen who looks eighteen
months pregnant."

"Anyway, Thane and Kent came out of a cell with three
of Thane's special armored skeletons, and Thane
surrounded me with flying bones.  I had to surrender;
it was hopeless.  Thane took me out of here and put me
up in one of his guest rooms.  He turned me into his
maid straight away, and I cooked and cleaned for him
while he occupied himself with the battle.  He's very
creepy, and he treats death as casually as the weather,
but he's not beat me or anything, even though I tried
to escape."

The captain nodded. "He's a' evil man, but I'm no angel
meself. I hope 'e  treats ye right.  'Fraid I'm not
goin' ta be able ta watch over ye any longer.  I can
hope me escaped men will find me an' manage ta spring
me afore I'm hanged, but It ain't likely. 'Least th'
'ol bastard gave me that hope.  'e told me Arzeal
escaped, an' Pike, Brackston, Drake, Skitch and Rage."

Rapina Nodded, "I saw the bodies, they weren't among
them, and early this morning when he came home from the
battle, Thane told me Arzeal had gotten away at the end
of the battle."

"Aye, then maybe 'e's tellin' th' truth," Red Jack
said.

"But enough 'o that, if I'm goin' ta hang 'an then be
slavin' an' burnin' in some death god's underworld, I'd
like ta 'bring as many memories of ye as I can."

Jack drew Rapina to him and kissed her deeply. ---

After leaving Jack and Rapina, Thane had gone to the
cliffs above his abode.  From there he had seen a ship
approaching from the South and had gone to meet it. The
constable always anchored his boats off the box canyon
entrance to the isle and sent a ship's boat with the
bodies of executed criminals.  Thane had provided the
constable with a few thick iron rings set into the
stone of the canyon so that he could leave living
prisoners to be killed and buried, but the constable
usually had criminals publicly executed.  Thus Thane
usually was just left with recently dead bodies, and
often supplies sent from his brother priest via the
constable's ship. These things sustained his ghouls and
himself, but not in high style.

When there were no bodies of criminals from the
constable and no burials of local people brought to the
isle by his brother priest, Mortician Hagston,  Hagston
sent a hired boat, but that cost money.  Thus Thane
relied on the constable and burial parties to do him
the kindness of delivering supplies whenever possible.
On this occasion, Thane had sent a request for wheat,
various other foodstuffs and cloth to his brother
priest when he sent the message about Red Jack via
pigeon.  In addition to the supplies, the constable
would be bringing a caged pigeon from Hagston to
replace the one Thane had used to send the last
message.  When the constable and his chief deputy
arrived, Thane took them straight away to see the
pirate camp.

"This was their fort, and that's the lot of them, laid
out for you, constable Barns.  I found this list in Red
Jack's logs, and a prisoner helped me sort out who was
who.  I have labeled each body."

Constable Olsen shook his head.  "That's amazin' work
Guardian Thane.  I got to admit, when Mortician Hagston
tol' me you had defeated Red Jack and his men with th'
power o' Mortaebius, I was more'n a bit skeptical, but
seein' em all laid out like this in your usual
efficient manner, well, seein' is belevin', eh deputy?"


"Sure is, hard ta believe a man can conjure shades ta
hack men up like this."

"Indeed, I see you're point, Deputy.  Frankly, I'm
still quite beat from the battle.  It took quite a bit
out of me, but I believe I will be sufficiently
recuperated to muster a small demonstration for you
tomorrow morning if you like."

"Of m-magic?" Barns looked at Olsen.

"That would be good of you Guardian Thane.  Why it'd be
a pleasure to see how the Infamous Red Jack met his
doom. Speakin' of whom, where is his carcass?"

"Actually, I was able to capture Red Jack alive," Thane
said.  "After we return to my residence for a short
break, I'll take you on a little tour of the dungeon."

"Alive! Wow," deputy Barnes exclaimed.

By the time Thane escorted the men into the canyon, the
sun was already down.

Olsen looked at the sky.  "Sure glad you got that magic
light, Guardian Thane, I got a little worried we'd fall
off the cliffs soon as the sun went down."

Ah, it is nothing; light is a very common spell.  Thane
stopped. "Lower!" he yelled.

The wicker cage was lowered for them.  After Thane had
shown the men their rooms and served wine and cheese on
the table of the dining hall, the priest excused
himself for a moment.

Thane took a circuitous route around the men and back
down the stairs to the corridor with the dungeon and
storage areas the men had entered after exiting the
cage.

"Rapina, Captain, I'll be bringing the constable in
shortly.  I believe you've had over two hours now.
Rapina, please come out as soon as you are ready,
hurry."

Rapina hugged Jack one last time and put his chains
back on. Jack was exhausted from their earlier love-
making, but wore a salty grin that threatened never to
leave him.

"Fare the well, lass.  I pray I can slip th' noose, but
'least I'll die a happy man if me luck ain't up ta a
miracle."

"Rapina smiled but shed a tear.  I hope I'll see you
again Jack, but just in case, I want to thank you for
watching over for these last few months."

"Aye, it was my pleasure lass, an' if th' worse
happens, why I'll jimmy me way outa hell, an' ye'll
have a ghost Red Jack ta watch over ye fer as long as
ye need me."

Rapina smiled through her tears, waved one last time
and left the cell.

"Let's see your face, quickly," Thane said taking the
key from Rapina's hand. Thane produced a little
mortician's makeup kit and went to work on Rapina's
face in key locations, adding shadows and making her
look older and a bit different.  Now, go in, undress
and take this strip of cloth and bind your breasts
tight to your chest, then dress again.  When the
constable comes, hunch your shoulders over a bit, and
look at the floor a lot. It will help you look plainer.
The constable must not think anything untoward. I will
be calling you Serina.  If the constable and the judge
fail to recognize you for the crimes that the priest's
family accused you of, then so much the better."

Rapina nodded.

Kent checked Captain Red Jack's chains, then locked
Jack's cell and left the dungeon with the rest of the
ghouls for the storage room across the hall.

"I shall return with the constable and his deputy
shortly."

After a few minutes, Thane arrived with the officers
and opened Jack's cell.

Barns took a deep breath, "It's really him!"

"Nay, can't ye see I'm th' Duke an' I hereby pardon
meself all transgressions, legal 'r otherwise past an
future.  Now unchain me an' get me back ta me palace."

"Good try Jack, but the Duke is a shorter man.  Olsen
held up a wanted poster.  That's you all right."

"Ach, they got the beard all wrong, can't ye see?" Jack
snapped.

"It will be a pleasure to turn you over to the Duke's
men, Red Jack, you've burned your last town and killed
your last innocent victim!"

"I'll see ye in th' hells o' Mortabius, constable."

"Stop gawking, Barns.  We'll be taking him back to town
tomorrow.  Any others you wanted us to see, Guardian
Thane?" Barns said ushering his deputy back into the
corridor.

"Just one other.  I didn't think it would be right to
kill a young woman, even if she had gotten mixed up
with the pirates. She and several other of the pirates
robbed one of the Baronial tombs.  Unfortunately, six
of her mates got away, so you men and your sailors best
keep on the lookout for trouble.  The escapees are
wounded, but any veteran of Red Jack's band is
dangerous in any condition short of deceased."

"That's good advice if I ever heard it," Olsen said.

Thane opened Rapina's cell. "This is Serina, she has
been very helpful in identifying the bodies, and before
that in cooking and cleaning for me while I was
concentrating on the battle.  I will, of course be
pressing charges for her grave robbing, but I believe
this woman can be rehabilitated.  I wonder if I might
get her sentenced to an indenture here as my maid?  It
seems I will finally be able to afford to feed a
servant, but it is so difficult to get the locals to
hire on for a stint on the infamous Graveston isle."

"I'm sure the Judge'll be favorably inclined to you,
Guardian Thane.  You'll be a mighty big hero in
Granville.  Why don't you keep her for now, and I'll
arrange for a hearing for you when you come to pick up
the reward money.  I hope you've got a big boat,
because the gold from those bounties would sink a
lesser one."

Thane chuckled, "I'll work something out.  Please give
my brother priest a note to send me via pigeon as to
when to collect the bounty and attend the hearing.
That's one date I'd hate to be late for.  Shall I bring
the girl for the hearing?"

"Likely you'll need to, but it should be just a
formality," Olsen said.

"Very well, let us retire to my chambers.  The girl can
fix us something to eat and then after a little
conversation, I expect you men will want to turn in.
You are, of course, invited to stay in my guest rooms.
No need for you to stay on your boat with your other
men, when I am glad to provide better accommodations."

"Sure thing, it's been a long day," Olsen said.

The next morning after breakfast, Thane ushered the men
to one of his storage rooms.

Thane handed Olsen a dim, red mage light.  "My magic
works best in poor lighting, that is why I took Jack
and his men at night. As you might imagine, with my
background as a mortician, I have little trouble
conjuring up images that terrify the unschooled. Now
here we have one of the bodies of the pirates that I've
hung from a pillar.  Now let me work and you will soon
see how the morale of Jack's troops was robbed from
them, allowing my quasi-real troops to close in for the
kill."

Thane made a show of coalescing the shadows into
terrifying beings and forming a ghoulish monster from
the shadows as well. The creatures tore up the body. In
truth, the illusion hid the real players until they
were "conjured;" the three shadows and the ghoul were
authentic.  When the demonstration was over, the undead
monsters escaped through a secret door, once again
under cover of Thane's illusion.

Thane removed the cover from a strong, white mage-light
and the men were suddenly transported from the horror
of the night to standing in a well-lit ordinary, nearly
empty storage room.  It was obvious that there was now
nothing living in the room but Thane, Olsen and Barns.
"There now, I hope I managed to scare you at least a
little bit."

"A-a little b-bit I'd say," stammered Barns

Olsen chuckled nervously, "Those pirates must have
really lost it when you conjured monstrosities like
that at night."

"Yes, fear itself can be the greatest enemy."  Thane
wiped his brow.  "I'd best spend a few more days
resting, I think, but I am glad I could show you men a
little of the magic that bested Red Jack."

"Guess we better get goin'.  After that demonstration,
I sure's heck want ta be back in Granville before
nightfall.  My skin's still a-crawlin'."

"Thank you constable, you flatter my humble powers.
Let's get Red Jack and you can be on your way."

Sometime later Thane watched as the constable and
several deputies loaded Red Jack and his many chains
onto a long boat bound for the constable's stout little
ship.

"Thank you for coming, and have a safe trip, Constable
Olsen, deputy Barns and you other sailors and gentlemen
of the law. I'll look forward to a note from you,
constable Olsen via my brother priest, Mortician
Hagston," Thane said.

"Thank *you* Guardian Thane, your heroism has saved
countless innocent lives.  Every community along the
Augustana owes you a deep debt of gratitude, and I will
be glad to see you are amply rewarded," Olsen said.

Thane bowed humbly and watched as the boat sailed off.
When it was gone, he turned and grinned.

The story continues in [Rapina]018 Judgement in
Disguise.