The Chronicles of Rapina, Chapters 27-31

The Touch of Darkness

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[Rapina]027 In The Eyes of a Sword
[Rapina]028 The Touch of Darkness
*[Rapina]029 Spies and Assasins
[Rapina]030 Seeping Toxins
[Rapina]031 The Shadows of Wizardry

[Rapina]027  In The Eyes of a Sword

Once Jack Had shaken on the deal, he asked about the
particulars.  "Now when will ye be puttin' up yer
protections again' other mages an' how?"

"Have you buried any recruits or spies near the camp?"
Roger asked.

"Aye, we've got a small collection o' graves o'er
yonder," Jack said.

"Good, Rapina and I will consecrate the graveyard to
Mortaebius yet tonight, and   Kroz will come tomorrow
night to get a closer look at the area and place the
wards for the camp. Even now you are not totally
without protection.  I have within my skull an
enchanted item that wards an area the radius of the
length of a longship around me.  If I am aboard a
vessel it will be protected from faraway remote viewing
by a special enchantment that influences remote viewing
to be unable to see people and their constructions.
Terrain will otherwise appear as it really does.  For
closer-in viewing, such as when an enemy mage knows or
stumbles on the exact location of a ship or the camp,
enemy mages will see natural-looking magical static
that obscures vision.  In addition, teleportation magic
will not function normally within the confines of the
ward.  Those teleporting in will be killed or severely
wounded when their materialization is scrambled
somewhat, and those trying to teleport out will fail to
dematerialize.  In addition, I should be able to detect
remote viewing when it is attempted within the ward.
Enemy mages will be dealt with as Kroz sees fit," Roger
said.

"Kroz will be in tomorrow night?  Then I'd like ta
invite Rapina ta stay here tanight, would that be
aright?"

Roger paused a moment.  "Kroz says She may stay now and
leave with him tomorrow night if she wishes," Roger
said.

"Aye then will ye stay girl?" Jack asked.

Rapina nodded.  "Sure, but I'm not used to sleeping at
night.  Kroz keeps a nocturnal schedule."

"That'll be fine, ye can do yer consecratin' and catch
up w' the night watch once I'm sleepin' if ye like.  I
think Rage is on one o' th' posts tanight. Meantime,
I'd like ta hog ye fer a bit soon as I get Roger
situated to 'is night's work," Jack said.

Rapina nodded and smiled.

"Roger, I'd have ye work here in me tent if it weren't
fer th' fact that I'd feel silly tryin' ta romance me
wench with a walkin' bag o' bones in th' room.  On th'
other hand I got a heap o' book work for ye.  We got so
much new goin' on, and wi' only six o' me old men here
I've been putin off th' book work somthin' fierce.
What little 'as been done, 'as been done by me an'
Drake, an' he's somewhat new at 'is letters so 'e ain't
near as fast as ye are.  I'll fix ye up with a table in
th' supply tent right next ta this tent," Jack said.

"Rapina, this'll take me a bit as I'll 'ave ta explain
ta Roger what's happenin'.  Why don't ye go back ta th'
fire an' catch up with what men are still up 'an around
while ye wait," Jack said.

"Okay, I'll go scare Brackston." Rapina smirked.

The captain laughed as they exited the tent.

Rapina went back to the camp's central fire.  There
were several men sitting around the fire, including
Pike who was there with some bandages.  He was talking
to Brackston and Skitch.

Rapina sat down next to Pike.

Brackston looked uneasily at Rapina.

"I'm sorry I couldn't do any better for him, Brackston,
but I got the distinct feeling it was this, another
execution, or Jack and the rest of you loosing as much
weight as Roger.  Rapina took Pike's hand and started
bandaging it properly.  "You don't have any herbs, do
you?" Rapina asked.

Pike shook his head.  We don't have a leech, and even
if we did, it was already getting cold before we got
the camp built.  Otherwise maybe Arzeal could have come
up with something.  Doanthalas is around here too, but
only since yesterday.  He and his woman Elizabetta,
Rage, and the Li'Yeiraun pair, Mansun the pathfinder
and Adriana Li'Yeiraun.   It turns out Adrianna is
really Captain Red Jack's daughter on account of some
foolin' around he did with Heinrich Li'Yeiraun's wife
years back."

"Jack has a daughter?  I'd like to meet her," Rapina
said.

"She's bedded down for the night, but I expect you'll
be meeting her in the morning," Pike said.

Rapina nodded.  "Sorry about the hand."

Pike grinned, "That was my fault.  After all those
arrows bounced off you and Roger, I should have had
more sense than to try something.  No hard feelings
though, I know you're doing the best you can for Jack."


Rapina nodded.

"So what's that necromancer like.  I mean as a man?"
Pike asked.

"Kroz is intense, a bit scary, very intelligent and, as
long as he respects you, he's a fair man," Rapina said.

"Are you his mistress?" a young pirate named Zit asked.

Rapina smiled at the armed youth who stood nearby.
Blemishes scarred and speckled his face.  "I'm an
apprentice to Kroz actually.  I clean the house, make
the meals, tend the garden and study every spare minute
I can find.  Lately I study more because there's no
garden in the winter."

"Rapina here used ta be a crewman," Skitch said. "I
helped ta train her up meself.  'Best ruttin' student I
ever had."  Skitch chuckled.

Rapina blushed.  "Basic was tough for me.  Thankfully,
I had a number of friends and benefactors here.  If I
didn't enjoy, ah, dealing with men, I probably would
not have made it.  Watch out for Skitch though, he
drives a hard bargain," Rapina smiled.

The men laughed.

"Rapina, yew warr good as any I raised up, but yew
didn't fit.  Yew were always too damn smart, an' too
pretty a pussy.  Yew put a cramp in me style.  All th'
boys were too busy ogglin' yew ta get in trouble so's I
could pump some brains up their ass.  That 'an I had ta
make sure none o' them boys done nothin' again' yer
will an' th' cap'n's orders.  Right taxin' yew were,"
Brackston said.

"You did good though, Brackston, never gave me any
trouble as long as I behaved.  I think the captain put
me in your barracks because he knew you'd be more
tempted by the boys." Rapina smiled.

"No secret I like th' boys.  That's what keeps 'em in
line.  What kind o' spooks do yew have ta put up wif
over wif Kroz?"

"Mostly walking skeletons, but I don't mind them so
much anymore because they help me with the housework,"
Rapina said.

"Help yew with the housework?!"  Brackston cringed.
"Yew mean yew spend yer days in th' company of a bunch
o' dead men?"

"Kroz is a necromancer, I don't have a lot of say about
his taste in servants.  Kroz procured Kent and Edgar
while we were lifting the rest of the pirate bodies.
He is doing some sort of project on Kent.  I see them
both on occasion, though I don't like to deal with
them.  I think the skeletons are more trustworthy,"
Rapina said.

Brackston shivered, "Ghouls!  I don't know why yew
aren't a jibberin' crazy mess, Rapina."

Rapina took a moment to think about what she had been
through.  "Me neither," she said.

The pirates laughed heartily.

"I guess I'm too interested in the magic lessons to
worry too much about the creepiness of it all.  I can't
say much more, you know how sorcerers are about their
secrets."

Brackston nodded gravely, and there was a brief silence
around the fire.

"Aright wench, I got me skinny assistant puttin' me
sorry books back in order.  Hey, ye know, I'll bet he
never has ta take a pee break th' whole night," Red
Jack chuckled as Brackston grimaced.  Back in the old
days Jack had enjoyed having Doanthalas in the cage
just because having something the men were scared of
made it easier to keep them in line.  Although working
with the necromancer might be dangerous in the long
run, depending on how long the holy war lasted, the
captain knew that having the spooks around would make
his job a whole lot easier.

Jack took Rapina's hand and the two of them started
towards his tent as the captain spoke over his
shoulder," Rapina's nocturnal as a minx, er lynx these
days, men, so she'll be out here again whilst I'm
sawing wood.   I'll catch ye in th' mornin.  I got some
speechifyin' ta do afore th' men soon as they get up. I
want 'em up a few minutes early tamarra, so wake 'em
when the birds start a chirpin' heraldin' dawn but
before th' rosy hues start brighten' up th' sky.  It's
got ta still be dark.  That's important."

"There now girl," Jack smiled as he let Rapina into his
tent.  We got a lot o' catchin' up ta do, but I 'spect
we can do some 'o that tamarra.  How's that old spook
been treatin' ye?" Jack asked.

"He's stern, but fair," Rapina said. "I work hard and
study hard, but the fact that the priest who made me an
outlaw in the first place was of the vindicator makes
me something of a heroine with the priests of
Mortaebius.  That certainly hasn't hurt me." Rapina
smiled.

"I'm glad someone got a lucky break out o' that isle o'
th' dead.  Pickin' that rock fer a base almost made me
a shadow o' me former self.  Then it nearly cost me my
head.  It would 'ave if some o' me good men hadna
escaped ta rescue me.  I jus' recently got Doanthalas
an' Rage back, but they came wi' baggage.  Doanthalas'
toatin' a woman I got ta remember ta have Roger check
out.  She walks too much like a feline fer me tastes,
an' Rage brought me daughter and a condemned Li'Yeiraun
pathfinder with 'im.  I don't trust him neither.  It's
been a real zoo since ye left me.  I got way too many
green recruits an' not nearly enough veterans." Jack
grimaced.

"I'm glad you're making the best of it, Jack," Rapina
smirked as she hung her cloak on a peg on Jack's tent
pole while the pirate captain stoked up his tiny pot-
bellied stove.

Red Jack chuckled, "Aye, that I am.  It reminds me o'
th' old days when I first started out as a pirate.
It's full circle, I guess.  Enough o' business, I been
eyein' that scarlet dress o' yours an' it's drivin' me
up a wall.  As ye might 'ave guessed I once 'ad a taste
fer noblewenches.  I've feasted me eyes on plenty o'
finery in me day, but I can't say as though I can
remember a single one o' them noblewenches who could
fill th' finery like ye can, up down, all aroun'."

Rapina smiled and blushed.

Ye've been growin' up while ye've been gone girl.  Ye
carry yerself different too, like a gentlewoman.  Ye're
gettin' class.  Is that spook a nobleman?

Rapina hung her rapier and weapons belt on the
headboard of Jack's bed, then sat down next to him.
"Kroz did have some contact with the upper crust and he
thought it would be wise for someone with my particular
magical talent and specialty to know deportment, so he
has been drilling me on it."

"Drillin ye?"  Jack chuckled.  Well, whatever else 'e
may be, 'e's taught ye a useful thing er two.  What o'
this magical specialty?  Can ye do any tricks?"

Rapina grinned, "Well, I have a talent, but outside of
that I can't do so much as a cantrip.  Even doing those
simple feats of magic requires several years of
practice to develop the necessary underlying ability,
even if the aptitude is there."

"Ye got a talent at least, is that a common thing for
an apprentice?" Jack asked.

"No, I don't think so, but it's certainly more common
for a magic apprentice to have one than just anyone, I
suppose," Rapina said.

"What is yer talent if ye don't mind me askin', girl?"
Jack asked.

"Rapina smirked.  I think you could answer that one for
yourself, Jack," Rapina stroked her hands down Jack's
chest, pulling at his lust all the way down to his
belly.

"Damn yer good at that!" Jack exclaimed.

Rapina smiled as she started to undo Jack's shirt.
"Talented?" Rapina asked.

"Aye, so that's it.  Ye've a magic snatch," Jack said.

Rapina giggled, then caressed the inside of the
Captain's thigh and watched his skin take on a ruddy
hue as his manhood strained to leap out of his pants.
"I suppose you could put it that way," Rapina said.

"Ye do have knack fer th' bedroom; is that yer magic?"
Jack asked.

Rapina noded.

"What can ye do with that besides make a man fall all
over 'imself?  Jack said breathing heavily as he worked
to undo Rapina's bodice."

"With sex magic?  Theoretically quite a bit, but I need
to develop my talent." Rapina unbuckled Jack's belt.

"I think I can help ye with that," Jack took a deep
breath as he pulled Rapina's dress down and looked at
her scarlet bustier.  "I like this one even better than
th' one I first saw ye in," Jack said.

"This one fits." Rapina smiled.

"Aye, th' design looks ta be made fer yer figure, an
there's even more fillin' th' cups than there was when
ye were younger.  Ye always did have nice tits, girl,
an they just keep gettin' better.

Rapina smiled, stepped out of her dress and folded it
over Jack's chair while the Captain removed his
trousers.  The captain's erection stood at attention.

"Ye're still in better shape than any noblewench I've
seen.  'as ol' spooky been makin' ye carry water aroun'
'is 'aunted castle?" Jack asked.

Rapina giggled, "No, actually I have been training with
an assistant of his," Rapina said.

"At arms?" Jack asked.

Rapina nodded.

"Spooky must trust ye quite a bit," Jack said.

"Yes, that and he's a necromancer, so I'd still be in
trouble even if I successfully killed him," Rapina
said.

Jack chuckled, "I see yer point.  I notice ye carry a
rapier, but it ain't that nice one I got ye.  Is that
what ye've been trainin' at?"

"Yes, I miss that blade.  I'm hoping I can convince
Kroz to buy me another from the Montfort forge.  I've
continued to train in rapier, plus unarmed, and a
little bow work so I don't get rusty," Rapina said.

Jack caressed Rapina's sides and back through her
bustier. "Aye, yer in great shape.  Do ye eat bettern'
ye did as a pirate?" Jack asked.

Rapina grinned, "Yes, Kroz is a wealthy man, his table
is well stocked.  Sometimes I'm the one who stocks it.
We apprentices have to work for a living too, you
know," Rapina said.

"Aye," Jack chuckled as he cupped Rapina's breasts
beneath her bustier then grasped her sides and moved
her onto his lap.  I can see how havin' a woman like
you aroun' would make 'im feel especially wealthy.  'e
sure does dress ye nice.  Where did these under things
come from?" Jack asked.

"Argos, Kroz really gets around." Rapina could feel
Jack's hardness against her cheeks.  His lust burned
through her silken panties and coursed up her spine.

The captain chuckled and turned.  He rose slightly so
that Rapina's rump slid off his lap and then he gently
pushed her down on the bed.  Jack unclipped her silk
stockings then reached under her bustier and pealed the
scarlet panties from her body as she lifted her long
legs.  "I'm just glad he ain't th' jealous type.  Ye
know I found ye that isle jus' so ye could get inta the
company of them mage types," Jack winked as he stroked
Rapina's smooth inner thighs.

Rapina smiled up at the captain, her legs bent at the
knees and slightly apart as she lay on the bed.  "I
should have known you had the whole thing planned.
That was quite a sacrifice to make for my education.
How will I ever repay you?" Rapina asked.

Jack chuckled lustily as he caressed Rapina's nether
lips, already quite wet with lubrication.  "I'm sure we
can work somethin' out.  Besides, I couldn't cheat th'
world out o' a magic snatch.  It would be against me
religion.  It would 'ave been down right sacrilegious
o' me even ta think about it.  Jack's nimble fingers
worked over Rapina's slippery labia, dipping into her
honey and using it to lubricate her swollen clit.  It's
a work o' art, an it's got plenty o' zip an' slip to
it.  A woman with sex drive like ye've got is a rare
jewel.  I'll bet ye could take th' whole camp on an'
never go dry," Jack marveled.

"Sometime I'll have to find out," Rapina said half
seriously.

"Sometimes I think ye already have," Jack said.

Rapina giggled.  She did recall certain very busy
evenings during basic. "Well, not everyone."

"Jfft abot," The captain's voice was muffled between
Rapina's velvety thighs.

Rapina moaned between deep breaths, and before long,
lights filled her mind as she came.  She could touch
Jack's mind from her peak as she might have touched a
gray cloud from a mountaintop.   She resisted the urge
to reinforce the captain's lust and let the cloud go
by, gathering only a hint of her affection as it
passed.

Captain Red Jack brought her to climax numerous times
in the next couple of hours.  Rapina let him take her
twice before sending a sleepy, calming mood to his mind
during her final orgasm.  She took it easy on him, but
not quite as easy as she once had, for she felt he now
trusted her enough that she might let him learn the
truth.  After Jack fell asleep, Rapina cleaned up as
best she could at Jack's basin, then gathered up her
clothes, dressed and headed back through the cold
winter's night towards the camp's central fires.  The
wind was chill, but she hardly felt it through the glow
Red Jack had left within her.

The vindicator's teachings admonished her to feel
triply guilty about her tryst with Jack.  It was sex
before marriage, sex with a second partner, and sex in
the face of being involved with Rames, currently her
primary lover.  Honest lust, the vindicator could not
stand it, so he could not stand her either.  Now that
she was back in the pirate camp, she would do what came
naturally if she felt like it.   Rapina shook her head,
the vindicator that had been revealed to her by
reverend Evangeline was a sham.  Jack, Thane and Rames
were evil men, but they were not deceivers as
Evangeline had been.  She did not know what goddess of
lust might control her fait.  For now, she was fairly
sure she had been loaned to Mortaebius, the god of the
dead.  She was content to be of use in his struggle
against the vindicator's "pious" followers who preached
honesty and justice while they dressed as bandits,
killed priests and burned the temples of other gods.

"Hail Mortaebius, guardian of the dead. A creature of
life and lust am I, glad in thy just service to draw
nigh, lust, and life, and death - one cycle, life goes
by.  Death is fact and a god I will not deny, and as
lust I shall serve thee to kill the lie."

"Well met Rapina," Roger said.

Startled, Rapina lurched to a halt.  She looked up just
in time not to run right into Roger.  What was even
more startling than the appearance of the skeleton was
the fact that Rapina could swear she had seen him
smiling when she first looked up.  "How can a skeleton
be smiling without lips?" Rapina rationalized to
herself.

"The graveyard is this way.  Shall we consecrate it
before you begin socializing?" Roger asked.

"Uh, sure, that way I can have the rest of the night
with the men." Rapina smiled.

"Indeed."  Roger silently led the way through the snow,
his boney feet hardly leaving a trail.  "The graves are
here."

"They are?"  Rapina asked, for she could see only snow.


"Yes, I will show you.  Roger walked elongated ovals
marking four graves.  Mortaebius knows where the dead
lie.  What we will do here tonight is merely a
formality.  It works a magic sympathetic to Kroz's
spell and will allow him to come to this graveyard more
easily.  What he attempts tomorrow night is a new feat
for him.  In the past he has come to graveyards he has
been to that are familiar to him.  This one is
different.  He has viewed it only through his pool, and
he will be counting on us to mark it, to add something
familiar to it to make his spell surer.  It is good we
are both present.  If this first attempt is successful,
he will have greater confidence, confidence that could
be very important in the months to come.

This will be a simple ritual.  Roger walked a rectangle
around the four graves.  I will walk along the lines of
this rectangle, as I move you will move, always in the
same direction, but you will remain always be on a
diagonal corner from from me.  I will say a prayer, and
you will repeat it or say another if you cannot
remember it.  Any questions?"

"none." Rapina smiled.

"Good, I will stand on the Northeast corner and you on
the Southwest to start," Roger said.

"Hail Mortaebius guardian of the dead, we the dead who
lie here entreat thee, hallow this ground that we might
rest," Roger intoned.

"Hail Mortaebius, keeper of the deceased, we the living
entreat thee, hallow this ground that the dead be held
in thy embrace, to rise only in the direst need,"
Rapina incanted.

Roger walked clockwise around the periphery to the next
corner, and intoned another prayer.

Rapina moved as Roger did, arriving to pray first in
the Northwest, then in the Northeast where Roger
started.

"...and thus we close the circle, life and death, the
cycle is complete."

"Excellent, Rapina.  I had no idea you knew the prayers
of consecration and in your first prayer you added, "to
rise only in the direst need," a line that is most
often left off these days.  I expected a much less
proper ritual.  Your performance was as flawless as a
priest's.  Tell me, why do you know such things?" Roger
asked.

Rapina blushed, "I don't think I am meant to be a
priestess of Mortaebius.  I'm just not into the dead
like Kroz, but Mortaebius has been a good patron to me,
and I am honored to be his ally.  I studied one of
Guardian Rames' books that he had from being a chaplain
before he actually became a priest.  It's a handbook
for church deacons.  The line I added was mentioned in
the footnote as the historical form, but given the
situation, I thought it would be appropriate," Rapina
said.

"Yes, I remember your uncommon sharp wit," Roger said.
"You know the rituals and serve my master well.  There
are things best done by the living.  Your aptitudes are
a fine complement to our own.  Thank you Rapina.  You
may return to the warmth of the fire, and rest assured,
Mortaebius recognizes a good servant, even if she is an
ally not natural to his service."

"Thank you Roger," Rapina said as she waved and left
death to contemplate the graves in the biting winter
wind.

---

The central campfire shone like a beacon guiding Rage
towards the cluster of tents in the distance.  The
young pirate finished strapping on his sword as he
walked.  He had been cleaning it when one of the new
pirates had brought news of Rapina's arrival. It could
only be Rapina judging by the man's description.  Few
women could rival her beauty. Rage wasn't sure he
believed that she had stepped out of the fire with a
demon in tow. That was a lot of superstitious nonsense
most likely fueled by the return of Doanthalas.  The
old crewmembers knew he wasn't a demon spawn, but the
new crew had yet to come to that conclusion.

"It will be good to see Rapina again," Rage thought as
he felt a swelling in his pants. "For more than a few
reasons..."  He smiled as he looked down at the stone
set in the hilt of his sword. Things were looking up.
Soon what was left of the old crew would be back
together again.  They would once again be strong and
feared.  Rage loved being a pirate.  All the action,
women, and booty a man could want...and then some. His
smile widened as he approached the camp.

---

The mage Nordula watched intently as Rage returned to
the camp from guard duty. "The only thing more boring
than being on guard duty is watching someone who is on
guard duty," he mused.  As much as Nordual hated
babysitting this young pirate he hated the thought of
Lord Li'Yeiraun's wrath even more. At least the magical
stone set in the sword hilt was doing its job... and
remarkably well.  It had been a good plan to leave the
sword where Rage was sure to pick it up.  Now with the
sword and stone strapped to the young pirate's hip the
images were coming through crystal clear.

The image in the center of the kettle shifted and
seemed to shimmer for a moment.  It began to jump and
coalesce into a whirlpool of color.  Something was
interfering with Nordula's scrying.  It appeared as
though it were some natural disturbance, an upwelling
of earth energy, or some such; it might also have been
a clever ward, but where would a simple pirate captain
have come upon such a thing?  In any case, it was not a
good sign.  He did not think that Jack had any mages to
detect let alone deal with his magical workings.  No,
if it was countermagic, some magical device plundered
from one of Red Jack's victims more likely caused it.
It had not been in effect at the guard post. Therefore,
it likely had a range.  If that was so then the stone
in the sword could still be of use when Rage was away
from the center of the camp.

Still Nordula would have to inform Henrich of this
development.  Something would have to be done to ensure
that their prey did not escape.  The mage wrapped his
robes around him and stepped outside to summon one of
his apprentices.  He found a candidate studying in his
library. "Kall!  Come and watch over the scrying
kettle!  The image has faded, but let me know the
moment it reappears.  I must find Lord Li'Yeiraun."  He
waved a hand at the boy as he disappeared in a cloud of
colored smoke.

---

It had been a few days since Doantalis had lain with
Elisabetta.  He had not spoken to her either.  She had
made her choice.  Her loyalty to Paolo had been
stronger than her feelings for Doanthalas.  It hurt...a
lot!  But, then again, the elf's life had been nothing
but pain for the last fifty years or so.  He was
becoming jaded...numb to the whole experience.

Once again everything was happening at once; Elisabetta
was plotting to assassinate Red Jack, Rapina had
returned, and Jack's daughter had come looking for
Drake.  Nothing was ever easy.  Doanthalas had to
decide what to do about Elisabetta.  He felt no loyalty
towards Jack, but he had also seen quite enough killing
for one lifetime.

Almost without thinking the elf pulled the locket out
of his pocket and held it in his hand.  Inside was the
picture of the guard he had slain and his family.  Of
all the lives he had taken over the past fifty years
this one affected him the most.  Doanthalas had been
able to justify the other killings.  It was justice
pure and simple.  But this was different.  The only
thing the guard had been guilty of was doing his job.

Then there was Rapina.  Where had she been and why had
she returned?  He was not going to get an answer while
he sat there and brooded so he pocketed the locket and
made his way towards the center of camp.

---

Mansun Dido sat around the large central fire watching
the pirates with mild interest.  They still regarded
him as an outsider so he sat alone.  In fact, the only
person in the camp who seemed to show him any amount of
respect at all had been the tattooed elf.  He was sure
the elf did not trust him yet, but that would come in
time.  The pirates had been content to sneer at him or
ignore him depending on their moods.

Sitting amongst the pirates chatting away like an old
comrade-in-arms was the woman Rapina.  She was a
difficult one to figure out.  He detected strength in
her that was intriguing and frightening at the same
time.  All the more terrifying because her beauty
seemed to distract, the men at least, from it. At the
moment he wasn't worried about her though.

Elisabetta had him worried.  For the past few days she
had cut herself off from the elf.  Something had
happened to push them apart.  When he had first met
them they seemed to almost dote on one
another...almost.  Now she avoided him whenever
possible.  What's more she had taken on a subtle, but
dangerous edge.

Once again she was nowhere to be found.  Neither was
the elf for that matter. But Doanthalas didn't worry
Mansun.  He was dangerous, no doubt, but the pathfinder
felt secure in the feeling that he had nothing to fear
from him. There was an infinite sadness to the elf that
seemed to permeate everything he did and said.
Something horrible must have happened to him in the
past. The pathfinder's thoughts were interrupted by the
appearance of the young pirate Rage.  Apparently, he
was returning from guard duty.

---

Rage finished his business and exited the latrine.  For
some reason he felt uneasy.  He looked around.  He
guessed it was nothing.  In any case he needed sleep.
He walked briskly back towards the barracks tent.

Nordula's chambers dissolved and were replaced by an
outdoor scene.  Deitrich froze in place and held his
breath a moment.  A young pirate wearing a nice sword
left the outhouse beside him and seemed to look right
through him before he walked up the path back towards
the pirate camp.  Nordula had not explained why he had
to teleport Deitrich so close to the camp, but he was
glad the cloaking spell had lasted through the
transfer.  Looking around, the spy quickly got his
bearings and made his way to a thick cluster of bushes.
Traveling via Nordula's magic had not been nearly as
disconcerting as he thought it might be.  He actually
thought he could get used to it.  It sure beat riding
weeks through rugged terrain to reach his destination.
He stealthily put a little distance between the pirate
camp and himself before the invisibility wore off.  If
he could find out where the watch posts were while
still cloaked, it would make his job much easier.

"I've arrived," he said into the magic stone hanging
from his neck. The stone seemed to pulse with light as
Nordula's voice emanated from it, "Excellent!  Keep us
informed of any developments." The light from the stone
faded as the spy nodded and stealthily made his way
around the periphery of the pirate camp.

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

Adriana was beautiful lying there beside him.  She was
asleep.  Drake hadn't known her long at all, but
already his heart belonged to her.  That was precisely
the reason Drake was lying there seriously considering
Jack's request. He had given up a lot to become a
pirate and had lost just as much during the course of
becoming one.  Drake leaned over and kissed her on the
lips.  She stirred and rolled to her side draping an
arm over his chest.  Losing Adriana was not a thought
he could stand.  That was why he had decided to do as
Jack requested and take her away from the pirates.
They would start a new life elsewhere.  Jack had a
friend who knew important people in foreign lands who
could help them get a start.  Drake Stretched and
yawned.  Pulling the covers up he nestled in close to
Adriana and draped his arm around her.  In minutes he,
too, was asleep.
-------


[Rapina]028 The Touch of Darkness

Rapina looked up from her conversation with a few of
the recruits as Rage approached wearing a new sword.
Pike had gone to bed a few minutes before, looking a
little more tired and worn than she had ever seen him.
She could tell that the turn of events, the magic,
Jack's capture and so many new and potentially
untrustworthy faces had taken their toll on the
Norseman, though he tried not to show it.  The new
recruits were typical of the young men Jack attracted,
full of bravado, bloodthirstiness and often fleeing a
harsh or boring lifestyle for the even harsher
lifestyle of Red Jack's pirate camp.  Rapina smiled to
herself, and then greeted Rage who had just come in
from guard duty.

"Rage!  It's good to see you, not many of the faces
around here look familiar," Rapina said.

"Aye, It's good seeing' ya too," Rage said. "Not many
of us survived the isle o' the dead. Just me an' Pike,
Brackston, Arzeal, Skitch, an' the elf, made off
without gettin' nabbed.  We got Jack back, 'an I guess
that necromancer's still got 'is claws in ye from what
I hear.  He hasn't turned ye inta something like Kent,
has 'ee?

Rapina smiled, "Actually, I'm with a more experienced
necromancer now.  The guardian of the isle sometimes
buys spells and things from Kroz, my master.  They both
worship the same god.  Of course you'd kind of expect
most necromancers to worship a god of the dead."  She
could tell Rage had reservations about her relationship
with the necromancer.  She could not really blame him.
Thane had frightened the wits out of the pirates.  In
spite of their combat experience, they were a
superstitious lot with no understanding of the
principles of magic.  What he had experienced on the
isle of the dead would probably haunt Rage's dreams for
years to come.

"No, no, he has not turned me into something like Kent,
I'd be of less use to him as a dead-brain," Rapina
said. "Kroz is frightening, but to tell you the truth,
I've kind of gotten used to him, as much as that's
possible.  He is a fair master, though not particularly
kindly.  Although he lacks Jack's flair and deadly
humor, he does have a razor wit and he can be quite
engaging to listen to, especially if you have an
interest in magic," Rapina said.

"Magic!  Huh I'd steer clear o' that nonsense if I were
you.  It's dangerous," Rage said with conviction.

"Yes, it is, but that's where my talents are, but you
already knew that, didn't you?" Rapina said.

"Rage smiled crookedly.  "Yeah, I could tell.  I guess
you won't be such a bad sorceress, but damn, why did
you pick a necromancer for a teacher?" Rage asked.

"I didn't, really, life just happened that way," Rapina
said.

Rage's mood softened. He guessed Rapina always was cut
out for sorcery.  Red Jack had seen it in her and
encouraged her magical studies.  Earlier Rage had been
all set to see if he could spirit Rapina off to bed,
but the memories had come back.  She was with a
necromancer, a man who created and ruled the walking
dead, a man like the man who had turned Kent into a
clawed cadaver.  Rage shivered involuntarily.  He
wondered if she slept with the necromancer, wondered if
his blue dead hands caressed her shapely rump, or if
his purple lips had suckled at her breasts.  Rage had
never seen Kroz.  Yet, he could imagine the necromancer
and how frightening he must be in person.  It all made
the young pirate nervous, so he put on his toughest
face.

"I'll see you later, Rapina, I need to get something to
eat here."  Rage busied himself getting food.

Rapina smirked.  It was obvious it would take the young
pirate a while to get used to her again.  She was sure
he would be okay given time.  At the moment she noticed
someone who looked distinctly out of place, for her
emerald eyes had lit on the pathfinder.  She knew
little of him, only that the men seemed not to trust
him, yet she could not help but get the feeling that he
was a good man in a bad situation.  This resonated with
her own reason for getting involved with the pirates.
Sometimes life took some unexpected turns.

Since Rage's soliloquy had cooled the pirates on her
for the moment, she took the opportunity to sit near
the pathfinder.  His story might be interesting.
Rapina's eyes caressed over the man's form, assessing
him.  He was obviously a warrior of some sort, though
not particularly overbuilt. His stature was average,
his dark hair was cut short and his features were
fairly plain, but handsome in their own way.

"You look as out of place as I feel," Rapina said
softly as she sat down beside him.

Mansun Dido was startled out of his thoughts by the
woman's comment. Looking up from the ground he saw a
beautiful woman with the most engaging emerald eyes.
Her smile seemed friendly, but underneath it all she
seemed to be sizing him up for something.  The
pathfinder recovered quickly. "I could say the same of
you milady," Mansun articulated.  He was definitely
familiar with the ways of the nobility as evidenced by
his etiquette.  A sigh escaped his lips as he closed
his eyes for a moment. "Not so long ago I was a
pathfinder in the service of Lord Henrich Li'Yeiraun."
Seeing Rapina's questioning look he replied, "That is
correct. I used to be a loyal servant of the man who
tried to kill Red Jack for sleeping with his wife. But
that was when I thought loyalty and honor counted for
something." Mansun massaged his temples and took a deep
breath.

"I was in charge of the pathfinders that were tracking
Rage.  Lord Li'Yeiraun wanted us to find Red Jack's new
camp and figured this to be the best way.
Unfortunately, we lost Rage's trail a few days after
his escape. I didn't know it then, but this was due to
the help of the elf Doanthalas. To make a long story
short; Lord Li'Yeiraun was so upset that we lost the
pirate's trail that he decided to make an example of me
and have me executed in his place." The pathfinder
shook his head and snorted, "A lifetime of loyal
service...gone." Mansun shook the depressing thought
from his mind and faced Rapina. "My name is Mansun
Dido.  What name do you go by?"

"I go by Rapina."  Rapina extended her hand.  "I'm
sorry to hear a man who should have been noble betrayed
you.  My reasons for originally joining Jack's men were
similar to yours.  When men of power behave in ways
that are criminal, good people are forced to flee the
justice that should be protecting them.   It's sad that
Lord Li' Yeiraun is not more loyal to those that serve
him.  I will stop feeling sorry for him that Jack
diverted his wife's attentions.

Is Lord Li'Yeiraun a religious man?

"As much as any lord is I suppose," Mansun replied.
"That was to say that as religious as he had to seem to
his subjects and still keep his good name.  I too have
stopped feeling sorry for him about Jack and his wife.
It's ironic that Red Jack would turn out to be the
honorable one and Lord Li'Yeiraun the bloodthirsty
tyrant."  He shook his head and laughed. "I owe my life
to Red Jack's daughter you know?  She is the one who
saved me the trouble of swinging from the leafless
tree...if you take my meaning."  The pathfinder sighed
and ran his fingers through his short hair.  "Now I
have to begin my life anew.  By now Lord Li'Yeiraun has
tainted my good name amongst the folks I once knew.  I
wish I knew what to do.  You seem to have adapted to
life on the run fairly easily, milady.  Any pointers
for a recently unemployed pathfinder?"  This last
comment was said with a wry smile.  Apparently, the man
did have a sense of humor.

"Sometimes the currents of life are impossible to swim
against.  The best I've been able to do is keep afloat.
In my case I've been swept to the opposite shore, to
help the enemies of the man who betrayed me.  At first
I was just trying to get away, and since the law was
after me, I took shelter with Jack, an outlaw, but
being a pirate turned out to be a between-stage. I'm
not sure if it's truly good luck or ill, but I now work
for an enemy of the man who betrayed me.  That's why I
ask what religion Lord Li'Yeiraun pays homage too.
There are many issues that divide powerful nobles and
religion is one of them.  It's an important question in
these times.  It might be possible that Lord Li'Yeiraun
has enemies who are more legitimate to the law of
Clairmont than Jack is."

"I'm not a religious man myself so I do have to confess
a sort of ignorance to the religion of the land."  A
wry smile crossed his lips, "The only god I pay homage
to is mother earth and the only service I attend is
that of the local tavern.  And speaking of drink I
could really go for one right about now.  Would milady
Rapina care to join me for a little of the holy
spirits?"

Rapina smiled, "I have a great deal of respect for
anyone who can scare up a drink in a pirate camp, so of
course I would be glad to join you."

Mansun proved to be an interesting conversationalist,
but Rapina felt he was not the kind of fish who enjoyed
being reeled in right away.  She did not need to be in
a hurry, at least that's what she told herself.  In
truth the exposure to so many men, even in spite of the
wintry conditions, was deepening her hunger.  It was as
if she had been on a stringent program of rationing
drawing only from Rames, and now that she was
surrounded by food, she felt hungrier than she had
previously realized.

It had not been long before Mansun's life of early to
bed, early to rise had forced him to retreat to his
bedroll.  Rapina returned to the campfire, but the
early morning hours were not kind.  Only a few men
remained on sentry duty.   Since many of the youths did
not know her, Rapina thought it unwise to go around
talking to the sentries.  It was ironic that Rapina
wound up in the supply tent with Roger.  The death of
Mortaebius said nothing as she entered, and continued
to work on Jack's books as if conversation and breaks
were luxuries reserved for the living.

For her part, Rapina decided there were mental
exercises pertaining to her magical studies to be done.
It was a pity she had not brought a book with her, but
everything had happened so rapidly from her entry into
the inner sanctum of the mortancers to her reunion with
captain Jack.  One thing had stuck in her mind,
however.  In the negotiations, Roger had mentioned
there were necromantic spells that could be used to
drain the life force from another, and transfer it to
the necromancer in order to heal him.  Rapina thought
to herself as she cupped the fullness of her breasts
within her cloak, "Isn't that exactly what I do with
men?  Only it feels good when I do it to them and I can
store the energy."

As Rapina was musing, there came a scratching at the
tent flap.  Roger seemed unmoved.  Rapina slipped out
to see whom it might be.

"Zit?  What are you doing out at this hour?" Rapina
asked.

"I, I wanted to ask you something," Zit said.

"What?" Rapina asked.

The young man looked down at Rapina's feet.  "Is it
true?"

"What?" Rapina asked.

"We were talkin' and... Are ye a vampire?" Zit asked.

"Zit, are you still in basic, because if you are, and
Brackston finds out you snuck out of the barracks, he's
going to pump some sense up your butt, like he always
threatens."

Zit's mouth formed an "O" as his back stiffened.  "But
I have ta know," Zit whispered.  "I'll run back so it
seems I just went ta the latrine."

Rapina smirked.  "If I were a vampire, don't you think
I'd have fangs?"

"Well, yeah, but ye might have an illusion that covers
'em up," Zit said.

Rapina rolled her eyes.  "Was Brackston in on this
little discussion in the barracks?"

"Uh, I'd rather not say," Zit said.

"I'll take that as a yes."  Rapina grinned.  "So you
want to know if I'm a vampire.  Shall we find out?"
Rapina grabbed the boy and bit his neck playfully,
sucking some skin into her mouth.

Zit froze and screamed soundlessly... "Hey, you didn't
even break the skin," Zit said.

"You sound disappointed.  Were you hoping I'd suck your
blood and turn you into my sex slave?"

Zit blushed.

Rapina giggled softly, "Sorry Zit, I just don't have
the teeth for the first part, and you don't have the
time for the second part.  Because if you don't get
back to the barracks, you're going to be Brackston's
sex slave."

Zit's lips formed the familiar "O" once again.  "Okay
bye," He said flailing a hand and running off.

Rapina shook her head and smiled as she reentered the
tent. Roger was as she had left him.  She wondered if
there wasn't a certain urgency in the way the death of
Mortaebius applied himself.   It stood to reason, the
holy war between Mortaebius and the Vindicator was
heating up rapidly.  The mortancers had been deadly
serious.  During the winter months when the orcs made
little attempt to retake the lands Lord Avengene had
wrested from them, his most loyal forces were marauding
the temples of Mortaebius posing as bandits.

Originally, it was hoped that Avengene's religious
fervor would halt at the borders of his own lands, but
it now seemed obvious that the Vindicator's forces had
larger plans in mind.   To these plans the Church of
Moraebius must react swiftly, for they did not have a
standing army like Avengene's on which to draw.  The
Order of the Shroud would likely bloom afresh, and
Rapina intended to ingratiate herself to that
organization to the best of her ability.  For in this
game of chess, her only prospect of finding friends was
to seek out the enemies of her enemy.
------------------

"Captain, time to wake up for your speech, Sir," Arzeal
said.

"Aye I  was jus' gonna... Wha  oi,  oh it's mornin'.
Jack sat up and massaged his face.  Damn ye'd think I'd
pulled an all-nighter last night th' way I feel.  Now I
grant ye I wasn't ta bed early, an me wench were in
rare form, put me practically on the moon, she did, but
it weren't like I staid up th' whole night boffin 'er
brains out.  I sure feel like it though. Damn, well get
me some strong tea.  Th' men need a speech about are
new deal with th' spooks, an' it's a speech they'll
get."

The captain roused himself and began dressing and
preparing for his speech. By the time he emerged from
his tent and went to the central fires, Brackston had
the men assembled for the speech.

"Aye there now, me mates, I'll bet ye're wonderin why
yer up a bit early this mornin', why I'm disturbin' yer
beauty rest," Captain Red Jack said.  "Well some of ye
know we 'ad some visitors last night.  Seems me new
fame that's been drawin' recruits 'as also drawn some
other attention, sorcerous attention.  I'm sure the
tails o' spooks an' sorcery 'ave already made th'
rounds.  Now I'm going ta give ye th' skinny.  Seems
I'm in a bit o' a spot.  Me fame is invitin' th'
attentions o' morn' jus' th' law.  Now I got mages ta
contend with.  Luckily th' first of 'em ain't lookin'
ta cash in are chips jus' yet.

I'm not sayin' I trust 'im completely, but we 'ave
somethin 'e needs, and 'e 'as somethin' we need.  Now
where I come from, that's the grounds fer a deal.  I
found me a necromancer.  His name is Kroz, and 'e's
going ta put up some protections against sorcerous
spyin' an th' like.  In return, come raidin' season
we're going ta supply 'im with cadavers from are raids
ta keep 'is laboratory hummin'.  As ye know, I'm a
little short on experienced help after that damned
illusionist broke up me former men.  I'm tired o'
fightin' sorcery with spar varnish, so now we got us a
magician on are side!"

The pirates cheered.

"Bein' that 'e 'as ta spend most 'o 'is time in some
musty laboratory, Kroz 'as left a pair 'o hands an eyes
with me ta help us out, an bein' as how are new 'elper
looks like th' pirate flag, we'll be callin 'im Roger.
All ye need ta know about Roger is that 'e's a skinny
officer with a rank same as Drake's, an' with th'
weight of bein' th' stiff that keeps th' books for me
an' at times carries me orders.   Other than that, th'
less ye know about Kroz an' are new helper, th' longer
ye're likely ta live.  If ye hear any wild stories
about 'is past or anything ye didn't hear from me, ye
better come straight ta Red Jack an' let me know who's
tellin' tall tales. I'll not be havin' me camp turned
upside down by wild rumors, an' any man who disobeys
that order's going ta be sleepin' with Roger."

"Fer those of ye who don't know what in hell a
necromancer is, I'll tell ye. A necromancer is a
magician who specializes in magic concernin th' dead.
Spells that allow a magican ta speak wi' th' dead, make
th' dead rise up an' dance and such like dark sorceries
are what necromancers are best at. Necromancers are
generally considered ta be th' most evil o' mages, so a
necromancer is just th' kind o' critter who would 'ave
no trouble workin' with rapin', pilligin', murderin',
bloodthirsty pirates like areselves.  Now Roger, I want
ye ta say a few words intraducin' yerself ta th' men,
so as they can recognize yer face an voice."

A figure cowled in heavy black robes came before the
men and stripped back his hood.

A gasp ran through the crowd, and the eyes of many of
the men opened wide with terror.

"I am death, but you may call me Roger if you wish.  I
will see that bodies from the raids are harvested for
Kroz, and I will serve Captain Red Jack," Roger said in
an emotionless tone.

There was a persistent murmuring in the crowd that
would not seem to die down.

"I know what ye're thinkin'," Red Jack said. "Half o'
ye can't believe sorcery like this exists and ye're
sayin ta yerself, 'e's just a collection o' bones wired
tagether an' there's a pirate hidin' behind Jack makin'
'is voice, an' th' others a ye are worryin' about yer
immortal soul on account o' workin' wit' spooks.

Roger go 'round th' crowd and shake th' 'ands o' th men
that're man enough ta shake.  That should 'elp ye all
ta see Roger ain't some prop I put tagether fer yer
entertainment.  'An if ye're so convinced 'e ain't
nothin, ye can 'ave a little sword play with 'im, long
as ye don't mind 'im relivin' ye o' yer 'ead.  Fer ye
that's fearin' fer yer souls, ye should 'o thought 'o
that before ye joined a gang 'o bloodthirsty pirates,
now shouldn't ye?  If yer religious types 'er right
then we'll all meet in hell anyhow."

Captain Red Jack watched as Roger made his way through
the men.   Most shrunk away from the boney appendage,
too terrified to shake.  Others practically scoffed,
thinking Roger was a trick.  They shook, and many came
away with a look of horror.  Two of the scoffers were
big, tough boys from the slums of Turnmoor.  Wedge was
respected for his strength and skill at arms, and Blunt
was the black sheep of weapons practice who didn't give
a damn who got hurt, as long as he got to laugh at
them.  They looked at each other, they looked at Roger
and they grinned.  Just after the death had passed
them, they drew their cutlasses in unison.

The death of Mortaebius carried his scythe in his left
han.  As the men drew, he spun three hundred sixty
degrees in that direction to shake the next recruit's
hand only a fraction of a second after he would
originally have done so.   The fact that Wedge's
cutlass, along with his right hand, fell to the ground
at about the same time as Blunt's head, did not seem to
concern Roger in the least.  He was following orders.
The two recruits would serve as an example.

Open-mouthed, the pirates saw the one recruit fall in a
fountain of blood and the other grab his own handless
forearm.  Had it not been for the movement of his thick
black robes, and the glint of his scythe, the men might
have believed Roger had not moved at all.  Yet, the
death and disfigurement he had left in his wake made
his actions unmistakable.

"Brackston, get a tourniquet on Wedge's stump, and pick
up that 'and.  Maybe we can sew it back on," Jack
chuckled.

Zit's hands were shaking even more than they had been.
The shower of blood and the scent of death hadn't
helped any.  As the skeletal figure approached, Zit
steeled himself.  He had to know.  As the young recruit
reached out and shook Roger's hand he moved closer to
where he thought the skeleton's ear would be, if he
really had one, and whispered, "G-good morning sir,
could you tell me, Is Rapina a-a vampire?"

Roger brought his teeth near the young man's ear and
whispered, "Rapina is a creature of lust.  She offers
pleasure for what she takes from a man; a vampire takes
blood, and offers death."
----------

After Jack's bloody speech, the pirate captain offered
Rapina his bed and she slept there until late
afternoon.  A few hours later, just after dusk, she and
Roger waited in the graveyard for Kroz, the necromancer
who would be played by Thane.  When he arrived, he was
in high spirits, his confidence in his own ability to
use the graveyard mists spell for transportation having
been bolstered.  With him, he had brought his personal
guards a group of double-animated skeletons dressed in
new blackened plate armor.  Behind them, in addition to
the fading magical mists, a cloud of steam rose into
the air.  Rapina recognized six of the flaming
skeletons that were used to heat Thane's abode.  Many
of the more ordinary armored skeletons carried litters
filled with supplies.  The most notable of these being
a very large roll of oiled canvas.  Thane himself was
dressed in his mortancer robes and looked much like
Roger.  For the illusion of a skeletal face obscured
his real face, and his voice was also modified by magic
to sound like the voice of a dead man.

"Roger, Rapina, it is so nice to see you.  I trust
things are not moving too rapidly for you?" Kroz said.

"Things are going as planned here, Kroz.  Your arrival
is a welcome development.  I believe your ease of
transport has been facilitated by the fine job your
apprentice, Rapina, did in assisting me with the
consecration of this graveyard.  She has the skills of
a deaconess, and my master views her deeds of service
favorably."

Kroz raised his chin.  "Excellent, Rapina, as your
service gradually outweighs your sins, I shall make
sure that you do not go unrewarded.  Our master
appreciates service, especially in times of conflict
when it is so desperately needed."

Rapina nodded.

"Now we have much work to do, "Kroz said.  "I must meet
with the captain.  Another house of our master was
sacked early this morning, the last and strongest in
the enemy's territory.  We had largely been abandoning
the others but this one had been serving as a base from
which we were conducting our strategic withdrawal.
Once the enemy saw how easy it was to take those houses
that were largely abandoned, he acted swiftly, but I'm
afraid we lost more than a few brothers in that last
battle.

Word is that those with sentiments that do not agree
with the enemy's are being disappeared rapidly as he
consolidates his power.  My associates and I have
decided to give this pirate project a little boost.  We
need Jack's ship harvesting the dead as early in the
spring as possible.  Winter is more than half over. We
hope our enemy will be too busy consolidating the power
of his church within his own lands to have any time to
launch attacks outside them before the orcs on his
Northern border tie up his forces again this spring.

We will provide Jack the supplies he needs to enclose
the skeleton of the ship he is building within a tent,
and get the temperature within high enough to do the
wood-working now, rather than waiting for spring thaws.
Come, after I speak to the captain, we must plant the
warding devices in the camp. Kroz bustled towards the
captain's tent.  It was obvious he had somehow studied
the layout of the camp.  When the trio arrived they
were allowed into the captain's tent where he was
waiting for them."

Jack looked up from some record books.  "Looks like
ye've been on th' same diet as Roger there, Kroz.  Jack
chuckled.  Good ta meet ye.  I am Captain Red Jack."
The captain shook hands with the new corpse.  What be
the news?  I see ye've brought more of ye're boney
buddies with ye tanight, an' a few torches as well."

"I will bestow upon you a small boon for your
organization in wake of another sacking of my lord
Mortaebius' properties.  Lives have been lost, and time
is of the essence.  I want you to have the necessities
with which to continue work on the building of your
ship during the winter months.  I need you operational
as early as possible.  Here is a modest gift towards
necessaries for the ship.  Thane handed Jack a small
but heavy sack.

Jack peered inside.  "Aye, mixed circulated gold from a
hundred towns by th' looks of it, untraceable," Jack
smiled.  "That'll come in handy."  An th' skeleton
torches, ye brought them ta heat th' tent we build
around th' ship in so the wood will not be brittle?"

"Indeed," Kroz replied.

"Your creations?" Jack asked.

"Let us say that I was able to glean the remains of
your men from a colleague, and that certain of your men
were well suited for that particular animation," Thane
whispered to Jack.

"If ye're tryin ta make up fer th' drubbin ol' Thane
gave me by bringin' me men's walkin' corpses back ta
me, it ain't ganna work, they're all dead," Red Jack
snapped in a vehement whisper.

"I will not try to make anything up to you.  I serve
Mortaebius in this.   I respect your ability or I would
not have proposed this deal.   You must admit, however
that the dead can be useful."

"I'd take issue with ye on that if it weren't fer
Roger's work on me books. He 'asn't lost 'is touch, and
'e's got a load 'o work done fer me already."

Kroz nodded.

"What about me arms master's wounded hand.  I'm dead in
th' water without 'im, and I'm spread thin enough as it
is," Jack asked.

"We have been most fortunate in that regard.  I was
able to locate the two necessary incantations," Kroz
said.

The two men discussed arrangements for the healing work
that needed to be done.  The work on Pike would be
straightforward, but Rapina was sent with Arzeal and a
couple of burly recruits to prepare the stump of the
unwise recruit for the remedy Kroz had recommended.

After he saw the captain, Rapina had helped Kroz bury
ward-bearing skulls in the ground three paces from
skull-bearing pike markers that gave a clue as to the
direction and location of the actual buried wards.
Subsequently Rapina had been sent to supervise the
preparation for Thane's debut as a healer.

A tourniquet had been applied not far above Wedge, the
unwise recruit's stump, and the small sword Rapina was
handed glowed cherry red from the heat of a stone
forge.

"This is going to hurt, Wedge.  If you move, you might
loose more flesh than you need to.  Hold still."

Wedge nodded drunkenly.  The rum he had been given had
dulled his senses, but the agony he suffered as the hot
blade sliced his flesh made him scream in torment.

AAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIHHHH!!!

Rapina grimaced as she sliced the flesh away.  Being
the closest thing Jack had to a leech was not proving
to be enjoyable.  In spite of the man's arm being
pinned by two burly recruits and Arzeal, it was moving,
and Rapina had to compensate in order not to take more
flesh than was necessary, and to make the cuts
straight.

"Flip him over, I need to do the other side."

Wedge roared with pain as blood rendered to steam
billowed from the stump of his severed limb.

Rapina worked as rapidly as she could, handing her
blade to a recruit in exchange for a glowing hot
replacement whenever it grew too cool.

"Okay, it's finished.  Pike, you're next.  Take the
bandages off and Kroz will repair your hand."

Pike brooded just across the room of the shack that
served as the camp's smithy. He stood next to the prone
form of a feverish recruit.  A stench hung about the
man from a brawl's sword wound that had gone bad.  It
was gangrene.  Pike knew the man didn't have a chance,
so why had Jack had him brought near, and why were
Rapina and Arzeal exposing some of the bone of Wedge's
arm behind his severed wrist?  Wasn't a smooth stump
preferable?  The armsmaster unwrapped the bandages from
his mangled right hand as he had been bidden.

Pike grimaced as several skeletons entered the room.
Two were armed and armored; the other two were robed.
One of the robed figures Pike recognized as Roger.  The
other had to be Kroz, a necromancer of Mortaebius.  Was
he too a skeleton?  He certainly looked it.  A shiver
ran up Pike's spine.  He didn't like the smell of
sorcery.

"Splendid, that should do fine.  Armsmaster Pike, hold
out your wounded hand."

Pike complied, glowering at the skeletal figure that
made arcane gestures and utterences, grabbed Pike's
wounded hand and shook in agony.

A scream of pain involuntarily escaped the
necromancer's throat as life force was ripped from him
by the power of his own spell.

Pike gasped as a surge of energy pulsed through his
hand.  The tingling was intense, and he could feel the
flesh knitting as he inhaled.

The necromancer seemed to waver for a second before his
discipline returned. His scream was rapidly replaced by
further arcane utterances and gestures as his skeletal
left hand plunged down to touch the naked chest of the
feverish recruit who then yelled and convulsed.

"Mmm, very good, very good.  The life force I gave the
armsmaster has been restored from this unfortunate
victim of disease.  I believe we can continue," Kroz
said.

More utterances issued from the throat of the
necromancer, then he was again wracked with pain, but
did not scream.  This time he held Blade's stump, which
began to heal instantly, leaving the stub of bone
Rapina had exposed. Without even a moment's hesitation
the necromancer cast the second spell, turned and
grasped the skull of the gangrenous victim.  A silent
scream was all that marked the man's passing.  A gray
handprint colored the skin of the dead victim's
forehead where Thane's skeletal hand had touched it.  A
faint, but similar mark could be seen on his chest
where Thane's first drain of life force had struck him.


"That went very well, very well indeed.  Painful at the
outset, to be sure, but our victim has made up for
that."  The necromancer almost chuckled. "Rapina, our
work here is done for now.  Captain Red Jack, I will
work on the hand of this recruit.  In two days time, I
will return with something that I believe he will find
more useful than a hook.  Come, we must return to the
abode."

Rapina nodded as she turned from inspecting Wedge's
healed stump.  Her job exposing a bit of the bone would
be quite adequate for what Thane had in mind for a
later visit.  She turned to Pike.  "Can you grasp my
hand?" she asked pike.

Pike reached out and gave her hand a squeeze.  His hand
was whole again.

Rapina smiled.

A few minutes later she, her master and their entourage
disappeared into the mists that rose to obscure the
pirate's graveyard.

-----------

[Rapina]029 Spies and Assasins

The next day the pirate camp buzzed with activity as
the men erected a tent around the skeleton of their
ship.  When night fell ending the men's intense effort,
the pirates were glad to finally rest.

Not long before the first light of dawn, a lithe figure
stealthily moved through the shadows.  The guard
stationed outside of Red Jack's tent did not see it
approach.  And no one else was about to see the garrote
slip around his neck. Neither did anyone see the shadow
drag off the guard's body and slip into Jack's tent
without a sound.

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


Outside of the pirate camp another figure moved
stealthily through the darkness. Deitrich had spent
most of the previous day scouting the camp's perimeter
and, after a shortened night's rest, was finally ready
to report his findings.  Unfortunately for him, some
sort of interference was prohibiting him from using his
magical pendant to contact his master.  He moved
silently away from the pirate camp trusting his
master's words that the pendant would function if he
got sufficiently far from the abode of the pirates.
The interference had been less pronounced or widespread
until the previous night when it its influence around
the pirate camp had grown.

Unbeknownst to the spy Deitrich, someone had noticed
his presence.  Doanthalas' feral eyes seemed to glow in
the darkness as he watched the figure move away.  This
man was good, but he was no elf.  He was probably a
human.  Even the best humans could not sneak past an
elf in the woods.  Elves had a sort of magical affinity
with nature that humans could never hope to understand
or achieve ...at least most of them.

Deitrich finally found a spot where the magic seemed to
work again.  He pulled out the glowing pendant and
shielded the magic stone with his body so he would not
be spotted.  He incanted the magic words and a swirling
image began to appear in the stone set in the pendant.
Suddenly it was struck by something hard that sent it
spinning from his grasp. The man rolled to the side and
came up with sword drawn and eyes searching.  Most
likely a lone sentry had spotted him, since he had not
heard an alarm sound.  If he could dispatch this sentry
quickly and quietly then his lord's plan could still be
carried out.

The elf watched the man's back for a few minutes as he
looked around for his assailant.  This human was
certainly a warrior of great skill, but it was obvious
that his eyes were not very helpful in these darkened
conditions. The man seemed to finally sense the elf's
presence behind him and slowly turned around.  He
almost jumped out of his boots when he heard
Doanthalas' guttural growl and saw his emerald eyes
reflecting the moonlight. Doanthalas had his own sword
drawn as he leapt through the high grass straight at
the man.  Although the man was scared Doanthalas had to
give him credit for holding his ground.  In a flurry of
motion man and elf were upon each other with swords
flying. The clash of metal against metal rang through
the night.

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


Back at the camp Drake and Adriana were enjoying a
private walk.  They had made up their minds to leave
everything behind and go to another place and start
over.  Their spirits were flying high with newfound
hope as they meandered around the camp. Suddenly the
sounds of fighting erupted from the stillness around
them.  Drake pulled Adriana close and drew his sword
protectively.

"Drake!  What is that?  What's happening?" she asked as
she strained to see through the darkness.

"I'm not sure my love, but I'm going to check it out."
he turned to face her, "Find a sentry and warn him that
there is trouble afoot."  He saw the worried look on
her face and pulled her close.  "Don't worry Lady
Adriana. I will be careful."  That said he kissed her
passionately on the lips. "Now go!" he said as he
headed off towards the sounds.  He had barely made it
two steps when the sounds stopped.  Drake looked back
to see that Adriana had noticed it too.

Adriana was about to say something when a dark shape
erupted from the darkness heading straight for Drake.
A terrified scream escaped her lips as the shadow
descended upon him.

Adriana's scream had scared the wits out of him, but
had also alerted him to the presence of someone behind
him.  Drake swung his sword with all the strength and
precision he could muster hoping to connect before the
assailant ran him through. A familiar voice rang out
mere moments before his sword connected with the
assailant's.  Metal against metal rang out through the
darkness as Drake composed himself and said somewhat
befuddled, "Doanthalas?"

"Yes." was the reply as the elf grabbed Drake and then
Adriana by the arms. "Come. There is danger afoot.  We
must warn Red Jack."

Drake and Adriana looked at Doanthalas' blood soaked
form and then to each other. They weren't sure what was
going on, but the blood and serious look on the elf's
face made them quicken their step.

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

Inside the tent Red Jack slept soundly.  It had been a
long day of planning, and giving orders concerning the
ship's tent, and he had retired early. That was just
fine for the assassin who crept silently towards the
pirate's sleeping form.  Slowly the assassin drew a
knife.  A few more steps and Jack would be no more.

The elf stopped dead in his tracks as he rounded a
cluster of tents and saw no guard in front of Jack's
tent.  He held up a finger to silence Drake and
Adriana. They complied as Doanthalas indicated the dead
guard's feet in some nearby bushes and motioned for
them to get help.  They quickly departed as the elf
crept forward. He glanced at the guard to see if it was
anyone he knew.  It wasn't.  Most likely it was one of
the new recruits.  The elf didn't give the body a
second glance as he slipped into the tent. His eyes
adjusted quickly to the darkness of the tent's
interior.  It was quick enough for him to see the
figure standing above Jack ready to strike.  Doanthalas
let out a feral scream as he leapt for the assassin.

The assassin brought the knife down in its killing arc.
She had been trained too well to be distracted by the
elf's scream.  However, this must not have been the
first attempt on the captain's life, for he rolled
frantically away from the assassin in spite of having
been deeply asleep a second before Doanthalis' scream.
The knife opened Jack's side rather than piercing the
pirate's heart.  Elizabetta did not have time to
consider her options as Doanthalas was upon her.  With
a deft move she ducked under his attack and drove her
foot into his back.  He crashed to the ground, rolled,
and came up in a fighting stance.

Jack was now awake.  He had grabbed his blade and then
rolled off the side of the bed opposite the assassin.
As he rolled he bellowed, "Roger! Guards!  Assasin!"
Red light from the magelight pendant Roger had given
the captain suddenly illumined the room.

Elizabetta took a gamble and jumped the bed to get
behind the pirate.  She held her knife against his
neck.  "Move and you die!" she hissed.

Doanthalas knew that Elizabetta might try something
like this.  He hadn't anticipated that it would be so
soon though.  But none of that mattered now. He had
tried his best to talk her out of it, but as the days
went by she never wavered in her decision.  She had
been given a choice of living the life of an assassin
and killing Red Jack or living the life that she and
Doanthalas could carve out together. She had made her
choice and she was about to carry out her mission.  If
he did not think fast, Jack was surely dead.  He only
hoped that she would keep him alive as a hostage long
enough for him to form a plan.  "So it comes to this,"
he said as he moved to block the tent's entrance.

"It was always heading in this direction Doanthalas,"
she said with a bit of regret in her voice.  "Perhaps
in another life things could have been different... but
not in this one.  Don't think that I wasn't tempted by
your offer."  Elizabetta sighed as she pressed the
knife firmly against Jack's neck. "I can think of
nothing I would like more than a life with you, but you
have to understand... it's not my life anymore.  If I
betray him he will send his best assassins after me.
We would both be in danger."

"Then let us face that danger together.  Neither of us
are strangers to danger.  We can fight them."

"Quite a romantic picture you paint...my love.  But
unfortunately the end result will be the same for me.
Either way I die... with or without you."  A tear
rolled down her cheek as she glanced over Doanthalas'
shoulder.  My death is a given, but I could not bear to
have your blood on my hands as well.  Sure we could
survive for a while, but sooner or later they would
find us and kill us both." "Trust me.  My way is
better.  I know the way he works and he would not stop
until we were both dead.  I do this because I have
to...because I love you."

A dark shape rose behind Doanthalas.

Doanthalas felt cold steel across his throat as a boney
hand grasped him from behind.

"Your way will have the same result as you believed his
would," The Death of Mortaebius rasped.  "The penalty
for bringing an assassin into this camp is death.
Elizabetta, you are correct, either way you die.  In
your foolishness you have brought death down upon
Doanthalas.  Pirates, some of whom are as lethal with a
bow as the best assassins, will soon surround this
tent.  You will not escape this place alive, nor will
your lover."

"Roger, get away from Doanthalas or the captain dies."


"Do you take me for a fool?  In life I was a pirate.
You will kill the captain regardless of whether or not
I release Doanthalas.  If you wish me to release him,
you must move away from the captain so that there is a
real chance that I can rescue him.  You must make
yourself a more attractive target than the elf.  Right
now, he is a sure thing.  You make the mistake of
believing that death will stop Red Jack.  I assure you,
his grave would hardly have a chance to grow cold
before he rose from it as I have."

Elizabetta swallowed.  Death was no fool.  Slowly she
moved back from the pirate captain.  If she were just
fast enough, she could still pull it off.  She held her
dagger to Jack's back, drew another and used it to
slice an opening in the tent behind her.  She did not
like the way Roger moved Doanthalas to the side to
allow him to get at her more quickly should the
opportunity present itself.  It was almost as though
Roger had done this before.

Suddenly Jack dove forward and rolled.

Run! The assassin screamed to Doanthalas as Death left
the elf behind and jumped towards her.  Roger did not
take the split second of extra time it would have taken
to kill the elf, for Elizabetta was already sending a
deadly blade Jack's way with a snap of her wrist.

The elf dove out the tent flap the way he had come in.
He rolled between two approaching pirates and into the
bushes near the dead guard's body before the men could
catch him to gut him with their swords.

The sound of metal against metal rang briefly through
the tent as death's scythe picked her thrown dagger
from the air.  Elizabetta would not have thought it
possible to deflect one of her throws had she not seen
it with her own eyes.  It was too late to throw
another.  The shadow of death was upon her.  She turned
a back flip and was through the opening, outside and on
her feet in an instant.

Roger removed a small, spike-bladed dagger with a large
bone handle from within his robes.  "kill," he said as
he threw the blade through the breach Elizabetta had
opened.

Once through the opening Elizabetta jumped to the side
to avoid the knife death threw at her.  She drew a
small crossbow, already cocked and loaded with a
poisoned bolt.  Although she could not see him through
the tent, She knew where Jack was; it didn't really
matter where she hit him.  The poison was most
virulent.

Elizabetta took aim.  Uh!?  She dodged backwards as she
fired.   Death's knife had veered in mid flight!

"Poison!" Jack bellowed from within the tent.

Elizabetta allowed herself a half smile on a job well
done.  Now she must escape Death who, despite his robes
and scythe, was out of the tent.  Elizabetta sprinted
and jumped.  The flying bone-handled dagger buried
itself in a pirate's chest as she narrowly got past his
swinging sword and behind him.  Would the dagger be
satisfied with the death of another?  Elizabetta did
not plan to wait around to find out. Neither did she
wish to wait around while archers arrived.  That Death
was right behind her was enough.

Elizabetta pushed deftly through some bushes knowing
that the skeleton's lighter weight would make bushes
more impenetrable to him than they were to her.  She
headed for an area of the forest near the camp where
she knew the bushes, brush and undergrowth would slow
death to a crawl.  She heard pirates behind her, but
she did not run straight.  She put the darkness of the
pre-dawn night and obstacles between herself and her
pursuers and stuck to shadowy areas of the camp as she
fled, not letting them get a clear shot at her back.

At last she made it into the forest.  The darkness
would hide her from all but death, and the thick
foliage ought to hide her from the dangerous skeleton
even if the darkness would not.  If she could evade him
long enough, she believed dawn's light would fight him
for her.

Doanthalas heard Elizabetta making her way through the
forest.  She was far behind him.  Humans were not fleet
of foot in the undergrowth.  For a human, her passage
was quiet, but to him distinctive.  Like him she had
chosen the thickest woods to cover her escape.  He was
about to go to her...

The assassin broke through the bushes and jumped the
narrow path.  Elizabetta stopped abruptly on the far
side of the path.   She stared at the end of the handle
of a scythe against her breast.  She knew the blade
must have passed through her, but it had been so fast,
so fast she had hardly felt it.  Already blood was
soaking her shirt.  Where had it come from?  "How," she
gasped.

Roger stepped from behind a tree.  The darkness made
all but the skull within his black hood invisible.
"Your life force is as a beacon to me, assassin.   It
is true you pass through this foliage more easily than
I, but did you honestly think it would hide you from
death?  I simply took the path and intercepted you.
Even you are relatively blind in this darkness, but I
am not.  In life, I served an unscrupulous master with
unswerving loyalty.  You have done the same.  Now you
will join my master, Mortaebius.  He will set a new
task for you."

As if to punctuate Death's words, the blade he had
thrown through the hole in the tent transfixed her from
behind, but she was already dead.

A single tear rolled down the elf's cheek as he
hastened away through the forest.  He had caught the
faint sound of the death skeleton's voice on the wind.
He turned east and hurried towards the rosy glimmerings
of dawn.  He would miss her; he would miss them all.

[Rapina]030 Seeping Toxins

"Aiii!  That'll do it, Drake, I don't want th'
tourniquet so tight as to kill me leg completely.  Damn
poison 'as been seepin' up, fer hours.  I can't feel a
thing from me toes ta th' middle of me thigh."

"But sir, the wound is just a scratch," Drake said.

"Aye, a scratch on me ankle, and I washed it out with
brandy only seconds after that blasted bolt creased
through me jammies.  I screamed bloody murder like I'd
been hit for real, an I think I fooled that wench
assassin.  She didn't know I shimmed up towards me bed
a bit while she warr occupied with Roger an 'is knife.
Otherwise the wench would 'ave hit me square in th'
chest.  A real pro that one warr, but no one escapes
death," Jack chuckled.  How is th' sun doin'?

Drake exited the captain's tent and then came back
inside.  "It's not quite down to the tree-line sir, but
it's getting there."

"Good, I'll never admit ta bein' grateful to that ol'
warlock after what 'is collegue did ta me men, but he
brought Roger, an Roger just saved me life, an I hope
ol' Kroz can make that savin' permanent.  This pois/g
seon's tryin' ta undo what Roger did.  Any news on th'
trackers?" Jack asked.

"None Sir, they've been at it since dawn, and dusk will
be here soon," Drake said.

"No one in camp could identify th' man Doanthalas
killed afore comin' ta confront me assassin, so he
could be a local, but 'e's too well equipped ta be a
farmer, " Jack said.  "He's got the weapons and th'
look of a tracker.  As soon as our mage gets here 'e
can sniff th' place o' death fer magic.  Damn!  I hate
bein' so dependent on a bunch 'o spooks!  Gettin'
famous has ruined th' piratin' business!"   Anyways,
Arzeal, Dido and a few men are out lookin' for th' dead
man's base camp.  Could be tharr's more than one spy
out tharr."

"Arzeal, reporting Sir," Arzeal said as he scratched at
the captain's tent flap.

"Aye, come in Arzeal.  Did ye find a camp or a new
spy?"

"We found one of his traps, sir."

"Who did ye loose?" Jack asked.

"The recruit named Binge we took as a flanker is down
and dieing, sir; we had to carry him back.  A spiked
snare trap hit him.  We are not sure if the trap was
set by the dead man or someone else, but it was getting
to be too dark to track anyway, so we all returned."

"Damn spies and assassins seem ta be comin' out o' th'
woodwork since Doanthalas and Rage got back here with
you an' me daughter.  Heinie Li'Yeiraun never did have
a mage worth squat.   Seems to me all 'e used to have
was a family line o' second rate tea leaf readers ta
help 'im with his investments.  I'd 'ave been dead ta
rights years ago if that ass had had a real mage.  Any
change in that department Dido?  Who's th' Li'Yeiraun
mage at the moment?

"Nordula, sir," Dido said.

"Has he got any talent?" Jack asked.

Mansun Dido squeezed his chin between his thumb and
forefinger.  "It is true Lord Li'Yeiraun's mages never
could seem to give him a straight answer as to where
you were, Captain.  Their hope was in Nordula, he had
more talent than either of his forebears on account of
the peasant wise woman his father's tea leaves pointed
at to be the boy's future mother.  When he had grown
some, they used up a great deal of the money their line
had siphoned off the Li' Yeirauns and a sizable
contribution from their lord to send Nordula for
outside training.  When he returned from his schooling
he was able to do a few notable spells, creating
sounds, flashes of light, balls of blue magic that
could inflict wounds, that sort of thing."

"Aye, true sorcery, but nothing compared to teleporting
a man's body," Jack said.

"Yes, I see what you mean, but it is possible Nordula
has improved and I may be, in part, responsible," Dido
said.

"An' how might that be?" Jack asked.

"There was an old mage who lived in a deep forest to
the East of the Lord's lands.  We were sent to find and
bring him in for questioning.  Lord Li' Yeiraun said
the man was implicated for harboring a fugitive.  I now
have my doubts.  The mage fought us and we lost many
men to his spells, but he was old and frail.  After a
few volleys that decimated our ranks and sent us
running, Nordula noticed the old man was using spells
of lesser potency.  We regrouped from what should have
been a route, doubled back, and ambushed him just
outside his abode.  Nordula was able to wound him with
a spell from behind while his magical shield was
directed towards fending off the swords of my men.
Once wounded, the mage lost his concentration, his
shield dropped for a moment, and we cut him down right
on the doorstep to his abode.  Two more steps and he
would have been inside.   I was not involved after the
initial mission, but from what I heard, Lord Li'
Yeiraun hired a group of mercenaries to clean the
mage's abode.  His books now sit on Nordula's shelves.

"Aye, so it could be tharr was somethin' to those
volumes an' Nordula has become more'n a second rate tea
leaf reader," Red Jack nodded, and then knocked on the
large chest at the foot of his bed.  "Are ye awake yet
Roger?"

"I never really sleep sir, but the sun makes me...
drowsy."

"Well, it ain't quite down yet, but I need ye ta get
hold o' Kroz as soon as ye can.  Doanthalas killed a
spy before he came ta stop th' assassin wench last
night, and there may be other spies at large as well.
We already lost one man to a trap.

"I will relay the news to Kroz, Captain.  I do not know
if he would wish to become embroiled in such mundane
matters, but I am sure he will come for the assassin's
body if you wish to sell it to him.  I believe
Elizabetta is the perfect subject for an advanced
animation."

"Aye, I'll trade 'er cadaver for a cure ta this poison
if he can get me one."

---

"Captain Jack,  Kroz is here with Rapina and he brought
some ghouls, but he left them at the graveyard.  He is
willing to infuse you with life force to heal the
damage done by the poison if you have a donor," Arzeal
said.

Okay men take me out ta th' infirmary, thar's not a
moment ta loose, damn poison's up to me hip."

Within the ship's tent, the pirates were eating dinner.
Fist one, then another blood-chilling scream
interrupted the men's meal.

"Damn sorcery!  It's gonna to give us all a belly ache
fer sure."

Back at the infirmary tent Kroz entered and addressed
the captain, "How is the leg, Captain?"

"It's still tinglin,' thanks ta Binge, here.  The
captain patted Binge's freshly dead corpse.   Heh heh,
we were both dead men 'fore long.  His dyin' sooner is
goin' ta buy 'is captain some time."

"Without another donor, that is as much as I can do for
you.  If you have the bolt, I may be able to determine
what sort of poison was used.  There may be an
antidote."

"Ye mean ye don't think Binge's whole life is going ta
be enough ta quench this damn poison?"

"Your body will have much more energy with which to
fight the toxin and the damage it has already done will
be healed, however my spell does not neutralize the
poison.  The poison will begin to do damage once
again," Kroz said.

"Damn!  Will we 'ave to take me leg off?" Jack asked.

"It would stop the poison, however you would then be
minus a leg," Kroz said.

"Aye, and what kind o' leader would I be without even
enough leg fer a peg?" Jack scowled.

"We could remove the flesh and leave the bone.  I have
Wedge's hand for him.  I will put it on as soon as he
is brought here.  If you find its functionality to your
liking, we could prepare your leg similarly."

"Here sir," Wedge said.

"Recruit, Kroz 'as got yer hand for ye."

"Splendid, you have arrived, Wedge.  You have a
decision to make.  Let me see your wrist.

Wedge held out his stump.

Kroz carefully fitted Wedge's cleaned up skeletal hand
to the bone of his stump and made a few incantations.

Wedge inhaled involuntarily.

"You have a decision to make, young man.  Your skeleton
is now whole, but you cannot move the bones of your
dead hand, can you?"

Wedge grimaced, "No sir."

"With magic I can give you that power and you will be
able to use it.  It will not, however be any stronger
than the hand of a pampered woman.  If you wish to
serve the god of the dead, I can ask him for his
blessing and additional divine magic.  Your hand will
become formidable in its strength.  You will have no
trouble wielding an axe or a heavy blade, but you will
also wield that blade in the name of the god of the
dead, for you will have a connection to him.  Do you
understand?"

Wedge nodded gravely, "Like Roger?"

"Yes," the necromancer affirmed.

Wedge grinned evilly.  "What do I have to do?"

The necromancer's rasping laugh filled the night.

-----


As quietly as a man could, Gariot Hansfeldt made his
way through the woods.  He held the glowing red bit of
glass aloft and smiled.  One of his traps had been
sprung.  He could see the spikes were deep in the body.
One protruded from the chest of the corpse.  He shook
his head as he thought to himself,  "I should have
known they would be looking for me.  Well it's too
late, they had their chance to find my base camp, and
now I don't have the magic pendant anymore, and I will
not know where the new camp is even if they catch me.
Gariot bent down to examine his handywork."

"Agh!"

Gariot's eyes bulged as the corpse stuck to the spikes
grabbed his face.  The smell of rot seemed to thicken.
How could the corpse be moving?

Edgar the ghoul jumped from the bushes and clawed
rapidly yet savagely at the side of the tracker's head.
He would not let up while he had the advantage.
"Kkhahah," he signaled.  The stench in the area soon
grew in magnitude as Kent sunk his claws into the man's
back and neck.  The victim froze.

Kent removed the tracker's weapons and chittered
happily as Edgar and the newly created zombie of the
pirate named Binge carried their paralyzed victim back
to Red Jack's camp.

---


Brackston blanched.

Wedge opened and closed his skeletal hand so that all
the men within the ship's tent could see it.  A great
vat of stew simmered over the foot of a seated flaming
skeleton.  Bedrolls were spread all around the ship,
for the men had moved out of their chill barracks tents
to where the heat was.  Wedge grabbed a heavy axe and
swung it, "Ahahahah, it's strong, see, I can wield the
best weapons again!  Pitty me now, Slice.  Ahahaha! The
power of the god of the dead is in my hand."

"Oooiiiiakakakahhh!" Kent screamed.

"Thane looked up from an engaging magical conversation
he was having with Rapina under what would soon be the
ship's bow.  "Arzeal, I believe Kent has found some
measure of success.  He is calling us from the
graveyard.  Rapina, carry on."

---

"It is not a man I know whispered Mansun Dido from the
bushes.  If he is working for Lord Li' Yeiraun then he
would have to be new."

"No doubt," Kroz rasped.

"How did yew find are camp?" Brackston questioned.

"I just stumbled upon it.  I had no idea what it was,"
Gariot Hansfeldt said.

Kroz softly imitated the caw of a crow.

Brackston caught the sound of the raspy crow and knew
the tracker was lying, "Yew think I believe that?
Bloody Brackston pulled the man's shirt off.  Gariot
Handsfeld was chained in an upright position between
two stout posts.  His legs and arms were spread and the
lash had already torn his shirt to shreds."  Brackston
reached around front and undid the man's belt, and then
he walked around front and unbuttoned Hansfeldt's
pants.  The tracker looked at the pirate incredulously.


"Yew better start tellin' th' truth.  How did ye find
us, how did ye get here?"

"I told you, I rode," Hansfeldt said.

Brackston jerked the man's pants down and pulled his
sheath knife.  He played the tip over the man's balls.
Yew think yew're really tight lyin' ta ol' Brackston.
I'll bet yer tight," Brackston shoved his middle finger
up the man's butt.

"Hhhh!  Don't you dare sodomize me!" Handfeldt
hollered.

"Heh, heh, if yew insist, but I was going ta use the
branding irons an' save that for latter, Heh heh..."

Hours of pain passed.

"This man is surprisingly resistant to torture," Kroz
said in a bored tone.  "I believe he lasted something
over three hours in Brackston's capable hands."

Mansun was sitting on the cold ground, his back to the
scene.  It was something he had long ago decided he
would rather not see.  He was here as a second opinion
to the magic of Kroz, to help give Brackston an idea of
whether or not the man was telling the truth if the man
were working for Lord Li'Yieraun.  It almost didn't see
fair.  Whenever the tracker lied Brackston knew, and
the tracker suffered for it.

"I was teleported by a mage, damn it!" the prisoner,
Gariot Hansfeldt, finally admitted.

"Where were yew, who done it, and how was it done?"
Brackston asked.

Gariot cried, "I was hired out from Turnmoor and paid
in gold.  The mage, Nordula. told me to hold my breath
and he started casting some kind of spell, and then I,
I just appeared." The prisoner said.

"Where did yew report to this mage ta be teleported?"
Brackston asked.

"In Turnmoor," Hansfeldt said.

Brackston heard the crow and grabbed ahold of a
branding iron.

AAAIIIIII!  Castle Yieraun.  It was at Castle Yieraun!"
Hansfeldt admitted.

"... That's better, now where did yew appear and what
were yewr orders?" Brackston asked.

"Ouu! Please, I was put in a handstand before Nordula
cast the spell.  He told me when I arrived I was to
pick up the pendant dropped by the other man, and that
it would be right under my head, and then I was to set
up a temporary camp.  I left the pendant there."

Brackston heard the caw of a crow, smiled and went
behind the man.

Gariot stiffened as the pirate drove his fleshy rod
into the raw pain of his bowels.  "Ahhhii! You already
know when I'm lying, why do you even ask?"

"Because I like ta fuck yew, yew ass!  Now yew tell de
whole truth or it'll be back ta the brandin' iron."

Hansfeldt shuddered, "All right, all right, the mage
sent two more men earlier tonight.  I was to keep watch
on the pirate camp and go to a specified location two
days every week to pick up the pendent and make my
report," Handsfedt said.

"Why don't they just leave the pendant with you?  If
they ain't watchin' our camp, how come they need it?"
Brackston asked.

"I don't know!  Aaaiii!" Hansfeld said.

"Why do you think?" Brackston asked.

"I, I think the mage needs the pendant to teleport men
to.  I was teleported to the pendant, and so were the
other two.  I held it up and each appeared under it in
turn," Hansfeld admitted.

"So while yew watch our camp, Nordula fills another
camp with soldiers, is that right?" Brackston asked.

"Yes, I think that's the plan.  The river is too choked
with ice, I don't think they can send a ship, so they
are sending us with magic," Hansfeld admitted.

"Why don't they send yew overland?" Brackston asked.

"The Lord here doesn't like Lord Li' Yeiraun.  Isn't
that why Red Jack holed up here?.. Aaaouuch!" Hansfeldt
asked.

"Yew got to remember who asks and who answers..."
Brackston said.

---


"Aln I see yourrr rum and raise you  ahhrum," Dodge
slurred.

"Yourr on," Pike blinked.

The two men slammed back still another round of rum.

Rapina raised her eyebrows.  Pike had come over just
after Kroz had left and the pirate named Dodge had
complained about Pike trying to keep the "wench" for
himself.  Things had escalated from there, but not
exactly the way she would have thought.  Dodge
maintained that a contest of arms between he and Pike
would be unfair, instead, he had challenged Pike to a
contest of cups.

"Yooouulll never oud dlink me, Piike, I've been annn
alcoholic since birff, I suck-kled ale ad mmy mmother's
tteat, hic," Dodge slurred.

"Tthen why are you wavering aaand I'm ssstill sssteady
as a rrock?" Pike asked.

Dodge tittered, "Yyew, sssteady?  Yyewer jusst a-about
ta falll.  One morrre rrround ought ta havvve it, hic,"
Dodge said.

Another round was poured and the two men tossed it
back.

Rapina wrinkled her nose, both men were astoundingly
drunk, how Dodge figured he was going to make use of
her company if he did win the drinking bout was beyond
her.

The cook raised his eyebrows, already the men had drunk
their way through Dodge's stash of rum,  "One of you
better fall now, we're out of rum."

Ssusorry, me dliink all yer rum, but meee nod fallin'
Whho gott's more?" Dodge asked.

"Llookss a draw," Pike said drunkenly.

"Stoker, you got some rum, give it up," Creaser said.

"Should I sir?" Stoker asked.

"Ooonly iff hee's mmman ennnough," Dodge slurred.

Pike slapped the table, "Hhaull id oud."

"Yes sir," Stoker grinned evilly and retrieved a bottle
from his sea chest.  "It's strong stuff Sir."

"Dodge tittered."

"Yyou thththink weee carrre?" Pike asked.

"I see your point sir."  Stoker filled both cups near
to the brim.

The two men slammed back their drinks, and Stoker
immediately filled them up again from his bottle.

"Doouble err nothin'," Dodge said slamming back his
cup.  Pike downed his drink a second later.  Stoker
swiftly refilled them.

"Gggive it ttime ttoo settle, Pike wavered."

Dodge tittered, "Eee's fllagin'."

"Bbbbahh, bbrink id on," Pike said.

The two men slammed back four more drinks in rapid
succession.

"Uhhhooooo" Dodge said as he kept going backwards after
lifting the next cup.

Pike finished the fifth drink in the set, and began to
stand up.  "Baa, liddlelightwade."  For an instant,
Pike looked a little surprised, "Oooooooo"

Stoker and Greasy barely managed to catch the Norse
giant's body.  Once caught they pulled him to his bed
roll.

Rapina looked at the lust written all over the faces of
pirates dragging Pike to his rest, and then suddenly
realized what was going on.  Jack was in his bed
nursing his leg, Arzeal was far away in the night with
Kent and the ghouls, attempting to find the spy's base
camp to see if he had left any evidence of a plan
there.  Brackston, Thane, and Mansun Dido were
interrogating the captured spy.  Rage and Skitch were
on night guard duty.  Pike had been the only officer
present, and the only man likely to protect her
"virtue."  Dodge was likely a dupe of an alcoholic
given free booze in exchange for attempting to drink
Pike under the table, but Pike was a huge man, and
known to drink a bit himself.

From Dodge's slipped remark, the original owner of the
first bottles of rum had probably been Greasy, and the
last cups poured by Stoker had come fast and furious,
and the rum?  Rapina snatched the bottle from the low
table in front of her and tipped the bottle way back,
concealing the fact that she took only a tiny swig.
"Haahhh," she rasped.  Tears came to her eyes as liquid
fire burned down her throat.

The pirates laughed as the spellbinding wench clutched
her throat from the heat of the rum she had just
downed.

The rum was nearly one hundred percent alcohol.  It all
made sense now, Stoker knew the contestants were too
drunk to taste just how strong the new rum was, and he
knew if he got enough of it into them fast enough, it
would not mater who fell first, both were sure to go
down.  Rapina realized she had about one second to put
her own spin on things before the raging river of the
pirates' lust chose a channel other than the one she
would try to send it down.

"No officers?" Rapina asked in mock innocence.  Then in
a husky, conspiratorial tone, "Want to have some fun?"

A hearty roar rose up from the pirates.

Rapina smiled provocatively, "Okay, I'm going to need a
little music, something slow and sultry, and something
to dance on.  How about that scaffold?  Some of the men
looked a bit disappointed.  The river was trying to
escape Rapina's channel.   And Zit, could you be a dear
and collect my clothes when they fall?" Rapina asked as
she diverted the lust back to her channel.

The Pirates grinned lustily, "Oh Yah!," they cheered.
Men hastened to move a section of scaffold to the
central location Rapina had indicated.

"My good things are all gifts from Kroz to beautify his
household, and I'm not sure what kind of sorcerous
experiments he would perform on someone who damaged
them.  Rapina glanced at one of the flaming skeletons.
Just be a dear and put them in your sea chest.

Zit nodded gravely.

"Cmon! Wench, get it on!  Chops began to play his
bongos as a pirate next to him fingered chords on a
lute.

Rapina tossed her cloak to Zit and mounted up on the
stage.  She was suddenly the soul focus of fifty lusty
pirates.  Lust tingled up and down her spine; she
practically vibrated with it as it raced up her legs
and down her arms.  Almost in spite of herself, she
began to tug at it as she danced, with every sway of
her hips, every stretch of her long legs she grabbed
and tugged.  In the past, she had always pulled on the
lust of a single man, now she found groups were a
little different, but came just as naturally.  The
music helped, but the tugging did nothing to slow the
men's appetite for more skin.

She was her own worst enemy.  She had thought that if
she kept them entertained for long enough, surely one
of the officers would happen by.  Now it was impossible
to say what she wanted.  Their lust was so thick she
could almost touch it, and it was making her so hungry,
so wet, she was embarrassed and yet intrigued all at
once.  For so long she had made due with just one man,
now she was looking at a multitude.  Involuntarily, she
licked her lips like the vampire Zit had taken her for.
Rapina's breathing increased as she stepped out of her
dress and kicked it into Zit's waiting arms.  Lust
nearly overwhelmed her as the pirates' eyes caressed
her scarlet lingerie, her involuntary moan was
swallowed by the music and a thousand lusty comments
about her curves.

Her, long legs, her high, round butt, her rich, round
breasts, everything she showed them brought a rush that
overwhelmed her reason.  Her bustier came down, her
breasts jiggled freely, Her garters were unclipped as
she passed the groping fingers of the pirates at the
edges of the makeshift stage. When they tugged down her
panties she had fallen back into a roll and when she
rolled up on her feet again as Rames had drilled into
her in his classes on unarmed defense, she had her own
panties in her hands, dangling from her long delicate
fingers, taunting the men, tugging at their lust.

"Woooo-hu, now thar's a real wench!  Blackjack reached
out and wiped his fingers over the inside of Rapina's
leg, just above the knee.  Then he thrust his fingers
into his mouth.  Mmm-mm, that ain't sweat, mates!

"Oou, that's a PIRATE WENCH!" Glinter hollered.

One of Rapina's silk stockings fell off, a casualty of
the sock-pulling and rolling game the reaching pirates
had come up with on their own.  Her bustier was open to
her navel and sliding down over her hips, but none of
that seemed to matter because she was trying very hard,
very hard to keep from shaking.  She felt like her eyes
should be glowing or something, she felt so much fire
in her body.  Her other sock was pulled from her foot
as she stepped up, and then as she swung from a cross
beam, her bustier fell to the stage.  Other than the
choker Kroz always made her wear when she came to the
pirate camp, there was nothing left to take off, and as
far as she knew, the choker could only be removed by
magical means.

Rage stomped a bit to remove the snow from his boots
and then re-secured the exit flap.  "Wow, it sure was
warmer in the ship's tent than it was outside," he
thought.  As he turned, he realized the music and
cheers had stopped, and fifty pirates were looking at
him.  But when the fifty-first looked at him he gasped
for breath.  His cold, tight balls fell nearly as
rapidly as his shaft rose.  "Aaagh."  For a second he
was going to ask Rapina why she was standing naked on
the scaffold, he was going to scold the men, but his
breathing was way too heavy as he walked to her.  She
was perfect, she smelled like lust, and he had her
undivided attention.  He should have told her off for
inciting the men.  He should have done a lot of things,
but something was wrong with his head and he could only
think about one thing, getting it into her, getting it
into her now.

Rapina idly wondered why her fingers were unbuttoning
Rage's pants, and why she was breathing like a winded
horse.  Someone threw a bedroll over the planking
behind her.  Rapina pulled down his breeches and she
brought him down.

Rage kicked off his pants and thrust like a stallion,
again and again.  Rapina was so wet there would have
been no friction at all had it not been for the muscles
within her, stronger and more facile than those of any
woman he had ever known.  She squeezed him, she pulled
at his seed, she called to it from her wet depths like
a sea of sirens.

The pirates cheered.

Rapina felt as though she had nearly broken something
inside of her holding back her need so as not to
consume Rage as he came violently, fountaining his lust
into her bottomless hunger.

EEEEYAAAAAAAH!  His orgasm seemed to last forever.
When it finally ended he went limp.

"Stoker!"  Rapina rolled the pirate officer off her and
smiled her hunger at the instigator of the drinking
contest.

Had Stoker paused to wonder why the pirate wench had
rolled a limp, exhausted Rage off her body, he might
have hesitated to bed her. However, he had been
plotting all night, and he was not the kind of man who
easily let the spoils of victory go free.  He was on
her in an instant.

Rapina wrapped her legs around him and bucked like a
mule, she had nothing left in her to hold back with,
she pulled at his seed like a crazed animal.  Had it
not been for the cheers of the pirates, she felt
certain Stoker would have lost his nerve.  Perhaps he
would have been better off if he had.

Stoker's eyes rolled back in his head, he had bedded
more women than he could count, and he had never cared
much whether or not they were willing.  The wench
beneath him now was a wildcat, a hellion, a succubus,
and every stroke pulled him down to hell and then shot
him straight to heaven, he moaned, heaved, pumped, and
gasped.  This was extreme, something felt wrong, but he
could not stop, he just couldnot stop.  It felt so
good, he had to spend, his thrusting was compulsion and
she squeezed him, clutched him, pulled at his lust with
a force he could not comprehend.

Gaaaaaaaaaaah!  Stoker's eyes nearly popped out of his
skull.  Had any pirate been in the right position to
see Stoker's eyes, he would have screamed in terror.
Fortunately, no one saw it, no one but Rapina.

Rage got unsteadily to his feet.  Damn!"

The pirates laughed.

After several minutes of Stoker's gasping orgasm and
spewing seed, Rapina's hunger was blunted and she
relented.  Rapina rolled Stoker off her body and tried
not to notice how limp he had gone. "Greasy!" she
chimed, almost cheerfully.

The cook lasted only a few minutes before he joined his
deathly comrade with a long, eye-popping orgasm.
Rapina rolled him aside and was about to speak, but
another pirate jumped between her thighs before she
could say a word.

With Stoker and Greasy Rapina had lost control -lost it
utterly; but she felt much better now, a little more
herself.  Her clutching wetness was just a joy, and if
she just relaxed and let the men fill her mind and body
with power and pleasure, she would not draw dangerously
on any one of them.  Stoker and Greasy had paid for
their perfidy, but the rest would be just fine.  She
whispered comments, sometimes requests or even orders
to change positions and sometimes endearments as each
pirate bedded her.  Her lively cunny supped
gluttonously as each pirate came powerfully, spewing
seed and energy into her hungry depths.

Few lasted more than five minutes, but hardly a second
would pass between the time one man drenched the warmth
of her clutching vagina and another entered.  It was
almost as though one tireless pirate was bedding her,
and because of that she began to come, and come, over
and over.  She was so sensitized by all the lust and
life force being pumped into her that very nearly
everything drove her to orgasm.  She would peak, then
after a few minutes peak again, and for whatever
perverse reason, vanity, or perhaps revenge, whenever
she did, she filled each man's mind with fealty, utter,
unabashed obedience and worship for their goddess of
lust.  If these pirates thought with the brain between
their legs, then she would command their minds.

Zit realized he was the low man on the totem pole
because everyone had gone up on the makeshift stage,
and several had been on the platform twice, yet he had
not been given a chance at all.

Rapina closed her thighs and turned after sending
Blackjack to the platform.  "I've seen you others
before, let Zit up first, it's not fair keeping him a
virgin forever."

The pirates laughed.  Several in the crowd piped up,
"Get Zit up there, no pirate should be a virgin, it
aren't right."

Zit crawled up onto the platform at last.  He lifted
his palm, the bedroll was afloat in goo.

Rapina giggled.

Zit smiled, and then his mouth fell open as he saw
Rapia's breasts jiggle.  They were so full and pert,
and her nipples were standing up like little pink
towers.  He couldn't quite imagine how she had fit her
breasts into her bodice.

Rapina saw what he was looking at and pulled him to her
breast with a finger under his chin.  He suckled her,
and then she grabbed him around back.  She put her hand
between his buns, found the base of his penis and
pulled him to her.

Zit moaned as Rapina guided him into her and caressed
him inside her.  He hardly noticed the rasping laughter
from across the tent.  He just coursed in and out of
Rapina's captivating cleft.   Hearing the laughter she
clasped her palms over his ears and pumped harder
against him.  He moaned and thrust a while longer then
started coming grandly.

Rapina released one of Zit's ears and pulled him into
her with her right hand between the cheeks of his
behind.  Feeling the delicious pulsing at the base of
his cock with her wrapped fingertips as he came long
and hard.  She bucked against him cried out as she too
began to come.  As her mind touched his, she became his
princess, his sovereign, his queen, and yet one who
held him with great affection.

Kroz chuckled and it amused him all the more that it
came out as a wicked rasping, for his death robes made
his voice sound so very undead.  "Well now, while the
cats are away, it appears the mice will play."

Rapina massaged the base of Zit's waning cock and
looked up at the approaching death mask of Kroz.  She
felt far too good to be embarrassed.  "Rauw," she
mewed.  Zit's organ began to re-engorge.  Rapina
grinned like the cat who had just swallowed the
cannary. "They started it," She said.

Kroz laughed so hard his death robes could hardly cope
with it. He pounded his knee as he looked at the many
sleeping pirates and the gaggle still waiting around
the stage.

"Did you want to see if you could take on the entire
camp?" Kroz asked.

"No, I'm just having fun," Rapina smiled.  Her hand
caressed Zit's behind as her loins moved gently around
his hardening rod.  "Besides, there had to be a few on
guard duty, so it's not quite the whole camp. Zit was
the last of them, and I had to complain to get him a
spot.  Those others are greedy; they're here for
seconds.  Rapina suckled playfully at Zit's neck.

Kroz raised his eyebrows beneath the death mask.  There
was a man lying near the edge of the stage.  Kroz
rolled him over.  He looked dead, but he was erect, and
the very tip of his cock was gray.  Thane took a tiny
hand mirror from within his robe and held it near the
man's nose.  It steamed up, but barely.  "Mmm, he
seems... exhausted.  Was he the first?

Rapina blinked, but did not pause in the slow thrusting
of her hips.  "The second actually.  Rage was the
first, but he just walked in after I danced for them.
I thought I was stalling until an officer came and I
succeeded.  An officer did come, just before they
started in, but there was so much lust, I was...

"Primed?" Kroz asked.

"I was um, Stoked," Rapina grinned.  "Rage, well he
could tell I was ready.  He didn't say anything, he
just came up, and, I couldn't keep my hands out of his
pants.  I didn't tire him out too badly.  This whole
thing, it wasn't his fault, he just walked into it."

Kroz chuckled, "Your sense of justice never ceases to
amaze me Rapina.  And this..." Kroz indicated the
comatose man on the edge of the stage.

"Stoker," Rapina sighed and smiled dreamily as she
continued to pump Zit's erection into her wanton cunt.

"Stoker was the instigator?" Kroz asked.

Rapina nodded,  "I think so.  He and Greasy supplied
the rum for a drinking contest between Dodge and Pike,
the only officer here."

"Kroz laughed. "And you saw the whole thing coming?"

"Not as soon as I should have.  Pike won the contest,
but the last bottle of rum, the one Stoker supplied,
was extremely strong.  I tasted it after Dodge went
down, it nearly burned my throat out, and Stoker had
been pouring them fast and furious at the end of the
contest.  Pike had enough in his stomach to make him
pass out, he just didn't know it until about two
minutes after he had won."

Kroze smiled beneath the death mask, "So the contest
was just a way to neutralize the officer protecting
your virtue.  It really didn't matter who won, both
lost."

Rapina moaned with pleasure, then nodded, "It was very
clever, actually.  Stoker would have taken advantage as
soon as they laid Pike down, but I offered to dance for
everyone before he had the chance."  Rapina giggled,
"At the time I thought I was stalling for time, but oh
did that backfire on me.  I should have known better,
so many men, so much lust, how could I resist?"

"Indeed."  Kroz stepped up onto the stage and stepped
over Rapina and Zit to examine something hanging from
one of the posts of the scaffolding.  It was a pair of
trousers with sheathed weapons still attached.  Kroz
seemed most interested in an impressive-looking sword.
He went around behind it and mumbled a few
incantations.

"Well, I hate to break up your little party, my dear,
but it is nearly dawn and we must get back to the
abode.  We have some urgent business to take care of in
the laboratory." Kroz said.

"Okay, I'll get cleaned up," Rapina smiled as she
continued her wanton rutting.

"Splendid.  Tell me, to whom does this weapon belong?"
Kroz asked.

Zit grunted, "Those are Rage's things, sir, I hung them
up for him while he was busy."

"Ah, that makes sense, I must consult with Red Jack a
moment, so I believe you two will have time to finish
up after all, not that you really appeared to be
stopping," Kroz chuckled.

----


While Thane slept, Rapina retired to her room, but she
could not sleep.  She was simply buzzing with energy.
She took a catnap, but otherwise read for the entire
time she would have slept.  After he had arisen, Thane
ate a rushed breakfast, and then went down to the
laboratory to try to discover what kind of poison
Elizabetta had used on Jack.

Sometime after nightfall, Rapina set "lunch" out for
the two priests of Mortaebius.  "Here you are
Guardians.  Any luck on the poison?"

"Yes, the toxin used comes from a tiny insect.  It
takes a great deal of trouble to make, but it is one of
the most deadly toxins known, which explains why the
scratch on Jack's leg was enough to sicken him so.
Ordinarily the toxin kills in a matter of seconds, but
if the dose is exceptionally small, it works more
slowly.  The poison could still be fatal.  Once
introduced it works on the nerves, including the brain
and the nerves that control the heart.  I must return
to the pirate camp yet tonight.  I contacted Roger just
after dark, and Jack is already in dire need of another
infusion of life force to regenerate his body.  Short
of a magical potion or the spell of a priest of a god
of healing, the poison cannot be neutralized. We shall
have to hope he can find a continuous supply of
victims, or Jack may not make it.  Thankfully, the
nobles of Turnmoor have provided us with at least one.
-----------------

It had been several days since she had seen the pirates
and Rapina was in Thane's magical library with five
books open on the floor. A single flaming skeleton
stood in an alcove near the door.  Ordinarily she might
have taken the books to her room, but she did not see
the point.  Neither Thane nor Rames was home to scold
her, and the book she was reading required many
references just to understand.  No sooner would she
close one reference, than she needed another from the
shelf.  The book she was trying to understand was the
book on magical theory that Red Jack had allowed her to
read when she was a pirate.  Thane owned all of Jack's
old books now.  She had picked up the book just after
returning from the tryst with the pirates because she
needed a challenge.  The energy from the pirates was
keeping her quite alert, and she saw no reason not to
use it.

Rapina fingered the choker around her neck.  Thane made
her wear it whenever she was away from the abode, and
now it appeared she must also wear it whenever both
priests were out.  It was little more than a slave
collar, she supposed.  It was odd that Thane had not
put it on her when she made her mock escape from him in
Granville.  No doubt, he had been testing her.  A few
days ago, Thane, or Kroz as he now liked to be called
sent Rames on some sort of assignment.  He was still
gone, and Thane had gone to infuse Red Jack with
another nightly dose of life force to keep him alive.
Rapina knew he would also check on the results of
Kent's ghoulish scouting efforts.

"Rapina!?" Thane called out.

"In the Library!" Rapina answered.

"Ah, I should have known.   Thane frowned at all the
books scattered across the floor.  For an apprentice
who does the bulk of the cleaning around here, you seem
to be quite at home with slovenly habits.  I see you
did not even button your bodice this morning."

Rapina giggled, "I can't, Guardian."

"No?"

"I gained a cup size from bedding the pirates.
Actually, I'm not as big as I was a few days ago.  I
could probably button at least one or two buttons now,
Rapina said."

"Mmm?" Thane asked.

Rapina stood, took Thane's skeletal left hand and
pushed it down the front of her dress.

Thane's jaw dropped.  Astonishing!  As you know, I can
feel life force with that hand.

Rapina nodded, "Yes, that's why I took your left hand
and not the other.  I'm sure the right would have been
more pleasant, but I don't think you would have gotten
the point.  The other point is, I'm really just reading
the book in my hands, the other five are references,
and I keep having to pull more down from the shelves.
This is a very hard book.  I think you might have kept
it on the shelf in your room had it not been for the
fact that you knew I had already seen it.  It was
Jack's."

"Ah, yes, I know the volume.  It is a difficult work,
not the sort of thing an apprentice would normally try
to tackle.   Why are you locking horns with it?"

"I was so charged up from the pirates, I needed the
challenge.  I am nearly done, I've been at it for
several days."

Hard at it too, I believe your standards for the
cleanliness of the Kitchen have slipped.

"Oooo," Rapina put her hand to her lips.  "I forgot to
tidy up after lunch."

Thane chuckled.  I see you are not far from the end.
Do not break your chain of thought now.  You can attend
to the kitchen at dinner, which can be simple fare
since I will be busy and Rames is not due back until
tomorrow after dusk.

"Thank you Guardian Thane.  I could really use the
time.  I do believe I finally know enough, and have a
big enough library at my disposal to be getting
somewhere."

"Indeed, I will discuss the work with you when you have
finished.  I read it myself shortly after it came into
my possession.  It is a valuable though confusing
treatise.  One more thing, Rapina."

"Hmm?"

"How did you fair when the shadows drained you when you
foiled that little assassination attempt I cooked up
for Red Jack not long after you all arrived on
Graveston isle?

"They seemed to tap my reserves before they started to
hurt me.  Are you out of victims for healing Jack?"
Rapina asked.

Thane chuckled and shook his head, "My dear, you are
far too familiar with the way I think.  Yes, the spy
lasted through four drains in two days before death
claimed him.  Since then the Captain's more loyal
officers have donated life force of one drain apiece.
More would be too dangerous.  Red Jack is still by no
means well, indeed, his straights seem more dire each
time I see him.  I am healing some of the damage, but I
cannot touch the poison itself.  He needs more just to
keep him alive.  Yet, I do not believe he wants to
start using crewmen to keep himself among the living.
Given that one powerful but remote group already
appears to know the location of his camp, I do not
think he wishes to betray his location to other groups
by locating local men and having me drain the life out
of them.  The life force you store appears to be of a
somewhat different character than what I am used to
draining, but as long as it is drainable, it is worth a
try.  You will come with me to help Jack tomorrow
then?"

Rapina nodded, "Yes Guardian.  I wonder, why are you
helping him so much?  You have been there every night
since he was poisoned.  It is not in the contract."

Thane chuckled, "There would be no contract without Red
Jack, that and he has already made his payment.  He
gave me the fresh corpse of Elizabetta, a highly
trained assassin, a rare gem, and I have been working
on her and the enchantments I must learn to complete
her every available hour since I got her back.  I have
had to purchase the corpses of two lesser assassins at
great personal expense just to practice on. Moreover, I
have had to appeal to our cause and ask favors of
several Mortancers of Mortaebius so that I can learn
the process aright and make no mistakes on her
enchantments when she is ready.  I will see you at
dinner.  I still have much to do.  If I am successful
in these next few days, I will have learned a second of
Mortaebius' advanced animations."
---------------------

The next evening at Dusk Thane, as Kroz, used the
graveyard mists spell to transport Rapina and his
guards to the pirate camp.

"I will consult with Kent.  Mayhap you would like to
try to glean some more energy before we try this.  I
see you were able to button your bodice this morning,
though the fit of your dress is too tight," Kroz said.

Rapina nodded and hustled towards the camp with a
couple of guards Thane had assigned to her.  Their
mailed feet crunched the packed snow on the path as
they followed her.  When she entered the ship's tent,
she saw that things had changed somewhat.  The ship was
both more and less built, and a body of a recruit hung
from one of the posts.  It appeared that the men were
making the ship, but also disassembling and packing its
parts for transport by sled.  Red Jack was probably
getting ready to run, but he was probably too sick to
do it just yet.  Rapina rubbed her tingling nose as she
looked around and then realized that a number of the
pirates were already lustfully looking at her, tickling
her senses.

"Lust on deck!  Phhhweeetphweew!" Blackjack bellowed.

Rapina blushed and felt her nipples erect as a great
deal of lustful attention had its effect on her.  The
men had adopted a horse whistle instead of the usual
naval whistle they sometimes used before formal
speeches of the captain.  It appeared she had taken on
new rank, although the rank seemed pregnant with humor.
Rapina covered the "Oh" written on her lips as she
realized the suggestion her mind had cooked up to give
the pirates when she had slipped into their clutches a
few days ago.  She would just have to do it again,
maybe the pirates would become a little more serious.

"Hi men, it looks like you've been hard at work."

"Not as hard as we'd like ta be!" Glinter blurted.

"Oh yea!" The pirates hollered as they gave Glinter the
thumbs up.

Just then Brackston came into the tent, "Captain says
'e's not feelin' up ta satisfyin' de red hot wench
tanight.  Yew men think ye can fill 'is shoes?"

"Aye!" The pirates hollered.

"Damn right we can!" Stoker said with fanatic zeal.

Rapina raised her eyebrows.  After the way she had
abused Stoker the last time she had seen him, she was
surprised he had any interest.  Yet it was apparent
from his eyes that he was obsessed, like an addict who
had been debilitated by opium, yet craved more.

Brackston whispered in Rapina's ear, "Captain Jack says
yew're th' last person 'e wants ta steal life force
from.  Only reason 'e's willin' ta try this is Kroz
says yew got a little natural talent fer sex magic.
Th' Captain will give it a try, but only if yew can
charge yerself way up with yer magic snatch.  Red Jack
don't want yew hurt from Kroz's deadly hand.  Yew fuck
them men, and yew fuck them good, understand?"

"Yes sir," Rapina blushed.

A section of scaffolding was already being moved to the
center of the tent, and a few bed rolls and blankets
were being tossed on top of it.

Rapina jumped up on the scaffold.  "You sure you can
fill Jack's shoes guys?  Jack's got a wicked tongue and
he is awfully long-winded."

"We'll do it 'er die tryin!"  Greasy shouted.

Rapina felt a familar touch on her back and then a
man's fingers began unlacing her bodice.  Rapina looked
over her shoulder.  Arzeal?

"Not the circumstances I would have chosen, but these
men can be rough, best to start well-warmed with a man
who will treat you right."

Arzeal did treat her right.  He undressed her and
caressed her in front of the men like a master showman.
When it was time, he kissed her everywhere, then knelt
to drink the juices from her wanton cleft until she was
writhing over him like a wildcat.  She came powerfully
and touched his mind with affection and only then did
he enter her.  Being half elven, he was slightly
shorter than she, but it worked beautifully for the
standing positions.  By the time he was finished with
her she was sopping with lubrication, and the men were
cheering and lusting so palpably that Rapina's whole
body seemed to vibrate with their sentiment.

After Arzeal broke the ice, pirate after pirate mounted
her, each pumping the power of his loins into her body.
Man after man took her, some she recognized, Stoker,
Greasy, Rage, Skitch and others.  She had seen many of
the remaining pirates but she hardly knew them.  The
entire camp seemed to be participating.  The guards
even changed while she was moaning on her back.

Rough hands grabbed her ankles and pulled her nether
lips even with the edge of the scaffold.  At the same
time, Slice stepped over her, straddled her chest,
knelt down and played with her breasts.  Rapina's mouth
opened as she realized what was happening.  Brackston's
rough hand reached around and grasped Slice's throbbing
organ, but instead of entering the boy, he entered
Rapina.

"Slice leaned forward and whispered to Rapina.  Take as
much as ye can from him, Wench.  He was the only
officer who would not give Kroz a jolt.  He doesn't
trust the old warlock, but he trusts you.  You take him
hard."

Rapina nodded, she clutched and pulled at Brackston's
seed with all her strength, holding nothing back.  She
could hear him grunting behind Slice, and when she did
catch a glimpse of him, his eyes were rolled up in his
head, and his mouth was open and drooling.

UuuaaaaAAAAIIIIIeeeeu-u-u... Brackston came for what
seemed an eternity. Rapina used nearly all of her
strength, pulling nearly as hard as she had on Stoker
the other night.

Brackston tried to stand, but fell forward and
collapsed on the platform next to Rapina.  "Was that
hard enough Brackston, she whispered?"  For several
minutes her only answer was a glassy-eyed stare.

"Aye, close enough.   Yew take it easy on Slice."

Rapina nodded. "You can bet on it, because I'm sorely
winded from tugging your guts out," Rapina giggled.

"Wench!" Brackston groaned.

"Some guys like it rough, and some like it nice and
easy," Rapina said pushing Slice down her body and
engulfing his erection.  She pulled Brackston's hip
towards her and put Slice's hand on the side of his
exhausted lover's rump.  She could tell these men's
lusts did not run strongly for women, but their efforts
on behalf of their captain were touching.

As he peaked, Slice's eyes opened and then popped wide
in a look that communicated both intense ecstasy and
surprise that he could be having it at the hands of a
woman.

Man followed man until Rapina affectionately embraced
Zit and nuzzled his earlobe.  He looked overjoyed to
see her and she could not help dallying with him a
little longer than she needed to.  He was a perceptive
boy.  Somehow, he had known there was something about
her that was unusual, and now he seemed to understand
that she was not a vampire in the usual sense, but that
he had not been entirely wrong about her either.

When Zit rolled off her with a contented sigh, Arzeal
was there to clean her up, get her dressed quickly and
whisk her off to the captain's tent where Kroz was
conferring with Jack and Roger.

"Tharr's me wench," the captain said feebly.

Rapina bent and kissed Jack's lips.

Jack spoke so softly Rapina could barely hear him.
"Aye, lets get on with this afore I can't keep me brain
workin' namore.  Th' poison's reavin' me soul.  These
treatments 'er pullin me back from th' brink o' death,
but it seems like they're pullin' me back less far each
time."

"This may not work, but if it does not, perhaps we can
find a volunteer among the men for a second drain.
Kroz removed the gloves from his hands and began to
cast the first spell.  Unlike Rapina, he had no means
to store life force in his body for any length of time,
thus the first spell drained Kroz's own life force and
bestowed it on the Captain.  Kroz placed his hand on
Jack's head and grimaced as his energy flowed into the
ailing pirate.

"Aye, some better, some better, I can feel th' damage
healin' an me headache, dullin' down towards bearable."

The second spell would draw life force from Rapina to
replace Kroz's loss.  Kroz droned the incantation.

Rapina loosened her bodice and pulled it out so that
Kroz could reach in at the right moment.  When he did,
she was not entirely ready for the squeal of surprise
that came from Thane's lips as he drained a goodly
amount of her reserves.

"How are your reserves?" Kroz asked.

"I've enough for another," Rapina said.

Thane hurriedly cast the draining spell again and
grabbed Rapina's other breast, then before the drain
was even complete he began hurriedly casting the energy
bestowing spell.  This time he placed his hand on
Jack's solar plexus, and poured Rapina's energy into
the dieing pirate.

"Balls o' fire, this'd be th' first time I ever got a
ragin' instant hard-on from the touch of a skeleton.
What was in that?  I'd like that spell again," Jack
chuckled.  "I ain't just tinglin, I feel warm all over
too.  Will you kiss me Kroz?  Jack laughed
uncontrollably."

Kroz cleared his throat.  There is a peculiar property
to the energy.  I noticed that right off.  By replacing
what I had lost and then draining a second time
immediately followed by the bestowal spell, I have
attempted to give you a dose of Rapina's energy in a
purer form, more directly from her.  I have no ability
to store energy, but I attempted to transfer it before
it had a chance to dissipate.  I am curious to see if
it is as effective as the life force I wrench from
myself and others."

"Tharr's no contest on that score, Kroz.  I've been
through this enough ta know what one o' yer energy
transfers is supposed ta do an' how much.  Whatever
Rapina's got, it trounces ye in th' healin' department.
All along there's been a dull fire in me nerves, 'an
even when th' life force ye give me healed th' damage,
th' fire's been still there, eatin' away at me.  All
around me chest an' upper legs, I'm feelin' that fire
goin' out.  Maybe it's just the hellish hard, hard-on I
got that I'm not feelin' things aright, but I think I
got 'em square.  Leave me be fer a bit and I'll let ye
know how things come out.

"What happened to the recruit hanging from the pole of
the ship's tent?"

"Roger, Brackston and I have spent a great deal of time
over the past few nights searching for additional
spies," Kroz said. "After all, there were two outside
spies; it stood to reason there might be an inside spy
as well.  I have a plan to deal with this sorcerer of
Li'Yieraun's, but it would not do if he had a spy in
our camp.  After questioning everyone but the old
officers, we found that we indeed had a spy.  He was
working for an assassin in Turnmoor, possibly
Elizabetta's boss Palo, though he did not use that name
when he hired the boy.  We made use of his life force,
and then hung him up as an example."

Rapina grimaced at the fate of the boy but smirked in
spite of herself.  Kroz was being much more helpful
than the contract Roger had hammered out with Red Jack
said he had to be.  Surely, he was insuring the future
of his contract, but Rapina felt that there must be
something else.  Perhaps Kroz saw some gain for the
church of Mortaebius or himself.

---

[Rapina]031 The Shadows of Wizardry

"You look stunning poured into black silk, my dear,
does she not?" Thane asked.

Rames rubbed his hands together and held them near
Rapina's loins as if by a fire.

Rapina giggled.

"I see only one problem with your outfit," Thane said.

"Hmm?" Rapina asked.

"This is a night operation, and your blades are
silvery, far too reflective.  If you should find
yourself in battle, your blades would betray your
position. Try these instead."  Thane held up a pair of
black leather sheathes.  The hilts of the weapons they
contained were also black leather; the metal of the
pommels and hilt guards were dull black as well.

Rapina loosened her belt and replaced her weapons with
the ones Thane had given her.  She drew the rapier part
way and saw that the metal of the blades was the same
dull black color as the hilt guard.  She squinted at
the tang mark, it was the mark of The Montfort Forge.

"Oh thank you!  Thank you Guardian Thane, I love these
Montfort blades.  I really missed the one I had."

Thane chuckled, "Yes, Guardian Rames said that was
painfully obvious.  Now that you will be helping us
handle the clandestine affairs of the Church, you shall
not lack for quality equipment.  I have a darkwood bow
for you as well.  It is somewhat stronger than the one
you are used to.  I do hope you can bend it." Thane
handed Rapina the bow.

Rapina gritted her teeth a bit but she was able to bend
the bow.

"Splendid, Guardian Rames, I shall never doubt your
opinions as an arms master again."

Rames chuckled, "We had a little disagreement over
bows.  Guardian Thane wanted me to get a somewhat
weaker bow, but I felt you could grow into this one."

Rapina smiled, "What's our assignment?"

It is a simple matter, really.  You are to consecrate
several small graveyards to Mortaebius, and create
another.  In order to accomplish the feat, you must
drive your horses hard, luckily skeleton horses do not
tire.  Guardian Rames will show you the maps.  You are
to study them.  Here also is a compass and your copies
of the maps in case you should become separated.  After
you are finished, I shall take you to this Graveyard in
the county of Li'Yeiraun.  You shall make a large
circle around the area as you consecrate and then you
will create a graveyard here, in a forest just east of
Castle Yeiraun."

Other than feeling a bit of soreness in her rump, the
consecration of various graveyards around Li'Yeiraun
was going very well.  Rapina dismounted at still
another tiny graveyard.  A small parsonage to an
agricultural deity could be seen not far off.

"We begin," Rames said. "Hail Mortaebius guardian of
the dead, the dead who lie here entreat thee, hallow
this ground that the dead might rest."

"Hail Mortaebius, keeper of the deceased, we the living
entreat thee, hallow this ground that the dead be held
in thy embrace, to rise only in the direst need,"
Rapina said.

A door to the parsonage opened and closed, "Is someone
there."

In a lowered voice, Rames continued with the
consecration, "Hearken, ye buried and departed, to the
power of Mortaebius coursing through thy rotting flesh
and bones."

Rapina continued, "Harken, ye living to the call of thy
ancestors in Mortaebius' embrace, and know his power
will preserve thee, until death takes life's grace.

Both Rapina and Rames finished the consecration.
"...and thus we close the circle, life and death, the
cycle is complete."

"Food! Food! You got food? Snuffle-snuff!" Rames half
shouted in a crazed voice as the Parson approached.

The parson held a crossbow on Rames.  "Hold up there
beggar."

"Me smell fooood!" Rames shouted.

Rapina stealthily circled the parson in the darkness as
Rames' voice drew his attention.  Since both she and
her companion were dressed in black with their exposed
skin thoroughly sooted, the Parson was having a
difficult time seeing them in the dim light, and Rames
was making sure the parson concentrated on him.  When
Rapina was behind the parson, she poised her hand just
over the man's sword hilt and raised her other hand to
tap on his left shoulder.

"Look out behind you, sir," Rames said.

At that moment the parson felt a tap on his shoulder
and whirled, but Rapina's hand took his sword and
slowed him long enough for her to hit the trigger on
his crossbow.  The bolt fired into the open air as
Rapina's boot kicked the parson off his feet.

Rames was on the Parson in an instant.  Me told you
look out.  Now me look for Fooood!  Rames knelt on one
of the man's arms and searched him.

Rapina stamped on the man's arm as he went for a knife.
Rames snatched the knife and threw it as far as he
could while Rapina removed the bolts from the parson's
quiver and tossed them as well.

"He not got no food.  You go get us food.  We not hurt
you.  Rames stood the man up and pushed him towards the
parsonage."

As the parson hustled towards his house, Rames and
Rapina stealthily made their way back to their horses
and mounted up.  When the parsonage door closed, they
galloped off.

"Whew, that was close.  I'm so glad you warned him
about the person behind him, I think he might have shot
you in surprise if I had just tapped him on the
shoulder."

Rames chuckled, "Yes, it did work rather well.  For a
moment I was almost his friend."

The consecration of the remaining graveyards went
without a hitch, but there was still the one to be
created.  Rames and Rapina rode slowly, stopping
frequently to listen for guards.  They saw a pair of
them walk by in the distance.

When Rames stopped, Rapina immediately dismounted and
took down her shovel.  She dug a hole, tossed an open
burlap sack of bones into it and buried it.    She
paced off twelve paces distance and did the same with a
second skeleton.  Rames was doing likewise, some
distance away.  After the burial was done, they
immediately did the consecration ritual in voices
barely above a whisper.   When they were finished they
stopped and listened for a moment; a pair of guards was
coming.  Carefully they laid down.

"I hate it when the mists rise off the ground like
that, it gives me the creeps," a first guard said.

"Bah, you afraid of spooks?" his partner asked.

"Na, just don't like the way it obscures things."

"Well come on then, lets walk on through there, nothing
to be afraid of.

Rapina held her breath.  One of the guards nearly
stepped on her, but he passed.  The mists seemed to be
thickening by the minute.  After the guards had gone
some distance, Rapina heard chanting in a low voice
from nearby.

"Be very quiet, the guards are near, Rapina whispered
in a barely audible voice."

Rames picked up leaves and sifted them over the small
burried holes until his spell-enhanced night vision
told him the ground looked untouched.  He could see
Rapina was doing the same.

Thane, who had arrived with the mists, checked the work
of the others, and when he was satisfied, handed them
the leads to their horses, took their hands and began
to chant.

Rapina thanked her lucky stars that the guards were not
due to pass this way for another few minutes.  When the
three of them materialized back at the abode, she
breathed a sigh of relief.  "Do you suppose they will
find the tracks of our horses?"

"Nay, I doubt it, the leaves are thick in that area, as
is the forest.  The trail you came in on is well
traveled by horses and guards, so I expect we will be
just fine. However, I did include some insurance on the
skeletons you buried.  Should they be triggered by an
attacker who unearths them, they will stand up causing
a glyph to fire that will send a message to me," Thane
said.

Our work for the evening is not done.  We must
transport a number of skeletons to Red Jack's camp yet
tonight.  I have animated the bodies of two criminals
delivered by the constable as well," Thane added.

When they arrived, Red Jack's camp was bustling with
quiet activity. A number of ghouls combed the area
surrounding the camp for spies while Rames and Roger
took the skeletons to the appointed locations for
shallow burial.  Rapina assisted the pirates in making
a pack train to the graveyard.  The pirates carried
great pieces of their longship, tools and other
supplies.  Thane began transporting groups of pirates
to some far off graveyard.  By the time the birds sung
heralding the dawn, the pirates had removed the ship
from its tent, but the tent still stood.  Within the
tent, bowls of flaming oil had replaced the flaming
skeletons.

In fact, the pirate camp looked much the same as it
always had, except that the number of pirates in it was
greatly reduced.  Those deemed too green to fight well,
plus a few officers that had been put in charge of
building the new camp, were no longer present.  The
pirates that remained put on a show of activity while
the number of guards searching the forest around the
camp quietly doubled in number.  At dawn, Kroz bid the
pirates adieu and took Kent and most of his ghouls with
him as he left.

---

The next night, Thane came to his afternoon "breakfast"
looking as though he was trying to figure out what
might go wrong with a plan he had worked on for many
hours.

"Good evening Guardian Thane," Rapina said.

"Good evening Rapina.  Tonight is an important night.
We will discuss our plan, and when we are done it will
be time to put it into action..."

---

The sun was just about to slip below the horizon when
Rage walked down the path for the guard post farthest
from the camp.

Rage saw the large tree and took the runed cover from
over the stone set in his sword. A recruit he hardly
knew accompanied him to guard duty.  Kroz had told Rage
that the sword he had stolen from Lord Li'Yeiraun's men
had been bugged with a magic stone.  Now it was his
turn to use their little gadget against them.  He
pocketed the cover then went on.  Once at the guard
post he struck up a conversation with the two young
guards, a conversation he knew Nordula would overhear.
"Okay men, you're relived.  Get back to camp quick;
remember it'll be midnight before you know it, and the
captain wants you to get into your groups and be ready
to move out, so make sure you pack up.  We're going to
slip out right under the noses of those spying dogs."

"Aye sir," the youth said as he started down the trail.

"What group're ye in Blood?" Biler asked.

"Me? Number five, how about you?" Blood said.

"Group seven, we're the best," Biller replied.

"Bah..." Blood said.

Rage smiled to himself.  When this guard duty was over,
he would pry the stone from the sword and give it to
Roger.  The camp wards were going to be unearthed and
packed up for the most part, but Roger was a walking
ward.

---

Rapina waited in a shadow.  She was near the cobbled
path that led to the front door of Madam Agnes' House
of Angels.  It was in Yeiraun Villiage.  Yeiraun castle
was a mile walk up a hill to the north.

The disguise Rames was wearing looked utterly
ridiculous, but the one Thane was wearing was an
absolute scream.

Rapina heard the whinney of a horse.

"I can't believe my luck!" Rames said as he played
"Hans." "Imagine that, an out of town gentleman coming
away with the newest and definitely the most heavenly
angel of the bunch.  It was worth the small fortune I
paid."

Lieutenant Richter looked forward to this night every
week.  Yes, every week he picked up a bottle and one of
Agnes' girls and was back to his room for a nine to
midnight romp.  Occasionally he even let one of the
sergeants have a taste.

Rapina started up the path with Rames and looked up at
the lieutenant as he came down the path.  The coy
expression on her face coupled with the tug on the
officer's lust served to grab his attention and slow
his pace as he gave Rapina a good looking over.

"Hans!  Hansel! I know you're in there, I dragged your
words out of that hotel clerk!" Thane said in a
disguised voice.  Thane, dressed as a rather ugly but
convincing woman opened the gate of Madam Agnes' house
with a resounding squeak.

"Hans" stiffened. Swore under his breath, then
whispered frantically to the Lieutenant,  "Sir, I've
got this new girl for the entire night, and she's yours
if you bail me out of what's about to happen with my
damned wife."  Rames pushed Rapina at the Lieutenant.

"Ooo," Rapina squawked as she bumped into the
Lieutenant, giving his lust a little jerk on impact.

The lieutenant had no time to think or react before a
homely woman bore down on "Hans" like a mad hornet.

"Shame on you!  The very idea that you would fraternize
with harlots!  You are a married man!"

"Nonsense, you have it all wrong. Hilda, I'd like you
to meet my friend," Hans said.

"Good to meet you Hilda, my name's Adolf Richter, I'm
an old friend of your husband.  I'm sure he was just
over here looking for me.  We had a lot of catching up
to do."

"We sure did honey, it's so great to see him, why Adolf
is one of the best swordsmen I've ever known.  Uh, he
works for, uh..."

"Lord Li'Yeiraun."

"Yes, and Lord Li'Yeiraun holds him in high esteem.
It's great to see an old friend with such an honorable
post, isn't it Hilda?  I thought I might find him over
here at the, uh house of the ladies.   I heard he, uh,
sometimes comes here and I was um going to ask around
and see when he'd be in.  Low and behold I bumped into
him coming out with this young lady and we've been
catching up on old times ever since."

Hilda looked a little nonplused, "Well, thank heaven
you weren't frequenting this house of ill repute as I
had first suspected.  Hilda glared at the Lieutenant.
You should get yourself a wife, Adolf.  These ladies
are evil, you understand? eeevil!  Now come along Hans,
you get away from this place."

"Yes dear," Hans whimpered as Hilda hauled him towards
the gate.

Richter chuckled, "Poor sap, it's men like him who
remind me that a smart man never marries."

"Men like him remind you?" Rapina asked innocently as
she tugged at Richter's lust.

"And girls like you," Richter smiled saltily. "Lets
stop in and see Agnes a minute."

"Okay, have you got some money?" Rapina asked.

"Shit, do you think she'd charge me for you all over
again?" Richter asked.

Rapina smiled, "Um, I just got here yesterday; do you
think she would?" Rapina asked.

Richter looked at the door uneasily, then back at
Rapina.  Damn she was so young, and so breathtaking.
He could pay for her all over again but that would
cost... nah.

Richter did an about face, took Rapina's hand and led
her down the walkway, "What's your name?"

"Leanna." Rapina smiled.

---

Edgar the ghoul peered down from the treetop.  Not even
the half-elven sentries posted around the perimeter of
the Li'Yeiraun camp could see him.  His corpse was as
cold as the air around it.  As of a few minutes ago,
men were frantically donning armor, filling quivers,
and generally racing around as if about to go into
battle.  Edgar climbed down the tree.  He had a message
to get to Kroz's assistant.

---


Richter knocked on the heavy door, "It's Richter, open
up."

A grizzled old Sergeant opened the door.

Simply because she was an imp, Rapina tugged at the old
Sergeant's lust.

"Oi, who's th' girl?" the sergeant asked.

"Got her down at Agnes'.  Damn pretty, isn't she
Sergeant Deinzen?" Lieutenant Richter asked.

"Jah!" Sergeant Deinzen agreed.

"'Leanna, this is Sergeant Deinzen.  I Got her for the
whole night," Richter grinned.

"Let me know if he falls asleep on ya," Deinzen
chuckled.

Rapina blushed, "Okay," she said smiling.

The lieutenant led her through the heavy door.  It was
evident that Mansun Dido had given accurate drawings
and descriptions of Castle Li'Yieraun to Thane.  The
plans had come at a price however.  Thane's little coup
was to be much more bloodless than originally planned.
At night all doors to the castle were barred and bolted
from the inside with large, heavy bars and huge metal
bolts.  The only way past the barred doors was down a
corridor that led right through the guard barracks, and
only the Lieutenant had the key into the castle proper.

Rapina followed the Lieutenant down an isle that went
through a large room full of bunk beds.  On the other
side he unlocked a heavy door and entered a corridor.
After ten more paces he opened a door on the left and
took Rapina through a small office room where he
grabbed some glasses and a corkscrew for the bottle of
wine he'd bought while in town.  On the other side of
the office was the Lieutenant's bedroom.

"Who says a man who's supposed to be on call every
night of the week can't have a little fun," Richter
grinned as he passed Rapina a glass of wine.  Richter
looked at the beauty he had picked up and took a moment
just to gloat on his good fortune.  He began to wonder
just how much stuffing she had packed beneath her
breasts to make them look so full.  Heheh, turn around
girl.

Rapina turned and felt the Lieutenant's fingers
unbuttoning her dress. His breathing was rapid and hot
against her neck.  Her nose twitched as his lust
tickled her senses.

"Heheh, step out of that now, I want to see what you've
got on under it."

Rapina turned, blushed and stepped out of her dress.
The black satin lace teddy underneath had been copied
from a sample procured days earlier by Rames from one
of Agnes' Angels.

Richter licked his lips and began to unlace Rapina's
front.  When he was finished he slid the teddy's straps
over her shoulders and pulled it down.  Her ripe
breasts jiggled free, her nipples already erect.

a loud knocking could be heard on the outer door.

"Shit!"

"One minute," The lieutenant whispered and disappeared
into the office.

"It's Captain Gleister, get the men together on the
double.  Leave old Deinzen and a skeleton crew.  We
will need every available man.  The pirates are bugging
out and we need to catch them as they leave or we'll
likely not catch them at all.

"Yes sir!" Richter said.

After the captain left, Richter poked his head in the
room took a few more steps and kissed Rapina's nipples.
Damn pirates!  I might be back before morning.  You
stay here until then."

Rapina nodded, "okay."

In the next half hour, Rapina heard a great deal of
activity, and then the castle around her grew quiet.
Rapina took a lamp and went into the office.
Thankfully the lieutenant had not locked the door out.
Perhaps he knew he might not be back until long after
morning or maybe he had just been in too big a hurry.
Rapina laced up her teddy and walked to the door to the
barracks.  It was locked.  She wrinkled her nose,
trying to settle on a course of action.  Rapina
shrugged and knocked on the door.

What the?  Blade drawn, the sergeant opened the door
into the officer's corridor.

Rapina grimaced and jumped backwards when she saw the
sergeant's blade.  Her breasts jiggled succulently.

"Ooo, um sorry to bother you, but the lieutenant left
me all alone in his room.  He seemed to be in a rush.
He wanted me to stay till morning, but there's nothing
to do in there."

"Well, now I'm sure I could find somethin' for ye to do
out here," Sergeant Deinzen said.

"Who's that," asked one of the four guards remaining in
the barracks.

"That'd be th' lieutenant's harlot.  Deinzen laughed,
"He was just about to dip his rod when the captain came
in and told him it was time to pull out."

The guards laughed.  Two got up from their bunks and
came to take a look.

"One hell of a woman too, isn't she, Deiter?" Seargeant
Deinzen asked

"Jah, she sure is," Guard Deiter agreed.

"Hey, I've got somethin' you can do girl.  Watch the
door for me a second, Dieter."

Deinzen buttoned down his trousers and pulled out his
half erect cock.

"Suck."

Rapina blinked as thoughts raced through her mind, "How
am I supposed to put him to sleep with my mouth?"
Rapina slurped him into her mouth and tried to draw on
his energy, but it was no use, the best she could do
was tug on his lust.  Her mouth just wasn't set up the
same way as her vagina.  She knew how to use her throat
on a man, Guardian Rames had taught her, but how was
she going to work any magic if all he wanted was her
mouth?  Rapina smiled inwardly and began to finger
herself as she sucked on the Sergeant.  She tried to go
slowly as she frantically fingered herself.

"Faster girl, I'm supposed to be on duty," Sergeant
Deinzen said.

Rapina's head bobbed up and down, her moans escaping
her throat as she used everything she had trying to get
herself to orgasm before the Sergeant came in her
mouth.

Deinzen shook his head, "ever seen a hoar who enjoyed
her work like this one?"

The sergeant pumped and plunged adding speed to the
young woman's otherwise impressive performance.

Rapina's could hardly stand it she was giving herself
so much stimulation, and then she felt Deinzen shudder
as hot jets of cum began to shoot down her throat.
Just as the man was about to pull out, Rapina took hold
of his balls.  She sucked what was left of his erection
to the cadence of her own slippery clit-teasing finger.

"Heheh, you're a real natural," Sergeant Deinzen said.

1Uhuhaaah, Rapina rode her orgasm to the cloud of
Deinzen's mind and touched him with lust and stiffness
as powerful as those she had inflicted on the late
reverend Evangeline.

Deinzen removed Rapina's hand from his balls.  Whew,
you're a grabby one, girl.  Care for a whirl men?

---

"Huddle closer!" the magician, Nordula said.  "Good,
now hold together."  Sweat ran from Nordula's brow.
Two a night had been about right, now he was
teleporting groups of four men together at once.  He
had already used up every elixir of power and energy
stone he had, and finally he was nearly done.

Nordula collapsed as he pronounced the final word.  The
men disappeared.

"Nordula, I would be gravely disappointed if you were
unable to teleport the remainder of my personal guards
and I," Lord Heinrich Li'Yieraun said.

"Let me rest a moment m'Lord, I will come with you, and
that should make it a little easier.  Teleporting
others without going oneself is a taxing proposition,
without the stone on the other side it is not even
practical.   Nordula wiped the sweat from his brow with
a handkerchief.  He was spent; he knew he would have to
rest for at least twenty minutes.

Fifteen minutes later Lord Li'Yieraun cleared his
throat, "Nordula?"

"Five more minutes m' Lord, and I should have the
energy," Nordula said.

Li'Yeiraun nearly growled.  Finally Nordula stood and
gathered the two bodyguards and his lord together.

Nordula's head felt as though it had been clubbed
repeatedly, yet he knew he must make one last supreme
effort.  He was sure the warriors would be occupied
making preparations until near midnight.  He would
sleep in the camp.  He wrapped his fur cloak around him
and began to incant the spell.  He did not like the way
the evening was progressing.  His plan had been to
transport the men a day or two before the battle was to
take place so he could rest up from the taxing duty of
teleportation, but because the pirates had decided to
try to slip away he was expected to teleport and fight
in one night, but how could he cast when he had used up
all his reserves on transportation?

---


The guard walking the wall of Yeiraun castle cussed to
himself, "Why do I have to take a second shift anyways,
I should be at my leisure, damn pirates!  Wha? did I
hear something? What in hell's up with the lights going
out?  The guard put his hand up to check for rain, then
whirled suddenly, but it had grown so dark.  He smelled
rotten meat.  Someone was there, but before he could
strike out, they scratched him, and he froze solid with
some kind of magical fear.  The ghoul gibbered softly,
crouching in the darkness that seemed to cling to him,
and then moved off down the wall.

The skeletal assassin, Elizabetta, jumped off the wall
above the gate, her blackjack expertly rapped on the
back of the gate guard's skull before she flattened
against the cobbles with the impact of her thirty-foot
fall.  Her charcoal-colored bones were not brittle like
those of lesser skeletons, but instead were firm but
flexible as rubber.  Blunt weapons and falls were now
mere nuisances.

The second gate guard could hardly see, and certainly
could not believe what was happening.  A shadow fell
off the wall?  He swished his sword behind his comrade,
but hit only air.  Suddenly something hit him like a
rubber ball that had bounced from the top of the wall.
Ulch!  His jaw shattered as the flexible skull hit him
like a blackjack.  He fell over backwards and the
creature gouged a spot behind his ears.  Suddenly
everything went black.

Thane smiled within his death mask as the gate quietly
opened.  Under the cover of clinging darkness, Thane
and his guards led a string of black leather-clad
skeletal draft horses through the gate of Yeiraun
castle. A number of double animated skeletons flanked
the horses and when they were through the gate,
Elizabetta waited as her two flexible skeletal helpers
dragged a body each to the gate from the wall.  A
shadowy Kent came up and scratched the men before
dragging them off into the shadows.

"Nnnggugulp," Rapina gasped and swallowed as Deiter
filled her mouth with cum.  She tugged wildly at
Sergeant Deinzen's lust as he pistoned in and out of
her wanton cleft.

"Ooooo..." Deinzen croaked as his orgasm seemed to
stretch to infinity.  The pleasure was so overwhelming.
When it was finally over, he shuddered and collapsed.

Rapina rolled the sergeant off her and gasped for
breath.  Deiter came around to the front of the bunk
and sat her back up.  His mouth latched onto her right
nipple and he suckled her and fingered her clit like a
man possessed.  She reached behind him and massaged his
buttocks.  Eventually her fingers wrapped under, found
the base of his rod and stimulated him.  His staff
rose.

There came a knocking at the great door to the outside.

Guard Dieter ignored the knock, he would get it later,
besides, the knocker had not identified himself, and
that was the rule.  His fingers had tasted what he must
have and now he would have his rising erection between
her lovely thighs.

Rapina moaned as Deiter entered her.

Dieter laughed and cried as he pumped himself between
the gates of Elysium. At last his eyes rolled back in
his head, his loins surged forward and he hollered in
ecstasy.

Rapina drew the power out of the guard with all her
might.  He pumped and hollered for several minutes
before collapsing on top of her.

An insistent knock sounded at the door.  Rapina was
about to roll Dieter off when he pushed up drunkenly.
He was obviously addled.

Deiter shot back the bolt and opened the door.  Wha?

The ghoul scratched Deiter's face and he froze.

Rapina screamed hoarsely.

Kent pretended to scratch Rapina and she froze.

"Ghouls immobilize those guards, bind the wench over
one of the horses, I think I might have a use for her
later on."  Thane cast vision in darkness on Rapina as
Kent bound her over the back of a horse.

He had the ghouls toss the guards into a cell in the
block just on the other side of the barracks.  Once the
last of them was in, Thane shot home the bolt on the
outside of the door.

After the last skeletal horse had come in from the
courtyard, the Elizabetta, the skeletal assassin bolted
the door to the barracks.

Thane opened the door to the officers' corridor with
the sergeant's key and moved his entourage forward.
"Where is the key to the inner door, Thane whispered in
Rapina's ear.

"The lieutenant had a key ring, but he left in such a
hurry, I think he still had it with him," Rapina
whispered.

"Elizabetta, the lock if you are able," Thane said.

The skeletal assassin removed lock picks from a pouch,
worked a few minutes, then opened the door.

"Splendid."  Thane intoned arcane syllables and filled
the room beyond the door with darkness.  Now, take your
cohorts and scout our way to Nordula's chambers."

The skeletal assassins and the pack of ghouls they led
slunk ahead.  Thane and his entourage followed more
slowly.  At last they arrived at the door to Nordula's
chambers.  Thane first dispelled any magic holding the
door fast, then Elizabetta worked on the lock for about
ten minutes, periodically requesting tools from a case
on one of the horses.  Thane filled the rooms
surrounding the entrance to Nordula's chambers with
darkness.  The ghouls and the other two skeletal
assassins scouted for and immobilized guards in the
area.  There were few to remove, however.  The castle
was largely empty.  At last the door opened.

Elizabetta sent her underlings forward to check for
traps.

Thane assisted with his mage-sight, detecting and
dispelling a glyph on the door.  Once the party made it
into Nordula's library, Thane began dispelling magic on
the books, and designating which books needed to be
packed within the rib cages of the horses.  Any work on
magic was taken away.

Once in, the skeletal assassin carefully checked for
secret doors in Nordula's chambers.  Her two cohorts
assisted, while Thane did the same using magic.

Thane found a magical stone in the mantle of the
fireplace in Nordula's bedroom.  He dispelled it, then
carefully pried it off and put it in a tiny metal box.

In the study Elizabetta found a bookcase that slid
aside revealing another bookcase hidden within the wall
behind the first.

"Excellent, you are a fine servant of our god,
Elizabetta."

Kent ran in. "town guardsmen, master."

Rapina gasped, "You've had it now!"

Thane dispelled the books in the hidden bookcase in
case any were magically trapped.  "Examine the case for
mechanical traps then get those books loaded.  I have
other things to attend to."

Thane smiled. "I Have no worries as long as these fools
have no mage," He rasped as he passed her.  I shall
increase the darkened areas of the castle.  You shall
immobilize these meddling town guardsmen.  It appears
that someone escaped the castle and fetched them.  As
the darkened areas grew, ghouls chittered and men
screamed.

"Skeletons, front four ranks, defend only.  Let the
ghouls handle this," Thane ordered.

A lone guard somehow made it past the skeletons and
into the room.

"Thane pointed a finger at him and said, "Death" in the
frightening voice of his death mask.

The town guardsman blanched and ran from the room as if
the hounds of hell were chasing him.

Rapina peered from the back of the horse she was draped
over as if paralyzed. "What hideous spell was that?"
She whispered.

"He didn't give me a chance to cast one," Thane
chuckled.

Rapina groaned.  Thane had simply scared the man.  It
was much quicker than spellcasting.

"Good, I think we are set here; Let us head for the
laboratory," Thane said.

Rapina just shook her head, Thane was so casual.  He
cast spells to detect and dispel while Elizabetta and
her assassins checked for traps and entered the
laboratory.  It was really surprising how few traps
there were.  Rapina supposed it stood to reason since
Nordula was actually using his books and laboratory
probably less than an hour before they had arrived.

Thane snatched up a kettle, some lab books, various
items and reagents from the lab and then had them
packed in one of the horses.  When he was satisfied
they left the laboratory.  Upstairs the ghouls were
slinking around paralyzing anyone who dared enter the
magical darkness.

Once outside the castle, Rapina heard arrows wiz by in
the air.  Thankfully none hit her.  Soon Thane and his
entourage were marching towards the forest in darkness
that was lost in the night.  The ghouls paralyzed those
soldiers foolish enough to enter the inky blackness
surrounding the necromancer's caravan.

Thane chuckled, "I'm sure Li'Yeiraun's troops would
have been better equipped with light stones and such,
but I would venture to guess just about all of them are
being used at the pirate camp along with any other
magical items Nordula might have that would aid in a
battle.  When they got to the previously consecrated
graveyard, Thane cast graveyard mists.

The entourage appeared in a cemetery next to an ancient
temple that Rapina had never seen.  They entered a
stream near the temple and traveled half a mile to a
lake.  There Thane again cast the graveyard mists
spell.  Next they appeared briefly on an island in a
steamy swamp.  They followed an ancient road into the
water, and from there Thane took them to the abode.

"Was that lake a cemetary?" Rapina asked.

Thane wiped his brow and chuckled, "both the lake and
the swamp were sites where a great many bodies were
dumped or fell from ancient battles.  The cemeteries I
took us too were consecrated and or warded, and each
had a rich history behind it.  All these things tend to
be very hard on divination magics."

"Oh, I get it," Rapina said.

"Given that Nordula's forebears were fond of reading
the tea leaves, I decided to make it very difficult if
not impossible for him to figure out my final
destination.  Thane smiled.  Now get dressed, we must
rescue the pirates.  Rames is with them playing Karmoz,
my soldierly assistant who wears a helmet with a
leather mask.  Thane collapsed on a chair in the great
hall, "I must rest for a moment."  Thane wiped the
sweat from his brow.  He had cast far too many spells
already.

---

Fletcher Arzeal grimaced as an arrow grazed his arm.
It was obvious that Li'Yieraun's men included some
half-elves or elves.  The first decoy group of pirates
had left the camp at half past midnight.  They had
spotted the expected ambush and had routed back into
camp, landing many enemies in the pit traps and deadly
snares that had been set up for them.  The center of
the pirates' camp was now a fortified dip in the ground
that had been squared up, its walls made sheer and
reinforced by timbers.  Earth had been spread out from
the walls to make sure fire would not spread easily in
the pirates' makeshift keep.   Some of the old camp
shacks still stood, and the perimeter of the camp was
protected by standing spears and armed skeletons buried
in extremely shallow graves so that the enemy could not
count them. The tent that once stood around the ship
was empty, but it had been left up as a ploy so that
the enemy would believe there was still a ship within.

Arzeal picked off another man and then heard a far off
scream.  He wondered if Edgar was responsible and found
himself almost wishing Kroz would arrive with the rest
of the ghouls.  For now, the battle was a stalemate.
Afraid of the traps set by the pirates, the nobleman's
forces surrounded the pirate camp and attempted to pick
Jacks men off with arrows, however most of the men were
behind solid cover.  Arzeal was busy attempting to fend
off the elves among the enemy, unfortunately, there
appeared to be perhaps ten of them and they were moving
in to attempt to find a way to get at the hiding
pirates.  Almost too late Arzeal spotted the heat
signatures in the trees.  He tapped the man in the
leather mask.  "Ten archers in the trees over there,"
Arzeal said.

The pirates screamed as many arrows found their marks.

"97th archers rise and fire," Karmoz, the masked
warrior played by Rames said.

Seven skeletal archers rose from their very shallow
graves and fired on the archers in the trees.  Their
vision was not hampered in the least by the darkness.

Li'Yiraun Archers began screaming and falling from the
trees as arrows began hitting them.

Well back from the front lines and surrounded by his
personal guard, Lord Heinrich Li'Yeiraun brooded as
news came in from his messengers.

"The elves attempted to use the trees to get high
enough to get by the cover of the pirate earthworks,
but the pirates somehow spotted them, and fired back
picking our men off!" Captain Gleister reported.

"Damn it!  Does Jack have more elves than we thought?"
Count Li'Yeiraun asked.

"It is easy to see that our archers do not have the
visual advantage as we thought.  The enemy has those
who can see and fire on them even under cover of
foliage and darkness," Captain Gleister said.

"Captain, we must use our infantry.  Our numbers are
superior.  Concentrate them and attempt to break the
pirate perimeter."

---

Arzeal listened as a hoard of soldiers came in from the
South, "Ready archers."

A red spotlight directed by the pirates illumined the
approach.   The hired soldiers screamed battle cries
and came forward.

"Fire at will!" Arzeal ordered.

"77th archers rise to kneel, and fire at will," Karmoz
ordered.  A group of ten skeleton archers rose from
their shallow graves and began firing at the enemy.

"Heheh, I see yew."  Brackston fired arrow after arrow
as did every pirate in a wild effort to break the enemy
charge.

"47th archers, rise, wheel right, fire at will," Karmoz
ordered.  77th infantry, ready spears, all set and rise
to crouch."

"Do them numbers have anything to do with anything?"
Skitch asked.

"Other than incorporating a few memory hooks as to what
direction they're in, the numbers have nothing whatever
to do with anything," Karmoz whispered.  The skeletons
are told what group they are in, and it doesn't really
matter to them what the name or number is.  I like to
keep the numbers large so the enemy thinks we have
plenty of squads," Karmoz chuckled.

"Heheh, good deal."  Skitch let fly another shaft and
then another.  Skitch howled with crazed laughter as
the front lines of mercenaries met the raised spears of
the skeletons.

"Ghosts!"  "Skeletons!" "Vampires!"  The mercenary
charge turned into a route as the sheer horror of
fighting undead enemies was suddenly sprung on them.

"Aye, tharr we got 'em!  Pound tharr backs with arrows
men, every one we hit is one that we won't be seein' in
th' next charge."  That warr shock value; th' idiots
don't know it, but they could 'ave won through if their
livers hadn't turned ta lillies.  That hesitation at
th' skeletons allowed are arrows ta do their best work
an' give their fear some grounds, but it warr smoke and
mirrors.  Now they'll 'ave ta regroup, an' that'll buy
us some time.  If Heinie knew how few there are of us,
and how green me men are, he'd be on us in a heartbeat,
but after we turned 'is ambush on th' road into one of
our own, he's broodin'; he don't trust 'is luck, an' 'e
thinks I got a trick up me sleeve as usual.  He'll be
spittin' nails when 'e finds out what I really 'ad up
me sleeve."

---

"Animated skeletons milord, there must have been
hundreds of them," the mercenary commander said.  "My
men were pinned down by missile fire, and when we made
the edge of the camp proper, the undead met us with
spears!" The commander's voice wavered.  "Morale broke
and we routed."

"Fools, you lost your heads.  How many of these fell
creatures were there?  Have you a reliable count, or
have the numbers grown with the telling?" Li'Yeiraun
asked.

"Pathfinder, send a few trustworthy and level-headed
men up for a look.  If we are outnumbered, I want to
know about it.  If not then we must prepare for another
charge.  Incompetent mercenaries!  It is just like that
slippery, cheating son of a bitch pirate to find
himself a dark priest or necromancer just when I have
him in my grasp!" Li'Yeiraun snarled.
------------

It was the better part of an hour before the
Li'Yeiraun's next charge was set up.  This one had a
backbone of his own men behind the mercenary front
lines, and everyone had been informed that a skeleton
could be destroyed much as a man could be.

"What's keepin' that damn Kroz, I sure hope he didn't
sell out ta Heinie.  Arzeal, what's goin' on out
tharr?" Captain Red Jack asked.

"They're massing for a charge, sir, a big one," Arzeal
replied.

"Karmoz, it's goin' ta be all we can do ta hold this'n
back.  If I had ta make a guess, I'd say we're cooked.
I'd move th' bulk o' yer forces up ta th' front they'll
be attackin.'  Then again, I wouldn't put it past Heiny
ta try ta send a little squad up are ass while we're
occupied. "

"I will move the skeletons on the sides somewhat
towards the front, and leave those in the rear as
reserves," Karmoz whispered.

"Sounds like a plan," Jack said.  "Mates, lets be
gettin' every arrow we 'ave left out an' ready, thisn's
goin' ta be big, and we might not live through it.
Damn necromancer's still playin' hookie.  Thank all th'
gods 'e brought us a hoard o' arrows night before last.
We're going ta need 'em."

A few minutes later the charge was sounded.

Arzeal climbed a large tree in the camp and took cover
behind a stout limb.  He was the first archer to begin
firing.  His elevation, night vision and accuracy were
second to none.

The pirates could see a little better than usual as the
mercenaries had brought a few mage lights with them and
many of the bodies gave spotty illumination to the area
of the forest they had come through.   As soon as the
enemy could be seen, the pirates let fly.

"Shoot fast, but make 'em count, mates."  The captain
drew back his bow and fired.

Many men fell to the pirate archers, but the enemy got
closer and closer, soon melee broke out between the
front lines of the attackers and the skeleton spearmen
at the perimeter of the camp.  The pirates continued to
ply their bows from the fortified center of the camp.

"Good evening," Kroz said as he dropped the illusion he
had used to get Rapina, his ghouls and skeletons from
the graveyard to the pirate camp.  "It looks like the
skeletons could use a hand."

"Glad ye could make it, I was beginnin' ta think ye
were workin' fer Heinie." Jack snaped.

Kroz droned a few syllables and the front line was
engulfed in darkness.

"Nay, the packing took longer than expected, and I had
to use a bit of misdirection to guarantee I would not
be magically tracked later.  What is the news," Kroz
asked.

"Th' news is that tharr is a charge we 'aven't got a
snowball's chance in 'ell o' stoppin.'  Got any bright
ideas on how ye're going ta get us outta here before
they're on top of us?" Jack asked.

"I have brought a few additional troops. And this
scroll of shadow summoning," Kroz said.  Thane rolled
out a scroll and intoned the spell.  The shadows seemed
to coalesce into something shaped vaguely like a human.
Kroz pointed at the creature, "You will obey Kent, this
ghoul.  Kent, you and your ghouls will keep the enemy
occupied while I escape with the pirates.  Eat when it
is safe, and double or triple your number if it is
convenient.  I will set up as much magical darkness in
the area in addition to what I have already cast on you
and yours as I can before I leave.  Be advised,
however, that the other side has a mage.  If their mage
begins dispelling the darkness, then rout and use hit
and run tactics around their parameter until near dawn.
At that time find burrows and dig in.

When Li'Yieraun pulls out, I will come to collect you
and your new friends.  During the nights to come,
continue using hit and run tactics.  If you are doing
well, see if you can locate and loot the tent of their
mage, Nordula.  Use a diversion to draw him away or
wait until he steps out on his own accord if that
proves practical.  Do not risk yourselves unduly once
we have left.  At that time your primary objectives
will be to survive, feed, multiply, and demoralize the
enemy"

Kroz began casting; darkness engulfed more and more of
the forest around the pirates.  Now whisper it to the
next man, join hands, then we go South forty paces to
an area I prepared earlier.  Kroz cast vision in
darkness on the pirate officers, then resumed casting
magical darkness until sweat bristled from his brow.
The last spell put out the lights in the pirate camp.
The men began to march South.  In the darkness, they
could hear the ghouls at work on mercenaries who had
won their way past the skeletal troops.

Kroz took hold of the hands of Rapina and Red jack and
placed them on his shoulders.   "Let us pray."  Kroz
set up an illusion spell to echo the murmurings of the
pirates so that the source of the sound could not
easily be located, and then began casting graveyard
mists.

"Hail Mortaebius, Lord of the dead..." Arzeal stood at
the perimeter of the group of pirates.  He let fly one
shaft after another, assisting the ghouls as they kept
the enemy confused and away from the pirates.  A
recruit kept his hand on the archer's shoulder and kept
him moving as the group stepped forward slowly while
the mists rose. Arzeal droned the prayer to Mortaebius
he had learned as he sent mercenary after mercenary to
join the god of the dead.

When the mists cleared, Rapina and Red Jack were
holding the necromancer up.  "I must rest.  I do hope I
got everyone," Kroz rasped.

"All right, get yer red lights on, lets see who we
got," Red Jack ordered.

Rapina moved the slider on her mage light and illumined
the area around her in Red.

The captain and the officers took stock and conferred.
"We lost about ten ta death before th' escape, and four
either got lost 'er Kroz didn't get 'em moved 'cause
they weren't touchin th' rest of us, er weren't prayin'
ta Mortaebius.  Those men'll be missed.  Thanks ta
Slice, it looks like we still got Bloody Brackston.  Ye
can tell me how ye liked yer first transport by magic
later, Brackston."

Some of ye may wonder what this warr all about.  Well
what we did was Kroz took a stab at their mage while 'e
warr occupied with chasin' us pirates.  If it works,
then that mage is going ta have a harder time nailin'
us, and at the same time, are mage is goin' ta be more
powerful.  Also we made areselves some money, an I got
me wench a little extra education, on account of
negotiatin' a good deal all around.  If we're lucky,
Kroz may be able ta retrieve some o' th' cadavers from
tanight's battle, but ye never know.  It depends on
what ol' Heinie does now that 'e's out there all alone.
Now lets get movin'  Tharr's more'n a few miles ta
cover afore we get ta are new camp."



The story continues in [Rapina]032 Yieraun Castle

copyright 2001, by Rapina

The Touch of Darkness

Back to, The Jolly Roger, page
[Rapina]027 In The Eyes of a Sword
[Rapina]028 The Touch of Darkness
*[Rapina]029 Spies and Assasins
[Rapina]030 Seeping Toxins
[Rapina]031 The Shadows of Wizardry

[Rapina]027  In The Eyes of a Sword

Once Jack Had shaken on the deal, he asked about the
particulars.  "Now when will ye be puttin' up yer
protections again' other mages an' how?"

"Have you buried any recruits or spies near the camp?"
Roger asked.

"Aye, we've got a small collection o' graves o'er
yonder," Jack said.

"Good, Rapina and I will consecrate the graveyard to
Mortaebius yet tonight, and   Kroz will come tomorrow
night to get a closer look at the area and place the
wards for the camp. Even now you are not totally
without protection.  I have within my skull an
enchanted item that wards an area the radius of the
length of a longship around me.  If I am aboard a
vessel it will be protected from faraway remote viewing
by a special enchantment that influences remote viewing
to be unable to see people and their constructions.
Terrain will otherwise appear as it really does.  For
closer-in viewing, such as when an enemy mage knows or
stumbles on the exact location of a ship or the camp,
enemy mages will see natural-looking magical static
that obscures vision.  In addition, teleportation magic
will not function normally within the confines of the
ward.  Those teleporting in will be killed or severely
wounded when their materialization is scrambled
somewhat, and those trying to teleport out will fail to
dematerialize.  In addition, I should be able to detect
remote viewing when it is attempted within the ward.
Enemy mages will be dealt with as Kroz sees fit," Roger
said.

"Kroz will be in tomorrow night?  Then I'd like ta
invite Rapina ta stay here tanight, would that be
aright?"

Roger paused a moment.  "Kroz says She may stay now and
leave with him tomorrow night if she wishes," Roger
said.

"Aye then will ye stay girl?" Jack asked.

Rapina nodded.  "Sure, but I'm not used to sleeping at
night.  Kroz keeps a nocturnal schedule."

"That'll be fine, ye can do yer consecratin' and catch
up w' the night watch once I'm sleepin' if ye like.  I
think Rage is on one o' th' posts tanight. Meantime,
I'd like ta hog ye fer a bit soon as I get Roger
situated to 'is night's work," Jack said.

Rapina nodded and smiled.

"Roger, I'd have ye work here in me tent if it weren't
fer th' fact that I'd feel silly tryin' ta romance me
wench with a walkin' bag o' bones in th' room.  On th'
other hand I got a heap o' book work for ye.  We got so
much new goin' on, and wi' only six o' me old men here
I've been putin off th' book work somthin' fierce.
What little 'as been done, 'as been done by me an'
Drake, an' he's somewhat new at 'is letters so 'e ain't
near as fast as ye are.  I'll fix ye up with a table in
th' supply tent right next ta this tent," Jack said.

"Rapina, this'll take me a bit as I'll 'ave ta explain
ta Roger what's happenin'.  Why don't ye go back ta th'
fire an' catch up with what men are still up 'an around
while ye wait," Jack said.

"Okay, I'll go scare Brackston." Rapina smirked.

The captain laughed as they exited the tent.

Rapina went back to the camp's central fire.  There
were several men sitting around the fire, including
Pike who was there with some bandages.  He was talking
to Brackston and Skitch.

Rapina sat down next to Pike.

Brackston looked uneasily at Rapina.

"I'm sorry I couldn't do any better for him, Brackston,
but I got the distinct feeling it was this, another
execution, or Jack and the rest of you loosing as much
weight as Roger.  Rapina took Pike's hand and started
bandaging it properly.  "You don't have any herbs, do
you?" Rapina asked.

Pike shook his head.  We don't have a leech, and even
if we did, it was already getting cold before we got
the camp built.  Otherwise maybe Arzeal could have come
up with something.  Doanthalas is around here too, but
only since yesterday.  He and his woman Elizabetta,
Rage, and the Li'Yeiraun pair, Mansun the pathfinder
and Adriana Li'Yeiraun.   It turns out Adrianna is
really Captain Red Jack's daughter on account of some
foolin' around he did with Heinrich Li'Yeiraun's wife
years back."

"Jack has a daughter?  I'd like to meet her," Rapina
said.

"She's bedded down for the night, but I expect you'll
be meeting her in the morning," Pike said.

Rapina nodded.  "Sorry about the hand."

Pike grinned, "That was my fault.  After all those
arrows bounced off you and Roger, I should have had
more sense than to try something.  No hard feelings
though, I know you're doing the best you can for Jack."


Rapina nodded.

"So what's that necromancer like.  I mean as a man?"
Pike asked.

"Kroz is intense, a bit scary, very intelligent and, as
long as he respects you, he's a fair man," Rapina said.

"Are you his mistress?" a young pirate named Zit asked.

Rapina smiled at the armed youth who stood nearby.
Blemishes scarred and speckled his face.  "I'm an
apprentice to Kroz actually.  I clean the house, make
the meals, tend the garden and study every spare minute
I can find.  Lately I study more because there's no
garden in the winter."

"Rapina here used ta be a crewman," Skitch said. "I
helped ta train her up meself.  'Best ruttin' student I
ever had."  Skitch chuckled.

Rapina blushed.  "Basic was tough for me.  Thankfully,
I had a number of friends and benefactors here.  If I
didn't enjoy, ah, dealing with men, I probably would
not have made it.  Watch out for Skitch though, he
drives a hard bargain," Rapina smiled.

The men laughed.

"Rapina, yew warr good as any I raised up, but yew
didn't fit.  Yew were always too damn smart, an' too
pretty a pussy.  Yew put a cramp in me style.  All th'
boys were too busy ogglin' yew ta get in trouble so's I
could pump some brains up their ass.  That 'an I had ta
make sure none o' them boys done nothin' again' yer
will an' th' cap'n's orders.  Right taxin' yew were,"
Brackston said.

"You did good though, Brackston, never gave me any
trouble as long as I behaved.  I think the captain put
me in your barracks because he knew you'd be more
tempted by the boys." Rapina smiled.

"No secret I like th' boys.  That's what keeps 'em in
line.  What kind o' spooks do yew have ta put up wif
over wif Kroz?"

"Mostly walking skeletons, but I don't mind them so
much anymore because they help me with the housework,"
Rapina said.

"Help yew with the housework?!"  Brackston cringed.
"Yew mean yew spend yer days in th' company of a bunch
o' dead men?"

"Kroz is a necromancer, I don't have a lot of say about
his taste in servants.  Kroz procured Kent and Edgar
while we were lifting the rest of the pirate bodies.
He is doing some sort of project on Kent.  I see them
both on occasion, though I don't like to deal with
them.  I think the skeletons are more trustworthy,"
Rapina said.

Brackston shivered, "Ghouls!  I don't know why yew
aren't a jibberin' crazy mess, Rapina."

Rapina took a moment to think about what she had been
through.  "Me neither," she said.

The pirates laughed heartily.

"I guess I'm too interested in the magic lessons to
worry too much about the creepiness of it all.  I can't
say much more, you know how sorcerers are about their
secrets."

Brackston nodded gravely, and there was a brief silence
around the fire.

"Aright wench, I got me skinny assistant puttin' me
sorry books back in order.  Hey, ye know, I'll bet he
never has ta take a pee break th' whole night," Red
Jack chuckled as Brackston grimaced.  Back in the old
days Jack had enjoyed having Doanthalas in the cage
just because having something the men were scared of
made it easier to keep them in line.  Although working
with the necromancer might be dangerous in the long
run, depending on how long the holy war lasted, the
captain knew that having the spooks around would make
his job a whole lot easier.

Jack took Rapina's hand and the two of them started
towards his tent as the captain spoke over his
shoulder," Rapina's nocturnal as a minx, er lynx these
days, men, so she'll be out here again whilst I'm
sawing wood.   I'll catch ye in th' mornin.  I got some
speechifyin' ta do afore th' men soon as they get up. I
want 'em up a few minutes early tamarra, so wake 'em
when the birds start a chirpin' heraldin' dawn but
before th' rosy hues start brighten' up th' sky.  It's
got ta still be dark.  That's important."

"There now girl," Jack smiled as he let Rapina into his
tent.  We got a lot o' catchin' up ta do, but I 'spect
we can do some 'o that tamarra.  How's that old spook
been treatin' ye?" Jack asked.

"He's stern, but fair," Rapina said. "I work hard and
study hard, but the fact that the priest who made me an
outlaw in the first place was of the vindicator makes
me something of a heroine with the priests of
Mortaebius.  That certainly hasn't hurt me." Rapina
smiled.

"I'm glad someone got a lucky break out o' that isle o'
th' dead.  Pickin' that rock fer a base almost made me
a shadow o' me former self.  Then it nearly cost me my
head.  It would 'ave if some o' me good men hadna
escaped ta rescue me.  I jus' recently got Doanthalas
an' Rage back, but they came wi' baggage.  Doanthalas'
toatin' a woman I got ta remember ta have Roger check
out.  She walks too much like a feline fer me tastes,
an' Rage brought me daughter and a condemned Li'Yeiraun
pathfinder with 'im.  I don't trust him neither.  It's
been a real zoo since ye left me.  I got way too many
green recruits an' not nearly enough veterans." Jack
grimaced.

"I'm glad you're making the best of it, Jack," Rapina
smirked as she hung her cloak on a peg on Jack's tent
pole while the pirate captain stoked up his tiny pot-
bellied stove.

Red Jack chuckled, "Aye, that I am.  It reminds me o'
th' old days when I first started out as a pirate.
It's full circle, I guess.  Enough o' business, I been
eyein' that scarlet dress o' yours an' it's drivin' me
up a wall.  As ye might 'ave guessed I once 'ad a taste
fer noblewenches.  I've feasted me eyes on plenty o'
finery in me day, but I can't say as though I can
remember a single one o' them noblewenches who could
fill th' finery like ye can, up down, all aroun'."

Rapina smiled and blushed.

Ye've been growin' up while ye've been gone girl.  Ye
carry yerself different too, like a gentlewoman.  Ye're
gettin' class.  Is that spook a nobleman?

Rapina hung her rapier and weapons belt on the
headboard of Jack's bed, then sat down next to him.
"Kroz did have some contact with the upper crust and he
thought it would be wise for someone with my particular
magical talent and specialty to know deportment, so he
has been drilling me on it."

"Drillin ye?"  Jack chuckled.  Well, whatever else 'e
may be, 'e's taught ye a useful thing er two.  What o'
this magical specialty?  Can ye do any tricks?"

Rapina grinned, "Well, I have a talent, but outside of
that I can't do so much as a cantrip.  Even doing those
simple feats of magic requires several years of
practice to develop the necessary underlying ability,
even if the aptitude is there."

"Ye got a talent at least, is that a common thing for
an apprentice?" Jack asked.

"No, I don't think so, but it's certainly more common
for a magic apprentice to have one than just anyone, I
suppose," Rapina said.

"What is yer talent if ye don't mind me askin', girl?"
Jack asked.

"Rapina smirked.  I think you could answer that one for
yourself, Jack," Rapina stroked her hands down Jack's
chest, pulling at his lust all the way down to his
belly.

"Damn yer good at that!" Jack exclaimed.

Rapina smiled as she started to undo Jack's shirt.
"Talented?" Rapina asked.

"Aye, so that's it.  Ye've a magic snatch," Jack said.

Rapina giggled, then caressed the inside of the
Captain's thigh and watched his skin take on a ruddy
hue as his manhood strained to leap out of his pants.
"I suppose you could put it that way," Rapina said.

"Ye do have knack fer th' bedroom; is that yer magic?"
Jack asked.

Rapina noded.

"What can ye do with that besides make a man fall all
over 'imself?  Jack said breathing heavily as he worked
to undo Rapina's bodice."

"With sex magic?  Theoretically quite a bit, but I need
to develop my talent." Rapina unbuckled Jack's belt.

"I think I can help ye with that," Jack took a deep
breath as he pulled Rapina's dress down and looked at
her scarlet bustier.  "I like this one even better than
th' one I first saw ye in," Jack said.

"This one fits." Rapina smiled.

"Aye, th' design looks ta be made fer yer figure, an
there's even more fillin' th' cups than there was when
ye were younger.  Ye always did have nice tits, girl,
an they just keep gettin' better.

Rapina smiled, stepped out of her dress and folded it
over Jack's chair while the Captain removed his
trousers.  The captain's erection stood at attention.

"Ye're still in better shape than any noblewench I've
seen.  'as ol' spooky been makin' ye carry water aroun'
'is 'aunted castle?" Jack asked.

Rapina giggled, "No, actually I have been training with
an assistant of his," Rapina said.

"At arms?" Jack asked.

Rapina nodded.

"Spooky must trust ye quite a bit," Jack said.

"Yes, that and he's a necromancer, so I'd still be in
trouble even if I successfully killed him," Rapina
said.

Jack chuckled, "I see yer point.  I notice ye carry a
rapier, but it ain't that nice one I got ye.  Is that
what ye've been trainin' at?"

"Yes, I miss that blade.  I'm hoping I can convince
Kroz to buy me another from the Montfort forge.  I've
continued to train in rapier, plus unarmed, and a
little bow work so I don't get rusty," Rapina said.

Jack caressed Rapina's sides and back through her
bustier. "Aye, yer in great shape.  Do ye eat bettern'
ye did as a pirate?" Jack asked.

Rapina grinned, "Yes, Kroz is a wealthy man, his table
is well stocked.  Sometimes I'm the one who stocks it.
We apprentices have to work for a living too, you
know," Rapina said.

"Aye," Jack chuckled as he cupped Rapina's breasts
beneath her bustier then grasped her sides and moved
her onto his lap.  I can see how havin' a woman like
you aroun' would make 'im feel especially wealthy.  'e
sure does dress ye nice.  Where did these under things
come from?" Jack asked.

"Argos, Kroz really gets around." Rapina could feel
Jack's hardness against her cheeks.  His lust burned
through her silken panties and coursed up her spine.

The captain chuckled and turned.  He rose slightly so
that Rapina's rump slid off his lap and then he gently
pushed her down on the bed.  Jack unclipped her silk
stockings then reached under her bustier and pealed the
scarlet panties from her body as she lifted her long
legs.  "I'm just glad he ain't th' jealous type.  Ye
know I found ye that isle jus' so ye could get inta the
company of them mage types," Jack winked as he stroked
Rapina's smooth inner thighs.

Rapina smiled up at the captain, her legs bent at the
knees and slightly apart as she lay on the bed.  "I
should have known you had the whole thing planned.
That was quite a sacrifice to make for my education.
How will I ever repay you?" Rapina asked.

Jack chuckled lustily as he caressed Rapina's nether
lips, already quite wet with lubrication.  "I'm sure we
can work somethin' out.  Besides, I couldn't cheat th'
world out o' a magic snatch.  It would be against me
religion.  It would 'ave been down right sacrilegious
o' me even ta think about it.  Jack's nimble fingers
worked over Rapina's slippery labia, dipping into her
honey and using it to lubricate her swollen clit.  It's
a work o' art, an it's got plenty o' zip an' slip to
it.  A woman with sex drive like ye've got is a rare
jewel.  I'll bet ye could take th' whole camp on an'
never go dry," Jack marveled.

"Sometime I'll have to find out," Rapina said half
seriously.

"Sometimes I think ye already have," Jack said.

Rapina giggled.  She did recall certain very busy
evenings during basic. "Well, not everyone."

"Jfft abot," The captain's voice was muffled between
Rapina's velvety thighs.

Rapina moaned between deep breaths, and before long,
lights filled her mind as she came.  She could touch
Jack's mind from her peak as she might have touched a
gray cloud from a mountaintop.   She resisted the urge
to reinforce the captain's lust and let the cloud go
by, gathering only a hint of her affection as it
passed.

Captain Red Jack brought her to climax numerous times
in the next couple of hours.  Rapina let him take her
twice before sending a sleepy, calming mood to his mind
during her final orgasm.  She took it easy on him, but
not quite as easy as she once had, for she felt he now
trusted her enough that she might let him learn the
truth.  After Jack fell asleep, Rapina cleaned up as
best she could at Jack's basin, then gathered up her
clothes, dressed and headed back through the cold
winter's night towards the camp's central fires.  The
wind was chill, but she hardly felt it through the glow
Red Jack had left within her.

The vindicator's teachings admonished her to feel
triply guilty about her tryst with Jack.  It was sex
before marriage, sex with a second partner, and sex in
the face of being involved with Rames, currently her
primary lover.  Honest lust, the vindicator could not
stand it, so he could not stand her either.  Now that
she was back in the pirate camp, she would do what came
naturally if she felt like it.   Rapina shook her head,
the vindicator that had been revealed to her by
reverend Evangeline was a sham.  Jack, Thane and Rames
were evil men, but they were not deceivers as
Evangeline had been.  She did not know what goddess of
lust might control her fait.  For now, she was fairly
sure she had been loaned to Mortaebius, the god of the
dead.  She was content to be of use in his struggle
against the vindicator's "pious" followers who preached
honesty and justice while they dressed as bandits,
killed priests and burned the temples of other gods.

"Hail Mortaebius, guardian of the dead. A creature of
life and lust am I, glad in thy just service to draw
nigh, lust, and life, and death - one cycle, life goes
by.  Death is fact and a god I will not deny, and as
lust I shall serve thee to kill the lie."

"Well met Rapina," Roger said.

Startled, Rapina lurched to a halt.  She looked up just
in time not to run right into Roger.  What was even
more startling than the appearance of the skeleton was
the fact that Rapina could swear she had seen him
smiling when she first looked up.  "How can a skeleton
be smiling without lips?" Rapina rationalized to
herself.

"The graveyard is this way.  Shall we consecrate it
before you begin socializing?" Roger asked.

"Uh, sure, that way I can have the rest of the night
with the men." Rapina smiled.

"Indeed."  Roger silently led the way through the snow,
his boney feet hardly leaving a trail.  "The graves are
here."

"They are?"  Rapina asked, for she could see only snow.


"Yes, I will show you.  Roger walked elongated ovals
marking four graves.  Mortaebius knows where the dead
lie.  What we will do here tonight is merely a
formality.  It works a magic sympathetic to Kroz's
spell and will allow him to come to this graveyard more
easily.  What he attempts tomorrow night is a new feat
for him.  In the past he has come to graveyards he has
been to that are familiar to him.  This one is
different.  He has viewed it only through his pool, and
he will be counting on us to mark it, to add something
familiar to it to make his spell surer.  It is good we
are both present.  If this first attempt is successful,
he will have greater confidence, confidence that could
be very important in the months to come.

This will be a simple ritual.  Roger walked a rectangle
around the four graves.  I will walk along the lines of
this rectangle, as I move you will move, always in the
same direction, but you will remain always be on a
diagonal corner from from me.  I will say a prayer, and
you will repeat it or say another if you cannot
remember it.  Any questions?"

"none." Rapina smiled.

"Good, I will stand on the Northeast corner and you on
the Southwest to start," Roger said.

"Hail Mortaebius guardian of the dead, we the dead who
lie here entreat thee, hallow this ground that we might
rest," Roger intoned.

"Hail Mortaebius, keeper of the deceased, we the living
entreat thee, hallow this ground that the dead be held
in thy embrace, to rise only in the direst need,"
Rapina incanted.

Roger walked clockwise around the periphery to the next
corner, and intoned another prayer.

Rapina moved as Roger did, arriving to pray first in
the Northwest, then in the Northeast where Roger
started.

"...and thus we close the circle, life and death, the
cycle is complete."

"Excellent, Rapina.  I had no idea you knew the prayers
of consecration and in your first prayer you added, "to
rise only in the direst need," a line that is most
often left off these days.  I expected a much less
proper ritual.  Your performance was as flawless as a
priest's.  Tell me, why do you know such things?" Roger
asked.

Rapina blushed, "I don't think I am meant to be a
priestess of Mortaebius.  I'm just not into the dead
like Kroz, but Mortaebius has been a good patron to me,
and I am honored to be his ally.  I studied one of
Guardian Rames' books that he had from being a chaplain
before he actually became a priest.  It's a handbook
for church deacons.  The line I added was mentioned in
the footnote as the historical form, but given the
situation, I thought it would be appropriate," Rapina
said.

"Yes, I remember your uncommon sharp wit," Roger said.
"You know the rituals and serve my master well.  There
are things best done by the living.  Your aptitudes are
a fine complement to our own.  Thank you Rapina.  You
may return to the warmth of the fire, and rest assured,
Mortaebius recognizes a good servant, even if she is an
ally not natural to his service."

"Thank you Roger," Rapina said as she waved and left
death to contemplate the graves in the biting winter
wind.

---

The central campfire shone like a beacon guiding Rage
towards the cluster of tents in the distance.  The
young pirate finished strapping on his sword as he
walked.  He had been cleaning it when one of the new
pirates had brought news of Rapina's arrival. It could
only be Rapina judging by the man's description.  Few
women could rival her beauty. Rage wasn't sure he
believed that she had stepped out of the fire with a
demon in tow. That was a lot of superstitious nonsense
most likely fueled by the return of Doanthalas.  The
old crewmembers knew he wasn't a demon spawn, but the
new crew had yet to come to that conclusion.

"It will be good to see Rapina again," Rage thought as
he felt a swelling in his pants. "For more than a few
reasons..."  He smiled as he looked down at the stone
set in the hilt of his sword. Things were looking up.
Soon what was left of the old crew would be back
together again.  They would once again be strong and
feared.  Rage loved being a pirate.  All the action,
women, and booty a man could want...and then some. His
smile widened as he approached the camp.

---

The mage Nordula watched intently as Rage returned to
the camp from guard duty. "The only thing more boring
than being on guard duty is watching someone who is on
guard duty," he mused.  As much as Nordual hated
babysitting this young pirate he hated the thought of
Lord Li'Yeiraun's wrath even more. At least the magical
stone set in the sword hilt was doing its job... and
remarkably well.  It had been a good plan to leave the
sword where Rage was sure to pick it up.  Now with the
sword and stone strapped to the young pirate's hip the
images were coming through crystal clear.

The image in the center of the kettle shifted and
seemed to shimmer for a moment.  It began to jump and
coalesce into a whirlpool of color.  Something was
interfering with Nordula's scrying.  It appeared as
though it were some natural disturbance, an upwelling
of earth energy, or some such; it might also have been
a clever ward, but where would a simple pirate captain
have come upon such a thing?  In any case, it was not a
good sign.  He did not think that Jack had any mages to
detect let alone deal with his magical workings.  No,
if it was countermagic, some magical device plundered
from one of Red Jack's victims more likely caused it.
It had not been in effect at the guard post. Therefore,
it likely had a range.  If that was so then the stone
in the sword could still be of use when Rage was away
from the center of the camp.

Still Nordula would have to inform Henrich of this
development.  Something would have to be done to ensure
that their prey did not escape.  The mage wrapped his
robes around him and stepped outside to summon one of
his apprentices.  He found a candidate studying in his
library. "Kall!  Come and watch over the scrying
kettle!  The image has faded, but let me know the
moment it reappears.  I must find Lord Li'Yeiraun."  He
waved a hand at the boy as he disappeared in a cloud of
colored smoke.

---

It had been a few days since Doantalis had lain with
Elisabetta.  He had not spoken to her either.  She had
made her choice.  Her loyalty to Paolo had been
stronger than her feelings for Doanthalas.  It hurt...a
lot!  But, then again, the elf's life had been nothing
but pain for the last fifty years or so.  He was
becoming jaded...numb to the whole experience.

Once again everything was happening at once; Elisabetta
was plotting to assassinate Red Jack, Rapina had
returned, and Jack's daughter had come looking for
Drake.  Nothing was ever easy.  Doanthalas had to
decide what to do about Elisabetta.  He felt no loyalty
towards Jack, but he had also seen quite enough killing
for one lifetime.

Almost without thinking the elf pulled the locket out
of his pocket and held it in his hand.  Inside was the
picture of the guard he had slain and his family.  Of
all the lives he had taken over the past fifty years
this one affected him the most.  Doanthalas had been
able to justify the other killings.  It was justice
pure and simple.  But this was different.  The only
thing the guard had been guilty of was doing his job.

Then there was Rapina.  Where had she been and why had
she returned?  He was not going to get an answer while
he sat there and brooded so he pocketed the locket and
made his way towards the center of camp.

---

Mansun Dido sat around the large central fire watching
the pirates with mild interest.  They still regarded
him as an outsider so he sat alone.  In fact, the only
person in the camp who seemed to show him any amount of
respect at all had been the tattooed elf.  He was sure
the elf did not trust him yet, but that would come in
time.  The pirates had been content to sneer at him or
ignore him depending on their moods.

Sitting amongst the pirates chatting away like an old
comrade-in-arms was the woman Rapina.  She was a
difficult one to figure out.  He detected strength in
her that was intriguing and frightening at the same
time.  All the more terrifying because her beauty
seemed to distract, the men at least, from it. At the
moment he wasn't worried about her though.

Elisabetta had him worried.  For the past few days she
had cut herself off from the elf.  Something had
happened to push them apart.  When he had first met
them they seemed to almost dote on one
another...almost.  Now she avoided him whenever
possible.  What's more she had taken on a subtle, but
dangerous edge.

Once again she was nowhere to be found.  Neither was
the elf for that matter. But Doanthalas didn't worry
Mansun.  He was dangerous, no doubt, but the pathfinder
felt secure in the feeling that he had nothing to fear
from him. There was an infinite sadness to the elf that
seemed to permeate everything he did and said.
Something horrible must have happened to him in the
past. The pathfinder's thoughts were interrupted by the
appearance of the young pirate Rage.  Apparently, he
was returning from guard duty.

---

Rage finished his business and exited the latrine.  For
some reason he felt uneasy.  He looked around.  He
guessed it was nothing.  In any case he needed sleep.
He walked briskly back towards the barracks tent.

Nordula's chambers dissolved and were replaced by an
outdoor scene.  Deitrich froze in place and held his
breath a moment.  A young pirate wearing a nice sword
left the outhouse beside him and seemed to look right
through him before he walked up the path back towards
the pirate camp.  Nordula had not explained why he had
to teleport Deitrich so close to the camp, but he was
glad the cloaking spell had lasted through the
transfer.  Looking around, the spy quickly got his
bearings and made his way to a thick cluster of bushes.
Traveling via Nordula's magic had not been nearly as
disconcerting as he thought it might be.  He actually
thought he could get used to it.  It sure beat riding
weeks through rugged terrain to reach his destination.
He stealthily put a little distance between the pirate
camp and himself before the invisibility wore off.  If
he could find out where the watch posts were while
still cloaked, it would make his job much easier.

"I've arrived," he said into the magic stone hanging
from his neck. The stone seemed to pulse with light as
Nordula's voice emanated from it, "Excellent!  Keep us
informed of any developments." The light from the stone
faded as the spy nodded and stealthily made his way
around the periphery of the pirate camp.

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

Adriana was beautiful lying there beside him.  She was
asleep.  Drake hadn't known her long at all, but
already his heart belonged to her.  That was precisely
the reason Drake was lying there seriously considering
Jack's request. He had given up a lot to become a
pirate and had lost just as much during the course of
becoming one.  Drake leaned over and kissed her on the
lips.  She stirred and rolled to her side draping an
arm over his chest.  Losing Adriana was not a thought
he could stand.  That was why he had decided to do as
Jack requested and take her away from the pirates.
They would start a new life elsewhere.  Jack had a
friend who knew important people in foreign lands who
could help them get a start.  Drake Stretched and
yawned.  Pulling the covers up he nestled in close to
Adriana and draped his arm around her.  In minutes he,
too, was asleep.
-------


[Rapina]028 The Touch of Darkness

Rapina looked up from her conversation with a few of
the recruits as Rage approached wearing a new sword.
Pike had gone to bed a few minutes before, looking a
little more tired and worn than she had ever seen him.
She could tell that the turn of events, the magic,
Jack's capture and so many new and potentially
untrustworthy faces had taken their toll on the
Norseman, though he tried not to show it.  The new
recruits were typical of the young men Jack attracted,
full of bravado, bloodthirstiness and often fleeing a
harsh or boring lifestyle for the even harsher
lifestyle of Red Jack's pirate camp.  Rapina smiled to
herself, and then greeted Rage who had just come in
from guard duty.

"Rage!  It's good to see you, not many of the faces
around here look familiar," Rapina said.

"Aye, It's good seeing' ya too," Rage said. "Not many
of us survived the isle o' the dead. Just me an' Pike,
Brackston, Arzeal, Skitch, an' the elf, made off
without gettin' nabbed.  We got Jack back, 'an I guess
that necromancer's still got 'is claws in ye from what
I hear.  He hasn't turned ye inta something like Kent,
has 'ee?

Rapina smiled, "Actually, I'm with a more experienced
necromancer now.  The guardian of the isle sometimes
buys spells and things from Kroz, my master.  They both
worship the same god.  Of course you'd kind of expect
most necromancers to worship a god of the dead."  She
could tell Rage had reservations about her relationship
with the necromancer.  She could not really blame him.
Thane had frightened the wits out of the pirates.  In
spite of their combat experience, they were a
superstitious lot with no understanding of the
principles of magic.  What he had experienced on the
isle of the dead would probably haunt Rage's dreams for
years to come.

"No, no, he has not turned me into something like Kent,
I'd be of less use to him as a dead-brain," Rapina
said. "Kroz is frightening, but to tell you the truth,
I've kind of gotten used to him, as much as that's
possible.  He is a fair master, though not particularly
kindly.  Although he lacks Jack's flair and deadly
humor, he does have a razor wit and he can be quite
engaging to listen to, especially if you have an
interest in magic," Rapina said.

"Magic!  Huh I'd steer clear o' that nonsense if I were
you.  It's dangerous," Rage said with conviction.

"Yes, it is, but that's where my talents are, but you
already knew that, didn't you?" Rapina said.

"Rage smiled crookedly.  "Yeah, I could tell.  I guess
you won't be such a bad sorceress, but damn, why did
you pick a necromancer for a teacher?" Rage asked.

"I didn't, really, life just happened that way," Rapina
said.

Rage's mood softened. He guessed Rapina always was cut
out for sorcery.  Red Jack had seen it in her and
encouraged her magical studies.  Earlier Rage had been
all set to see if he could spirit Rapina off to bed,
but the memories had come back.  She was with a
necromancer, a man who created and ruled the walking
dead, a man like the man who had turned Kent into a
clawed cadaver.  Rage shivered involuntarily.  He
wondered if she slept with the necromancer, wondered if
his blue dead hands caressed her shapely rump, or if
his purple lips had suckled at her breasts.  Rage had
never seen Kroz.  Yet, he could imagine the necromancer
and how frightening he must be in person.  It all made
the young pirate nervous, so he put on his toughest
face.

"I'll see you later, Rapina, I need to get something to
eat here."  Rage busied himself getting food.

Rapina smirked.  It was obvious it would take the young
pirate a while to get used to her again.  She was sure
he would be okay given time.  At the moment she noticed
someone who looked distinctly out of place, for her
emerald eyes had lit on the pathfinder.  She knew
little of him, only that the men seemed not to trust
him, yet she could not help but get the feeling that he
was a good man in a bad situation.  This resonated with
her own reason for getting involved with the pirates.
Sometimes life took some unexpected turns.

Since Rage's soliloquy had cooled the pirates on her
for the moment, she took the opportunity to sit near
the pathfinder.  His story might be interesting.
Rapina's eyes caressed over the man's form, assessing
him.  He was obviously a warrior of some sort, though
not particularly overbuilt. His stature was average,
his dark hair was cut short and his features were
fairly plain, but handsome in their own way.

"You look as out of place as I feel," Rapina said
softly as she sat down beside him.

Mansun Dido was startled out of his thoughts by the
woman's comment. Looking up from the ground he saw a
beautiful woman with the most engaging emerald eyes.
Her smile seemed friendly, but underneath it all she
seemed to be sizing him up for something.  The
pathfinder recovered quickly. "I could say the same of
you milady," Mansun articulated.  He was definitely
familiar with the ways of the nobility as evidenced by
his etiquette.  A sigh escaped his lips as he closed
his eyes for a moment. "Not so long ago I was a
pathfinder in the service of Lord Henrich Li'Yeiraun."
Seeing Rapina's questioning look he replied, "That is
correct. I used to be a loyal servant of the man who
tried to kill Red Jack for sleeping with his wife. But
that was when I thought loyalty and honor counted for
something." Mansun massaged his temples and took a deep
breath.

"I was in charge of the pathfinders that were tracking
Rage.  Lord Li'Yeiraun wanted us to find Red Jack's new
camp and figured this to be the best way.
Unfortunately, we lost Rage's trail a few days after
his escape. I didn't know it then, but this was due to
the help of the elf Doanthalas. To make a long story
short; Lord Li'Yeiraun was so upset that we lost the
pirate's trail that he decided to make an example of me
and have me executed in his place." The pathfinder
shook his head and snorted, "A lifetime of loyal
service...gone." Mansun shook the depressing thought
from his mind and faced Rapina. "My name is Mansun
Dido.  What name do you go by?"

"I go by Rapina."  Rapina extended her hand.  "I'm
sorry to hear a man who should have been noble betrayed
you.  My reasons for originally joining Jack's men were
similar to yours.  When men of power behave in ways
that are criminal, good people are forced to flee the
justice that should be protecting them.   It's sad that
Lord Li' Yeiraun is not more loyal to those that serve
him.  I will stop feeling sorry for him that Jack
diverted his wife's attentions.

Is Lord Li'Yeiraun a religious man?

"As much as any lord is I suppose," Mansun replied.
"That was to say that as religious as he had to seem to
his subjects and still keep his good name.  I too have
stopped feeling sorry for him about Jack and his wife.
It's ironic that Red Jack would turn out to be the
honorable one and Lord Li'Yeiraun the bloodthirsty
tyrant."  He shook his head and laughed. "I owe my life
to Red Jack's daughter you know?  She is the one who
saved me the trouble of swinging from the leafless
tree...if you take my meaning."  The pathfinder sighed
and ran his fingers through his short hair.  "Now I
have to begin my life anew.  By now Lord Li'Yeiraun has
tainted my good name amongst the folks I once knew.  I
wish I knew what to do.  You seem to have adapted to
life on the run fairly easily, milady.  Any pointers
for a recently unemployed pathfinder?"  This last
comment was said with a wry smile.  Apparently, the man
did have a sense of humor.

"Sometimes the currents of life are impossible to swim
against.  The best I've been able to do is keep afloat.
In my case I've been swept to the opposite shore, to
help the enemies of the man who betrayed me.  At first
I was just trying to get away, and since the law was
after me, I took shelter with Jack, an outlaw, but
being a pirate turned out to be a between-stage. I'm
not sure if it's truly good luck or ill, but I now work
for an enemy of the man who betrayed me.  That's why I
ask what religion Lord Li'Yeiraun pays homage too.
There are many issues that divide powerful nobles and
religion is one of them.  It's an important question in
these times.  It might be possible that Lord Li'Yeiraun
has enemies who are more legitimate to the law of
Clairmont than Jack is."

"I'm not a religious man myself so I do have to confess
a sort of ignorance to the religion of the land."  A
wry smile crossed his lips, "The only god I pay homage
to is mother earth and the only service I attend is
that of the local tavern.  And speaking of drink I
could really go for one right about now.  Would milady
Rapina care to join me for a little of the holy
spirits?"

Rapina smiled, "I have a great deal of respect for
anyone who can scare up a drink in a pirate camp, so of
course I would be glad to join you."

Mansun proved to be an interesting conversationalist,
but Rapina felt he was not the kind of fish who enjoyed
being reeled in right away.  She did not need to be in
a hurry, at least that's what she told herself.  In
truth the exposure to so many men, even in spite of the
wintry conditions, was deepening her hunger.  It was as
if she had been on a stringent program of rationing
drawing only from Rames, and now that she was
surrounded by food, she felt hungrier than she had
previously realized.

It had not been long before Mansun's life of early to
bed, early to rise had forced him to retreat to his
bedroll.  Rapina returned to the campfire, but the
early morning hours were not kind.  Only a few men
remained on sentry duty.   Since many of the youths did
not know her, Rapina thought it unwise to go around
talking to the sentries.  It was ironic that Rapina
wound up in the supply tent with Roger.  The death of
Mortaebius said nothing as she entered, and continued
to work on Jack's books as if conversation and breaks
were luxuries reserved for the living.

For her part, Rapina decided there were mental
exercises pertaining to her magical studies to be done.
It was a pity she had not brought a book with her, but
everything had happened so rapidly from her entry into
the inner sanctum of the mortancers to her reunion with
captain Jack.  One thing had stuck in her mind,
however.  In the negotiations, Roger had mentioned
there were necromantic spells that could be used to
drain the life force from another, and transfer it to
the necromancer in order to heal him.  Rapina thought
to herself as she cupped the fullness of her breasts
within her cloak, "Isn't that exactly what I do with
men?  Only it feels good when I do it to them and I can
store the energy."

As Rapina was musing, there came a scratching at the
tent flap.  Roger seemed unmoved.  Rapina slipped out
to see whom it might be.

"Zit?  What are you doing out at this hour?" Rapina
asked.

"I, I wanted to ask you something," Zit said.

"What?" Rapina asked.

The young man looked down at Rapina's feet.  "Is it
true?"

"What?" Rapina asked.

"We were talkin' and... Are ye a vampire?" Zit asked.

"Zit, are you still in basic, because if you are, and
Brackston finds out you snuck out of the barracks, he's
going to pump some sense up your butt, like he always
threatens."

Zit's mouth formed an "O" as his back stiffened.  "But
I have ta know," Zit whispered.  "I'll run back so it
seems I just went ta the latrine."

Rapina smirked.  "If I were a vampire, don't you think
I'd have fangs?"

"Well, yeah, but ye might have an illusion that covers
'em up," Zit said.

Rapina rolled her eyes.  "Was Brackston in on this
little discussion in the barracks?"

"Uh, I'd rather not say," Zit said.

"I'll take that as a yes."  Rapina grinned.  "So you
want to know if I'm a vampire.  Shall we find out?"
Rapina grabbed the boy and bit his neck playfully,
sucking some skin into her mouth.

Zit froze and screamed soundlessly... "Hey, you didn't
even break the skin," Zit said.

"You sound disappointed.  Were you hoping I'd suck your
blood and turn you into my sex slave?"

Zit blushed.

Rapina giggled softly, "Sorry Zit, I just don't have
the teeth for the first part, and you don't have the
time for the second part.  Because if you don't get
back to the barracks, you're going to be Brackston's
sex slave."

Zit's lips formed the familiar "O" once again.  "Okay
bye," He said flailing a hand and running off.

Rapina shook her head and smiled as she reentered the
tent. Roger was as she had left him.  She wondered if
there wasn't a certain urgency in the way the death of
Mortaebius applied himself.   It stood to reason, the
holy war between Mortaebius and the Vindicator was
heating up rapidly.  The mortancers had been deadly
serious.  During the winter months when the orcs made
little attempt to retake the lands Lord Avengene had
wrested from them, his most loyal forces were marauding
the temples of Mortaebius posing as bandits.

Originally, it was hoped that Avengene's religious
fervor would halt at the borders of his own lands, but
it now seemed obvious that the Vindicator's forces had
larger plans in mind.   To these plans the Church of
Moraebius must react swiftly, for they did not have a
standing army like Avengene's on which to draw.  The
Order of the Shroud would likely bloom afresh, and
Rapina intended to ingratiate herself to that
organization to the best of her ability.  For in this
game of chess, her only prospect of finding friends was
to seek out the enemies of her enemy.
------------------

"Captain, time to wake up for your speech, Sir," Arzeal
said.

"Aye I  was jus' gonna... Wha  oi,  oh it's mornin'.
Jack sat up and massaged his face.  Damn ye'd think I'd
pulled an all-nighter last night th' way I feel.  Now I
grant ye I wasn't ta bed early, an me wench were in
rare form, put me practically on the moon, she did, but
it weren't like I staid up th' whole night boffin 'er
brains out.  I sure feel like it though. Damn, well get
me some strong tea.  Th' men need a speech about are
new deal with th' spooks, an' it's a speech they'll
get."

The captain roused himself and began dressing and
preparing for his speech. By the time he emerged from
his tent and went to the central fires, Brackston had
the men assembled for the speech.

"Aye there now, me mates, I'll bet ye're wonderin why
yer up a bit early this mornin', why I'm disturbin' yer
beauty rest," Captain Red Jack said.  "Well some of ye
know we 'ad some visitors last night.  Seems me new
fame that's been drawin' recruits 'as also drawn some
other attention, sorcerous attention.  I'm sure the
tails o' spooks an' sorcery 'ave already made th'
rounds.  Now I'm going ta give ye th' skinny.  Seems
I'm in a bit o' a spot.  Me fame is invitin' th'
attentions o' morn' jus' th' law.  Now I got mages ta
contend with.  Luckily th' first of 'em ain't lookin'
ta cash in are chips jus' yet.

I'm not sayin' I trust 'im completely, but we 'ave
somethin 'e needs, and 'e 'as somethin' we need.  Now
where I come from, that's the grounds fer a deal.  I
found me a necromancer.  His name is Kroz, and 'e's
going ta put up some protections against sorcerous
spyin' an th' like.  In return, come raidin' season
we're going ta supply 'im with cadavers from are raids
ta keep 'is laboratory hummin'.  As ye know, I'm a
little short on experienced help after that damned
illusionist broke up me former men.  I'm tired o'
fightin' sorcery with spar varnish, so now we got us a
magician on are side!"

The pirates cheered.

"Bein' that 'e 'as ta spend most 'o 'is time in some
musty laboratory, Kroz 'as left a pair 'o hands an eyes
with me ta help us out, an bein' as how are new 'elper
looks like th' pirate flag, we'll be callin 'im Roger.
All ye need ta know about Roger is that 'e's a skinny
officer with a rank same as Drake's, an' with th'
weight of bein' th' stiff that keeps th' books for me
an' at times carries me orders.   Other than that, th'
less ye know about Kroz an' are new helper, th' longer
ye're likely ta live.  If ye hear any wild stories
about 'is past or anything ye didn't hear from me, ye
better come straight ta Red Jack an' let me know who's
tellin' tall tales. I'll not be havin' me camp turned
upside down by wild rumors, an' any man who disobeys
that order's going ta be sleepin' with Roger."

"Fer those of ye who don't know what in hell a
necromancer is, I'll tell ye. A necromancer is a
magician who specializes in magic concernin th' dead.
Spells that allow a magican ta speak wi' th' dead, make
th' dead rise up an' dance and such like dark sorceries
are what necromancers are best at. Necromancers are
generally considered ta be th' most evil o' mages, so a
necromancer is just th' kind o' critter who would 'ave
no trouble workin' with rapin', pilligin', murderin',
bloodthirsty pirates like areselves.  Now Roger, I want
ye ta say a few words intraducin' yerself ta th' men,
so as they can recognize yer face an voice."

A figure cowled in heavy black robes came before the
men and stripped back his hood.

A gasp ran through the crowd, and the eyes of many of
the men opened wide with terror.

"I am death, but you may call me Roger if you wish.  I
will see that bodies from the raids are harvested for
Kroz, and I will serve Captain Red Jack," Roger said in
an emotionless tone.

There was a persistent murmuring in the crowd that
would not seem to die down.

"I know what ye're thinkin'," Red Jack said. "Half o'
ye can't believe sorcery like this exists and ye're
sayin ta yerself, 'e's just a collection o' bones wired
tagether an' there's a pirate hidin' behind Jack makin'
'is voice, an' th' others a ye are worryin' about yer
immortal soul on account o' workin' wit' spooks.

Roger go 'round th' crowd and shake th' 'ands o' th men
that're man enough ta shake.  That should 'elp ye all
ta see Roger ain't some prop I put tagether fer yer
entertainment.  'An if ye're so convinced 'e ain't
nothin, ye can 'ave a little sword play with 'im, long
as ye don't mind 'im relivin' ye o' yer 'ead.  Fer ye
that's fearin' fer yer souls, ye should 'o thought 'o
that before ye joined a gang 'o bloodthirsty pirates,
now shouldn't ye?  If yer religious types 'er right
then we'll all meet in hell anyhow."

Captain Red Jack watched as Roger made his way through
the men.   Most shrunk away from the boney appendage,
too terrified to shake.  Others practically scoffed,
thinking Roger was a trick.  They shook, and many came
away with a look of horror.  Two of the scoffers were
big, tough boys from the slums of Turnmoor.  Wedge was
respected for his strength and skill at arms, and Blunt
was the black sheep of weapons practice who didn't give
a damn who got hurt, as long as he got to laugh at
them.  They looked at each other, they looked at Roger
and they grinned.  Just after the death had passed
them, they drew their cutlasses in unison.

The death of Mortaebius carried his scythe in his left
han.  As the men drew, he spun three hundred sixty
degrees in that direction to shake the next recruit's
hand only a fraction of a second after he would
originally have done so.   The fact that Wedge's
cutlass, along with his right hand, fell to the ground
at about the same time as Blunt's head, did not seem to
concern Roger in the least.  He was following orders.
The two recruits would serve as an example.

Open-mouthed, the pirates saw the one recruit fall in a
fountain of blood and the other grab his own handless
forearm.  Had it not been for the movement of his thick
black robes, and the glint of his scythe, the men might
have believed Roger had not moved at all.  Yet, the
death and disfigurement he had left in his wake made
his actions unmistakable.

"Brackston, get a tourniquet on Wedge's stump, and pick
up that 'and.  Maybe we can sew it back on," Jack
chuckled.

Zit's hands were shaking even more than they had been.
The shower of blood and the scent of death hadn't
helped any.  As the skeletal figure approached, Zit
steeled himself.  He had to know.  As the young recruit
reached out and shook Roger's hand he moved closer to
where he thought the skeleton's ear would be, if he
really had one, and whispered, "G-good morning sir,
could you tell me, Is Rapina a-a vampire?"

Roger brought his teeth near the young man's ear and
whispered, "Rapina is a creature of lust.  She offers
pleasure for what she takes from a man; a vampire takes
blood, and offers death."
----------

After Jack's bloody speech, the pirate captain offered
Rapina his bed and she slept there until late
afternoon.  A few hours later, just after dusk, she and
Roger waited in the graveyard for Kroz, the necromancer
who would be played by Thane.  When he arrived, he was
in high spirits, his confidence in his own ability to
use the graveyard mists spell for transportation having
been bolstered.  With him, he had brought his personal
guards a group of double-animated skeletons dressed in
new blackened plate armor.  Behind them, in addition to
the fading magical mists, a cloud of steam rose into
the air.  Rapina recognized six of the flaming
skeletons that were used to heat Thane's abode.  Many
of the more ordinary armored skeletons carried litters
filled with supplies.  The most notable of these being
a very large roll of oiled canvas.  Thane himself was
dressed in his mortancer robes and looked much like
Roger.  For the illusion of a skeletal face obscured
his real face, and his voice was also modified by magic
to sound like the voice of a dead man.

"Roger, Rapina, it is so nice to see you.  I trust
things are not moving too rapidly for you?" Kroz said.

"Things are going as planned here, Kroz.  Your arrival
is a welcome development.  I believe your ease of
transport has been facilitated by the fine job your
apprentice, Rapina, did in assisting me with the
consecration of this graveyard.  She has the skills of
a deaconess, and my master views her deeds of service
favorably."

Kroz raised his chin.  "Excellent, Rapina, as your
service gradually outweighs your sins, I shall make
sure that you do not go unrewarded.  Our master
appreciates service, especially in times of conflict
when it is so desperately needed."

Rapina nodded.

"Now we have much work to do, "Kroz said.  "I must meet
with the captain.  Another house of our master was
sacked early this morning, the last and strongest in
the enemy's territory.  We had largely been abandoning
the others but this one had been serving as a base from
which we were conducting our strategic withdrawal.
Once the enemy saw how easy it was to take those houses
that were largely abandoned, he acted swiftly, but I'm
afraid we lost more than a few brothers in that last
battle.

Word is that those with sentiments that do not agree
with the enemy's are being disappeared rapidly as he
consolidates his power.  My associates and I have
decided to give this pirate project a little boost.  We
need Jack's ship harvesting the dead as early in the
spring as possible.  Winter is more than half over. We
hope our enemy will be too busy consolidating the power
of his church within his own lands to have any time to
launch attacks outside them before the orcs on his
Northern border tie up his forces again this spring.

We will provide Jack the supplies he needs to enclose
the skeleton of the ship he is building within a tent,
and get the temperature within high enough to do the
wood-working now, rather than waiting for spring thaws.
Come, after I speak to the captain, we must plant the
warding devices in the camp. Kroz bustled towards the
captain's tent.  It was obvious he had somehow studied
the layout of the camp.  When the trio arrived they
were allowed into the captain's tent where he was
waiting for them."

Jack looked up from some record books.  "Looks like
ye've been on th' same diet as Roger there, Kroz.  Jack
chuckled.  Good ta meet ye.  I am Captain Red Jack."
The captain shook hands with the new corpse.  What be
the news?  I see ye've brought more of ye're boney
buddies with ye tanight, an' a few torches as well."

"I will bestow upon you a small boon for your
organization in wake of another sacking of my lord
Mortaebius' properties.  Lives have been lost, and time
is of the essence.  I want you to have the necessities
with which to continue work on the building of your
ship during the winter months.  I need you operational
as early as possible.  Here is a modest gift towards
necessaries for the ship.  Thane handed Jack a small
but heavy sack.

Jack peered inside.  "Aye, mixed circulated gold from a
hundred towns by th' looks of it, untraceable," Jack
smiled.  "That'll come in handy."  An th' skeleton
torches, ye brought them ta heat th' tent we build
around th' ship in so the wood will not be brittle?"

"Indeed," Kroz replied.

"Your creations?" Jack asked.

"Let us say that I was able to glean the remains of
your men from a colleague, and that certain of your men
were well suited for that particular animation," Thane
whispered to Jack.

"If ye're tryin ta make up fer th' drubbin ol' Thane
gave me by bringin' me men's walkin' corpses back ta
me, it ain't ganna work, they're all dead," Red Jack
snapped in a vehement whisper.

"I will not try to make anything up to you.  I serve
Mortaebius in this.   I respect your ability or I would
not have proposed this deal.   You must admit, however
that the dead can be useful."

"I'd take issue with ye on that if it weren't fer
Roger's work on me books. He 'asn't lost 'is touch, and
'e's got a load 'o work done fer me already."

Kroz nodded.

"What about me arms master's wounded hand.  I'm dead in
th' water without 'im, and I'm spread thin enough as it
is," Jack asked.

"We have been most fortunate in that regard.  I was
able to locate the two necessary incantations," Kroz
said.

The two men discussed arrangements for the healing work
that needed to be done.  The work on Pike would be
straightforward, but Rapina was sent with Arzeal and a
couple of burly recruits to prepare the stump of the
unwise recruit for the remedy Kroz had recommended.

After he saw the captain, Rapina had helped Kroz bury
ward-bearing skulls in the ground three paces from
skull-bearing pike markers that gave a clue as to the
direction and location of the actual buried wards.
Subsequently Rapina had been sent to supervise the
preparation for Thane's debut as a healer.

A tourniquet had been applied not far above Wedge, the
unwise recruit's stump, and the small sword Rapina was
handed glowed cherry red from the heat of a stone
forge.

"This is going to hurt, Wedge.  If you move, you might
loose more flesh than you need to.  Hold still."

Wedge nodded drunkenly.  The rum he had been given had
dulled his senses, but the agony he suffered as the hot
blade sliced his flesh made him scream in torment.

AAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIHHHH!!!

Rapina grimaced as she sliced the flesh away.  Being
the closest thing Jack had to a leech was not proving
to be enjoyable.  In spite of the man's arm being
pinned by two burly recruits and Arzeal, it was moving,
and Rapina had to compensate in order not to take more
flesh than was necessary, and to make the cuts
straight.

"Flip him over, I need to do the other side."

Wedge roared with pain as blood rendered to steam
billowed from the stump of his severed limb.

Rapina worked as rapidly as she could, handing her
blade to a recruit in exchange for a glowing hot
replacement whenever it grew too cool.

"Okay, it's finished.  Pike, you're next.  Take the
bandages off and Kroz will repair your hand."

Pike brooded just across the room of the shack that
served as the camp's smithy. He stood next to the prone
form of a feverish recruit.  A stench hung about the
man from a brawl's sword wound that had gone bad.  It
was gangrene.  Pike knew the man didn't have a chance,
so why had Jack had him brought near, and why were
Rapina and Arzeal exposing some of the bone of Wedge's
arm behind his severed wrist?  Wasn't a smooth stump
preferable?  The armsmaster unwrapped the bandages from
his mangled right hand as he had been bidden.

Pike grimaced as several skeletons entered the room.
Two were armed and armored; the other two were robed.
One of the robed figures Pike recognized as Roger.  The
other had to be Kroz, a necromancer of Mortaebius.  Was
he too a skeleton?  He certainly looked it.  A shiver
ran up Pike's spine.  He didn't like the smell of
sorcery.

"Splendid, that should do fine.  Armsmaster Pike, hold
out your wounded hand."

Pike complied, glowering at the skeletal figure that
made arcane gestures and utterences, grabbed Pike's
wounded hand and shook in agony.

A scream of pain involuntarily escaped the
necromancer's throat as life force was ripped from him
by the power of his own spell.

Pike gasped as a surge of energy pulsed through his
hand.  The tingling was intense, and he could feel the
flesh knitting as he inhaled.

The necromancer seemed to waver for a second before his
discipline returned. His scream was rapidly replaced by
further arcane utterances and gestures as his skeletal
left hand plunged down to touch the naked chest of the
feverish recruit who then yelled and convulsed.

"Mmm, very good, very good.  The life force I gave the
armsmaster has been restored from this unfortunate
victim of disease.  I believe we can continue," Kroz
said.

More utterances issued from the throat of the
necromancer, then he was again wracked with pain, but
did not scream.  This time he held Blade's stump, which
began to heal instantly, leaving the stub of bone
Rapina had exposed. Without even a moment's hesitation
the necromancer cast the second spell, turned and
grasped the skull of the gangrenous victim.  A silent
scream was all that marked the man's passing.  A gray
handprint colored the skin of the dead victim's
forehead where Thane's skeletal hand had touched it.  A
faint, but similar mark could be seen on his chest
where Thane's first drain of life force had struck him.


"That went very well, very well indeed.  Painful at the
outset, to be sure, but our victim has made up for
that."  The necromancer almost chuckled. "Rapina, our
work here is done for now.  Captain Red Jack, I will
work on the hand of this recruit.  In two days time, I
will return with something that I believe he will find
more useful than a hook.  Come, we must return to the
abode."

Rapina nodded as she turned from inspecting Wedge's
healed stump.  Her job exposing a bit of the bone would
be quite adequate for what Thane had in mind for a
later visit.  She turned to Pike.  "Can you grasp my
hand?" she asked pike.

Pike reached out and gave her hand a squeeze.  His hand
was whole again.

Rapina smiled.

A few minutes later she, her master and their entourage
disappeared into the mists that rose to obscure the
pirate's graveyard.

-----------

[Rapina]029 Spies and Assasins

The next day the pirate camp buzzed with activity as
the men erected a tent around the skeleton of their
ship.  When night fell ending the men's intense effort,
the pirates were glad to finally rest.

Not long before the first light of dawn, a lithe figure
stealthily moved through the shadows.  The guard
stationed outside of Red Jack's tent did not see it
approach.  And no one else was about to see the garrote
slip around his neck. Neither did anyone see the shadow
drag off the guard's body and slip into Jack's tent
without a sound.

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


Outside of the pirate camp another figure moved
stealthily through the darkness. Deitrich had spent
most of the previous day scouting the camp's perimeter
and, after a shortened night's rest, was finally ready
to report his findings.  Unfortunately for him, some
sort of interference was prohibiting him from using his
magical pendant to contact his master.  He moved
silently away from the pirate camp trusting his
master's words that the pendant would function if he
got sufficiently far from the abode of the pirates.
The interference had been less pronounced or widespread
until the previous night when it its influence around
the pirate camp had grown.

Unbeknownst to the spy Deitrich, someone had noticed
his presence.  Doanthalas' feral eyes seemed to glow in
the darkness as he watched the figure move away.  This
man was good, but he was no elf.  He was probably a
human.  Even the best humans could not sneak past an
elf in the woods.  Elves had a sort of magical affinity
with nature that humans could never hope to understand
or achieve ...at least most of them.

Deitrich finally found a spot where the magic seemed to
work again.  He pulled out the glowing pendant and
shielded the magic stone with his body so he would not
be spotted.  He incanted the magic words and a swirling
image began to appear in the stone set in the pendant.
Suddenly it was struck by something hard that sent it
spinning from his grasp. The man rolled to the side and
came up with sword drawn and eyes searching.  Most
likely a lone sentry had spotted him, since he had not
heard an alarm sound.  If he could dispatch this sentry
quickly and quietly then his lord's plan could still be
carried out.

The elf watched the man's back for a few minutes as he
looked around for his assailant.  This human was
certainly a warrior of great skill, but it was obvious
that his eyes were not very helpful in these darkened
conditions. The man seemed to finally sense the elf's
presence behind him and slowly turned around.  He
almost jumped out of his boots when he heard
Doanthalas' guttural growl and saw his emerald eyes
reflecting the moonlight. Doanthalas had his own sword
drawn as he leapt through the high grass straight at
the man.  Although the man was scared Doanthalas had to
give him credit for holding his ground.  In a flurry of
motion man and elf were upon each other with swords
flying. The clash of metal against metal rang through
the night.

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


Back at the camp Drake and Adriana were enjoying a
private walk.  They had made up their minds to leave
everything behind and go to another place and start
over.  Their spirits were flying high with newfound
hope as they meandered around the camp. Suddenly the
sounds of fighting erupted from the stillness around
them.  Drake pulled Adriana close and drew his sword
protectively.

"Drake!  What is that?  What's happening?" she asked as
she strained to see through the darkness.

"I'm not sure my love, but I'm going to check it out."
he turned to face her, "Find a sentry and warn him that
there is trouble afoot."  He saw the worried look on
her face and pulled her close.  "Don't worry Lady
Adriana. I will be careful."  That said he kissed her
passionately on the lips. "Now go!" he said as he
headed off towards the sounds.  He had barely made it
two steps when the sounds stopped.  Drake looked back
to see that Adriana had noticed it too.

Adriana was about to say something when a dark shape
erupted from the darkness heading straight for Drake.
A terrified scream escaped her lips as the shadow
descended upon him.

Adriana's scream had scared the wits out of him, but
had also alerted him to the presence of someone behind
him.  Drake swung his sword with all the strength and
precision he could muster hoping to connect before the
assailant ran him through. A familiar voice rang out
mere moments before his sword connected with the
assailant's.  Metal against metal rang out through the
darkness as Drake composed himself and said somewhat
befuddled, "Doanthalas?"

"Yes." was the reply as the elf grabbed Drake and then
Adriana by the arms. "Come. There is danger afoot.  We
must warn Red Jack."

Drake and Adriana looked at Doanthalas' blood soaked
form and then to each other. They weren't sure what was
going on, but the blood and serious look on the elf's
face made them quicken their step.

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

Inside the tent Red Jack slept soundly.  It had been a
long day of planning, and giving orders concerning the
ship's tent, and he had retired early. That was just
fine for the assassin who crept silently towards the
pirate's sleeping form.  Slowly the assassin drew a
knife.  A few more steps and Jack would be no more.

The elf stopped dead in his tracks as he rounded a
cluster of tents and saw no guard in front of Jack's
tent.  He held up a finger to silence Drake and
Adriana. They complied as Doanthalas indicated the dead
guard's feet in some nearby bushes and motioned for
them to get help.  They quickly departed as the elf
crept forward. He glanced at the guard to see if it was
anyone he knew.  It wasn't.  Most likely it was one of
the new recruits.  The elf didn't give the body a
second glance as he slipped into the tent. His eyes
adjusted quickly to the darkness of the tent's
interior.  It was quick enough for him to see the
figure standing above Jack ready to strike.  Doanthalas
let out a feral scream as he leapt for the assassin.

The assassin brought the knife down in its killing arc.
She had been trained too well to be distracted by the
elf's scream.  However, this must not have been the
first attempt on the captain's life, for he rolled
frantically away from the assassin in spite of having
been deeply asleep a second before Doanthalis' scream.
The knife opened Jack's side rather than piercing the
pirate's heart.  Elizabetta did not have time to
consider her options as Doanthalas was upon her.  With
a deft move she ducked under his attack and drove her
foot into his back.  He crashed to the ground, rolled,
and came up in a fighting stance.

Jack was now awake.  He had grabbed his blade and then
rolled off the side of the bed opposite the assassin.
As he rolled he bellowed, "Roger! Guards!  Assasin!"
Red light from the magelight pendant Roger had given
the captain suddenly illumined the room.

Elizabetta took a gamble and jumped the bed to get
behind the pirate.  She held her knife against his
neck.  "Move and you die!" she hissed.

Doanthalas knew that Elizabetta might try something
like this.  He hadn't anticipated that it would be so
soon though.  But none of that mattered now. He had
tried his best to talk her out of it, but as the days
went by she never wavered in her decision.  She had
been given a choice of living the life of an assassin
and killing Red Jack or living the life that she and
Doanthalas could carve out together. She had made her
choice and she was about to carry out her mission.  If
he did not think fast, Jack was surely dead.  He only
hoped that she would keep him alive as a hostage long
enough for him to form a plan.  "So it comes to this,"
he said as he moved to block the tent's entrance.

"It was always heading in this direction Doanthalas,"
she said with a bit of regret in her voice.  "Perhaps
in another life things could have been different... but
not in this one.  Don't think that I wasn't tempted by
your offer."  Elizabetta sighed as she pressed the
knife firmly against Jack's neck. "I can think of
nothing I would like more than a life with you, but you
have to understand... it's not my life anymore.  If I
betray him he will send his best assassins after me.
We would both be in danger."

"Then let us face that danger together.  Neither of us
are strangers to danger.  We can fight them."

"Quite a romantic picture you paint...my love.  But
unfortunately the end result will be the same for me.
Either way I die... with or without you."  A tear
rolled down her cheek as she glanced over Doanthalas'
shoulder.  My death is a given, but I could not bear to
have your blood on my hands as well.  Sure we could
survive for a while, but sooner or later they would
find us and kill us both." "Trust me.  My way is
better.  I know the way he works and he would not stop
until we were both dead.  I do this because I have
to...because I love you."

A dark shape rose behind Doanthalas.

Doanthalas felt cold steel across his throat as a boney
hand grasped him from behind.

"Your way will have the same result as you believed his
would," The Death of Mortaebius rasped.  "The penalty
for bringing an assassin into this camp is death.
Elizabetta, you are correct, either way you die.  In
your foolishness you have brought death down upon
Doanthalas.  Pirates, some of whom are as lethal with a
bow as the best assassins, will soon surround this
tent.  You will not escape this place alive, nor will
your lover."

"Roger, get away from Doanthalas or the captain dies."


"Do you take me for a fool?  In life I was a pirate.
You will kill the captain regardless of whether or not
I release Doanthalas.  If you wish me to release him,
you must move away from the captain so that there is a
real chance that I can rescue him.  You must make
yourself a more attractive target than the elf.  Right
now, he is a sure thing.  You make the mistake of
believing that death will stop Red Jack.  I assure you,
his grave would hardly have a chance to grow cold
before he rose from it as I have."

Elizabetta swallowed.  Death was no fool.  Slowly she
moved back from the pirate captain.  If she were just
fast enough, she could still pull it off.  She held her
dagger to Jack's back, drew another and used it to
slice an opening in the tent behind her.  She did not
like the way Roger moved Doanthalas to the side to
allow him to get at her more quickly should the
opportunity present itself.  It was almost as though
Roger had done this before.

Suddenly Jack dove forward and rolled.

Run! The assassin screamed to Doanthalas as Death left
the elf behind and jumped towards her.  Roger did not
take the split second of extra time it would have taken
to kill the elf, for Elizabetta was already sending a
deadly blade Jack's way with a snap of her wrist.

The elf dove out the tent flap the way he had come in.
He rolled between two approaching pirates and into the
bushes near the dead guard's body before the men could
catch him to gut him with their swords.

The sound of metal against metal rang briefly through
the tent as death's scythe picked her thrown dagger
from the air.  Elizabetta would not have thought it
possible to deflect one of her throws had she not seen
it with her own eyes.  It was too late to throw
another.  The shadow of death was upon her.  She turned
a back flip and was through the opening, outside and on
her feet in an instant.

Roger removed a small, spike-bladed dagger with a large
bone handle from within his robes.  "kill," he said as
he threw the blade through the breach Elizabetta had
opened.

Once through the opening Elizabetta jumped to the side
to avoid the knife death threw at her.  She drew a
small crossbow, already cocked and loaded with a
poisoned bolt.  Although she could not see him through
the tent, She knew where Jack was; it didn't really
matter where she hit him.  The poison was most
virulent.

Elizabetta took aim.  Uh!?  She dodged backwards as she
fired.   Death's knife had veered in mid flight!

"Poison!" Jack bellowed from within the tent.

Elizabetta allowed herself a half smile on a job well
done.  Now she must escape Death who, despite his robes
and scythe, was out of the tent.  Elizabetta sprinted
and jumped.  The flying bone-handled dagger buried
itself in a pirate's chest as she narrowly got past his
swinging sword and behind him.  Would the dagger be
satisfied with the death of another?  Elizabetta did
not plan to wait around to find out. Neither did she
wish to wait around while archers arrived.  That Death
was right behind her was enough.

Elizabetta pushed deftly through some bushes knowing
that the skeleton's lighter weight would make bushes
more impenetrable to him than they were to her.  She
headed for an area of the forest near the camp where
she knew the bushes, brush and undergrowth would slow
death to a crawl.  She heard pirates behind her, but
she did not run straight.  She put the darkness of the
pre-dawn night and obstacles between herself and her
pursuers and stuck to shadowy areas of the camp as she
fled, not letting them get a clear shot at her back.

At last she made it into the forest.  The darkness
would hide her from all but death, and the thick
foliage ought to hide her from the dangerous skeleton
even if the darkness would not.  If she could evade him
long enough, she believed dawn's light would fight him
for her.

Doanthalas heard Elizabetta making her way through the
forest.  She was far behind him.  Humans were not fleet
of foot in the undergrowth.  For a human, her passage
was quiet, but to him distinctive.  Like him she had
chosen the thickest woods to cover her escape.  He was
about to go to her...

The assassin broke through the bushes and jumped the
narrow path.  Elizabetta stopped abruptly on the far
side of the path.   She stared at the end of the handle
of a scythe against her breast.  She knew the blade
must have passed through her, but it had been so fast,
so fast she had hardly felt it.  Already blood was
soaking her shirt.  Where had it come from?  "How," she
gasped.

Roger stepped from behind a tree.  The darkness made
all but the skull within his black hood invisible.
"Your life force is as a beacon to me, assassin.   It
is true you pass through this foliage more easily than
I, but did you honestly think it would hide you from
death?  I simply took the path and intercepted you.
Even you are relatively blind in this darkness, but I
am not.  In life, I served an unscrupulous master with
unswerving loyalty.  You have done the same.  Now you
will join my master, Mortaebius.  He will set a new
task for you."

As if to punctuate Death's words, the blade he had
thrown through the hole in the tent transfixed her from
behind, but she was already dead.

A single tear rolled down the elf's cheek as he
hastened away through the forest.  He had caught the
faint sound of the death skeleton's voice on the wind.
He turned east and hurried towards the rosy glimmerings
of dawn.  He would miss her; he would miss them all.

[Rapina]030 Seeping Toxins

"Aiii!  That'll do it, Drake, I don't want th'
tourniquet so tight as to kill me leg completely.  Damn
poison 'as been seepin' up, fer hours.  I can't feel a
thing from me toes ta th' middle of me thigh."

"But sir, the wound is just a scratch," Drake said.

"Aye, a scratch on me ankle, and I washed it out with
brandy only seconds after that blasted bolt creased
through me jammies.  I screamed bloody murder like I'd
been hit for real, an I think I fooled that wench
assassin.  She didn't know I shimmed up towards me bed
a bit while she warr occupied with Roger an 'is knife.
Otherwise the wench would 'ave hit me square in th'
chest.  A real pro that one warr, but no one escapes
death," Jack chuckled.  How is th' sun doin'?

Drake exited the captain's tent and then came back
inside.  "It's not quite down to the tree-line sir, but
it's getting there."

"Good, I'll never admit ta bein' grateful to that ol'
warlock after what 'is collegue did ta me men, but he
brought Roger, an Roger just saved me life, an I hope
ol' Kroz can make that savin' permanent.  This pois/g
seon's tryin' ta undo what Roger did.  Any news on th'
trackers?" Jack asked.

"None Sir, they've been at it since dawn, and dusk will
be here soon," Drake said.

"No one in camp could identify th' man Doanthalas
killed afore comin' ta confront me assassin, so he
could be a local, but 'e's too well equipped ta be a
farmer, " Jack said.  "He's got the weapons and th'
look of a tracker.  As soon as our mage gets here 'e
can sniff th' place o' death fer magic.  Damn!  I hate
bein' so dependent on a bunch 'o spooks!  Gettin'
famous has ruined th' piratin' business!"   Anyways,
Arzeal, Dido and a few men are out lookin' for th' dead
man's base camp.  Could be tharr's more than one spy
out tharr."

"Arzeal, reporting Sir," Arzeal said as he scratched at
the captain's tent flap.

"Aye, come in Arzeal.  Did ye find a camp or a new
spy?"

"We found one of his traps, sir."

"Who did ye loose?" Jack asked.

"The recruit named Binge we took as a flanker is down
and dieing, sir; we had to carry him back.  A spiked
snare trap hit him.  We are not sure if the trap was
set by the dead man or someone else, but it was getting
to be too dark to track anyway, so we all returned."

"Damn spies and assassins seem ta be comin' out o' th'
woodwork since Doanthalas and Rage got back here with
you an' me daughter.  Heinie Li'Yeiraun never did have
a mage worth squat.   Seems to me all 'e used to have
was a family line o' second rate tea leaf readers ta
help 'im with his investments.  I'd 'ave been dead ta
rights years ago if that ass had had a real mage.  Any
change in that department Dido?  Who's th' Li'Yeiraun
mage at the moment?

"Nordula, sir," Dido said.

"Has he got any talent?" Jack asked.

Mansun Dido squeezed his chin between his thumb and
forefinger.  "It is true Lord Li'Yeiraun's mages never
could seem to give him a straight answer as to where
you were, Captain.  Their hope was in Nordula, he had
more talent than either of his forebears on account of
the peasant wise woman his father's tea leaves pointed
at to be the boy's future mother.  When he had grown
some, they used up a great deal of the money their line
had siphoned off the Li' Yeirauns and a sizable
contribution from their lord to send Nordula for
outside training.  When he returned from his schooling
he was able to do a few notable spells, creating
sounds, flashes of light, balls of blue magic that
could inflict wounds, that sort of thing."

"Aye, true sorcery, but nothing compared to teleporting
a man's body," Jack said.

"Yes, I see what you mean, but it is possible Nordula
has improved and I may be, in part, responsible," Dido
said.

"An' how might that be?" Jack asked.

"There was an old mage who lived in a deep forest to
the East of the Lord's lands.  We were sent to find and
bring him in for questioning.  Lord Li' Yeiraun said
the man was implicated for harboring a fugitive.  I now
have my doubts.  The mage fought us and we lost many
men to his spells, but he was old and frail.  After a
few volleys that decimated our ranks and sent us
running, Nordula noticed the old man was using spells
of lesser potency.  We regrouped from what should have
been a route, doubled back, and ambushed him just
outside his abode.  Nordula was able to wound him with
a spell from behind while his magical shield was
directed towards fending off the swords of my men.
Once wounded, the mage lost his concentration, his
shield dropped for a moment, and we cut him down right
on the doorstep to his abode.  Two more steps and he
would have been inside.   I was not involved after the
initial mission, but from what I heard, Lord Li'
Yeiraun hired a group of mercenaries to clean the
mage's abode.  His books now sit on Nordula's shelves.

"Aye, so it could be tharr was somethin' to those
volumes an' Nordula has become more'n a second rate tea
leaf reader," Red Jack nodded, and then knocked on the
large chest at the foot of his bed.  "Are ye awake yet
Roger?"

"I never really sleep sir, but the sun makes me...
drowsy."

"Well, it ain't quite down yet, but I need ye ta get
hold o' Kroz as soon as ye can.  Doanthalas killed a
spy before he came ta stop th' assassin wench last
night, and there may be other spies at large as well.
We already lost one man to a trap.

"I will relay the news to Kroz, Captain.  I do not know
if he would wish to become embroiled in such mundane
matters, but I am sure he will come for the assassin's
body if you wish to sell it to him.  I believe
Elizabetta is the perfect subject for an advanced
animation."

"Aye, I'll trade 'er cadaver for a cure ta this poison
if he can get me one."

---

"Captain Jack,  Kroz is here with Rapina and he brought
some ghouls, but he left them at the graveyard.  He is
willing to infuse you with life force to heal the
damage done by the poison if you have a donor," Arzeal
said.

Okay men take me out ta th' infirmary, thar's not a
moment ta loose, damn poison's up to me hip."

Within the ship's tent, the pirates were eating dinner.
Fist one, then another blood-chilling scream
interrupted the men's meal.

"Damn sorcery!  It's gonna to give us all a belly ache
fer sure."

Back at the infirmary tent Kroz entered and addressed
the captain, "How is the leg, Captain?"

"It's still tinglin,' thanks ta Binge, here.  The
captain patted Binge's freshly dead corpse.   Heh heh,
we were both dead men 'fore long.  His dyin' sooner is
goin' ta buy 'is captain some time."

"Without another donor, that is as much as I can do for
you.  If you have the bolt, I may be able to determine
what sort of poison was used.  There may be an
antidote."

"Ye mean ye don't think Binge's whole life is going ta
be enough ta quench this damn poison?"

"Your body will have much more energy with which to
fight the toxin and the damage it has already done will
be healed, however my spell does not neutralize the
poison.  The poison will begin to do damage once
again," Kroz said.

"Damn!  Will we 'ave to take me leg off?" Jack asked.

"It would stop the poison, however you would then be
minus a leg," Kroz said.

"Aye, and what kind o' leader would I be without even
enough leg fer a peg?" Jack scowled.

"We could remove the flesh and leave the bone.  I have
Wedge's hand for him.  I will put it on as soon as he
is brought here.  If you find its functionality to your
liking, we could prepare your leg similarly."

"Here sir," Wedge said.

"Recruit, Kroz 'as got yer hand for ye."

"Splendid, you have arrived, Wedge.  You have a
decision to make.  Let me see your wrist.

Wedge held out his stump.

Kroz carefully fitted Wedge's cleaned up skeletal hand
to the bone of his stump and made a few incantations.

Wedge inhaled involuntarily.

"You have a decision to make, young man.  Your skeleton
is now whole, but you cannot move the bones of your
dead hand, can you?"

Wedge grimaced, "No sir."

"With magic I can give you that power and you will be
able to use it.  It will not, however be any stronger
than the hand of a pampered woman.  If you wish to
serve the god of the dead, I can ask him for his
blessing and additional divine magic.  Your hand will
become formidable in its strength.  You will have no
trouble wielding an axe or a heavy blade, but you will
also wield that blade in the name of the god of the
dead, for you will have a connection to him.  Do you
understand?"

Wedge nodded gravely, "Like Roger?"

"Yes," the necromancer affirmed.

Wedge grinned evilly.  "What do I have to do?"

The necromancer's rasping laugh filled the night.

-----


As quietly as a man could, Gariot Hansfeldt made his
way through the woods.  He held the glowing red bit of
glass aloft and smiled.  One of his traps had been
sprung.  He could see the spikes were deep in the body.
One protruded from the chest of the corpse.  He shook
his head as he thought to himself,  "I should have
known they would be looking for me.  Well it's too
late, they had their chance to find my base camp, and
now I don't have the magic pendant anymore, and I will
not know where the new camp is even if they catch me.
Gariot bent down to examine his handywork."

"Agh!"

Gariot's eyes bulged as the corpse stuck to the spikes
grabbed his face.  The smell of rot seemed to thicken.
How could the corpse be moving?

Edgar the ghoul jumped from the bushes and clawed
rapidly yet savagely at the side of the tracker's head.
He would not let up while he had the advantage.
"Kkhahah," he signaled.  The stench in the area soon
grew in magnitude as Kent sunk his claws into the man's
back and neck.  The victim froze.

Kent removed the tracker's weapons and chittered
happily as Edgar and the newly created zombie of the
pirate named Binge carried their paralyzed victim back
to Red Jack's camp.

---


Brackston blanched.

Wedge opened and closed his skeletal hand so that all
the men within the ship's tent could see it.  A great
vat of stew simmered over the foot of a seated flaming
skeleton.  Bedrolls were spread all around the ship,
for the men had moved out of their chill barracks tents
to where the heat was.  Wedge grabbed a heavy axe and
swung it, "Ahahahah, it's strong, see, I can wield the
best weapons again!  Pitty me now, Slice.  Ahahaha! The
power of the god of the dead is in my hand."

"Oooiiiiakakakahhh!" Kent screamed.

"Thane looked up from an engaging magical conversation
he was having with Rapina under what would soon be the
ship's bow.  "Arzeal, I believe Kent has found some
measure of success.  He is calling us from the
graveyard.  Rapina, carry on."

---

"It is not a man I know whispered Mansun Dido from the
bushes.  If he is working for Lord Li' Yeiraun then he
would have to be new."

"No doubt," Kroz rasped.

"How did yew find are camp?" Brackston questioned.

"I just stumbled upon it.  I had no idea what it was,"
Gariot Hansfeldt said.

Kroz softly imitated the caw of a crow.

Brackston caught the sound of the raspy crow and knew
the tracker was lying, "Yew think I believe that?
Bloody Brackston pulled the man's shirt off.  Gariot
Handsfeld was chained in an upright position between
two stout posts.  His legs and arms were spread and the
lash had already torn his shirt to shreds."  Brackston
reached around front and undid the man's belt, and then
he walked around front and unbuttoned Hansfeldt's
pants.  The tracker looked at the pirate incredulously.


"Yew better start tellin' th' truth.  How did ye find
us, how did ye get here?"

"I told you, I rode," Hansfeldt said.

Brackston jerked the man's pants down and pulled his
sheath knife.  He played the tip over the man's balls.
Yew think yew're really tight lyin' ta ol' Brackston.
I'll bet yer tight," Brackston shoved his middle finger
up the man's butt.

"Hhhh!  Don't you dare sodomize me!" Handfeldt
hollered.

"Heh, heh, if yew insist, but I was going ta use the
branding irons an' save that for latter, Heh heh..."

Hours of pain passed.

"This man is surprisingly resistant to torture," Kroz
said in a bored tone.  "I believe he lasted something
over three hours in Brackston's capable hands."

Mansun was sitting on the cold ground, his back to the
scene.  It was something he had long ago decided he
would rather not see.  He was here as a second opinion
to the magic of Kroz, to help give Brackston an idea of
whether or not the man was telling the truth if the man
were working for Lord Li'Yieraun.  It almost didn't see
fair.  Whenever the tracker lied Brackston knew, and
the tracker suffered for it.

"I was teleported by a mage, damn it!" the prisoner,
Gariot Hansfeldt, finally admitted.

"Where were yew, who done it, and how was it done?"
Brackston asked.

Gariot cried, "I was hired out from Turnmoor and paid
in gold.  The mage, Nordula. told me to hold my breath
and he started casting some kind of spell, and then I,
I just appeared." The prisoner said.

"Where did yew report to this mage ta be teleported?"
Brackston asked.

"In Turnmoor," Hansfeldt said.

Brackston heard the crow and grabbed ahold of a
branding iron.

AAAIIIIII!  Castle Yieraun.  It was at Castle Yieraun!"
Hansfeldt admitted.

"... That's better, now where did yew appear and what
were yewr orders?" Brackston asked.

"Ouu! Please, I was put in a handstand before Nordula
cast the spell.  He told me when I arrived I was to
pick up the pendant dropped by the other man, and that
it would be right under my head, and then I was to set
up a temporary camp.  I left the pendant there."

Brackston heard the caw of a crow, smiled and went
behind the man.

Gariot stiffened as the pirate drove his fleshy rod
into the raw pain of his bowels.  "Ahhhii! You already
know when I'm lying, why do you even ask?"

"Because I like ta fuck yew, yew ass!  Now yew tell de
whole truth or it'll be back ta the brandin' iron."

Hansfeldt shuddered, "All right, all right, the mage
sent two more men earlier tonight.  I was to keep watch
on the pirate camp and go to a specified location two
days every week to pick up the pendent and make my
report," Handsfedt said.

"Why don't they just leave the pendant with you?  If
they ain't watchin' our camp, how come they need it?"
Brackston asked.

"I don't know!  Aaaiii!" Hansfeld said.

"Why do you think?" Brackston asked.

"I, I think the mage needs the pendant to teleport men
to.  I was teleported to the pendant, and so were the
other two.  I held it up and each appeared under it in
turn," Hansfeld admitted.

"So while yew watch our camp, Nordula fills another
camp with soldiers, is that right?" Brackston asked.

"Yes, I think that's the plan.  The river is too choked
with ice, I don't think they can send a ship, so they
are sending us with magic," Hansfeld admitted.

"Why don't they send yew overland?" Brackston asked.

"The Lord here doesn't like Lord Li' Yeiraun.  Isn't
that why Red Jack holed up here?.. Aaaouuch!" Hansfeldt
asked.

"Yew got to remember who asks and who answers..."
Brackston said.

---


"Aln I see yourrr rum and raise you  ahhrum," Dodge
slurred.

"Yourr on," Pike blinked.

The two men slammed back still another round of rum.

Rapina raised her eyebrows.  Pike had come over just
after Kroz had left and the pirate named Dodge had
complained about Pike trying to keep the "wench" for
himself.  Things had escalated from there, but not
exactly the way she would have thought.  Dodge
maintained that a contest of arms between he and Pike
would be unfair, instead, he had challenged Pike to a
contest of cups.

"Yooouulll never oud dlink me, Piike, I've been annn
alcoholic since birff, I suck-kled ale ad mmy mmother's
tteat, hic," Dodge slurred.

"Tthen why are you wavering aaand I'm ssstill sssteady
as a rrock?" Pike asked.

Dodge tittered, "Yyew, sssteady?  Yyewer jusst a-about
ta falll.  One morrre rrround ought ta havvve it, hic,"
Dodge said.

Another round was poured and the two men tossed it
back.

Rapina wrinkled her nose, both men were astoundingly
drunk, how Dodge figured he was going to make use of
her company if he did win the drinking bout was beyond
her.

The cook raised his eyebrows, already the men had drunk
their way through Dodge's stash of rum,  "One of you
better fall now, we're out of rum."

Ssusorry, me dliink all yer rum, but meee nod fallin'
Whho gott's more?" Dodge asked.

"Llookss a draw," Pike said drunkenly.

"Stoker, you got some rum, give it up," Creaser said.

"Should I sir?" Stoker asked.

"Ooonly iff hee's mmman ennnough," Dodge slurred.

Pike slapped the table, "Hhaull id oud."

"Yes sir," Stoker grinned evilly and retrieved a bottle
from his sea chest.  "It's strong stuff Sir."

"Dodge tittered."

"Yyou thththink weee carrre?" Pike asked.

"I see your point sir."  Stoker filled both cups near
to the brim.

The two men slammed back their drinks, and Stoker
immediately filled them up again from his bottle.

"Doouble err nothin'," Dodge said slamming back his
cup.  Pike downed his drink a second later.  Stoker
swiftly refilled them.

"Gggive it ttime ttoo settle, Pike wavered."

Dodge tittered, "Eee's fllagin'."

"Bbbbahh, bbrink id on," Pike said.

The two men slammed back four more drinks in rapid
succession.

"Uhhhooooo" Dodge said as he kept going backwards after
lifting the next cup.

Pike finished the fifth drink in the set, and began to
stand up.  "Baa, liddlelightwade."  For an instant,
Pike looked a little surprised, "Oooooooo"

Stoker and Greasy barely managed to catch the Norse
giant's body.  Once caught they pulled him to his bed
roll.

Rapina looked at the lust written all over the faces of
pirates dragging Pike to his rest, and then suddenly
realized what was going on.  Jack was in his bed
nursing his leg, Arzeal was far away in the night with
Kent and the ghouls, attempting to find the spy's base
camp to see if he had left any evidence of a plan
there.  Brackston, Thane, and Mansun Dido were
interrogating the captured spy.  Rage and Skitch were
on night guard duty.  Pike had been the only officer
present, and the only man likely to protect her
"virtue."  Dodge was likely a dupe of an alcoholic
given free booze in exchange for attempting to drink
Pike under the table, but Pike was a huge man, and
known to drink a bit himself.

From Dodge's slipped remark, the original owner of the
first bottles of rum had probably been Greasy, and the
last cups poured by Stoker had come fast and furious,
and the rum?  Rapina snatched the bottle from the low
table in front of her and tipped the bottle way back,
concealing the fact that she took only a tiny swig.
"Haahhh," she rasped.  Tears came to her eyes as liquid
fire burned down her throat.

The pirates laughed as the spellbinding wench clutched
her throat from the heat of the rum she had just
downed.

The rum was nearly one hundred percent alcohol.  It all
made sense now, Stoker knew the contestants were too
drunk to taste just how strong the new rum was, and he
knew if he got enough of it into them fast enough, it
would not mater who fell first, both were sure to go
down.  Rapina realized she had about one second to put
her own spin on things before the raging river of the
pirates' lust chose a channel other than the one she
would try to send it down.

"No officers?" Rapina asked in mock innocence.  Then in
a husky, conspiratorial tone, "Want to have some fun?"

A hearty roar rose up from the pirates.

Rapina smiled provocatively, "Okay, I'm going to need a
little music, something slow and sultry, and something
to dance on.  How about that scaffold?  Some of the men
looked a bit disappointed.  The river was trying to
escape Rapina's channel.   And Zit, could you be a dear
and collect my clothes when they fall?" Rapina asked as
she diverted the lust back to her channel.

The Pirates grinned lustily, "Oh Yah!," they cheered.
Men hastened to move a section of scaffold to the
central location Rapina had indicated.

"My good things are all gifts from Kroz to beautify his
household, and I'm not sure what kind of sorcerous
experiments he would perform on someone who damaged
them.  Rapina glanced at one of the flaming skeletons.
Just be a dear and put them in your sea chest.

Zit nodded gravely.

"Cmon! Wench, get it on!  Chops began to play his
bongos as a pirate next to him fingered chords on a
lute.

Rapina tossed her cloak to Zit and mounted up on the
stage.  She was suddenly the soul focus of fifty lusty
pirates.  Lust tingled up and down her spine; she
practically vibrated with it as it raced up her legs
and down her arms.  Almost in spite of herself, she
began to tug at it as she danced, with every sway of
her hips, every stretch of her long legs she grabbed
and tugged.  In the past, she had always pulled on the
lust of a single man, now she found groups were a
little different, but came just as naturally.  The
music helped, but the tugging did nothing to slow the
men's appetite for more skin.

She was her own worst enemy.  She had thought that if
she kept them entertained for long enough, surely one
of the officers would happen by.  Now it was impossible
to say what she wanted.  Their lust was so thick she
could almost touch it, and it was making her so hungry,
so wet, she was embarrassed and yet intrigued all at
once.  For so long she had made due with just one man,
now she was looking at a multitude.  Involuntarily, she
licked her lips like the vampire Zit had taken her for.
Rapina's breathing increased as she stepped out of her
dress and kicked it into Zit's waiting arms.  Lust
nearly overwhelmed her as the pirates' eyes caressed
her scarlet lingerie, her involuntary moan was
swallowed by the music and a thousand lusty comments
about her curves.

Her, long legs, her high, round butt, her rich, round
breasts, everything she showed them brought a rush that
overwhelmed her reason.  Her bustier came down, her
breasts jiggled freely, Her garters were unclipped as
she passed the groping fingers of the pirates at the
edges of the makeshift stage. When they tugged down her
panties she had fallen back into a roll and when she
rolled up on her feet again as Rames had drilled into
her in his classes on unarmed defense, she had her own
panties in her hands, dangling from her long delicate
fingers, taunting the men, tugging at their lust.

"Woooo-hu, now thar's a real wench!  Blackjack reached
out and wiped his fingers over the inside of Rapina's
leg, just above the knee.  Then he thrust his fingers
into his mouth.  Mmm-mm, that ain't sweat, mates!

"Oou, that's a PIRATE WENCH!" Glinter hollered.

One of Rapina's silk stockings fell off, a casualty of
the sock-pulling and rolling game the reaching pirates
had come up with on their own.  Her bustier was open to
her navel and sliding down over her hips, but none of
that seemed to matter because she was trying very hard,
very hard to keep from shaking.  She felt like her eyes
should be glowing or something, she felt so much fire
in her body.  Her other sock was pulled from her foot
as she stepped up, and then as she swung from a cross
beam, her bustier fell to the stage.  Other than the
choker Kroz always made her wear when she came to the
pirate camp, there was nothing left to take off, and as
far as she knew, the choker could only be removed by
magical means.

Rage stomped a bit to remove the snow from his boots
and then re-secured the exit flap.  "Wow, it sure was
warmer in the ship's tent than it was outside," he
thought.  As he turned, he realized the music and
cheers had stopped, and fifty pirates were looking at
him.  But when the fifty-first looked at him he gasped
for breath.  His cold, tight balls fell nearly as
rapidly as his shaft rose.  "Aaagh."  For a second he
was going to ask Rapina why she was standing naked on
the scaffold, he was going to scold the men, but his
breathing was way too heavy as he walked to her.  She
was perfect, she smelled like lust, and he had her
undivided attention.  He should have told her off for
inciting the men.  He should have done a lot of things,
but something was wrong with his head and he could only
think about one thing, getting it into her, getting it
into her now.

Rapina idly wondered why her fingers were unbuttoning
Rage's pants, and why she was breathing like a winded
horse.  Someone threw a bedroll over the planking
behind her.  Rapina pulled down his breeches and she
brought him down.

Rage kicked off his pants and thrust like a stallion,
again and again.  Rapina was so wet there would have
been no friction at all had it not been for the muscles
within her, stronger and more facile than those of any
woman he had ever known.  She squeezed him, she pulled
at his seed, she called to it from her wet depths like
a sea of sirens.

The pirates cheered.

Rapina felt as though she had nearly broken something
inside of her holding back her need so as not to
consume Rage as he came violently, fountaining his lust
into her bottomless hunger.

EEEEYAAAAAAAH!  His orgasm seemed to last forever.
When it finally ended he went limp.

"Stoker!"  Rapina rolled the pirate officer off her and
smiled her hunger at the instigator of the drinking
contest.

Had Stoker paused to wonder why the pirate wench had
rolled a limp, exhausted Rage off her body, he might
have hesitated to bed her. However, he had been
plotting all night, and he was not the kind of man who
easily let the spoils of victory go free.  He was on
her in an instant.

Rapina wrapped her legs around him and bucked like a
mule, she had nothing left in her to hold back with,
she pulled at his seed like a crazed animal.  Had it
not been for the cheers of the pirates, she felt
certain Stoker would have lost his nerve.  Perhaps he
would have been better off if he had.

Stoker's eyes rolled back in his head, he had bedded
more women than he could count, and he had never cared
much whether or not they were willing.  The wench
beneath him now was a wildcat, a hellion, a succubus,
and every stroke pulled him down to hell and then shot
him straight to heaven, he moaned, heaved, pumped, and
gasped.  This was extreme, something felt wrong, but he
could not stop, he just couldnot stop.  It felt so
good, he had to spend, his thrusting was compulsion and
she squeezed him, clutched him, pulled at his lust with
a force he could not comprehend.

Gaaaaaaaaaaah!  Stoker's eyes nearly popped out of his
skull.  Had any pirate been in the right position to
see Stoker's eyes, he would have screamed in terror.
Fortunately, no one saw it, no one but Rapina.

Rage got unsteadily to his feet.  Damn!"

The pirates laughed.

After several minutes of Stoker's gasping orgasm and
spewing seed, Rapina's hunger was blunted and she
relented.  Rapina rolled Stoker off her body and tried
not to notice how limp he had gone. "Greasy!" she
chimed, almost cheerfully.

The cook lasted only a few minutes before he joined his
deathly comrade with a long, eye-popping orgasm.
Rapina rolled him aside and was about to speak, but
another pirate jumped between her thighs before she
could say a word.

With Stoker and Greasy Rapina had lost control -lost it
utterly; but she felt much better now, a little more
herself.  Her clutching wetness was just a joy, and if
she just relaxed and let the men fill her mind and body
with power and pleasure, she would not draw dangerously
on any one of them.  Stoker and Greasy had paid for
their perfidy, but the rest would be just fine.  She
whispered comments, sometimes requests or even orders
to change positions and sometimes endearments as each
pirate bedded her.  Her lively cunny supped
gluttonously as each pirate came powerfully, spewing
seed and energy into her hungry depths.

Few lasted more than five minutes, but hardly a second
would pass between the time one man drenched the warmth
of her clutching vagina and another entered.  It was
almost as though one tireless pirate was bedding her,
and because of that she began to come, and come, over
and over.  She was so sensitized by all the lust and
life force being pumped into her that very nearly
everything drove her to orgasm.  She would peak, then
after a few minutes peak again, and for whatever
perverse reason, vanity, or perhaps revenge, whenever
she did, she filled each man's mind with fealty, utter,
unabashed obedience and worship for their goddess of
lust.  If these pirates thought with the brain between
their legs, then she would command their minds.

Zit realized he was the low man on the totem pole
because everyone had gone up on the makeshift stage,
and several had been on the platform twice, yet he had
not been given a chance at all.

Rapina closed her thighs and turned after sending
Blackjack to the platform.  "I've seen you others
before, let Zit up first, it's not fair keeping him a
virgin forever."

The pirates laughed.  Several in the crowd piped up,
"Get Zit up there, no pirate should be a virgin, it
aren't right."

Zit crawled up onto the platform at last.  He lifted
his palm, the bedroll was afloat in goo.

Rapina giggled.

Zit smiled, and then his mouth fell open as he saw
Rapia's breasts jiggle.  They were so full and pert,
and her nipples were standing up like little pink
towers.  He couldn't quite imagine how she had fit her
breasts into her bodice.

Rapina saw what he was looking at and pulled him to her
breast with a finger under his chin.  He suckled her,
and then she grabbed him around back.  She put her hand
between his buns, found the base of his penis and
pulled him to her.

Zit moaned as Rapina guided him into her and caressed
him inside her.  He hardly noticed the rasping laughter
from across the tent.  He just coursed in and out of
Rapina's captivating cleft.   Hearing the laughter she
clasped her palms over his ears and pumped harder
against him.  He moaned and thrust a while longer then
started coming grandly.

Rapina released one of Zit's ears and pulled him into
her with her right hand between the cheeks of his
behind.  Feeling the delicious pulsing at the base of
his cock with her wrapped fingertips as he came long
and hard.  She bucked against him cried out as she too
began to come.  As her mind touched his, she became his
princess, his sovereign, his queen, and yet one who
held him with great affection.

Kroz chuckled and it amused him all the more that it
came out as a wicked rasping, for his death robes made
his voice sound so very undead.  "Well now, while the
cats are away, it appears the mice will play."

Rapina massaged the base of Zit's waning cock and
looked up at the approaching death mask of Kroz.  She
felt far too good to be embarrassed.  "Rauw," she
mewed.  Zit's organ began to re-engorge.  Rapina
grinned like the cat who had just swallowed the
cannary. "They started it," She said.

Kroz laughed so hard his death robes could hardly cope
with it. He pounded his knee as he looked at the many
sleeping pirates and the gaggle still waiting around
the stage.

"Did you want to see if you could take on the entire
camp?" Kroz asked.

"No, I'm just having fun," Rapina smiled.  Her hand
caressed Zit's behind as her loins moved gently around
his hardening rod.  "Besides, there had to be a few on
guard duty, so it's not quite the whole camp. Zit was
the last of them, and I had to complain to get him a
spot.  Those others are greedy; they're here for
seconds.  Rapina suckled playfully at Zit's neck.

Kroz raised his eyebrows beneath the death mask.  There
was a man lying near the edge of the stage.  Kroz
rolled him over.  He looked dead, but he was erect, and
the very tip of his cock was gray.  Thane took a tiny
hand mirror from within his robe and held it near the
man's nose.  It steamed up, but barely.  "Mmm, he
seems... exhausted.  Was he the first?

Rapina blinked, but did not pause in the slow thrusting
of her hips.  "The second actually.  Rage was the
first, but he just walked in after I danced for them.
I thought I was stalling until an officer came and I
succeeded.  An officer did come, just before they
started in, but there was so much lust, I was...

"Primed?" Kroz asked.

"I was um, Stoked," Rapina grinned.  "Rage, well he
could tell I was ready.  He didn't say anything, he
just came up, and, I couldn't keep my hands out of his
pants.  I didn't tire him out too badly.  This whole
thing, it wasn't his fault, he just walked into it."

Kroz chuckled, "Your sense of justice never ceases to
amaze me Rapina.  And this..." Kroz indicated the
comatose man on the edge of the stage.

"Stoker," Rapina sighed and smiled dreamily as she
continued to pump Zit's erection into her wanton cunt.

"Stoker was the instigator?" Kroz asked.

Rapina nodded,  "I think so.  He and Greasy supplied
the rum for a drinking contest between Dodge and Pike,
the only officer here."

"Kroz laughed. "And you saw the whole thing coming?"

"Not as soon as I should have.  Pike won the contest,
but the last bottle of rum, the one Stoker supplied,
was extremely strong.  I tasted it after Dodge went
down, it nearly burned my throat out, and Stoker had
been pouring them fast and furious at the end of the
contest.  Pike had enough in his stomach to make him
pass out, he just didn't know it until about two
minutes after he had won."

Kroze smiled beneath the death mask, "So the contest
was just a way to neutralize the officer protecting
your virtue.  It really didn't matter who won, both
lost."

Rapina moaned with pleasure, then nodded, "It was very
clever, actually.  Stoker would have taken advantage as
soon as they laid Pike down, but I offered to dance for
everyone before he had the chance."  Rapina giggled,
"At the time I thought I was stalling for time, but oh
did that backfire on me.  I should have known better,
so many men, so much lust, how could I resist?"

"Indeed."  Kroz stepped up onto the stage and stepped
over Rapina and Zit to examine something hanging from
one of the posts of the scaffolding.  It was a pair of
trousers with sheathed weapons still attached.  Kroz
seemed most interested in an impressive-looking sword.
He went around behind it and mumbled a few
incantations.

"Well, I hate to break up your little party, my dear,
but it is nearly dawn and we must get back to the
abode.  We have some urgent business to take care of in
the laboratory." Kroz said.

"Okay, I'll get cleaned up," Rapina smiled as she
continued her wanton rutting.

"Splendid.  Tell me, to whom does this weapon belong?"
Kroz asked.

Zit grunted, "Those are Rage's things, sir, I hung them
up for him while he was busy."

"Ah, that makes sense, I must consult with Red Jack a
moment, so I believe you two will have time to finish
up after all, not that you really appeared to be
stopping," Kroz chuckled.

----


While Thane slept, Rapina retired to her room, but she
could not sleep.  She was simply buzzing with energy.
She took a catnap, but otherwise read for the entire
time she would have slept.  After he had arisen, Thane
ate a rushed breakfast, and then went down to the
laboratory to try to discover what kind of poison
Elizabetta had used on Jack.

Sometime after nightfall, Rapina set "lunch" out for
the two priests of Mortaebius.  "Here you are
Guardians.  Any luck on the poison?"

"Yes, the toxin used comes from a tiny insect.  It
takes a great deal of trouble to make, but it is one of
the most deadly toxins known, which explains why the
scratch on Jack's leg was enough to sicken him so.
Ordinarily the toxin kills in a matter of seconds, but
if the dose is exceptionally small, it works more
slowly.  The poison could still be fatal.  Once
introduced it works on the nerves, including the brain
and the nerves that control the heart.  I must return
to the pirate camp yet tonight.  I contacted Roger just
after dark, and Jack is already in dire need of another
infusion of life force to regenerate his body.  Short
of a magical potion or the spell of a priest of a god
of healing, the poison cannot be neutralized. We shall
have to hope he can find a continuous supply of
victims, or Jack may not make it.  Thankfully, the
nobles of Turnmoor have provided us with at least one.
-----------------

It had been several days since she had seen the pirates
and Rapina was in Thane's magical library with five
books open on the floor. A single flaming skeleton
stood in an alcove near the door.  Ordinarily she might
have taken the books to her room, but she did not see
the point.  Neither Thane nor Rames was home to scold
her, and the book she was reading required many
references just to understand.  No sooner would she
close one reference, than she needed another from the
shelf.  The book she was trying to understand was the
book on magical theory that Red Jack had allowed her to
read when she was a pirate.  Thane owned all of Jack's
old books now.  She had picked up the book just after
returning from the tryst with the pirates because she
needed a challenge.  The energy from the pirates was
keeping her quite alert, and she saw no reason not to
use it.

Rapina fingered the choker around her neck.  Thane made
her wear it whenever she was away from the abode, and
now it appeared she must also wear it whenever both
priests were out.  It was little more than a slave
collar, she supposed.  It was odd that Thane had not
put it on her when she made her mock escape from him in
Granville.  No doubt, he had been testing her.  A few
days ago, Thane, or Kroz as he now liked to be called
sent Rames on some sort of assignment.  He was still
gone, and Thane had gone to infuse Red Jack with
another nightly dose of life force to keep him alive.
Rapina knew he would also check on the results of
Kent's ghoulish scouting efforts.

"Rapina!?" Thane called out.

"In the Library!" Rapina answered.

"Ah, I should have known.   Thane frowned at all the
books scattered across the floor.  For an apprentice
who does the bulk of the cleaning around here, you seem
to be quite at home with slovenly habits.  I see you
did not even button your bodice this morning."

Rapina giggled, "I can't, Guardian."

"No?"

"I gained a cup size from bedding the pirates.
Actually, I'm not as big as I was a few days ago.  I
could probably button at least one or two buttons now,
Rapina said."

"Mmm?" Thane asked.

Rapina stood, took Thane's skeletal left hand and
pushed it down the front of her dress.

Thane's jaw dropped.  Astonishing!  As you know, I can
feel life force with that hand.

Rapina nodded, "Yes, that's why I took your left hand
and not the other.  I'm sure the right would have been
more pleasant, but I don't think you would have gotten
the point.  The other point is, I'm really just reading
the book in my hands, the other five are references,
and I keep having to pull more down from the shelves.
This is a very hard book.  I think you might have kept
it on the shelf in your room had it not been for the
fact that you knew I had already seen it.  It was
Jack's."

"Ah, yes, I know the volume.  It is a difficult work,
not the sort of thing an apprentice would normally try
to tackle.   Why are you locking horns with it?"

"I was so charged up from the pirates, I needed the
challenge.  I am nearly done, I've been at it for
several days."

Hard at it too, I believe your standards for the
cleanliness of the Kitchen have slipped.

"Oooo," Rapina put her hand to her lips.  "I forgot to
tidy up after lunch."

Thane chuckled.  I see you are not far from the end.
Do not break your chain of thought now.  You can attend
to the kitchen at dinner, which can be simple fare
since I will be busy and Rames is not due back until
tomorrow after dusk.

"Thank you Guardian Thane.  I could really use the
time.  I do believe I finally know enough, and have a
big enough library at my disposal to be getting
somewhere."

"Indeed, I will discuss the work with you when you have
finished.  I read it myself shortly after it came into
my possession.  It is a valuable though confusing
treatise.  One more thing, Rapina."

"Hmm?"

"How did you fair when the shadows drained you when you
foiled that little assassination attempt I cooked up
for Red Jack not long after you all arrived on
Graveston isle?

"They seemed to tap my reserves before they started to
hurt me.  Are you out of victims for healing Jack?"
Rapina asked.

Thane chuckled and shook his head, "My dear, you are
far too familiar with the way I think.  Yes, the spy
lasted through four drains in two days before death
claimed him.  Since then the Captain's more loyal
officers have donated life force of one drain apiece.
More would be too dangerous.  Red Jack is still by no
means well, indeed, his straights seem more dire each
time I see him.  I am healing some of the damage, but I
cannot touch the poison itself.  He needs more just to
keep him alive.  Yet, I do not believe he wants to
start using crewmen to keep himself among the living.
Given that one powerful but remote group already
appears to know the location of his camp, I do not
think he wishes to betray his location to other groups
by locating local men and having me drain the life out
of them.  The life force you store appears to be of a
somewhat different character than what I am used to
draining, but as long as it is drainable, it is worth a
try.  You will come with me to help Jack tomorrow
then?"

Rapina nodded, "Yes Guardian.  I wonder, why are you
helping him so much?  You have been there every night
since he was poisoned.  It is not in the contract."

Thane chuckled, "There would be no contract without Red
Jack, that and he has already made his payment.  He
gave me the fresh corpse of Elizabetta, a highly
trained assassin, a rare gem, and I have been working
on her and the enchantments I must learn to complete
her every available hour since I got her back.  I have
had to purchase the corpses of two lesser assassins at
great personal expense just to practice on. Moreover, I
have had to appeal to our cause and ask favors of
several Mortancers of Mortaebius so that I can learn
the process aright and make no mistakes on her
enchantments when she is ready.  I will see you at
dinner.  I still have much to do.  If I am successful
in these next few days, I will have learned a second of
Mortaebius' advanced animations."
---------------------

The next evening at Dusk Thane, as Kroz, used the
graveyard mists spell to transport Rapina and his
guards to the pirate camp.

"I will consult with Kent.  Mayhap you would like to
try to glean some more energy before we try this.  I
see you were able to button your bodice this morning,
though the fit of your dress is too tight," Kroz said.

Rapina nodded and hustled towards the camp with a
couple of guards Thane had assigned to her.  Their
mailed feet crunched the packed snow on the path as
they followed her.  When she entered the ship's tent,
she saw that things had changed somewhat.  The ship was
both more and less built, and a body of a recruit hung
from one of the posts.  It appeared that the men were
making the ship, but also disassembling and packing its
parts for transport by sled.  Red Jack was probably
getting ready to run, but he was probably too sick to
do it just yet.  Rapina rubbed her tingling nose as she
looked around and then realized that a number of the
pirates were already lustfully looking at her, tickling
her senses.

"Lust on deck!  Phhhweeetphweew!" Blackjack bellowed.

Rapina blushed and felt her nipples erect as a great
deal of lustful attention had its effect on her.  The
men had adopted a horse whistle instead of the usual
naval whistle they sometimes used before formal
speeches of the captain.  It appeared she had taken on
new rank, although the rank seemed pregnant with humor.
Rapina covered the "Oh" written on her lips as she
realized the suggestion her mind had cooked up to give
the pirates when she had slipped into their clutches a
few days ago.  She would just have to do it again,
maybe the pirates would become a little more serious.

"Hi men, it looks like you've been hard at work."

"Not as hard as we'd like ta be!" Glinter blurted.

"Oh yea!" The pirates hollered as they gave Glinter the
thumbs up.

Just then Brackston came into the tent, "Captain says
'e's not feelin' up ta satisfyin' de red hot wench
tanight.  Yew men think ye can fill 'is shoes?"

"Aye!" The pirates hollered.

"Damn right we can!" Stoker said with fanatic zeal.

Rapina raised her eyebrows.  After the way she had
abused Stoker the last time she had seen him, she was
surprised he had any interest.  Yet it was apparent
from his eyes that he was obsessed, like an addict who
had been debilitated by opium, yet craved more.

Brackston whispered in Rapina's ear, "Captain Jack says
yew're th' last person 'e wants ta steal life force
from.  Only reason 'e's willin' ta try this is Kroz
says yew got a little natural talent fer sex magic.
Th' Captain will give it a try, but only if yew can
charge yerself way up with yer magic snatch.  Red Jack
don't want yew hurt from Kroz's deadly hand.  Yew fuck
them men, and yew fuck them good, understand?"

"Yes sir," Rapina blushed.

A section of scaffolding was already being moved to the
center of the tent, and a few bed rolls and blankets
were being tossed on top of it.

Rapina jumped up on the scaffold.  "You sure you can
fill Jack's shoes guys?  Jack's got a wicked tongue and
he is awfully long-winded."

"We'll do it 'er die tryin!"  Greasy shouted.

Rapina felt a familar touch on her back and then a
man's fingers began unlacing her bodice.  Rapina looked
over her shoulder.  Arzeal?

"Not the circumstances I would have chosen, but these
men can be rough, best to start well-warmed with a man
who will treat you right."

Arzeal did treat her right.  He undressed her and
caressed her in front of the men like a master showman.
When it was time, he kissed her everywhere, then knelt
to drink the juices from her wanton cleft until she was
writhing over him like a wildcat.  She came powerfully
and touched his mind with affection and only then did
he enter her.  Being half elven, he was slightly
shorter than she, but it worked beautifully for the
standing positions.  By the time he was finished with
her she was sopping with lubrication, and the men were
cheering and lusting so palpably that Rapina's whole
body seemed to vibrate with their sentiment.

After Arzeal broke the ice, pirate after pirate mounted
her, each pumping the power of his loins into her body.
Man after man took her, some she recognized, Stoker,
Greasy, Rage, Skitch and others.  She had seen many of
the remaining pirates but she hardly knew them.  The
entire camp seemed to be participating.  The guards
even changed while she was moaning on her back.

Rough hands grabbed her ankles and pulled her nether
lips even with the edge of the scaffold.  At the same
time, Slice stepped over her, straddled her chest,
knelt down and played with her breasts.  Rapina's mouth
opened as she realized what was happening.  Brackston's
rough hand reached around and grasped Slice's throbbing
organ, but instead of entering the boy, he entered
Rapina.

"Slice leaned forward and whispered to Rapina.  Take as
much as ye can from him, Wench.  He was the only
officer who would not give Kroz a jolt.  He doesn't
trust the old warlock, but he trusts you.  You take him
hard."

Rapina nodded, she clutched and pulled at Brackston's
seed with all her strength, holding nothing back.  She
could hear him grunting behind Slice, and when she did
catch a glimpse of him, his eyes were rolled up in his
head, and his mouth was open and drooling.

UuuaaaaAAAAIIIIIeeeeu-u-u... Brackston came for what
seemed an eternity. Rapina used nearly all of her
strength, pulling nearly as hard as she had on Stoker
the other night.

Brackston tried to stand, but fell forward and
collapsed on the platform next to Rapina.  "Was that
hard enough Brackston, she whispered?"  For several
minutes her only answer was a glassy-eyed stare.

"Aye, close enough.   Yew take it easy on Slice."

Rapina nodded. "You can bet on it, because I'm sorely
winded from tugging your guts out," Rapina giggled.

"Wench!" Brackston groaned.

"Some guys like it rough, and some like it nice and
easy," Rapina said pushing Slice down her body and
engulfing his erection.  She pulled Brackston's hip
towards her and put Slice's hand on the side of his
exhausted lover's rump.  She could tell these men's
lusts did not run strongly for women, but their efforts
on behalf of their captain were touching.

As he peaked, Slice's eyes opened and then popped wide
in a look that communicated both intense ecstasy and
surprise that he could be having it at the hands of a
woman.

Man followed man until Rapina affectionately embraced
Zit and nuzzled his earlobe.  He looked overjoyed to
see her and she could not help dallying with him a
little longer than she needed to.  He was a perceptive
boy.  Somehow, he had known there was something about
her that was unusual, and now he seemed to understand
that she was not a vampire in the usual sense, but that
he had not been entirely wrong about her either.

When Zit rolled off her with a contented sigh, Arzeal
was there to clean her up, get her dressed quickly and
whisk her off to the captain's tent where Kroz was
conferring with Jack and Roger.

"Tharr's me wench," the captain said feebly.

Rapina bent and kissed Jack's lips.

Jack spoke so softly Rapina could barely hear him.
"Aye, lets get on with this afore I can't keep me brain
workin' namore.  Th' poison's reavin' me soul.  These
treatments 'er pullin me back from th' brink o' death,
but it seems like they're pullin' me back less far each
time."

"This may not work, but if it does not, perhaps we can
find a volunteer among the men for a second drain.
Kroz removed the gloves from his hands and began to
cast the first spell.  Unlike Rapina, he had no means
to store life force in his body for any length of time,
thus the first spell drained Kroz's own life force and
bestowed it on the Captain.  Kroz placed his hand on
Jack's head and grimaced as his energy flowed into the
ailing pirate.

"Aye, some better, some better, I can feel th' damage
healin' an me headache, dullin' down towards bearable."

The second spell would draw life force from Rapina to
replace Kroz's loss.  Kroz droned the incantation.

Rapina loosened her bodice and pulled it out so that
Kroz could reach in at the right moment.  When he did,
she was not entirely ready for the squeal of surprise
that came from Thane's lips as he drained a goodly
amount of her reserves.

"How are your reserves?" Kroz asked.

"I've enough for another," Rapina said.

Thane hurriedly cast the draining spell again and
grabbed Rapina's other breast, then before the drain
was even complete he began hurriedly casting the energy
bestowing spell.  This time he placed his hand on
Jack's solar plexus, and poured Rapina's energy into
the dieing pirate.

"Balls o' fire, this'd be th' first time I ever got a
ragin' instant hard-on from the touch of a skeleton.
What was in that?  I'd like that spell again," Jack
chuckled.  "I ain't just tinglin, I feel warm all over
too.  Will you kiss me Kroz?  Jack laughed
uncontrollably."

Kroz cleared his throat.  There is a peculiar property
to the energy.  I noticed that right off.  By replacing
what I had lost and then draining a second time
immediately followed by the bestowal spell, I have
attempted to give you a dose of Rapina's energy in a
purer form, more directly from her.  I have no ability
to store energy, but I attempted to transfer it before
it had a chance to dissipate.  I am curious to see if
it is as effective as the life force I wrench from
myself and others."

"Tharr's no contest on that score, Kroz.  I've been
through this enough ta know what one o' yer energy
transfers is supposed ta do an' how much.  Whatever
Rapina's got, it trounces ye in th' healin' department.
All along there's been a dull fire in me nerves, 'an
even when th' life force ye give me healed th' damage,
th' fire's been still there, eatin' away at me.  All
around me chest an' upper legs, I'm feelin' that fire
goin' out.  Maybe it's just the hellish hard, hard-on I
got that I'm not feelin' things aright, but I think I
got 'em square.  Leave me be fer a bit and I'll let ye
know how things come out.

"What happened to the recruit hanging from the pole of
the ship's tent?"

"Roger, Brackston and I have spent a great deal of time
over the past few nights searching for additional
spies," Kroz said. "After all, there were two outside
spies; it stood to reason there might be an inside spy
as well.  I have a plan to deal with this sorcerer of
Li'Yieraun's, but it would not do if he had a spy in
our camp.  After questioning everyone but the old
officers, we found that we indeed had a spy.  He was
working for an assassin in Turnmoor, possibly
Elizabetta's boss Palo, though he did not use that name
when he hired the boy.  We made use of his life force,
and then hung him up as an example."

Rapina grimaced at the fate of the boy but smirked in
spite of herself.  Kroz was being much more helpful
than the contract Roger had hammered out with Red Jack
said he had to be.  Surely, he was insuring the future
of his contract, but Rapina felt that there must be
something else.  Perhaps Kroz saw some gain for the
church of Mortaebius or himself.

---

[Rapina]031 The Shadows of Wizardry

"You look stunning poured into black silk, my dear,
does she not?" Thane asked.

Rames rubbed his hands together and held them near
Rapina's loins as if by a fire.

Rapina giggled.

"I see only one problem with your outfit," Thane said.

"Hmm?" Rapina asked.

"This is a night operation, and your blades are
silvery, far too reflective.  If you should find
yourself in battle, your blades would betray your
position. Try these instead."  Thane held up a pair of
black leather sheathes.  The hilts of the weapons they
contained were also black leather; the metal of the
pommels and hilt guards were dull black as well.

Rapina loosened her belt and replaced her weapons with
the ones Thane had given her.  She drew the rapier part
way and saw that the metal of the blades was the same
dull black color as the hilt guard.  She squinted at
the tang mark, it was the mark of The Montfort Forge.

"Oh thank you!  Thank you Guardian Thane, I love these
Montfort blades.  I really missed the one I had."

Thane chuckled, "Yes, Guardian Rames said that was
painfully obvious.  Now that you will be helping us
handle the clandestine affairs of the Church, you shall
not lack for quality equipment.  I have a darkwood bow
for you as well.  It is somewhat stronger than the one
you are used to.  I do hope you can bend it." Thane
handed Rapina the bow.

Rapina gritted her teeth a bit but she was able to bend
the bow.

"Splendid, Guardian Rames, I shall never doubt your
opinions as an arms master again."

Rames chuckled, "We had a little disagreement over
bows.  Guardian Thane wanted me to get a somewhat
weaker bow, but I felt you could grow into this one."

Rapina smiled, "What's our assignment?"

It is a simple matter, really.  You are to consecrate
several small graveyards to Mortaebius, and create
another.  In order to accomplish the feat, you must
drive your horses hard, luckily skeleton horses do not
tire.  Guardian Rames will show you the maps.  You are
to study them.  Here also is a compass and your copies
of the maps in case you should become separated.  After
you are finished, I shall take you to this Graveyard in
the county of Li'Yeiraun.  You shall make a large
circle around the area as you consecrate and then you
will create a graveyard here, in a forest just east of
Castle Yeiraun."

Other than feeling a bit of soreness in her rump, the
consecration of various graveyards around Li'Yeiraun
was going very well.  Rapina dismounted at still
another tiny graveyard.  A small parsonage to an
agricultural deity could be seen not far off.

"We begin," Rames said. "Hail Mortaebius guardian of
the dead, the dead who lie here entreat thee, hallow
this ground that the dead might rest."

"Hail Mortaebius, keeper of the deceased, we the living
entreat thee, hallow this ground that the dead be held
in thy embrace, to rise only in the direst need,"
Rapina said.

A door to the parsonage opened and closed, "Is someone
there."

In a lowered voice, Rames continued with the
consecration, "Hearken, ye buried and departed, to the
power of Mortaebius coursing through thy rotting flesh
and bones."

Rapina continued, "Harken, ye living to the call of thy
ancestors in Mortaebius' embrace, and know his power
will preserve thee, until death takes life's grace.

Both Rapina and Rames finished the consecration.
"...and thus we close the circle, life and death, the
cycle is complete."

"Food! Food! You got food? Snuffle-snuff!" Rames half
shouted in a crazed voice as the Parson approached.

The parson held a crossbow on Rames.  "Hold up there
beggar."

"Me smell fooood!" Rames shouted.

Rapina stealthily circled the parson in the darkness as
Rames' voice drew his attention.  Since both she and
her companion were dressed in black with their exposed
skin thoroughly sooted, the Parson was having a
difficult time seeing them in the dim light, and Rames
was making sure the parson concentrated on him.  When
Rapina was behind the parson, she poised her hand just
over the man's sword hilt and raised her other hand to
tap on his left shoulder.

"Look out behind you, sir," Rames said.

At that moment the parson felt a tap on his shoulder
and whirled, but Rapina's hand took his sword and
slowed him long enough for her to hit the trigger on
his crossbow.  The bolt fired into the open air as
Rapina's boot kicked the parson off his feet.

Rames was on the Parson in an instant.  Me told you
look out.  Now me look for Fooood!  Rames knelt on one
of the man's arms and searched him.

Rapina stamped on the man's arm as he went for a knife.
Rames snatched the knife and threw it as far as he
could while Rapina removed the bolts from the parson's
quiver and tossed them as well.

"He not got no food.  You go get us food.  We not hurt
you.  Rames stood the man up and pushed him towards the
parsonage."

As the parson hustled towards his house, Rames and
Rapina stealthily made their way back to their horses
and mounted up.  When the parsonage door closed, they
galloped off.

"Whew, that was close.  I'm so glad you warned him
about the person behind him, I think he might have shot
you in surprise if I had just tapped him on the
shoulder."

Rames chuckled, "Yes, it did work rather well.  For a
moment I was almost his friend."

The consecration of the remaining graveyards went
without a hitch, but there was still the one to be
created.  Rames and Rapina rode slowly, stopping
frequently to listen for guards.  They saw a pair of
them walk by in the distance.

When Rames stopped, Rapina immediately dismounted and
took down her shovel.  She dug a hole, tossed an open
burlap sack of bones into it and buried it.    She
paced off twelve paces distance and did the same with a
second skeleton.  Rames was doing likewise, some
distance away.  After the burial was done, they
immediately did the consecration ritual in voices
barely above a whisper.   When they were finished they
stopped and listened for a moment; a pair of guards was
coming.  Carefully they laid down.

"I hate it when the mists rise off the ground like
that, it gives me the creeps," a first guard said.

"Bah, you afraid of spooks?" his partner asked.

"Na, just don't like the way it obscures things."

"Well come on then, lets walk on through there, nothing
to be afraid of.

Rapina held her breath.  One of the guards nearly
stepped on her, but he passed.  The mists seemed to be
thickening by the minute.  After the guards had gone
some distance, Rapina heard chanting in a low voice
from nearby.

"Be very quiet, the guards are near, Rapina whispered
in a barely audible voice."

Rames picked up leaves and sifted them over the small
burried holes until his spell-enhanced night vision
told him the ground looked untouched.  He could see
Rapina was doing the same.

Thane, who had arrived with the mists, checked the work
of the others, and when he was satisfied, handed them
the leads to their horses, took their hands and began
to chant.

Rapina thanked her lucky stars that the guards were not
due to pass this way for another few minutes.  When the
three of them materialized back at the abode, she
breathed a sigh of relief.  "Do you suppose they will
find the tracks of our horses?"

"Nay, I doubt it, the leaves are thick in that area, as
is the forest.  The trail you came in on is well
traveled by horses and guards, so I expect we will be
just fine. However, I did include some insurance on the
skeletons you buried.  Should they be triggered by an
attacker who unearths them, they will stand up causing
a glyph to fire that will send a message to me," Thane
said.

Our work for the evening is not done.  We must
transport a number of skeletons to Red Jack's camp yet
tonight.  I have animated the bodies of two criminals
delivered by the constable as well," Thane added.

When they arrived, Red Jack's camp was bustling with
quiet activity. A number of ghouls combed the area
surrounding the camp for spies while Rames and Roger
took the skeletons to the appointed locations for
shallow burial.  Rapina assisted the pirates in making
a pack train to the graveyard.  The pirates carried
great pieces of their longship, tools and other
supplies.  Thane began transporting groups of pirates
to some far off graveyard.  By the time the birds sung
heralding the dawn, the pirates had removed the ship
from its tent, but the tent still stood.  Within the
tent, bowls of flaming oil had replaced the flaming
skeletons.

In fact, the pirate camp looked much the same as it
always had, except that the number of pirates in it was
greatly reduced.  Those deemed too green to fight well,
plus a few officers that had been put in charge of
building the new camp, were no longer present.  The
pirates that remained put on a show of activity while
the number of guards searching the forest around the
camp quietly doubled in number.  At dawn, Kroz bid the
pirates adieu and took Kent and most of his ghouls with
him as he left.

---

The next night, Thane came to his afternoon "breakfast"
looking as though he was trying to figure out what
might go wrong with a plan he had worked on for many
hours.

"Good evening Guardian Thane," Rapina said.

"Good evening Rapina.  Tonight is an important night.
We will discuss our plan, and when we are done it will
be time to put it into action..."

---

The sun was just about to slip below the horizon when
Rage walked down the path for the guard post farthest
from the camp.

Rage saw the large tree and took the runed cover from
over the stone set in his sword. A recruit he hardly
knew accompanied him to guard duty.  Kroz had told Rage
that the sword he had stolen from Lord Li'Yeiraun's men
had been bugged with a magic stone.  Now it was his
turn to use their little gadget against them.  He
pocketed the cover then went on.  Once at the guard
post he struck up a conversation with the two young
guards, a conversation he knew Nordula would overhear.
"Okay men, you're relived.  Get back to camp quick;
remember it'll be midnight before you know it, and the
captain wants you to get into your groups and be ready
to move out, so make sure you pack up.  We're going to
slip out right under the noses of those spying dogs."

"Aye sir," the youth said as he started down the trail.

"What group're ye in Blood?" Biler asked.

"Me? Number five, how about you?" Blood said.

"Group seven, we're the best," Biller replied.

"Bah..." Blood said.

Rage smiled to himself.  When this guard duty was over,
he would pry the stone from the sword and give it to
Roger.  The camp wards were going to be unearthed and
packed up for the most part, but Roger was a walking
ward.

---

Rapina waited in a shadow.  She was near the cobbled
path that led to the front door of Madam Agnes' House
of Angels.  It was in Yeiraun Villiage.  Yeiraun castle
was a mile walk up a hill to the north.

The disguise Rames was wearing looked utterly
ridiculous, but the one Thane was wearing was an
absolute scream.

Rapina heard the whinney of a horse.

"I can't believe my luck!" Rames said as he played
"Hans." "Imagine that, an out of town gentleman coming
away with the newest and definitely the most heavenly
angel of the bunch.  It was worth the small fortune I
paid."

Lieutenant Richter looked forward to this night every
week.  Yes, every week he picked up a bottle and one of
Agnes' girls and was back to his room for a nine to
midnight romp.  Occasionally he even let one of the
sergeants have a taste.

Rapina started up the path with Rames and looked up at
the lieutenant as he came down the path.  The coy
expression on her face coupled with the tug on the
officer's lust served to grab his attention and slow
his pace as he gave Rapina a good looking over.

"Hans!  Hansel! I know you're in there, I dragged your
words out of that hotel clerk!" Thane said in a
disguised voice.  Thane, dressed as a rather ugly but
convincing woman opened the gate of Madam Agnes' house
with a resounding squeak.

"Hans" stiffened. Swore under his breath, then
whispered frantically to the Lieutenant,  "Sir, I've
got this new girl for the entire night, and she's yours
if you bail me out of what's about to happen with my
damned wife."  Rames pushed Rapina at the Lieutenant.

"Ooo," Rapina squawked as she bumped into the
Lieutenant, giving his lust a little jerk on impact.

The lieutenant had no time to think or react before a
homely woman bore down on "Hans" like a mad hornet.

"Shame on you!  The very idea that you would fraternize
with harlots!  You are a married man!"

"Nonsense, you have it all wrong. Hilda, I'd like you
to meet my friend," Hans said.

"Good to meet you Hilda, my name's Adolf Richter, I'm
an old friend of your husband.  I'm sure he was just
over here looking for me.  We had a lot of catching up
to do."

"We sure did honey, it's so great to see him, why Adolf
is one of the best swordsmen I've ever known.  Uh, he
works for, uh..."

"Lord Li'Yeiraun."

"Yes, and Lord Li'Yeiraun holds him in high esteem.
It's great to see an old friend with such an honorable
post, isn't it Hilda?  I thought I might find him over
here at the, uh house of the ladies.   I heard he, uh,
sometimes comes here and I was um going to ask around
and see when he'd be in.  Low and behold I bumped into
him coming out with this young lady and we've been
catching up on old times ever since."

Hilda looked a little nonplused, "Well, thank heaven
you weren't frequenting this house of ill repute as I
had first suspected.  Hilda glared at the Lieutenant.
You should get yourself a wife, Adolf.  These ladies
are evil, you understand? eeevil!  Now come along Hans,
you get away from this place."

"Yes dear," Hans whimpered as Hilda hauled him towards
the gate.

Richter chuckled, "Poor sap, it's men like him who
remind me that a smart man never marries."

"Men like him remind you?" Rapina asked innocently as
she tugged at Richter's lust.

"And girls like you," Richter smiled saltily. "Lets
stop in and see Agnes a minute."

"Okay, have you got some money?" Rapina asked.

"Shit, do you think she'd charge me for you all over
again?" Richter asked.

Rapina smiled, "Um, I just got here yesterday; do you
think she would?" Rapina asked.

Richter looked at the door uneasily, then back at
Rapina.  Damn she was so young, and so breathtaking.
He could pay for her all over again but that would
cost... nah.

Richter did an about face, took Rapina's hand and led
her down the walkway, "What's your name?"

"Leanna." Rapina smiled.

---

Edgar the ghoul peered down from the treetop.  Not even
the half-elven sentries posted around the perimeter of
the Li'Yeiraun camp could see him.  His corpse was as
cold as the air around it.  As of a few minutes ago,
men were frantically donning armor, filling quivers,
and generally racing around as if about to go into
battle.  Edgar climbed down the tree.  He had a message
to get to Kroz's assistant.

---


Richter knocked on the heavy door, "It's Richter, open
up."

A grizzled old Sergeant opened the door.

Simply because she was an imp, Rapina tugged at the old
Sergeant's lust.

"Oi, who's th' girl?" the sergeant asked.

"Got her down at Agnes'.  Damn pretty, isn't she
Sergeant Deinzen?" Lieutenant Richter asked.

"Jah!" Sergeant Deinzen agreed.

"'Leanna, this is Sergeant Deinzen.  I Got her for the
whole night," Richter grinned.

"Let me know if he falls asleep on ya," Deinzen
chuckled.

Rapina blushed, "Okay," she said smiling.

The lieutenant led her through the heavy door.  It was
evident that Mansun Dido had given accurate drawings
and descriptions of Castle Li'Yieraun to Thane.  The
plans had come at a price however.  Thane's little coup
was to be much more bloodless than originally planned.
At night all doors to the castle were barred and bolted
from the inside with large, heavy bars and huge metal
bolts.  The only way past the barred doors was down a
corridor that led right through the guard barracks, and
only the Lieutenant had the key into the castle proper.

Rapina followed the Lieutenant down an isle that went
through a large room full of bunk beds.  On the other
side he unlocked a heavy door and entered a corridor.
After ten more paces he opened a door on the left and
took Rapina through a small office room where he
grabbed some glasses and a corkscrew for the bottle of
wine he'd bought while in town.  On the other side of
the office was the Lieutenant's bedroom.

"Who says a man who's supposed to be on call every
night of the week can't have a little fun," Richter
grinned as he passed Rapina a glass of wine.  Richter
looked at the beauty he had picked up and took a moment
just to gloat on his good fortune.  He began to wonder
just how much stuffing she had packed beneath her
breasts to make them look so full.  Heheh, turn around
girl.

Rapina turned and felt the Lieutenant's fingers
unbuttoning her dress. His breathing was rapid and hot
against her neck.  Her nose twitched as his lust
tickled her senses.

"Heheh, step out of that now, I want to see what you've
got on under it."

Rapina turned, blushed and stepped out of her dress.
The black satin lace teddy underneath had been copied
from a sample procured days earlier by Rames from one
of Agnes' Angels.

Richter licked his lips and began to unlace Rapina's
front.  When he was finished he slid the teddy's straps
over her shoulders and pulled it down.  Her ripe
breasts jiggled free, her nipples already erect.

a loud knocking could be heard on the outer door.

"Shit!"

"One minute," The lieutenant whispered and disappeared
into the office.

"It's Captain Gleister, get the men together on the
double.  Leave old Deinzen and a skeleton crew.  We
will need every available man.  The pirates are bugging
out and we need to catch them as they leave or we'll
likely not catch them at all.

"Yes sir!" Richter said.

After the captain left, Richter poked his head in the
room took a few more steps and kissed Rapina's nipples.
Damn pirates!  I might be back before morning.  You
stay here until then."

Rapina nodded, "okay."

In the next half hour, Rapina heard a great deal of
activity, and then the castle around her grew quiet.
Rapina took a lamp and went into the office.
Thankfully the lieutenant had not locked the door out.
Perhaps he knew he might not be back until long after
morning or maybe he had just been in too big a hurry.
Rapina laced up her teddy and walked to the door to the
barracks.  It was locked.  She wrinkled her nose,
trying to settle on a course of action.  Rapina
shrugged and knocked on the door.

What the?  Blade drawn, the sergeant opened the door
into the officer's corridor.

Rapina grimaced and jumped backwards when she saw the
sergeant's blade.  Her breasts jiggled succulently.

"Ooo, um sorry to bother you, but the lieutenant left
me all alone in his room.  He seemed to be in a rush.
He wanted me to stay till morning, but there's nothing
to do in there."

"Well, now I'm sure I could find somethin' for ye to do
out here," Sergeant Deinzen said.

"Who's that," asked one of the four guards remaining in
the barracks.

"That'd be th' lieutenant's harlot.  Deinzen laughed,
"He was just about to dip his rod when the captain came
in and told him it was time to pull out."

The guards laughed.  Two got up from their bunks and
came to take a look.

"One hell of a woman too, isn't she, Deiter?" Seargeant
Deinzen asked

"Jah, she sure is," Guard Deiter agreed.

"Hey, I've got somethin' you can do girl.  Watch the
door for me a second, Dieter."

Deinzen buttoned down his trousers and pulled out his
half erect cock.

"Suck."

Rapina blinked as thoughts raced through her mind, "How
am I supposed to put him to sleep with my mouth?"
Rapina slurped him into her mouth and tried to draw on
his energy, but it was no use, the best she could do
was tug on his lust.  Her mouth just wasn't set up the
same way as her vagina.  She knew how to use her throat
on a man, Guardian Rames had taught her, but how was
she going to work any magic if all he wanted was her
mouth?  Rapina smiled inwardly and began to finger
herself as she sucked on the Sergeant.  She tried to go
slowly as she frantically fingered herself.

"Faster girl, I'm supposed to be on duty," Sergeant
Deinzen said.

Rapina's head bobbed up and down, her moans escaping
her throat as she used everything she had trying to get
herself to orgasm before the Sergeant came in her
mouth.

Deinzen shook his head, "ever seen a hoar who enjoyed
her work like this one?"

The sergeant pumped and plunged adding speed to the
young woman's otherwise impressive performance.

Rapina's could hardly stand it she was giving herself
so much stimulation, and then she felt Deinzen shudder
as hot jets of cum began to shoot down her throat.
Just as the man was about to pull out, Rapina took hold
of his balls.  She sucked what was left of his erection
to the cadence of her own slippery clit-teasing finger.

"Heheh, you're a real natural," Sergeant Deinzen said.

1Uhuhaaah, Rapina rode her orgasm to the cloud of
Deinzen's mind and touched him with lust and stiffness
as powerful as those she had inflicted on the late
reverend Evangeline.

Deinzen removed Rapina's hand from his balls.  Whew,
you're a grabby one, girl.  Care for a whirl men?

---

"Huddle closer!" the magician, Nordula said.  "Good,
now hold together."  Sweat ran from Nordula's brow.
Two a night had been about right, now he was
teleporting groups of four men together at once.  He
had already used up every elixir of power and energy
stone he had, and finally he was nearly done.

Nordula collapsed as he pronounced the final word.  The
men disappeared.

"Nordula, I would be gravely disappointed if you were
unable to teleport the remainder of my personal guards
and I," Lord Heinrich Li'Yieraun said.

"Let me rest a moment m'Lord, I will come with you, and
that should make it a little easier.  Teleporting
others without going oneself is a taxing proposition,
without the stone on the other side it is not even
practical.   Nordula wiped the sweat from his brow with
a handkerchief.  He was spent; he knew he would have to
rest for at least twenty minutes.

Fifteen minutes later Lord Li'Yieraun cleared his
throat, "Nordula?"

"Five more minutes m' Lord, and I should have the
energy," Nordula said.

Li'Yeiraun nearly growled.  Finally Nordula stood and
gathered the two bodyguards and his lord together.

Nordula's head felt as though it had been clubbed
repeatedly, yet he knew he must make one last supreme
effort.  He was sure the warriors would be occupied
making preparations until near midnight.  He would
sleep in the camp.  He wrapped his fur cloak around him
and began to incant the spell.  He did not like the way
the evening was progressing.  His plan had been to
transport the men a day or two before the battle was to
take place so he could rest up from the taxing duty of
teleportation, but because the pirates had decided to
try to slip away he was expected to teleport and fight
in one night, but how could he cast when he had used up
all his reserves on transportation?

---


The guard walking the wall of Yeiraun castle cussed to
himself, "Why do I have to take a second shift anyways,
I should be at my leisure, damn pirates!  Wha? did I
hear something? What in hell's up with the lights going
out?  The guard put his hand up to check for rain, then
whirled suddenly, but it had grown so dark.  He smelled
rotten meat.  Someone was there, but before he could
strike out, they scratched him, and he froze solid with
some kind of magical fear.  The ghoul gibbered softly,
crouching in the darkness that seemed to cling to him,
and then moved off down the wall.

The skeletal assassin, Elizabetta, jumped off the wall
above the gate, her blackjack expertly rapped on the
back of the gate guard's skull before she flattened
against the cobbles with the impact of her thirty-foot
fall.  Her charcoal-colored bones were not brittle like
those of lesser skeletons, but instead were firm but
flexible as rubber.  Blunt weapons and falls were now
mere nuisances.

The second gate guard could hardly see, and certainly
could not believe what was happening.  A shadow fell
off the wall?  He swished his sword behind his comrade,
but hit only air.  Suddenly something hit him like a
rubber ball that had bounced from the top of the wall.
Ulch!  His jaw shattered as the flexible skull hit him
like a blackjack.  He fell over backwards and the
creature gouged a spot behind his ears.  Suddenly
everything went black.

Thane smiled within his death mask as the gate quietly
opened.  Under the cover of clinging darkness, Thane
and his guards led a string of black leather-clad
skeletal draft horses through the gate of Yeiraun
castle. A number of double animated skeletons flanked
the horses and when they were through the gate,
Elizabetta waited as her two flexible skeletal helpers
dragged a body each to the gate from the wall.  A
shadowy Kent came up and scratched the men before
dragging them off into the shadows.

"Nnnggugulp," Rapina gasped and swallowed as Deiter
filled her mouth with cum.  She tugged wildly at
Sergeant Deinzen's lust as he pistoned in and out of
her wanton cleft.

"Ooooo..." Deinzen croaked as his orgasm seemed to
stretch to infinity.  The pleasure was so overwhelming.
When it was finally over, he shuddered and collapsed.

Rapina rolled the sergeant off her and gasped for
breath.  Deiter came around to the front of the bunk
and sat her back up.  His mouth latched onto her right
nipple and he suckled her and fingered her clit like a
man possessed.  She reached behind him and massaged his
buttocks.  Eventually her fingers wrapped under, found
the base of his rod and stimulated him.  His staff
rose.

There came a knocking at the great door to the outside.

Guard Dieter ignored the knock, he would get it later,
besides, the knocker had not identified himself, and
that was the rule.  His fingers had tasted what he must
have and now he would have his rising erection between
her lovely thighs.

Rapina moaned as Deiter entered her.

Dieter laughed and cried as he pumped himself between
the gates of Elysium. At last his eyes rolled back in
his head, his loins surged forward and he hollered in
ecstasy.

Rapina drew the power out of the guard with all her
might.  He pumped and hollered for several minutes
before collapsing on top of her.

An insistent knock sounded at the door.  Rapina was
about to roll Dieter off when he pushed up drunkenly.
He was obviously addled.

Deiter shot back the bolt and opened the door.  Wha?

The ghoul scratched Deiter's face and he froze.

Rapina screamed hoarsely.

Kent pretended to scratch Rapina and she froze.

"Ghouls immobilize those guards, bind the wench over
one of the horses, I think I might have a use for her
later on."  Thane cast vision in darkness on Rapina as
Kent bound her over the back of a horse.

He had the ghouls toss the guards into a cell in the
block just on the other side of the barracks.  Once the
last of them was in, Thane shot home the bolt on the
outside of the door.

After the last skeletal horse had come in from the
courtyard, the Elizabetta, the skeletal assassin bolted
the door to the barracks.

Thane opened the door to the officers' corridor with
the sergeant's key and moved his entourage forward.
"Where is the key to the inner door, Thane whispered in
Rapina's ear.

"The lieutenant had a key ring, but he left in such a
hurry, I think he still had it with him," Rapina
whispered.

"Elizabetta, the lock if you are able," Thane said.

The skeletal assassin removed lock picks from a pouch,
worked a few minutes, then opened the door.

"Splendid."  Thane intoned arcane syllables and filled
the room beyond the door with darkness.  Now, take your
cohorts and scout our way to Nordula's chambers."

The skeletal assassins and the pack of ghouls they led
slunk ahead.  Thane and his entourage followed more
slowly.  At last they arrived at the door to Nordula's
chambers.  Thane first dispelled any magic holding the
door fast, then Elizabetta worked on the lock for about
ten minutes, periodically requesting tools from a case
on one of the horses.  Thane filled the rooms
surrounding the entrance to Nordula's chambers with
darkness.  The ghouls and the other two skeletal
assassins scouted for and immobilized guards in the
area.  There were few to remove, however.  The castle
was largely empty.  At last the door opened.

Elizabetta sent her underlings forward to check for
traps.

Thane assisted with his mage-sight, detecting and
dispelling a glyph on the door.  Once the party made it
into Nordula's library, Thane began dispelling magic on
the books, and designating which books needed to be
packed within the rib cages of the horses.  Any work on
magic was taken away.

Once in, the skeletal assassin carefully checked for
secret doors in Nordula's chambers.  Her two cohorts
assisted, while Thane did the same using magic.

Thane found a magical stone in the mantle of the
fireplace in Nordula's bedroom.  He dispelled it, then
carefully pried it off and put it in a tiny metal box.

In the study Elizabetta found a bookcase that slid
aside revealing another bookcase hidden within the wall
behind the first.

"Excellent, you are a fine servant of our god,
Elizabetta."

Kent ran in. "town guardsmen, master."

Rapina gasped, "You've had it now!"

Thane dispelled the books in the hidden bookcase in
case any were magically trapped.  "Examine the case for
mechanical traps then get those books loaded.  I have
other things to attend to."

Thane smiled. "I Have no worries as long as these fools
have no mage," He rasped as he passed her.  I shall
increase the darkened areas of the castle.  You shall
immobilize these meddling town guardsmen.  It appears
that someone escaped the castle and fetched them.  As
the darkened areas grew, ghouls chittered and men
screamed.

"Skeletons, front four ranks, defend only.  Let the
ghouls handle this," Thane ordered.

A lone guard somehow made it past the skeletons and
into the room.

"Thane pointed a finger at him and said, "Death" in the
frightening voice of his death mask.

The town guardsman blanched and ran from the room as if
the hounds of hell were chasing him.

Rapina peered from the back of the horse she was draped
over as if paralyzed. "What hideous spell was that?"
She whispered.

"He didn't give me a chance to cast one," Thane
chuckled.

Rapina groaned.  Thane had simply scared the man.  It
was much quicker than spellcasting.

"Good, I think we are set here; Let us head for the
laboratory," Thane said.

Rapina just shook her head, Thane was so casual.  He
cast spells to detect and dispel while Elizabetta and
her assassins checked for traps and entered the
laboratory.  It was really surprising how few traps
there were.  Rapina supposed it stood to reason since
Nordula was actually using his books and laboratory
probably less than an hour before they had arrived.

Thane snatched up a kettle, some lab books, various
items and reagents from the lab and then had them
packed in one of the horses.  When he was satisfied
they left the laboratory.  Upstairs the ghouls were
slinking around paralyzing anyone who dared enter the
magical darkness.

Once outside the castle, Rapina heard arrows wiz by in
the air.  Thankfully none hit her.  Soon Thane and his
entourage were marching towards the forest in darkness
that was lost in the night.  The ghouls paralyzed those
soldiers foolish enough to enter the inky blackness
surrounding the necromancer's caravan.

Thane chuckled, "I'm sure Li'Yeiraun's troops would
have been better equipped with light stones and such,
but I would venture to guess just about all of them are
being used at the pirate camp along with any other
magical items Nordula might have that would aid in a
battle.  When they got to the previously consecrated
graveyard, Thane cast graveyard mists.

The entourage appeared in a cemetery next to an ancient
temple that Rapina had never seen.  They entered a
stream near the temple and traveled half a mile to a
lake.  There Thane again cast the graveyard mists
spell.  Next they appeared briefly on an island in a
steamy swamp.  They followed an ancient road into the
water, and from there Thane took them to the abode.

"Was that lake a cemetary?" Rapina asked.

Thane wiped his brow and chuckled, "both the lake and
the swamp were sites where a great many bodies were
dumped or fell from ancient battles.  The cemeteries I
took us too were consecrated and or warded, and each
had a rich history behind it.  All these things tend to
be very hard on divination magics."

"Oh, I get it," Rapina said.

"Given that Nordula's forebears were fond of reading
the tea leaves, I decided to make it very difficult if
not impossible for him to figure out my final
destination.  Thane smiled.  Now get dressed, we must
rescue the pirates.  Rames is with them playing Karmoz,
my soldierly assistant who wears a helmet with a
leather mask.  Thane collapsed on a chair in the great
hall, "I must rest for a moment."  Thane wiped the
sweat from his brow.  He had cast far too many spells
already.

---

Fletcher Arzeal grimaced as an arrow grazed his arm.
It was obvious that Li'Yieraun's men included some
half-elves or elves.  The first decoy group of pirates
had left the camp at half past midnight.  They had
spotted the expected ambush and had routed back into
camp, landing many enemies in the pit traps and deadly
snares that had been set up for them.  The center of
the pirates' camp was now a fortified dip in the ground
that had been squared up, its walls made sheer and
reinforced by timbers.  Earth had been spread out from
the walls to make sure fire would not spread easily in
the pirates' makeshift keep.   Some of the old camp
shacks still stood, and the perimeter of the camp was
protected by standing spears and armed skeletons buried
in extremely shallow graves so that the enemy could not
count them. The tent that once stood around the ship
was empty, but it had been left up as a ploy so that
the enemy would believe there was still a ship within.

Arzeal picked off another man and then heard a far off
scream.  He wondered if Edgar was responsible and found
himself almost wishing Kroz would arrive with the rest
of the ghouls.  For now, the battle was a stalemate.
Afraid of the traps set by the pirates, the nobleman's
forces surrounded the pirate camp and attempted to pick
Jacks men off with arrows, however most of the men were
behind solid cover.  Arzeal was busy attempting to fend
off the elves among the enemy, unfortunately, there
appeared to be perhaps ten of them and they were moving
in to attempt to find a way to get at the hiding
pirates.  Almost too late Arzeal spotted the heat
signatures in the trees.  He tapped the man in the
leather mask.  "Ten archers in the trees over there,"
Arzeal said.

The pirates screamed as many arrows found their marks.

"97th archers rise and fire," Karmoz, the masked
warrior played by Rames said.

Seven skeletal archers rose from their very shallow
graves and fired on the archers in the trees.  Their
vision was not hampered in the least by the darkness.

Li'Yiraun Archers began screaming and falling from the
trees as arrows began hitting them.

Well back from the front lines and surrounded by his
personal guard, Lord Heinrich Li'Yeiraun brooded as
news came in from his messengers.

"The elves attempted to use the trees to get high
enough to get by the cover of the pirate earthworks,
but the pirates somehow spotted them, and fired back
picking our men off!" Captain Gleister reported.

"Damn it!  Does Jack have more elves than we thought?"
Count Li'Yeiraun asked.

"It is easy to see that our archers do not have the
visual advantage as we thought.  The enemy has those
who can see and fire on them even under cover of
foliage and darkness," Captain Gleister said.

"Captain, we must use our infantry.  Our numbers are
superior.  Concentrate them and attempt to break the
pirate perimeter."

---

Arzeal listened as a hoard of soldiers came in from the
South, "Ready archers."

A red spotlight directed by the pirates illumined the
approach.   The hired soldiers screamed battle cries
and came forward.

"Fire at will!" Arzeal ordered.

"77th archers rise to kneel, and fire at will," Karmoz
ordered.  A group of ten skeleton archers rose from
their shallow graves and began firing at the enemy.

"Heheh, I see yew."  Brackston fired arrow after arrow
as did every pirate in a wild effort to break the enemy
charge.

"47th archers, rise, wheel right, fire at will," Karmoz
ordered.  77th infantry, ready spears, all set and rise
to crouch."

"Do them numbers have anything to do with anything?"
Skitch asked.

"Other than incorporating a few memory hooks as to what
direction they're in, the numbers have nothing whatever
to do with anything," Karmoz whispered.  The skeletons
are told what group they are in, and it doesn't really
matter to them what the name or number is.  I like to
keep the numbers large so the enemy thinks we have
plenty of squads," Karmoz chuckled.

"Heheh, good deal."  Skitch let fly another shaft and
then another.  Skitch howled with crazed laughter as
the front lines of mercenaries met the raised spears of
the skeletons.

"Ghosts!"  "Skeletons!" "Vampires!"  The mercenary
charge turned into a route as the sheer horror of
fighting undead enemies was suddenly sprung on them.

"Aye, tharr we got 'em!  Pound tharr backs with arrows
men, every one we hit is one that we won't be seein' in
th' next charge."  That warr shock value; th' idiots
don't know it, but they could 'ave won through if their
livers hadn't turned ta lillies.  That hesitation at
th' skeletons allowed are arrows ta do their best work
an' give their fear some grounds, but it warr smoke and
mirrors.  Now they'll 'ave ta regroup, an' that'll buy
us some time.  If Heinie knew how few there are of us,
and how green me men are, he'd be on us in a heartbeat,
but after we turned 'is ambush on th' road into one of
our own, he's broodin'; he don't trust 'is luck, an' 'e
thinks I got a trick up me sleeve as usual.  He'll be
spittin' nails when 'e finds out what I really 'ad up
me sleeve."

---

"Animated skeletons milord, there must have been
hundreds of them," the mercenary commander said.  "My
men were pinned down by missile fire, and when we made
the edge of the camp proper, the undead met us with
spears!" The commander's voice wavered.  "Morale broke
and we routed."

"Fools, you lost your heads.  How many of these fell
creatures were there?  Have you a reliable count, or
have the numbers grown with the telling?" Li'Yeiraun
asked.

"Pathfinder, send a few trustworthy and level-headed
men up for a look.  If we are outnumbered, I want to
know about it.  If not then we must prepare for another
charge.  Incompetent mercenaries!  It is just like that
slippery, cheating son of a bitch pirate to find
himself a dark priest or necromancer just when I have
him in my grasp!" Li'Yeiraun snarled.
------------

It was the better part of an hour before the
Li'Yeiraun's next charge was set up.  This one had a
backbone of his own men behind the mercenary front
lines, and everyone had been informed that a skeleton
could be destroyed much as a man could be.

"What's keepin' that damn Kroz, I sure hope he didn't
sell out ta Heinie.  Arzeal, what's goin' on out
tharr?" Captain Red Jack asked.

"They're massing for a charge, sir, a big one," Arzeal
replied.

"Karmoz, it's goin' ta be all we can do ta hold this'n
back.  If I had ta make a guess, I'd say we're cooked.
I'd move th' bulk o' yer forces up ta th' front they'll
be attackin.'  Then again, I wouldn't put it past Heiny
ta try ta send a little squad up are ass while we're
occupied. "

"I will move the skeletons on the sides somewhat
towards the front, and leave those in the rear as
reserves," Karmoz whispered.

"Sounds like a plan," Jack said.  "Mates, lets be
gettin' every arrow we 'ave left out an' ready, thisn's
goin' ta be big, and we might not live through it.
Damn necromancer's still playin' hookie.  Thank all th'
gods 'e brought us a hoard o' arrows night before last.
We're going ta need 'em."

A few minutes later the charge was sounded.

Arzeal climbed a large tree in the camp and took cover
behind a stout limb.  He was the first archer to begin
firing.  His elevation, night vision and accuracy were
second to none.

The pirates could see a little better than usual as the
mercenaries had brought a few mage lights with them and
many of the bodies gave spotty illumination to the area
of the forest they had come through.   As soon as the
enemy could be seen, the pirates let fly.

"Shoot fast, but make 'em count, mates."  The captain
drew back his bow and fired.

Many men fell to the pirate archers, but the enemy got
closer and closer, soon melee broke out between the
front lines of the attackers and the skeleton spearmen
at the perimeter of the camp.  The pirates continued to
ply their bows from the fortified center of the camp.

"Good evening," Kroz said as he dropped the illusion he
had used to get Rapina, his ghouls and skeletons from
the graveyard to the pirate camp.  "It looks like the
skeletons could use a hand."

"Glad ye could make it, I was beginnin' ta think ye
were workin' fer Heinie." Jack snaped.

Kroz droned a few syllables and the front line was
engulfed in darkness.

"Nay, the packing took longer than expected, and I had
to use a bit of misdirection to guarantee I would not
be magically tracked later.  What is the news," Kroz
asked.

"Th' news is that tharr is a charge we 'aven't got a
snowball's chance in 'ell o' stoppin.'  Got any bright
ideas on how ye're going ta get us outta here before
they're on top of us?" Jack asked.

"I have brought a few additional troops. And this
scroll of shadow summoning," Kroz said.  Thane rolled
out a scroll and intoned the spell.  The shadows seemed
to coalesce into something shaped vaguely like a human.
Kroz pointed at the creature, "You will obey Kent, this
ghoul.  Kent, you and your ghouls will keep the enemy
occupied while I escape with the pirates.  Eat when it
is safe, and double or triple your number if it is
convenient.  I will set up as much magical darkness in
the area in addition to what I have already cast on you
and yours as I can before I leave.  Be advised,
however, that the other side has a mage.  If their mage
begins dispelling the darkness, then rout and use hit
and run tactics around their parameter until near dawn.
At that time find burrows and dig in.

When Li'Yieraun pulls out, I will come to collect you
and your new friends.  During the nights to come,
continue using hit and run tactics.  If you are doing
well, see if you can locate and loot the tent of their
mage, Nordula.  Use a diversion to draw him away or
wait until he steps out on his own accord if that
proves practical.  Do not risk yourselves unduly once
we have left.  At that time your primary objectives
will be to survive, feed, multiply, and demoralize the
enemy"

Kroz began casting; darkness engulfed more and more of
the forest around the pirates.  Now whisper it to the
next man, join hands, then we go South forty paces to
an area I prepared earlier.  Kroz cast vision in
darkness on the pirate officers, then resumed casting
magical darkness until sweat bristled from his brow.
The last spell put out the lights in the pirate camp.
The men began to march South.  In the darkness, they
could hear the ghouls at work on mercenaries who had
won their way past the skeletal troops.

Kroz took hold of the hands of Rapina and Red jack and
placed them on his shoulders.   "Let us pray."  Kroz
set up an illusion spell to echo the murmurings of the
pirates so that the source of the sound could not
easily be located, and then began casting graveyard
mists.

"Hail Mortaebius, Lord of the dead..." Arzeal stood at
the perimeter of the group of pirates.  He let fly one
shaft after another, assisting the ghouls as they kept
the enemy confused and away from the pirates.  A
recruit kept his hand on the archer's shoulder and kept
him moving as the group stepped forward slowly while
the mists rose. Arzeal droned the prayer to Mortaebius
he had learned as he sent mercenary after mercenary to
join the god of the dead.

When the mists cleared, Rapina and Red Jack were
holding the necromancer up.  "I must rest.  I do hope I
got everyone," Kroz rasped.

"All right, get yer red lights on, lets see who we
got," Red Jack ordered.

Rapina moved the slider on her mage light and illumined
the area around her in Red.

The captain and the officers took stock and conferred.
"We lost about ten ta death before th' escape, and four
either got lost 'er Kroz didn't get 'em moved 'cause
they weren't touchin th' rest of us, er weren't prayin'
ta Mortaebius.  Those men'll be missed.  Thanks ta
Slice, it looks like we still got Bloody Brackston.  Ye
can tell me how ye liked yer first transport by magic
later, Brackston."

Some of ye may wonder what this warr all about.  Well
what we did was Kroz took a stab at their mage while 'e
warr occupied with chasin' us pirates.  If it works,
then that mage is going ta have a harder time nailin'
us, and at the same time, are mage is goin' ta be more
powerful.  Also we made areselves some money, an I got
me wench a little extra education, on account of
negotiatin' a good deal all around.  If we're lucky,
Kroz may be able ta retrieve some o' th' cadavers from
tanight's battle, but ye never know.  It depends on
what ol' Heinie does now that 'e's out there all alone.
Now lets get movin'  Tharr's more'n a few miles ta
cover afore we get ta are new camp."



The story continues in [Rapina]032 Yieraun Castle

copyright 2001, by Rapina

The Touch of Darkness

Back to, The Jolly Roger, page
[Rapina]027 In The Eyes of a Sword
[Rapina]028 The Touch of Darkness
*[Rapina]029 Spies and Assasins
[Rapina]030 Seeping Toxins
[Rapina]031 The Shadows of Wizardry

[Rapina]027  In The Eyes of a Sword

Once Jack Had shaken on the deal, he asked about the
particulars.  "Now when will ye be puttin' up yer
protections again' other mages an' how?"

"Have you buried any recruits or spies near the camp?"
Roger asked.

"Aye, we've got a small collection o' graves o'er
yonder," Jack said.

"Good, Rapina and I will consecrate the graveyard to
Mortaebius yet tonight, and   Kroz will come tomorrow
night to get a closer look at the area and place the
wards for the camp. Even now you are not totally
without protection.  I have within my skull an
enchanted item that wards an area the radius of the
length of a longship around me.  If I am aboard a
vessel it will be protected from faraway remote viewing
by a special enchantment that influences remote viewing
to be unable to see people and their constructions.
Terrain will otherwise appear as it really does.  For
closer-in viewing, such as when an enemy mage knows or
stumbles on the exact location of a ship or the camp,
enemy mages will see natural-looking magical static
that obscures vision.  In addition, teleportation magic
will not function normally within the confines of the
ward.  Those teleporting in will be killed or severely
wounded when their materialization is scrambled
somewhat, and those trying to teleport out will fail to
dematerialize.  In addition, I should be able to detect
remote viewing when it is attempted within the ward.
Enemy mages will be dealt with as Kroz sees fit," Roger
said.

"Kroz will be in tomorrow night?  Then I'd like ta
invite Rapina ta stay here tanight, would that be
aright?"

Roger paused a moment.  "Kroz says She may stay now and
leave with him tomorrow night if she wishes," Roger
said.

"Aye then will ye stay girl?" Jack asked.

Rapina nodded.  "Sure, but I'm not used to sleeping at
night.  Kroz keeps a nocturnal schedule."

"That'll be fine, ye can do yer consecratin' and catch
up w' the night watch once I'm sleepin' if ye like.  I
think Rage is on one o' th' posts tanight. Meantime,
I'd like ta hog ye fer a bit soon as I get Roger
situated to 'is night's work," Jack said.

Rapina nodded and smiled.

"Roger, I'd have ye work here in me tent if it weren't
fer th' fact that I'd feel silly tryin' ta romance me
wench with a walkin' bag o' bones in th' room.  On th'
other hand I got a heap o' book work for ye.  We got so
much new goin' on, and wi' only six o' me old men here
I've been putin off th' book work somthin' fierce.
What little 'as been done, 'as been done by me an'
Drake, an' he's somewhat new at 'is letters so 'e ain't
near as fast as ye are.  I'll fix ye up with a table in
th' supply tent right next ta this tent," Jack said.

"Rapina, this'll take me a bit as I'll 'ave ta explain
ta Roger what's happenin'.  Why don't ye go back ta th'
fire an' catch up with what men are still up 'an around
while ye wait," Jack said.

"Okay, I'll go scare Brackston." Rapina smirked.

The captain laughed as they exited the tent.

Rapina went back to the camp's central fire.  There
were several men sitting around the fire, including
Pike who was there with some bandages.  He was talking
to Brackston and Skitch.

Rapina sat down next to Pike.

Brackston looked uneasily at Rapina.

"I'm sorry I couldn't do any better for him, Brackston,
but I got the distinct feeling it was this, another
execution, or Jack and the rest of you loosing as much
weight as Roger.  Rapina took Pike's hand and started
bandaging it properly.  "You don't have any herbs, do
you?" Rapina asked.

Pike shook his head.  We don't have a leech, and even
if we did, it was already getting cold before we got
the camp built.  Otherwise maybe Arzeal could have come
up with something.  Doanthalas is around here too, but
only since yesterday.  He and his woman Elizabetta,
Rage, and the Li'Yeiraun pair, Mansun the pathfinder
and Adriana Li'Yeiraun.   It turns out Adrianna is
really Captain Red Jack's daughter on account of some
foolin' around he did with Heinrich Li'Yeiraun's wife
years back."

"Jack has a daughter?  I'd like to meet her," Rapina
said.

"She's bedded down for the night, but I expect you'll
be meeting her in the morning," Pike said.

Rapina nodded.  "Sorry about the hand."

Pike grinned, "That was my fault.  After all those
arrows bounced off you and Roger, I should have had
more sense than to try something.  No hard feelings
though, I know you're doing the best you can for Jack."


Rapina nodded.

"So what's that necromancer like.  I mean as a man?"
Pike asked.

"Kroz is intense, a bit scary, very intelligent and, as
long as he respects you, he's a fair man," Rapina said.

"Are you his mistress?" a young pirate named Zit asked.

Rapina smiled at the armed youth who stood nearby.
Blemishes scarred and speckled his face.  "I'm an
apprentice to Kroz actually.  I clean the house, make
the meals, tend the garden and study every spare minute
I can find.  Lately I study more because there's no
garden in the winter."

"Rapina here used ta be a crewman," Skitch said. "I
helped ta train her up meself.  'Best ruttin' student I
ever had."  Skitch chuckled.

Rapina blushed.  "Basic was tough for me.  Thankfully,
I had a number of friends and benefactors here.  If I
didn't enjoy, ah, dealing with men, I probably would
not have made it.  Watch out for Skitch though, he
drives a hard bargain," Rapina smiled.

The men laughed.

"Rapina, yew warr good as any I raised up, but yew
didn't fit.  Yew were always too damn smart, an' too
pretty a pussy.  Yew put a cramp in me style.  All th'
boys were too busy ogglin' yew ta get in trouble so's I
could pump some brains up their ass.  That 'an I had ta
make sure none o' them boys done nothin' again' yer
will an' th' cap'n's orders.  Right taxin' yew were,"
Brackston said.

"You did good though, Brackston, never gave me any
trouble as long as I behaved.  I think the captain put
me in your barracks because he knew you'd be more
tempted by the boys." Rapina smiled.

"No secret I like th' boys.  That's what keeps 'em in
line.  What kind o' spooks do yew have ta put up wif
over wif Kroz?"

"Mostly walking skeletons, but I don't mind them so
much anymore because they help me with the housework,"
Rapina said.

"Help yew with the housework?!"  Brackston cringed.
"Yew mean yew spend yer days in th' company of a bunch
o' dead men?"

"Kroz is a necromancer, I don't have a lot of say about
his taste in servants.  Kroz procured Kent and Edgar
while we were lifting the rest of the pirate bodies.
He is doing some sort of project on Kent.  I see them
both on occasion, though I don't like to deal with
them.  I think the skeletons are more trustworthy,"
Rapina said.

Brackston shivered, "Ghouls!  I don't know why yew
aren't a jibberin' crazy mess, Rapina."

Rapina took a moment to think about what she had been
through.  "Me neither," she said.

The pirates laughed heartily.

"I guess I'm too interested in the magic lessons to
worry too much about the creepiness of it all.  I can't
say much more, you know how sorcerers are about their
secrets."

Brackston nodded gravely, and there was a brief silence
around the fire.

"Aright wench, I got me skinny assistant puttin' me
sorry books back in order.  Hey, ye know, I'll bet he
never has ta take a pee break th' whole night," Red
Jack chuckled as Brackston grimaced.  Back in the old
days Jack had enjoyed having Doanthalas in the cage
just because having something the men were scared of
made it easier to keep them in line.  Although working
with the necromancer might be dangerous in the long
run, depending on how long the holy war lasted, the
captain knew that having the spooks around would make
his job a whole lot easier.

Jack took Rapina's hand and the two of them started
towards his tent as the captain spoke over his
shoulder," Rapina's nocturnal as a minx, er lynx these
days, men, so she'll be out here again whilst I'm
sawing wood.   I'll catch ye in th' mornin.  I got some
speechifyin' ta do afore th' men soon as they get up. I
want 'em up a few minutes early tamarra, so wake 'em
when the birds start a chirpin' heraldin' dawn but
before th' rosy hues start brighten' up th' sky.  It's
got ta still be dark.  That's important."

"There now girl," Jack smiled as he let Rapina into his
tent.  We got a lot o' catchin' up ta do, but I 'spect
we can do some 'o that tamarra.  How's that old spook
been treatin' ye?" Jack asked.

"He's stern, but fair," Rapina said. "I work hard and
study hard, but the fact that the priest who made me an
outlaw in the first place was of the vindicator makes
me something of a heroine with the priests of
Mortaebius.  That certainly hasn't hurt me." Rapina
smiled.

"I'm glad someone got a lucky break out o' that isle o'
th' dead.  Pickin' that rock fer a base almost made me
a shadow o' me former self.  Then it nearly cost me my
head.  It would 'ave if some o' me good men hadna
escaped ta rescue me.  I jus' recently got Doanthalas
an' Rage back, but they came wi' baggage.  Doanthalas'
toatin' a woman I got ta remember ta have Roger check
out.  She walks too much like a feline fer me tastes,
an' Rage brought me daughter and a condemned Li'Yeiraun
pathfinder with 'im.  I don't trust him neither.  It's
been a real zoo since ye left me.  I got way too many
green recruits an' not nearly enough veterans." Jack
grimaced.

"I'm glad you're making the best of it, Jack," Rapina
smirked as she hung her cloak on a peg on Jack's tent
pole while the pirate captain stoked up his tiny pot-
bellied stove.

Red Jack chuckled, "Aye, that I am.  It reminds me o'
th' old days when I first started out as a pirate.
It's full circle, I guess.  Enough o' business, I been
eyein' that scarlet dress o' yours an' it's drivin' me
up a wall.  As ye might 'ave guessed I once 'ad a taste
fer noblewenches.  I've feasted me eyes on plenty o'
finery in me day, but I can't say as though I can
remember a single one o' them noblewenches who could
fill th' finery like ye can, up down, all aroun'."

Rapina smiled and blushed.

Ye've been growin' up while ye've been gone girl.  Ye
carry yerself different too, like a gentlewoman.  Ye're
gettin' class.  Is that spook a nobleman?

Rapina hung her rapier and weapons belt on the
headboard of Jack's bed, then sat down next to him.
"Kroz did have some contact with the upper crust and he
thought it would be wise for someone with my particular
magical talent and specialty to know deportment, so he
has been drilling me on it."

"Drillin ye?"  Jack chuckled.  Well, whatever else 'e
may be, 'e's taught ye a useful thing er two.  What o'
this magical specialty?  Can ye do any tricks?"

Rapina grinned, "Well, I have a talent, but outside of
that I can't do so much as a cantrip.  Even doing those
simple feats of magic requires several years of
practice to develop the necessary underlying ability,
even if the aptitude is there."

"Ye got a talent at least, is that a common thing for
an apprentice?" Jack asked.

"No, I don't think so, but it's certainly more common
for a magic apprentice to have one than just anyone, I
suppose," Rapina said.

"What is yer talent if ye don't mind me askin', girl?"
Jack asked.

"Rapina smirked.  I think you could answer that one for
yourself, Jack," Rapina stroked her hands down Jack's
chest, pulling at his lust all the way down to his
belly.

"Damn yer good at that!" Jack exclaimed.

Rapina smiled as she started to undo Jack's shirt.
"Talented?" Rapina asked.

"Aye, so that's it.  Ye've a magic snatch," Jack said.

Rapina giggled, then caressed the inside of the
Captain's thigh and watched his skin take on a ruddy
hue as his manhood strained to leap out of his pants.
"I suppose you could put it that way," Rapina said.

"Ye do have knack fer th' bedroom; is that yer magic?"
Jack asked.

Rapina noded.

"What can ye do with that besides make a man fall all
over 'imself?  Jack said breathing heavily as he worked
to undo Rapina's bodice."

"With sex magic?  Theoretically quite a bit, but I need
to develop my talent." Rapina unbuckled Jack's belt.

"I think I can help ye with that," Jack took a deep
breath as he pulled Rapina's dress down and looked at
her scarlet bustier.  "I like this one even better than
th' one I first saw ye in," Jack said.

"This one fits." Rapina smiled.

"Aye, th' design looks ta be made fer yer figure, an
there's even more fillin' th' cups than there was when
ye were younger.  Ye always did have nice tits, girl,
an they just keep gettin' better.

Rapina smiled, stepped out of her dress and folded it
over Jack's chair while the Captain removed his
trousers.  The captain's erection stood at attention.

"Ye're still in better shape than any noblewench I've
seen.  'as ol' spooky been makin' ye carry water aroun'
'is 'aunted castle?" Jack asked.

Rapina giggled, "No, actually I have been training with
an assistant of his," Rapina said.

"At arms?" Jack asked.

Rapina nodded.

"Spooky must trust ye quite a bit," Jack said.

"Yes, that and he's a necromancer, so I'd still be in
trouble even if I successfully killed him," Rapina
said.

Jack chuckled, "I see yer point.  I notice ye carry a
rapier, but it ain't that nice one I got ye.  Is that
what ye've been trainin' at?"

"Yes, I miss that blade.  I'm hoping I can convince
Kroz to buy me another from the Montfort forge.  I've
continued to train in rapier, plus unarmed, and a
little bow work so I don't get rusty," Rapina said.

Jack caressed Rapina's sides and back through her
bustier. "Aye, yer in great shape.  Do ye eat bettern'
ye did as a pirate?" Jack asked.

Rapina grinned, "Yes, Kroz is a wealthy man, his table
is well stocked.  Sometimes I'm the one who stocks it.
We apprentices have to work for a living too, you
know," Rapina said.

"Aye," Jack chuckled as he cupped Rapina's breasts
beneath her bustier then grasped her sides and moved
her onto his lap.  I can see how havin' a woman like
you aroun' would make 'im feel especially wealthy.  'e
sure does dress ye nice.  Where did these under things
come from?" Jack asked.

"Argos, Kroz really gets around." Rapina could feel
Jack's hardness against her cheeks.  His lust burned
through her silken panties and coursed up her spine.

The captain chuckled and turned.  He rose slightly so
that Rapina's rump slid off his lap and then he gently
pushed her down on the bed.  Jack unclipped her silk
stockings then reached under her bustier and pealed the
scarlet panties from her body as she lifted her long
legs.  "I'm just glad he ain't th' jealous type.  Ye
know I found ye that isle jus' so ye could get inta the
company of them mage types," Jack winked as he stroked
Rapina's smooth inner thighs.

Rapina smiled up at the captain, her legs bent at the
knees and slightly apart as she lay on the bed.  "I
should have known you had the whole thing planned.
That was quite a sacrifice to make for my education.
How will I ever repay you?" Rapina asked.

Jack chuckled lustily as he caressed Rapina's nether
lips, already quite wet with lubrication.  "I'm sure we
can work somethin' out.  Besides, I couldn't cheat th'
world out o' a magic snatch.  It would be against me
religion.  It would 'ave been down right sacrilegious
o' me even ta think about it.  Jack's nimble fingers
worked over Rapina's slippery labia, dipping into her
honey and using it to lubricate her swollen clit.  It's
a work o' art, an it's got plenty o' zip an' slip to
it.  A woman with sex drive like ye've got is a rare
jewel.  I'll bet ye could take th' whole camp on an'
never go dry," Jack marveled.

"Sometime I'll have to find out," Rapina said half
seriously.

"Sometimes I think ye already have," Jack said.

Rapina giggled.  She did recall certain very busy
evenings during basic. "Well, not everyone."

"Jfft abot," The captain's voice was muffled between
Rapina's velvety thighs.

Rapina moaned between deep breaths, and before long,
lights filled her mind as she came.  She could touch
Jack's mind from her peak as she might have touched a
gray cloud from a mountaintop.   She resisted the urge
to reinforce the captain's lust and let the cloud go
by, gathering only a hint of her affection as it
passed.

Captain Red Jack brought her to climax numerous times
in the next couple of hours.  Rapina let him take her
twice before sending a sleepy, calming mood to his mind
during her final orgasm.  She took it easy on him, but
not quite as easy as she once had, for she felt he now
trusted her enough that she might let him learn the
truth.  After Jack fell asleep, Rapina cleaned up as
best she could at Jack's basin, then gathered up her
clothes, dressed and headed back through the cold
winter's night towards the camp's central fires.  The
wind was chill, but she hardly felt it through the glow
Red Jack had left within her.

The vindicator's teachings admonished her to feel
triply guilty about her tryst with Jack.  It was sex
before marriage, sex with a second partner, and sex in
the face of being involved with Rames, currently her
primary lover.  Honest lust, the vindicator could not
stand it, so he could not stand her either.  Now that
she was back in the pirate camp, she would do what came
naturally if she felt like it.   Rapina shook her head,
the vindicator that had been revealed to her by
reverend Evangeline was a sham.  Jack, Thane and Rames
were evil men, but they were not deceivers as
Evangeline had been.  She did not know what goddess of
lust might control her fait.  For now, she was fairly
sure she had been loaned to Mortaebius, the god of the
dead.  She was content to be of use in his struggle
against the vindicator's "pious" followers who preached
honesty and justice while they dressed as bandits,
killed priests and burned the temples of other gods.

"Hail Mortaebius, guardian of the dead. A creature of
life and lust am I, glad in thy just service to draw
nigh, lust, and life, and death - one cycle, life goes
by.  Death is fact and a god I will not deny, and as
lust I shall serve thee to kill the lie."

"Well met Rapina," Roger said.

Startled, Rapina lurched to a halt.  She looked up just
in time not to run right into Roger.  What was even
more startling than the appearance of the skeleton was
the fact that Rapina could swear she had seen him
smiling when she first looked up.  "How can a skeleton
be smiling without lips?" Rapina rationalized to
herself.

"The graveyard is this way.  Shall we consecrate it
before you begin socializing?" Roger asked.

"Uh, sure, that way I can have the rest of the night
with the men." Rapina smiled.

"Indeed."  Roger silently led the way through the snow,
his boney feet hardly leaving a trail.  "The graves are
here."

"They are?"  Rapina asked, for she could see only snow.


"Yes, I will show you.  Roger walked elongated ovals
marking four graves.  Mortaebius knows where the dead
lie.  What we will do here tonight is merely a
formality.  It works a magic sympathetic to Kroz's
spell and will allow him to come to this graveyard more
easily.  What he attempts tomorrow night is a new feat
for him.  In the past he has come to graveyards he has
been to that are familiar to him.  This one is
different.  He has viewed it only through his pool, and
he will be counting on us to mark it, to add something
familiar to it to make his spell surer.  It is good we
are both present.  If this first attempt is successful,
he will have greater confidence, confidence that could
be very important in the months to come.

This will be a simple ritual.  Roger walked a rectangle
around the four graves.  I will walk along the lines of
this rectangle, as I move you will move, always in the
same direction, but you will remain always be on a
diagonal corner from from me.  I will say a prayer, and
you will repeat it or say another if you cannot
remember it.  Any questions?"

"none." Rapina smiled.

"Good, I will stand on the Northeast corner and you on
the Southwest to start," Roger said.

"Hail Mortaebius guardian of the dead, we the dead who
lie here entreat thee, hallow this ground that we might
rest," Roger intoned.

"Hail Mortaebius, keeper of the deceased, we the living
entreat thee, hallow this ground that the dead be held
in thy embrace, to rise only in the direst need,"
Rapina incanted.

Roger walked clockwise around the periphery to the next
corner, and intoned another prayer.

Rapina moved as Roger did, arriving to pray first in
the Northwest, then in the Northeast where Roger
started.

"...and thus we close the circle, life and death, the
cycle is complete."

"Excellent, Rapina.  I had no idea you knew the prayers
of consecration and in your first prayer you added, "to
rise only in the direst need," a line that is most
often left off these days.  I expected a much less
proper ritual.  Your performance was as flawless as a
priest's.  Tell me, why do you know such things?" Roger
asked.

Rapina blushed, "I don't think I am meant to be a
priestess of Mortaebius.  I'm just not into the dead
like Kroz, but Mortaebius has been a good patron to me,
and I am honored to be his ally.  I studied one of
Guardian Rames' books that he had from being a chaplain
before he actually became a priest.  It's a handbook
for church deacons.  The line I added was mentioned in
the footnote as the historical form, but given the
situation, I thought it would be appropriate," Rapina
said.

"Yes, I remember your uncommon sharp wit," Roger said.
"You know the rituals and serve my master well.  There
are things best done by the living.  Your aptitudes are
a fine complement to our own.  Thank you Rapina.  You
may return to the warmth of the fire, and rest assured,
Mortaebius recognizes a good servant, even if she is an
ally not natural to his service."

"Thank you Roger," Rapina said as she waved and left
death to contemplate the graves in the biting winter
wind.

---

The central campfire shone like a beacon guiding Rage
towards the cluster of tents in the distance.  The
young pirate finished strapping on his sword as he
walked.  He had been cleaning it when one of the new
pirates had brought news of Rapina's arrival. It could
only be Rapina judging by the man's description.  Few
women could rival her beauty. Rage wasn't sure he
believed that she had stepped out of the fire with a
demon in tow. That was a lot of superstitious nonsense
most likely fueled by the return of Doanthalas.  The
old crewmembers knew he wasn't a demon spawn, but the
new crew had yet to come to that conclusion.

"It will be good to see Rapina again," Rage thought as
he felt a swelling in his pants. "For more than a few
reasons..."  He smiled as he looked down at the stone
set in the hilt of his sword. Things were looking up.
Soon what was left of the old crew would be back
together again.  They would once again be strong and
feared.  Rage loved being a pirate.  All the action,
women, and booty a man could want...and then some. His
smile widened as he approached the camp.

---

The mage Nordula watched intently as Rage returned to
the camp from guard duty. "The only thing more boring
than being on guard duty is watching someone who is on
guard duty," he mused.  As much as Nordual hated
babysitting this young pirate he hated the thought of
Lord Li'Yeiraun's wrath even more. At least the magical
stone set in the sword hilt was doing its job... and
remarkably well.  It had been a good plan to leave the
sword where Rage was sure to pick it up.  Now with the
sword and stone strapped to the young pirate's hip the
images were coming through crystal clear.

The image in the center of the kettle shifted and
seemed to shimmer for a moment.  It began to jump and
coalesce into a whirlpool of color.  Something was
interfering with Nordula's scrying.  It appeared as
though it were some natural disturbance, an upwelling
of earth energy, or some such; it might also have been
a clever ward, but where would a simple pirate captain
have come upon such a thing?  In any case, it was not a
good sign.  He did not think that Jack had any mages to
detect let alone deal with his magical workings.  No,
if it was countermagic, some magical device plundered
from one of Red Jack's victims more likely caused it.
It had not been in effect at the guard post. Therefore,
it likely had a range.  If that was so then the stone
in the sword could still be of use when Rage was away
from the center of the camp.

Still Nordula would have to inform Henrich of this
development.  Something would have to be done to ensure
that their prey did not escape.  The mage wrapped his
robes around him and stepped outside to summon one of
his apprentices.  He found a candidate studying in his
library. "Kall!  Come and watch over the scrying
kettle!  The image has faded, but let me know the
moment it reappears.  I must find Lord Li'Yeiraun."  He
waved a hand at the boy as he disappeared in a cloud of
colored smoke.

---

It had been a few days since Doantalis had lain with
Elisabetta.  He had not spoken to her either.  She had
made her choice.  Her loyalty to Paolo had been
stronger than her feelings for Doanthalas.  It hurt...a
lot!  But, then again, the elf's life had been nothing
but pain for the last fifty years or so.  He was
becoming jaded...numb to the whole experience.

Once again everything was happening at once; Elisabetta
was plotting to assassinate Red Jack, Rapina had
returned, and Jack's daughter had come looking for
Drake.  Nothing was ever easy.  Doanthalas had to
decide what to do about Elisabetta.  He felt no loyalty
towards Jack, but he had also seen quite enough killing
for one lifetime.

Almost without thinking the elf pulled the locket out
of his pocket and held it in his hand.  Inside was the
picture of the guard he had slain and his family.  Of
all the lives he had taken over the past fifty years
this one affected him the most.  Doanthalas had been
able to justify the other killings.  It was justice
pure and simple.  But this was different.  The only
thing the guard had been guilty of was doing his job.

Then there was Rapina.  Where had she been and why had
she returned?  He was not going to get an answer while
he sat there and brooded so he pocketed the locket and
made his way towards the center of camp.

---

Mansun Dido sat around the large central fire watching
the pirates with mild interest.  They still regarded
him as an outsider so he sat alone.  In fact, the only
person in the camp who seemed to show him any amount of
respect at all had been the tattooed elf.  He was sure
the elf did not trust him yet, but that would come in
time.  The pirates had been content to sneer at him or
ignore him depending on their moods.

Sitting amongst the pirates chatting away like an old
comrade-in-arms was the woman Rapina.  She was a
difficult one to figure out.  He detected strength in
her that was intriguing and frightening at the same
time.  All the more terrifying because her beauty
seemed to distract, the men at least, from it. At the
moment he wasn't worried about her though.

Elisabetta had him worried.  For the past few days she
had cut herself off from the elf.  Something had
happened to push them apart.  When he had first met
them they seemed to almost dote on one
another...almost.  Now she avoided him whenever
possible.  What's more she had taken on a subtle, but
dangerous edge.

Once again she was nowhere to be found.  Neither was
the elf for that matter. But Doanthalas didn't worry
Mansun.  He was dangerous, no doubt, but the pathfinder
felt secure in the feeling that he had nothing to fear
from him. There was an infinite sadness to the elf that
seemed to permeate everything he did and said.
Something horrible must have happened to him in the
past. The pathfinder's thoughts were interrupted by the
appearance of the young pirate Rage.  Apparently, he
was returning from guard duty.

---

Rage finished his business and exited the latrine.  For
some reason he felt uneasy.  He looked around.  He
guessed it was nothing.  In any case he needed sleep.
He walked briskly back towards the barracks tent.

Nordula's chambers dissolved and were replaced by an
outdoor scene.  Deitrich froze in place and held his
breath a moment.  A young pirate wearing a nice sword
left the outhouse beside him and seemed to look right
through him before he walked up the path back towards
the pirate camp.  Nordula had not explained why he had
to teleport Deitrich so close to the camp, but he was
glad the cloaking spell had lasted through the
transfer.  Looking around, the spy quickly got his
bearings and made his way to a thick cluster of bushes.
Traveling via Nordula's magic had not been nearly as
disconcerting as he thought it might be.  He actually
thought he could get used to it.  It sure beat riding
weeks through rugged terrain to reach his destination.
He stealthily put a little distance between the pirate
camp and himself before the invisibility wore off.  If
he could find out where the watch posts were while
still cloaked, it would make his job much easier.

"I've arrived," he said into the magic stone hanging
from his neck. The stone seemed to pulse with light as
Nordula's voice emanated from it, "Excellent!  Keep us
informed of any developments." The light from the stone
faded as the spy nodded and stealthily made his way
around the periphery of the pirate camp.

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

Adriana was beautiful lying there beside him.  She was
asleep.  Drake hadn't known her long at all, but
already his heart belonged to her.  That was precisely
the reason Drake was lying there seriously considering
Jack's request. He had given up a lot to become a
pirate and had lost just as much during the course of
becoming one.  Drake leaned over and kissed her on the
lips.  She stirred and rolled to her side draping an
arm over his chest.  Losing Adriana was not a thought
he could stand.  That was why he had decided to do as
Jack requested and take her away from the pirates.
They would start a new life elsewhere.  Jack had a
friend who knew important people in foreign lands who
could help them get a start.  Drake Stretched and
yawned.  Pulling the covers up he nestled in close to
Adriana and draped his arm around her.  In minutes he,
too, was asleep.
-------


[Rapina]028 The Touch of Darkness

Rapina looked up from her conversation with a few of
the recruits as Rage approached wearing a new sword.
Pike had gone to bed a few minutes before, looking a
little more tired and worn than she had ever seen him.
She could tell that the turn of events, the magic,
Jack's capture and so many new and potentially
untrustworthy faces had taken their toll on the
Norseman, though he tried not to show it.  The new
recruits were typical of the young men Jack attracted,
full of bravado, bloodthirstiness and often fleeing a
harsh or boring lifestyle for the even harsher
lifestyle of Red Jack's pirate camp.  Rapina smiled to
herself, and then greeted Rage who had just come in
from guard duty.

"Rage!  It's good to see you, not many of the faces
around here look familiar," Rapina said.

"Aye, It's good seeing' ya too," Rage said. "Not many
of us survived the isle o' the dead. Just me an' Pike,
Brackston, Arzeal, Skitch, an' the elf, made off
without gettin' nabbed.  We got Jack back, 'an I guess
that necromancer's still got 'is claws in ye from what
I hear.  He hasn't turned ye inta something like Kent,
has 'ee?

Rapina smiled, "Actually, I'm with a more experienced
necromancer now.  The guardian of the isle sometimes
buys spells and things from Kroz, my master.  They both
worship the same god.  Of course you'd kind of expect
most necromancers to worship a god of the dead."  She
could tell Rage had reservations about her relationship
with the necromancer.  She could not really blame him.
Thane had frightened the wits out of the pirates.  In
spite of their combat experience, they were a
superstitious lot with no understanding of the
principles of magic.  What he had experienced on the
isle of the dead would probably haunt Rage's dreams for
years to come.

"No, no, he has not turned me into something like Kent,
I'd be of less use to him as a dead-brain," Rapina
said. "Kroz is frightening, but to tell you the truth,
I've kind of gotten used to him, as much as that's
possible.  He is a fair master, though not particularly
kindly.  Although he lacks Jack's flair and deadly
humor, he does have a razor wit and he can be quite
engaging to listen to, especially if you have an
interest in magic," Rapina said.

"Magic!  Huh I'd steer clear o' that nonsense if I were
you.  It's dangerous," Rage said with conviction.

"Yes, it is, but that's where my talents are, but you
already knew that, didn't you?" Rapina said.

"Rage smiled crookedly.  "Yeah, I could tell.  I guess
you won't be such a bad sorceress, but damn, why did
you pick a necromancer for a teacher?" Rage asked.

"I didn't, really, life just happened that way," Rapina
said.

Rage's mood softened. He guessed Rapina always was cut
out for sorcery.  Red Jack had seen it in her and
encouraged her magical studies.  Earlier Rage had been
all set to see if he could spirit Rapina off to bed,
but the memories had come back.  She was with a
necromancer, a man who created and ruled the walking
dead, a man like the man who had turned Kent into a
clawed cadaver.  Rage shivered involuntarily.  He
wondered if she slept with the necromancer, wondered if
his blue dead hands caressed her shapely rump, or if
his purple lips had suckled at her breasts.  Rage had
never seen Kroz.  Yet, he could imagine the necromancer
and how frightening he must be in person.  It all made
the young pirate nervous, so he put on his toughest
face.

"I'll see you later, Rapina, I need to get something to
eat here."  Rage busied himself getting food.

Rapina smirked.  It was obvious it would take the young
pirate a while to get used to her again.  She was sure
he would be okay given time.  At the moment she noticed
someone who looked distinctly out of place, for her
emerald eyes had lit on the pathfinder.  She knew
little of him, only that the men seemed not to trust
him, yet she could not help but get the feeling that he
was a good man in a bad situation.  This resonated with
her own reason for getting involved with the pirates.
Sometimes life took some unexpected turns.

Since Rage's soliloquy had cooled the pirates on her
for the moment, she took the opportunity to sit near
the pathfinder.  His story might be interesting.
Rapina's eyes caressed over the man's form, assessing
him.  He was obviously a warrior of some sort, though
not particularly overbuilt. His stature was average,
his dark hair was cut short and his features were
fairly plain, but handsome in their own way.

"You look as out of place as I feel," Rapina said
softly as she sat down beside him.

Mansun Dido was startled out of his thoughts by the
woman's comment. Looking up from the ground he saw a
beautiful woman with the most engaging emerald eyes.
Her smile seemed friendly, but underneath it all she
seemed to be sizing him up for something.  The
pathfinder recovered quickly. "I could say the same of
you milady," Mansun articulated.  He was definitely
familiar with the ways of the nobility as evidenced by
his etiquette.  A sigh escaped his lips as he closed
his eyes for a moment. "Not so long ago I was a
pathfinder in the service of Lord Henrich Li'Yeiraun."
Seeing Rapina's questioning look he replied, "That is
correct. I used to be a loyal servant of the man who
tried to kill Red Jack for sleeping with his wife. But
that was when I thought loyalty and honor counted for
something." Mansun massaged his temples and took a deep
breath.

"I was in charge of the pathfinders that were tracking
Rage.  Lord Li'Yeiraun wanted us to find Red Jack's new
camp and figured this to be the best way.
Unfortunately, we lost Rage's trail a few days after
his escape. I didn't know it then, but this was due to
the help of the elf Doanthalas. To make a long story
short; Lord Li'Yeiraun was so upset that we lost the
pirate's trail that he decided to make an example of me
and have me executed in his place." The pathfinder
shook his head and snorted, "A lifetime of loyal
service...gone." Mansun shook the depressing thought
from his mind and faced Rapina. "My name is Mansun
Dido.  What name do you go by?"

"I go by Rapina."  Rapina extended her hand.  "I'm
sorry to hear a man who should have been noble betrayed
you.  My reasons for originally joining Jack's men were
similar to yours.  When men of power behave in ways
that are criminal, good people are forced to flee the
justice that should be protecting them.   It's sad that
Lord Li' Yeiraun is not more loyal to those that serve
him.  I will stop feeling sorry for him that Jack
diverted his wife's attentions.

Is Lord Li'Yeiraun a religious man?

"As much as any lord is I suppose," Mansun replied.
"That was to say that as religious as he had to seem to
his subjects and still keep his good name.  I too have
stopped feeling sorry for him about Jack and his wife.
It's ironic that Red Jack would turn out to be the
honorable one and Lord Li'Yeiraun the bloodthirsty
tyrant."  He shook his head and laughed. "I owe my life
to Red Jack's daughter you know?  She is the one who
saved me the trouble of swinging from the leafless
tree...if you take my meaning."  The pathfinder sighed
and ran his fingers through his short hair.  "Now I
have to begin my life anew.  By now Lord Li'Yeiraun has
tainted my good name amongst the folks I once knew.  I
wish I knew what to do.  You seem to have adapted to
life on the run fairly easily, milady.  Any pointers
for a recently unemployed pathfinder?"  This last
comment was said with a wry smile.  Apparently, the man
did have a sense of humor.

"Sometimes the currents of life are impossible to swim
against.  The best I've been able to do is keep afloat.
In my case I've been swept to the opposite shore, to
help the enemies of the man who betrayed me.  At first
I was just trying to get away, and since the law was
after me, I took shelter with Jack, an outlaw, but
being a pirate turned out to be a between-stage. I'm
not sure if it's truly good luck or ill, but I now work
for an enemy of the man who betrayed me.  That's why I
ask what religion Lord Li'Yeiraun pays homage too.
There are many issues that divide powerful nobles and
religion is one of them.  It's an important question in
these times.  It might be possible that Lord Li'Yeiraun
has enemies who are more legitimate to the law of
Clairmont than Jack is."

"I'm not a religious man myself so I do have to confess
a sort of ignorance to the religion of the land."  A
wry smile crossed his lips, "The only god I pay homage
to is mother earth and the only service I attend is
that of the local tavern.  And speaking of drink I
could really go for one right about now.  Would milady
Rapina care to join me for a little of the holy
spirits?"

Rapina smiled, "I have a great deal of respect for
anyone who can scare up a drink in a pirate camp, so of
course I would be glad to join you."

Mansun proved to be an interesting conversationalist,
but Rapina felt he was not the kind of fish who enjoyed
being reeled in right away.  She did not need to be in
a hurry, at least that's what she told herself.  In
truth the exposure to so many men, even in spite of the
wintry conditions, was deepening her hunger.  It was as
if she had been on a stringent program of rationing
drawing only from Rames, and now that she was
surrounded by food, she felt hungrier than she had
previously realized.

It had not been long before Mansun's life of early to
bed, early to rise had forced him to retreat to his
bedroll.  Rapina returned to the campfire, but the
early morning hours were not kind.  Only a few men
remained on sentry duty.   Since many of the youths did
not know her, Rapina thought it unwise to go around
talking to the sentries.  It was ironic that Rapina
wound up in the supply tent with Roger.  The death of
Mortaebius said nothing as she entered, and continued
to work on Jack's books as if conversation and breaks
were luxuries reserved for the living.

For her part, Rapina decided there were mental
exercises pertaining to her magical studies to be done.
It was a pity she had not brought a book with her, but
everything had happened so rapidly from her entry into
the inner sanctum of the mortancers to her reunion with
captain Jack.  One thing had stuck in her mind,
however.  In the negotiations, Roger had mentioned
there were necromantic spells that could be used to
drain the life force from another, and transfer it to
the necromancer in order to heal him.  Rapina thought
to herself as she cupped the fullness of her breasts
within her cloak, "Isn't that exactly what I do with
men?  Only it feels good when I do it to them and I can
store the energy."

As Rapina was musing, there came a scratching at the
tent flap.  Roger seemed unmoved.  Rapina slipped out
to see whom it might be.

"Zit?  What are you doing out at this hour?" Rapina
asked.

"I, I wanted to ask you something," Zit said.

"What?" Rapina asked.

The young man looked down at Rapina's feet.  "Is it
true?"

"What?" Rapina asked.

"We were talkin' and... Are ye a vampire?" Zit asked.

"Zit, are you still in basic, because if you are, and
Brackston finds out you snuck out of the barracks, he's
going to pump some sense up your butt, like he always
threatens."

Zit's mouth formed an "O" as his back stiffened.  "But
I have ta know," Zit whispered.  "I'll run back so it
seems I just went ta the latrine."

Rapina smirked.  "If I were a vampire, don't you think
I'd have fangs?"

"Well, yeah, but ye might have an illusion that covers
'em up," Zit said.

Rapina rolled her eyes.  "Was Brackston in on this
little discussion in the barracks?"

"Uh, I'd rather not say," Zit said.

"I'll take that as a yes."  Rapina grinned.  "So you
want to know if I'm a vampire.  Shall we find out?"
Rapina grabbed the boy and bit his neck playfully,
sucking some skin into her mouth.

Zit froze and screamed soundlessly... "Hey, you didn't
even break the skin," Zit said.

"You sound disappointed.  Were you hoping I'd suck your
blood and turn you into my sex slave?"

Zit blushed.

Rapina giggled softly, "Sorry Zit, I just don't have
the teeth for the first part, and you don't have the
time for the second part.  Because if you don't get
back to the barracks, you're going to be Brackston's
sex slave."

Zit's lips formed the familiar "O" once again.  "Okay
bye," He said flailing a hand and running off.

Rapina shook her head and smiled as she reentered the
tent. Roger was as she had left him.  She wondered if
there wasn't a certain urgency in the way the death of
Mortaebius applied himself.   It stood to reason, the
holy war between Mortaebius and the Vindicator was
heating up rapidly.  The mortancers had been deadly
serious.  During the winter months when the orcs made
little attempt to retake the lands Lord Avengene had
wrested from them, his most loyal forces were marauding
the temples of Mortaebius posing as bandits.

Originally, it was hoped that Avengene's religious
fervor would halt at the borders of his own lands, but
it now seemed obvious that the Vindicator's forces had
larger plans in mind.   To these plans the Church of
Moraebius must react swiftly, for they did not have a
standing army like Avengene's on which to draw.  The
Order of the Shroud would likely bloom afresh, and
Rapina intended to ingratiate herself to that
organization to the best of her ability.  For in this
game of chess, her only prospect of finding friends was
to seek out the enemies of her enemy.
------------------

"Captain, time to wake up for your speech, Sir," Arzeal
said.

"Aye I  was jus' gonna... Wha  oi,  oh it's mornin'.
Jack sat up and massaged his face.  Damn ye'd think I'd
pulled an all-nighter last night th' way I feel.  Now I
grant ye I wasn't ta bed early, an me wench were in
rare form, put me practically on the moon, she did, but
it weren't like I staid up th' whole night boffin 'er
brains out.  I sure feel like it though. Damn, well get
me some strong tea.  Th' men need a speech about are
new deal with th' spooks, an' it's a speech they'll
get."

The captain roused himself and began dressing and
preparing for his speech. By the time he emerged from
his tent and went to the central fires, Brackston had
the men assembled for the speech.

"Aye there now, me mates, I'll bet ye're wonderin why
yer up a bit early this mornin', why I'm disturbin' yer
beauty rest," Captain Red Jack said.  "Well some of ye
know we 'ad some visitors last night.  Seems me new
fame that's been drawin' recruits 'as also drawn some
other attention, sorcerous attention.  I'm sure the
tails o' spooks an' sorcery 'ave already made th'
rounds.  Now I'm going ta give ye th' skinny.  Seems
I'm in a bit o' a spot.  Me fame is invitin' th'
attentions o' morn' jus' th' law.  Now I got mages ta
contend with.  Luckily th' first of 'em ain't lookin'
ta cash in are chips jus' yet.

I'm not sayin' I trust 'im completely, but we 'ave
somethin 'e needs, and 'e 'as somethin' we need.  Now
where I come from, that's the grounds fer a deal.  I
found me a necromancer.  His name is Kroz, and 'e's
going ta put up some protections against sorcerous
spyin' an th' like.  In return, come raidin' season
we're going ta supply 'im with cadavers from are raids
ta keep 'is laboratory hummin'.  As ye know, I'm a
little short on experienced help after that damned
illusionist broke up me former men.  I'm tired o'
fightin' sorcery with spar varnish, so now we got us a
magician on are side!"

The pirates cheered.

"Bein' that 'e 'as ta spend most 'o 'is time in some
musty laboratory, Kroz 'as left a pair 'o hands an eyes
with me ta help us out, an bein' as how are new 'elper
looks like th' pirate flag, we'll be callin 'im Roger.
All ye need ta know about Roger is that 'e's a skinny
officer with a rank same as Drake's, an' with th'
weight of bein' th' stiff that keeps th' books for me
an' at times carries me orders.   Other than that, th'
less ye know about Kroz an' are new helper, th' longer
ye're likely ta live.  If ye hear any wild stories
about 'is past or anything ye didn't hear from me, ye
better come straight ta Red Jack an' let me know who's
tellin' tall tales. I'll not be havin' me camp turned
upside down by wild rumors, an' any man who disobeys
that order's going ta be sleepin' with Roger."

"Fer those of ye who don't know what in hell a
necromancer is, I'll tell ye. A necromancer is a
magician who specializes in magic concernin th' dead.
Spells that allow a magican ta speak wi' th' dead, make
th' dead rise up an' dance and such like dark sorceries
are what necromancers are best at. Necromancers are
generally considered ta be th' most evil o' mages, so a
necromancer is just th' kind o' critter who would 'ave
no trouble workin' with rapin', pilligin', murderin',
bloodthirsty pirates like areselves.  Now Roger, I want
ye ta say a few words intraducin' yerself ta th' men,
so as they can recognize yer face an voice."

A figure cowled in heavy black robes came before the
men and stripped back his hood.

A gasp ran through the crowd, and the eyes of many of
the men opened wide with terror.

"I am death, but you may call me Roger if you wish.  I
will see that bodies from the raids are harvested for
Kroz, and I will serve Captain Red Jack," Roger said in
an emotionless tone.

There was a persistent murmuring in the crowd that
would not seem to die down.

"I know what ye're thinkin'," Red Jack said. "Half o'
ye can't believe sorcery like this exists and ye're
sayin ta yerself, 'e's just a collection o' bones wired
tagether an' there's a pirate hidin' behind Jack makin'
'is voice, an' th' others a ye are worryin' about yer
immortal soul on account o' workin' wit' spooks.

Roger go 'round th' crowd and shake th' 'ands o' th men
that're man enough ta shake.  That should 'elp ye all
ta see Roger ain't some prop I put tagether fer yer
entertainment.  'An if ye're so convinced 'e ain't
nothin, ye can 'ave a little sword play with 'im, long
as ye don't mind 'im relivin' ye o' yer 'ead.  Fer ye
that's fearin' fer yer souls, ye should 'o thought 'o
that before ye joined a gang 'o bloodthirsty pirates,
now shouldn't ye?  If yer religious types 'er right
then we'll all meet in hell anyhow."

Captain Red Jack watched as Roger made his way through
the men.   Most shrunk away from the boney appendage,
too terrified to shake.  Others practically scoffed,
thinking Roger was a trick.  They shook, and many came
away with a look of horror.  Two of the scoffers were
big, tough boys from the slums of Turnmoor.  Wedge was
respected for his strength and skill at arms, and Blunt
was the black sheep of weapons practice who didn't give
a damn who got hurt, as long as he got to laugh at
them.  They looked at each other, they looked at Roger
and they grinned.  Just after the death had passed
them, they drew their cutlasses in unison.

The death of Mortaebius carried his scythe in his left
han.  As the men drew, he spun three hundred sixty
degrees in that direction to shake the next recruit's
hand only a fraction of a second after he would
originally have done so.   The fact that Wedge's
cutlass, along with his right hand, fell to the ground
at about the same time as Blunt's head, did not seem to
concern Roger in the least.  He was following orders.
The two recruits would serve as an example.

Open-mouthed, the pirates saw the one recruit fall in a
fountain of blood and the other grab his own handless
forearm.  Had it not been for the movement of his thick
black robes, and the glint of his scythe, the men might
have believed Roger had not moved at all.  Yet, the
death and disfigurement he had left in his wake made
his actions unmistakable.

"Brackston, get a tourniquet on Wedge's stump, and pick
up that 'and.  Maybe we can sew it back on," Jack
chuckled.

Zit's hands were shaking even more than they had been.
The shower of blood and the scent of death hadn't
helped any.  As the skeletal figure approached, Zit
steeled himself.  He had to know.  As the young recruit
reached out and shook Roger's hand he moved closer to
where he thought the skeleton's ear would be, if he
really had one, and whispered, "G-good morning sir,
could you tell me, Is Rapina a-a vampire?"

Roger brought his teeth near the young man's ear and
whispered, "Rapina is a creature of lust.  She offers
pleasure for what she takes from a man; a vampire takes
blood, and offers death."
----------

After Jack's bloody speech, the pirate captain offered
Rapina his bed and she slept there until late
afternoon.  A few hours later, just after dusk, she and
Roger waited in the graveyard for Kroz, the necromancer
who would be played by Thane.  When he arrived, he was
in high spirits, his confidence in his own ability to
use the graveyard mists spell for transportation having
been bolstered.  With him, he had brought his personal
guards a group of double-animated skeletons dressed in
new blackened plate armor.  Behind them, in addition to
the fading magical mists, a cloud of steam rose into
the air.  Rapina recognized six of the flaming
skeletons that were used to heat Thane's abode.  Many
of the more ordinary armored skeletons carried litters
filled with supplies.  The most notable of these being
a very large roll of oiled canvas.  Thane himself was
dressed in his mortancer robes and looked much like
Roger.  For the illusion of a skeletal face obscured
his real face, and his voice was also modified by magic
to sound like the voice of a dead man.

"Roger, Rapina, it is so nice to see you.  I trust
things are not moving too rapidly for you?" Kroz said.

"Things are going as planned here, Kroz.  Your arrival
is a welcome development.  I believe your ease of
transport has been facilitated by the fine job your
apprentice, Rapina, did in assisting me with the
consecration of this graveyard.  She has the skills of
a deaconess, and my master views her deeds of service
favorably."

Kroz raised his chin.  "Excellent, Rapina, as your
service gradually outweighs your sins, I shall make
sure that you do not go unrewarded.  Our master
appreciates service, especially in times of conflict
when it is so desperately needed."

Rapina nodded.

"Now we have much work to do, "Kroz said.  "I must meet
with the captain.  Another house of our master was
sacked early this morning, the last and strongest in
the enemy's territory.  We had largely been abandoning
the others but this one had been serving as a base from
which we were conducting our strategic withdrawal.
Once the enemy saw how easy it was to take those houses
that were largely abandoned, he acted swiftly, but I'm
afraid we lost more than a few brothers in that last
battle.

Word is that those with sentiments that do not agree
with the enemy's are being disappeared rapidly as he
consolidates his power.  My associates and I have
decided to give this pirate project a little boost.  We
need Jack's ship harvesting the dead as early in the
spring as possible.  Winter is more than half over. We
hope our enemy will be too busy consolidating the power
of his church within his own lands to have any time to
launch attacks outside them before the orcs on his
Northern border tie up his forces again this spring.

We will provide Jack the supplies he needs to enclose
the skeleton of the ship he is building within a tent,
and get the temperature within high enough to do the
wood-working now, rather than waiting for spring thaws.
Come, after I speak to the captain, we must plant the
warding devices in the camp. Kroz bustled towards the
captain's tent.  It was obvious he had somehow studied
the layout of the camp.  When the trio arrived they
were allowed into the captain's tent where he was
waiting for them."

Jack looked up from some record books.  "Looks like
ye've been on th' same diet as Roger there, Kroz.  Jack
chuckled.  Good ta meet ye.  I am Captain Red Jack."
The captain shook hands with the new corpse.  What be
the news?  I see ye've brought more of ye're boney
buddies with ye tanight, an' a few torches as well."

"I will bestow upon you a small boon for your
organization in wake of another sacking of my lord
Mortaebius' properties.  Lives have been lost, and time
is of the essence.  I want you to have the necessities
with which to continue work on the building of your
ship during the winter months.  I need you operational
as early as possible.  Here is a modest gift towards
necessaries for the ship.  Thane handed Jack a small
but heavy sack.

Jack peered inside.  "Aye, mixed circulated gold from a
hundred towns by th' looks of it, untraceable," Jack
smiled.  "That'll come in handy."  An th' skeleton
torches, ye brought them ta heat th' tent we build
around th' ship in so the wood will not be brittle?"

"Indeed," Kroz replied.

"Your creations?" Jack asked.

"Let us say that I was able to glean the remains of
your men from a colleague, and that certain of your men
were well suited for that particular animation," Thane
whispered to Jack.

"If ye're tryin ta make up fer th' drubbin ol' Thane
gave me by bringin' me men's walkin' corpses back ta
me, it ain't ganna work, they're all dead," Red Jack
snapped in a vehement whisper.

"I will not try to make anything up to you.  I serve
Mortaebius in this.   I respect your ability or I would
not have proposed this deal.   You must admit, however
that the dead can be useful."

"I'd take issue with ye on that if it weren't fer
Roger's work on me books. He 'asn't lost 'is touch, and
'e's got a load 'o work done fer me already."

Kroz nodded.

"What about me arms master's wounded hand.  I'm dead in
th' water without 'im, and I'm spread thin enough as it
is," Jack asked.

"We have been most fortunate in that regard.  I was
able to locate the two necessary incantations," Kroz
said.

The two men discussed arrangements for the healing work
that needed to be done.  The work on Pike would be
straightforward, but Rapina was sent with Arzeal and a
couple of burly recruits to prepare the stump of the
unwise recruit for the remedy Kroz had recommended.

After he saw the captain, Rapina had helped Kroz bury
ward-bearing skulls in the ground three paces from
skull-bearing pike markers that gave a clue as to the
direction and location of the actual buried wards.
Subsequently Rapina had been sent to supervise the
preparation for Thane's debut as a healer.

A tourniquet had been applied not far above Wedge, the
unwise recruit's stump, and the small sword Rapina was
handed glowed cherry red from the heat of a stone
forge.

"This is going to hurt, Wedge.  If you move, you might
loose more flesh than you need to.  Hold still."

Wedge nodded drunkenly.  The rum he had been given had
dulled his senses, but the agony he suffered as the hot
blade sliced his flesh made him scream in torment.

AAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIHHHH!!!

Rapina grimaced as she sliced the flesh away.  Being
the closest thing Jack had to a leech was not proving
to be enjoyable.  In spite of the man's arm being
pinned by two burly recruits and Arzeal, it was moving,
and Rapina had to compensate in order not to take more
flesh than was necessary, and to make the cuts
straight.

"Flip him over, I need to do the other side."

Wedge roared with pain as blood rendered to steam
billowed from the stump of his severed limb.

Rapina worked as rapidly as she could, handing her
blade to a recruit in exchange for a glowing hot
replacement whenever it grew too cool.

"Okay, it's finished.  Pike, you're next.  Take the
bandages off and Kroz will repair your hand."

Pike brooded just across the room of the shack that
served as the camp's smithy. He stood next to the prone
form of a feverish recruit.  A stench hung about the
man from a brawl's sword wound that had gone bad.  It
was gangrene.  Pike knew the man didn't have a chance,
so why had Jack had him brought near, and why were
Rapina and Arzeal exposing some of the bone of Wedge's
arm behind his severed wrist?  Wasn't a smooth stump
preferable?  The armsmaster unwrapped the bandages from
his mangled right hand as he had been bidden.

Pike grimaced as several skeletons entered the room.
Two were armed and armored; the other two were robed.
One of the robed figures Pike recognized as Roger.  The
other had to be Kroz, a necromancer of Mortaebius.  Was
he too a skeleton?  He certainly looked it.  A shiver
ran up Pike's spine.  He didn't like the smell of
sorcery.

"Splendid, that should do fine.  Armsmaster Pike, hold
out your wounded hand."

Pike complied, glowering at the skeletal figure that
made arcane gestures and utterences, grabbed Pike's
wounded hand and shook in agony.

A scream of pain involuntarily escaped the
necromancer's throat as life force was ripped from him
by the power of his own spell.

Pike gasped as a surge of energy pulsed through his
hand.  The tingling was intense, and he could feel the
flesh knitting as he inhaled.

The necromancer seemed to waver for a second before his
discipline returned. His scream was rapidly replaced by
further arcane utterances and gestures as his skeletal
left hand plunged down to touch the naked chest of the
feverish recruit who then yelled and convulsed.

"Mmm, very good, very good.  The life force I gave the
armsmaster has been restored from this unfortunate
victim of disease.  I believe we can continue," Kroz
said.

More utterances issued from the throat of the
necromancer, then he was again wracked with pain, but
did not scream.  This time he held Blade's stump, which
began to heal instantly, leaving the stub of bone
Rapina had exposed. Without even a moment's hesitation
the necromancer cast the second spell, turned and
grasped the skull of the gangrenous victim.  A silent
scream was all that marked the man's passing.  A gray
handprint colored the skin of the dead victim's
forehead where Thane's skeletal hand had touched it.  A
faint, but similar mark could be seen on his chest
where Thane's first drain of life force had struck him.


"That went very well, very well indeed.  Painful at the
outset, to be sure, but our victim has made up for
that."  The necromancer almost chuckled. "Rapina, our
work here is done for now.  Captain Red Jack, I will
work on the hand of this recruit.  In two days time, I
will return with something that I believe he will find
more useful than a hook.  Come, we must return to the
abode."

Rapina nodded as she turned from inspecting Wedge's
healed stump.  Her job exposing a bit of the bone would
be quite adequate for what Thane had in mind for a
later visit.  She turned to Pike.  "Can you grasp my
hand?" she asked pike.

Pike reached out and gave her hand a squeeze.  His hand
was whole again.

Rapina smiled.

A few minutes later she, her master and their entourage
disappeared into the mists that rose to obscure the
pirate's graveyard.

-----------

[Rapina]029 Spies and Assasins

The next day the pirate camp buzzed with activity as
the men erected a tent around the skeleton of their
ship.  When night fell ending the men's intense effort,
the pirates were glad to finally rest.

Not long before the first light of dawn, a lithe figure
stealthily moved through the shadows.  The guard
stationed outside of Red Jack's tent did not see it
approach.  And no one else was about to see the garrote
slip around his neck. Neither did anyone see the shadow
drag off the guard's body and slip into Jack's tent
without a sound.

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


Outside of the pirate camp another figure moved
stealthily through the darkness. Deitrich had spent
most of the previous day scouting the camp's perimeter
and, after a shortened night's rest, was finally ready
to report his findings.  Unfortunately for him, some
sort of interference was prohibiting him from using his
magical pendant to contact his master.  He moved
silently away from the pirate camp trusting his
master's words that the pendant would function if he
got sufficiently far from the abode of the pirates.
The interference had been less pronounced or widespread
until the previous night when it its influence around
the pirate camp had grown.

Unbeknownst to the spy Deitrich, someone had noticed
his presence.  Doanthalas' feral eyes seemed to glow in
the darkness as he watched the figure move away.  This
man was good, but he was no elf.  He was probably a
human.  Even the best humans could not sneak past an
elf in the woods.  Elves had a sort of magical affinity
with nature that humans could never hope to understand
or achieve ...at least most of them.

Deitrich finally found a spot where the magic seemed to
work again.  He pulled out the glowing pendant and
shielded the magic stone with his body so he would not
be spotted.  He incanted the magic words and a swirling
image began to appear in the stone set in the pendant.
Suddenly it was struck by something hard that sent it
spinning from his grasp. The man rolled to the side and
came up with sword drawn and eyes searching.  Most
likely a lone sentry had spotted him, since he had not
heard an alarm sound.  If he could dispatch this sentry
quickly and quietly then his lord's plan could still be
carried out.

The elf watched the man's back for a few minutes as he
looked around for his assailant.  This human was
certainly a warrior of great skill, but it was obvious
that his eyes were not very helpful in these darkened
conditions. The man seemed to finally sense the elf's
presence behind him and slowly turned around.  He
almost jumped out of his boots when he heard
Doanthalas' guttural growl and saw his emerald eyes
reflecting the moonlight. Doanthalas had his own sword
drawn as he leapt through the high grass straight at
the man.  Although the man was scared Doanthalas had to
give him credit for holding his ground.  In a flurry of
motion man and elf were upon each other with swords
flying. The clash of metal against metal rang through
the night.

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


Back at the camp Drake and Adriana were enjoying a
private walk.  They had made up their minds to leave
everything behind and go to another place and start
over.  Their spirits were flying high with newfound
hope as they meandered around the camp. Suddenly the
sounds of fighting erupted from the stillness around
them.  Drake pulled Adriana close and drew his sword
protectively.

"Drake!  What is that?  What's happening?" she asked as
she strained to see through the darkness.

"I'm not sure my love, but I'm going to check it out."
he turned to face her, "Find a sentry and warn him that
there is trouble afoot."  He saw the worried look on
her face and pulled her close.  "Don't worry Lady
Adriana. I will be careful."  That said he kissed her
passionately on the lips. "Now go!" he said as he
headed off towards the sounds.  He had barely made it
two steps when the sounds stopped.  Drake looked back
to see that Adriana had noticed it too.

Adriana was about to say something when a dark shape
erupted from the darkness heading straight for Drake.
A terrified scream escaped her lips as the shadow
descended upon him.

Adriana's scream had scared the wits out of him, but
had also alerted him to the presence of someone behind
him.  Drake swung his sword with all the strength and
precision he could muster hoping to connect before the
assailant ran him through. A familiar voice rang out
mere moments before his sword connected with the
assailant's.  Metal against metal rang out through the
darkness as Drake composed himself and said somewhat
befuddled, "Doanthalas?"

"Yes." was the reply as the elf grabbed Drake and then
Adriana by the arms. "Come. There is danger afoot.  We
must warn Red Jack."

Drake and Adriana looked at Doanthalas' blood soaked
form and then to each other. They weren't sure what was
going on, but the blood and serious look on the elf's
face made them quicken their step.

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

Inside the tent Red Jack slept soundly.  It had been a
long day of planning, and giving orders concerning the
ship's tent, and he had retired early. That was just
fine for the assassin who crept silently towards the
pirate's sleeping form.  Slowly the assassin drew a
knife.  A few more steps and Jack would be no more.

The elf stopped dead in his tracks as he rounded a
cluster of tents and saw no guard in front of Jack's
tent.  He held up a finger to silence Drake and
Adriana. They complied as Doanthalas indicated the dead
guard's feet in some nearby bushes and motioned for
them to get help.  They quickly departed as the elf
crept forward. He glanced at the guard to see if it was
anyone he knew.  It wasn't.  Most likely it was one of
the new recruits.  The elf didn't give the body a
second glance as he slipped into the tent. His eyes
adjusted quickly to the darkness of the tent's
interior.  It was quick enough for him to see the
figure standing above Jack ready to strike.  Doanthalas
let out a feral scream as he leapt for the assassin.

The assassin brought the knife down in its killing arc.
She had been trained too well to be distracted by the
elf's scream.  However, this must not have been the
first attempt on the captain's life, for he rolled
frantically away from the assassin in spite of having
been deeply asleep a second before Doanthalis' scream.
The knife opened Jack's side rather than piercing the
pirate's heart.  Elizabetta did not have time to
consider her options as Doanthalas was upon her.  With
a deft move she ducked under his attack and drove her
foot into his back.  He crashed to the ground, rolled,
and came up in a fighting stance.

Jack was now awake.  He had grabbed his blade and then
rolled off the side of the bed opposite the assassin.
As he rolled he bellowed, "Roger! Guards!  Assasin!"
Red light from the magelight pendant Roger had given
the captain suddenly illumined the room.

Elizabetta took a gamble and jumped the bed to get
behind the pirate.  She held her knife against his
neck.  "Move and you die!" she hissed.

Doanthalas knew that Elizabetta might try something
like this.  He hadn't anticipated that it would be so
soon though.  But none of that mattered now. He had
tried his best to talk her out of it, but as the days
went by she never wavered in her decision.  She had
been given a choice of living the life of an assassin
and killing Red Jack or living the life that she and
Doanthalas could carve out together. She had made her
choice and she was about to carry out her mission.  If
he did not think fast, Jack was surely dead.  He only
hoped that she would keep him alive as a hostage long
enough for him to form a plan.  "So it comes to this,"
he said as he moved to block the tent's entrance.

"It was always heading in this direction Doanthalas,"
she said with a bit of regret in her voice.  "Perhaps
in another life things could have been different... but
not in this one.  Don't think that I wasn't tempted by
your offer."  Elizabetta sighed as she pressed the
knife firmly against Jack's neck. "I can think of
nothing I would like more than a life with you, but you
have to understand... it's not my life anymore.  If I
betray him he will send his best assassins after me.
We would both be in danger."

"Then let us face that danger together.  Neither of us
are strangers to danger.  We can fight them."

"Quite a romantic picture you paint...my love.  But
unfortunately the end result will be the same for me.
Either way I die... with or without you."  A tear
rolled down her cheek as she glanced over Doanthalas'
shoulder.  My death is a given, but I could not bear to
have your blood on my hands as well.  Sure we could
survive for a while, but sooner or later they would
find us and kill us both." "Trust me.  My way is
better.  I know the way he works and he would not stop
until we were both dead.  I do this because I have
to...because I love you."

A dark shape rose behind Doanthalas.

Doanthalas felt cold steel across his throat as a boney
hand grasped him from behind.

"Your way will have the same result as you believed his
would," The Death of Mortaebius rasped.  "The penalty
for bringing an assassin into this camp is death.
Elizabetta, you are correct, either way you die.  In
your foolishness you have brought death down upon
Doanthalas.  Pirates, some of whom are as lethal with a
bow as the best assassins, will soon surround this
tent.  You will not escape this place alive, nor will
your lover."

"Roger, get away from Doanthalas or the captain dies."


"Do you take me for a fool?  In life I was a pirate.
You will kill the captain regardless of whether or not
I release Doanthalas.  If you wish me to release him,
you must move away from the captain so that there is a
real chance that I can rescue him.  You must make
yourself a more attractive target than the elf.  Right
now, he is a sure thing.  You make the mistake of
believing that death will stop Red Jack.  I assure you,
his grave would hardly have a chance to grow cold
before he rose from it as I have."

Elizabetta swallowed.  Death was no fool.  Slowly she
moved back from the pirate captain.  If she were just
fast enough, she could still pull it off.  She held her
dagger to Jack's back, drew another and used it to
slice an opening in the tent behind her.  She did not
like the way Roger moved Doanthalas to the side to
allow him to get at her more quickly should the
opportunity present itself.  It was almost as though
Roger had done this before.

Suddenly Jack dove forward and rolled.

Run! The assassin screamed to Doanthalas as Death left
the elf behind and jumped towards her.  Roger did not
take the split second of extra time it would have taken
to kill the elf, for Elizabetta was already sending a
deadly blade Jack's way with a snap of her wrist.

The elf dove out the tent flap the way he had come in.
He rolled between two approaching pirates and into the
bushes near the dead guard's body before the men could
catch him to gut him with their swords.

The sound of metal against metal rang briefly through
the tent as death's scythe picked her thrown dagger
from the air.  Elizabetta would not have thought it
possible to deflect one of her throws had she not seen
it with her own eyes.  It was too late to throw
another.  The shadow of death was upon her.  She turned
a back flip and was through the opening, outside and on
her feet in an instant.

Roger removed a small, spike-bladed dagger with a large
bone handle from within his robes.  "kill," he said as
he threw the blade through the breach Elizabetta had
opened.

Once through the opening Elizabetta jumped to the side
to avoid the knife death threw at her.  She drew a
small crossbow, already cocked and loaded with a
poisoned bolt.  Although she could not see him through
the tent, She knew where Jack was; it didn't really
matter where she hit him.  The poison was most
virulent.

Elizabetta took aim.  Uh!?  She dodged backwards as she
fired.   Death's knife had veered in mid flight!

"Poison!" Jack bellowed from within the tent.

Elizabetta allowed herself a half smile on a job well
done.  Now she must escape Death who, despite his robes
and scythe, was out of the tent.  Elizabetta sprinted
and jumped.  The flying bone-handled dagger buried
itself in a pirate's chest as she narrowly got past his
swinging sword and behind him.  Would the dagger be
satisfied with the death of another?  Elizabetta did
not plan to wait around to find out. Neither did she
wish to wait around while archers arrived.  That Death
was right behind her was enough.

Elizabetta pushed deftly through some bushes knowing
that the skeleton's lighter weight would make bushes
more impenetrable to him than they were to her.  She
headed for an area of the forest near the camp where
she knew the bushes, brush and undergrowth would slow
death to a crawl.  She heard pirates behind her, but
she did not run straight.  She put the darkness of the
pre-dawn night and obstacles between herself and her
pursuers and stuck to shadowy areas of the camp as she
fled, not letting them get a clear shot at her back.

At last she made it into the forest.  The darkness
would hide her from all but death, and the thick
foliage ought to hide her from the dangerous skeleton
even if the darkness would not.  If she could evade him
long enough, she believed dawn's light would fight him
for her.

Doanthalas heard Elizabetta making her way through the
forest.  She was far behind him.  Humans were not fleet
of foot in the undergrowth.  For a human, her passage
was quiet, but to him distinctive.  Like him she had
chosen the thickest woods to cover her escape.  He was
about to go to her...

The assassin broke through the bushes and jumped the
narrow path.  Elizabetta stopped abruptly on the far
side of the path.   She stared at the end of the handle
of a scythe against her breast.  She knew the blade
must have passed through her, but it had been so fast,
so fast she had hardly felt it.  Already blood was
soaking her shirt.  Where had it come from?  "How," she
gasped.

Roger stepped from behind a tree.  The darkness made
all but the skull within his black hood invisible.
"Your life force is as a beacon to me, assassin.   It
is true you pass through this foliage more easily than
I, but did you honestly think it would hide you from
death?  I simply took the path and intercepted you.
Even you are relatively blind in this darkness, but I
am not.  In life, I served an unscrupulous master with
unswerving loyalty.  You have done the same.  Now you
will join my master, Mortaebius.  He will set a new
task for you."

As if to punctuate Death's words, the blade he had
thrown through the hole in the tent transfixed her from
behind, but she was already dead.

A single tear rolled down the elf's cheek as he
hastened away through the forest.  He had caught the
faint sound of the death skeleton's voice on the wind.
He turned east and hurried towards the rosy glimmerings
of dawn.  He would miss her; he would miss them all.

[Rapina]030 Seeping Toxins

"Aiii!  That'll do it, Drake, I don't want th'
tourniquet so tight as to kill me leg completely.  Damn
poison 'as been seepin' up, fer hours.  I can't feel a
thing from me toes ta th' middle of me thigh."

"But sir, the wound is just a scratch," Drake said.

"Aye, a scratch on me ankle, and I washed it out with
brandy only seconds after that blasted bolt creased
through me jammies.  I screamed bloody murder like I'd
been hit for real, an I think I fooled that wench
assassin.  She didn't know I shimmed up towards me bed
a bit while she warr occupied with Roger an 'is knife.
Otherwise the wench would 'ave hit me square in th'
chest.  A real pro that one warr, but no one escapes
death," Jack chuckled.  How is th' sun doin'?

Drake exited the captain's tent and then came back
inside.  "It's not quite down to the tree-line sir, but
it's getting there."

"Good, I'll never admit ta bein' grateful to that ol'
warlock after what 'is collegue did ta me men, but he
brought Roger, an Roger just saved me life, an I hope
ol' Kroz can make that savin' permanent.  This pois/g
seon's tryin' ta undo what Roger did.  Any news on th'
trackers?" Jack asked.

"None Sir, they've been at it since dawn, and dusk will
be here soon," Drake said.

"No one in camp could identify th' man Doanthalas
killed afore comin' ta confront me assassin, so he
could be a local, but 'e's too well equipped ta be a
farmer, " Jack said.  "He's got the weapons and th'
look of a tracker.  As soon as our mage gets here 'e
can sniff th' place o' death fer magic.  Damn!  I hate
bein' so dependent on a bunch 'o spooks!  Gettin'
famous has ruined th' piratin' business!"   Anyways,
Arzeal, Dido and a few men are out lookin' for th' dead
man's base camp.  Could be tharr's more than one spy
out tharr."

"Arzeal, reporting Sir," Arzeal said as he scratched at
the captain's tent flap.

"Aye, come in Arzeal.  Did ye find a camp or a new
spy?"

"We found one of his traps, sir."

"Who did ye loose?" Jack asked.

"The recruit named Binge we took as a flanker is down
and dieing, sir; we had to carry him back.  A spiked
snare trap hit him.  We are not sure if the trap was
set by the dead man or someone else, but it was getting
to be too dark to track anyway, so we all returned."

"Damn spies and assassins seem ta be comin' out o' th'
woodwork since Doanthalas and Rage got back here with
you an' me daughter.  Heinie Li'Yeiraun never did have
a mage worth squat.   Seems to me all 'e used to have
was a family line o' second rate tea leaf readers ta
help 'im with his investments.  I'd 'ave been dead ta
rights years ago if that ass had had a real mage.  Any
change in that department Dido?  Who's th' Li'Yeiraun
mage at the moment?

"Nordula, sir," Dido said.

"Has he got any talent?" Jack asked.

Mansun Dido squeezed his chin between his thumb and
forefinger.  "It is true Lord Li'Yeiraun's mages never
could seem to give him a straight answer as to where
you were, Captain.  Their hope was in Nordula, he had
more talent than either of his forebears on account of
the peasant wise woman his father's tea leaves pointed
at to be the boy's future mother.  When he had grown
some, they used up a great deal of the money their line
had siphoned off the Li' Yeirauns and a sizable
contribution from their lord to send Nordula for
outside training.  When he returned from his schooling
he was able to do a few notable spells, creating
sounds, flashes of light, balls of blue magic that
could inflict wounds, that sort of thing."

"Aye, true sorcery, but nothing compared to teleporting
a man's body," Jack said.

"Yes, I see what you mean, but it is possible Nordula
has improved and I may be, in part, responsible," Dido
said.

"An' how might that be?" Jack asked.

"There was an old mage who lived in a deep forest to
the East of the Lord's lands.  We were sent to find and
bring him in for questioning.  Lord Li' Yeiraun said
the man was implicated for harboring a fugitive.  I now
have my doubts.  The mage fought us and we lost many
men to his spells, but he was old and frail.  After a
few volleys that decimated our ranks and sent us
running, Nordula noticed the old man was using spells
of lesser potency.  We regrouped from what should have
been a route, doubled back, and ambushed him just
outside his abode.  Nordula was able to wound him with
a spell from behind while his magical shield was
directed towards fending off the swords of my men.
Once wounded, the mage lost his concentration, his
shield dropped for a moment, and we cut him down right
on the doorstep to his abode.  Two more steps and he
would have been inside.   I was not involved after the
initial mission, but from what I heard, Lord Li'
Yeiraun hired a group of mercenaries to clean the
mage's abode.  His books now sit on Nordula's shelves.

"Aye, so it could be tharr was somethin' to those
volumes an' Nordula has become more'n a second rate tea
leaf reader," Red Jack nodded, and then knocked on the
large chest at the foot of his bed.  "Are ye awake yet
Roger?"

"I never really sleep sir, but the sun makes me...
drowsy."

"Well, it ain't quite down yet, but I need ye ta get
hold o' Kroz as soon as ye can.  Doanthalas killed a
spy before he came ta stop th' assassin wench last
night, and there may be other spies at large as well.
We already lost one man to a trap.

"I will relay the news to Kroz, Captain.  I do not know
if he would wish to become embroiled in such mundane
matters, but I am sure he will come for the assassin's
body if you wish to sell it to him.  I believe
Elizabetta is the perfect subject for an advanced
animation."

"Aye, I'll trade 'er cadaver for a cure ta this poison
if he can get me one."

---

"Captain Jack,  Kroz is here with Rapina and he brought
some ghouls, but he left them at the graveyard.  He is
willing to infuse you with life force to heal the
damage done by the poison if you have a donor," Arzeal
said.

Okay men take me out ta th' infirmary, thar's not a
moment ta loose, damn poison's up to me hip."

Within the ship's tent, the pirates were eating dinner.
Fist one, then another blood-chilling scream
interrupted the men's meal.

"Damn sorcery!  It's gonna to give us all a belly ache
fer sure."

Back at the infirmary tent Kroz entered and addressed
the captain, "How is the leg, Captain?"

"It's still tinglin,' thanks ta Binge, here.  The
captain patted Binge's freshly dead corpse.   Heh heh,
we were both dead men 'fore long.  His dyin' sooner is
goin' ta buy 'is captain some time."

"Without another donor, that is as much as I can do for
you.  If you have the bolt, I may be able to determine
what sort of poison was used.  There may be an
antidote."

"Ye mean ye don't think Binge's whole life is going ta
be enough ta quench this damn poison?"

"Your body will have much more energy with which to
fight the toxin and the damage it has already done will
be healed, however my spell does not neutralize the
poison.  The poison will begin to do damage once
again," Kroz said.

"Damn!  Will we 'ave to take me leg off?" Jack asked.

"It would stop the poison, however you would then be
minus a leg," Kroz said.

"Aye, and what kind o' leader would I be without even
enough leg fer a peg?" Jack scowled.

"We could remove the flesh and leave the bone.  I have
Wedge's hand for him.  I will put it on as soon as he
is brought here.  If you find its functionality to your
liking, we could prepare your leg similarly."

"Here sir," Wedge said.

"Recruit, Kroz 'as got yer hand for ye."

"Splendid, you have arrived, Wedge.  You have a
decision to make.  Let me see your wrist.

Wedge held out his stump.

Kroz carefully fitted Wedge's cleaned up skeletal hand
to the bone of his stump and made a few incantations.

Wedge inhaled involuntarily.

"You have a decision to make, young man.  Your skeleton
is now whole, but you cannot move the bones of your
dead hand, can you?"

Wedge grimaced, "No sir."

"With magic I can give you that power and you will be
able to use it.  It will not, however be any stronger
than the hand of a pampered woman.  If you wish to
serve the god of the dead, I can ask him for his
blessing and additional divine magic.  Your hand will
become formidable in its strength.  You will have no
trouble wielding an axe or a heavy blade, but you will
also wield that blade in the name of the god of the
dead, for you will have a connection to him.  Do you
understand?"

Wedge nodded gravely, "Like Roger?"

"Yes," the necromancer affirmed.

Wedge grinned evilly.  "What do I have to do?"

The necromancer's rasping laugh filled the night.

-----


As quietly as a man could, Gariot Hansfeldt made his
way through the woods.  He held the glowing red bit of
glass aloft and smiled.  One of his traps had been
sprung.  He could see the spikes were deep in the body.
One protruded from the chest of the corpse.  He shook
his head as he thought to himself,  "I should have
known they would be looking for me.  Well it's too
late, they had their chance to find my base camp, and
now I don't have the magic pendant anymore, and I will
not know where the new camp is even if they catch me.
Gariot bent down to examine his handywork."

"Agh!"

Gariot's eyes bulged as the corpse stuck to the spikes
grabbed his face.  The smell of rot seemed to thicken.
How could the corpse be moving?

Edgar the ghoul jumped from the bushes and clawed
rapidly yet savagely at the side of the tracker's head.
He would not let up while he had the advantage.
"Kkhahah," he signaled.  The stench in the area soon
grew in magnitude as Kent sunk his claws into the man's
back and neck.  The victim froze.

Kent removed the tracker's weapons and chittered
happily as Edgar and the newly created zombie of the
pirate named Binge carried their paralyzed victim back
to Red Jack's camp.

---


Brackston blanched.

Wedge opened and closed his skeletal hand so that all
the men within the ship's tent could see it.  A great
vat of stew simmered over the foot of a seated flaming
skeleton.  Bedrolls were spread all around the ship,
for the men had moved out of their chill barracks tents
to where the heat was.  Wedge grabbed a heavy axe and
swung it, "Ahahahah, it's strong, see, I can wield the
best weapons again!  Pitty me now, Slice.  Ahahaha! The
power of the god of the dead is in my hand."

"Oooiiiiakakakahhh!" Kent screamed.

"Thane looked up from an engaging magical conversation
he was having with Rapina under what would soon be the
ship's bow.  "Arzeal, I believe Kent has found some
measure of success.  He is calling us from the
graveyard.  Rapina, carry on."

---

"It is not a man I know whispered Mansun Dido from the
bushes.  If he is working for Lord Li' Yeiraun then he
would have to be new."

"No doubt," Kroz rasped.

"How did yew find are camp?" Brackston questioned.

"I just stumbled upon it.  I had no idea what it was,"
Gariot Hansfeldt said.

Kroz softly imitated the caw of a crow.

Brackston caught the sound of the raspy crow and knew
the tracker was lying, "Yew think I believe that?
Bloody Brackston pulled the man's shirt off.  Gariot
Handsfeld was chained in an upright position between
two stout posts.  His legs and arms were spread and the
lash had already torn his shirt to shreds."  Brackston
reached around front and undid the man's belt, and then
he walked around front and unbuttoned Hansfeldt's
pants.  The tracker looked at the pirate incredulously.


"Yew better start tellin' th' truth.  How did ye find
us, how did ye get here?"

"I told you, I rode," Hansfeldt said.

Brackston jerked the man's pants down and pulled his
sheath knife.  He played the tip over the man's balls.
Yew think yew're really tight lyin' ta ol' Brackston.
I'll bet yer tight," Brackston shoved his middle finger
up the man's butt.

"Hhhh!  Don't you dare sodomize me!" Handfeldt
hollered.

"Heh, heh, if yew insist, but I was going ta use the
branding irons an' save that for latter, Heh heh..."

Hours of pain passed.

"This man is surprisingly resistant to torture," Kroz
said in a bored tone.  "I believe he lasted something
over three hours in Brackston's capable hands."

Mansun was sitting on the cold ground, his back to the
scene.  It was something he had long ago decided he
would rather not see.  He was here as a second opinion
to the magic of Kroz, to help give Brackston an idea of
whether or not the man was telling the truth if the man
were working for Lord Li'Yieraun.  It almost didn't see
fair.  Whenever the tracker lied Brackston knew, and
the tracker suffered for it.

"I was teleported by a mage, damn it!" the prisoner,
Gariot Hansfeldt, finally admitted.

"Where were yew, who done it, and how was it done?"
Brackston asked.

Gariot cried, "I was hired out from Turnmoor and paid
in gold.  The mage, Nordula. told me to hold my breath
and he started casting some kind of spell, and then I,
I just appeared." The prisoner said.

"Where did yew report to this mage ta be teleported?"
Brackston asked.

"In Turnmoor," Hansfeldt said.

Brackston heard the crow and grabbed ahold of a
branding iron.

AAAIIIIII!  Castle Yieraun.  It was at Castle Yieraun!"
Hansfeldt admitted.

"... That's better, now where did yew appear and what
were yewr orders?" Brackston asked.

"Ouu! Please, I was put in a handstand before Nordula
cast the spell.  He told me when I arrived I was to
pick up the pendant dropped by the other man, and that
it would be right under my head, and then I was to set
up a temporary camp.  I left the pendant there."

Brackston heard the caw of a crow, smiled and went
behind the man.

Gariot stiffened as the pirate drove his fleshy rod
into the raw pain of his bowels.  "Ahhhii! You already
know when I'm lying, why do you even ask?"

"Because I like ta fuck yew, yew ass!  Now yew tell de
whole truth or it'll be back ta the brandin' iron."

Hansfeldt shuddered, "All right, all right, the mage
sent two more men earlier tonight.  I was to keep watch
on the pirate camp and go to a specified location two
days every week to pick up the pendent and make my
report," Handsfedt said.

"Why don't they just leave the pendant with you?  If
they ain't watchin' our camp, how come they need it?"
Brackston asked.

"I don't know!  Aaaiii!" Hansfeld said.

"Why do you think?" Brackston asked.

"I, I think the mage needs the pendant to teleport men
to.  I was teleported to the pendant, and so were the
other two.  I held it up and each appeared under it in
turn," Hansfeld admitted.

"So while yew watch our camp, Nordula fills another
camp with soldiers, is that right?" Brackston asked.

"Yes, I think that's the plan.  The river is too choked
with ice, I don't think they can send a ship, so they
are sending us with magic," Hansfeld admitted.

"Why don't they send yew overland?" Brackston asked.

"The Lord here doesn't like Lord Li' Yeiraun.  Isn't
that why Red Jack holed up here?.. Aaaouuch!" Hansfeldt
asked.

"Yew got to remember who asks and who answers..."
Brackston said.

---


"Aln I see yourrr rum and raise you  ahhrum," Dodge
slurred.

"Yourr on," Pike blinked.

The two men slammed back still another round of rum.

Rapina raised her eyebrows.  Pike had come over just
after Kroz had left and the pirate named Dodge had
complained about Pike trying to keep the "wench" for
himself.  Things had escalated from there, but not
exactly the way she would have thought.  Dodge
maintained that a contest of arms between he and Pike
would be unfair, instead, he had challenged Pike to a
contest of cups.

"Yooouulll never oud dlink me, Piike, I've been annn
alcoholic since birff, I suck-kled ale ad mmy mmother's
tteat, hic," Dodge slurred.

"Tthen why are you wavering aaand I'm ssstill sssteady
as a rrock?" Pike asked.

Dodge tittered, "Yyew, sssteady?  Yyewer jusst a-about
ta falll.  One morrre rrround ought ta havvve it, hic,"
Dodge said.

Another round was poured and the two men tossed it
back.

Rapina wrinkled her nose, both men were astoundingly
drunk, how Dodge figured he was going to make use of
her company if he did win the drinking bout was beyond
her.

The cook raised his eyebrows, already the men had drunk
their way through Dodge's stash of rum,  "One of you
better fall now, we're out of rum."

Ssusorry, me dliink all yer rum, but meee nod fallin'
Whho gott's more?" Dodge asked.

"Llookss a draw," Pike said drunkenly.

"Stoker, you got some rum, give it up," Creaser said.

"Should I sir?" Stoker asked.

"Ooonly iff hee's mmman ennnough," Dodge slurred.

Pike slapped the table, "Hhaull id oud."

"Yes sir," Stoker grinned evilly and retrieved a bottle
from his sea chest.  "It's strong stuff Sir."

"Dodge tittered."

"Yyou thththink weee carrre?" Pike asked.

"I see your point sir."  Stoker filled both cups near
to the brim.

The two men slammed back their drinks, and Stoker
immediately filled them up again from his bottle.

"Doouble err nothin'," Dodge said slamming back his
cup.  Pike downed his drink a second later.  Stoker
swiftly refilled them.

"Gggive it ttime ttoo settle, Pike wavered."

Dodge tittered, "Eee's fllagin'."

"Bbbbahh, bbrink id on," Pike said.

The two men slammed back four more drinks in rapid
succession.

"Uhhhooooo" Dodge said as he kept going backwards after
lifting the next cup.

Pike finished the fifth drink in the set, and began to
stand up.  "Baa, liddlelightwade."  For an instant,
Pike looked a little surprised, "Oooooooo"

Stoker and Greasy barely managed to catch the Norse
giant's body.  Once caught they pulled him to his bed
roll.

Rapina looked at the lust written all over the faces of
pirates dragging Pike to his rest, and then suddenly
realized what was going on.  Jack was in his bed
nursing his leg, Arzeal was far away in the night with
Kent and the ghouls, attempting to find the spy's base
camp to see if he had left any evidence of a plan
there.  Brackston, Thane, and Mansun Dido were
interrogating the captured spy.  Rage and Skitch were
on night guard duty.  Pike had been the only officer
present, and the only man likely to protect her
"virtue."  Dodge was likely a dupe of an alcoholic
given free booze in exchange for attempting to drink
Pike under the table, but Pike was a huge man, and
known to drink a bit himself.

From Dodge's slipped remark, the original owner of the
first bottles of rum had probably been Greasy, and the
last cups poured by Stoker had come fast and furious,
and the rum?  Rapina snatched the bottle from the low
table in front of her and tipped the bottle way back,
concealing the fact that she took only a tiny swig.
"Haahhh," she rasped.  Tears came to her eyes as liquid
fire burned down her throat.

The pirates laughed as the spellbinding wench clutched
her throat from the heat of the rum she had just
downed.

The rum was nearly one hundred percent alcohol.  It all
made sense now, Stoker knew the contestants were too
drunk to taste just how strong the new rum was, and he
knew if he got enough of it into them fast enough, it
would not mater who fell first, both were sure to go
down.  Rapina realized she had about one second to put
her own spin on things before the raging river of the
pirates' lust chose a channel other than the one she
would try to send it down.

"No officers?" Rapina asked in mock innocence.  Then in
a husky, conspiratorial tone, "Want to have some fun?"

A hearty roar rose up from the pirates.

Rapina smiled provocatively, "Okay, I'm going to need a
little music, something slow and sultry, and something
to dance on.  How about that scaffold?  Some of the men
looked a bit disappointed.  The river was trying to
escape Rapina's channel.   And Zit, could you be a dear
and collect my clothes when they fall?" Rapina asked as
she diverted the lust back to her channel.

The Pirates grinned lustily, "Oh Yah!," they cheered.
Men hastened to move a section of scaffold to the
central location Rapina had indicated.

"My good things are all gifts from Kroz to beautify his
household, and I'm not sure what kind of sorcerous
experiments he would perform on someone who damaged
them.  Rapina glanced at one of the flaming skeletons.
Just be a dear and put them in your sea chest.

Zit nodded gravely.

"Cmon! Wench, get it on!  Chops began to play his
bongos as a pirate next to him fingered chords on a
lute.

Rapina tossed her cloak to Zit and mounted up on the
stage.  She was suddenly the soul focus of fifty lusty
pirates.  Lust tingled up and down her spine; she
practically vibrated with it as it raced up her legs
and down her arms.  Almost in spite of herself, she
began to tug at it as she danced, with every sway of
her hips, every stretch of her long legs she grabbed
and tugged.  In the past, she had always pulled on the
lust of a single man, now she found groups were a
little different, but came just as naturally.  The
music helped, but the tugging did nothing to slow the
men's appetite for more skin.

She was her own worst enemy.  She had thought that if
she kept them entertained for long enough, surely one
of the officers would happen by.  Now it was impossible
to say what she wanted.  Their lust was so thick she
could almost touch it, and it was making her so hungry,
so wet, she was embarrassed and yet intrigued all at
once.  For so long she had made due with just one man,
now she was looking at a multitude.  Involuntarily, she
licked her lips like the vampire Zit had taken her for.
Rapina's breathing increased as she stepped out of her
dress and kicked it into Zit's waiting arms.  Lust
nearly overwhelmed her as the pirates' eyes caressed
her scarlet lingerie, her involuntary moan was
swallowed by the music and a thousand lusty comments
about her curves.

Her, long legs, her high, round butt, her rich, round
breasts, everything she showed them brought a rush that
overwhelmed her reason.  Her bustier came down, her
breasts jiggled freely, Her garters were unclipped as
she passed the groping fingers of the pirates at the
edges of the makeshift stage. When they tugged down her
panties she had fallen back into a roll and when she
rolled up on her feet again as Rames had drilled into
her in his classes on unarmed defense, she had her own
panties in her hands, dangling from her long delicate
fingers, taunting the men, tugging at their lust.

"Woooo-hu, now thar's a real wench!  Blackjack reached
out and wiped his fingers over the inside of Rapina's
leg, just above the knee.  Then he thrust his fingers
into his mouth.  Mmm-mm, that ain't sweat, mates!

"Oou, that's a PIRATE WENCH!" Glinter hollered.

One of Rapina's silk stockings fell off, a casualty of
the sock-pulling and rolling game the reaching pirates
had come up with on their own.  Her bustier was open to
her navel and sliding down over her hips, but none of
that seemed to matter because she was trying very hard,
very hard to keep from shaking.  She felt like her eyes
should be glowing or something, she felt so much fire
in her body.  Her other sock was pulled from her foot
as she stepped up, and then as she swung from a cross
beam, her bustier fell to the stage.  Other than the
choker Kroz always made her wear when she came to the
pirate camp, there was nothing left to take off, and as
far as she knew, the choker could only be removed by
magical means.

Rage stomped a bit to remove the snow from his boots
and then re-secured the exit flap.  "Wow, it sure was
warmer in the ship's tent than it was outside," he
thought.  As he turned, he realized the music and
cheers had stopped, and fifty pirates were looking at
him.  But when the fifty-first looked at him he gasped
for breath.  His cold, tight balls fell nearly as
rapidly as his shaft rose.  "Aaagh."  For a second he
was going to ask Rapina why she was standing naked on
the scaffold, he was going to scold the men, but his
breathing was way too heavy as he walked to her.  She
was perfect, she smelled like lust, and he had her
undivided attention.  He should have told her off for
inciting the men.  He should have done a lot of things,
but something was wrong with his head and he could only
think about one thing, getting it into her, getting it
into her now.

Rapina idly wondered why her fingers were unbuttoning
Rage's pants, and why she was breathing like a winded
horse.  Someone threw a bedroll over the planking
behind her.  Rapina pulled down his breeches and she
brought him down.

Rage kicked off his pants and thrust like a stallion,
again and again.  Rapina was so wet there would have
been no friction at all had it not been for the muscles
within her, stronger and more facile than those of any
woman he had ever known.  She squeezed him, she pulled
at his seed, she called to it from her wet depths like
a sea of sirens.

The pirates cheered.

Rapina felt as though she had nearly broken something
inside of her holding back her need so as not to
consume Rage as he came violently, fountaining his lust
into her bottomless hunger.

EEEEYAAAAAAAH!  His orgasm seemed to last forever.
When it finally ended he went limp.

"Stoker!"  Rapina rolled the pirate officer off her and
smiled her hunger at the instigator of the drinking
contest.

Had Stoker paused to wonder why the pirate wench had
rolled a limp, exhausted Rage off her body, he might
have hesitated to bed her. However, he had been
plotting all night, and he was not the kind of man who
easily let the spoils of victory go free.  He was on
her in an instant.

Rapina wrapped her legs around him and bucked like a
mule, she had nothing left in her to hold back with,
she pulled at his seed like a crazed animal.  Had it
not been for the cheers of the pirates, she felt
certain Stoker would have lost his nerve.  Perhaps he
would have been better off if he had.

Stoker's eyes rolled back in his head, he had bedded
more women than he could count, and he had never cared
much whether or not they were willing.  The wench
beneath him now was a wildcat, a hellion, a succubus,
and every stroke pulled him down to hell and then shot
him straight to heaven, he moaned, heaved, pumped, and
gasped.  This was extreme, something felt wrong, but he
could not stop, he just couldnot stop.  It felt so
good, he had to spend, his thrusting was compulsion and
she squeezed him, clutched him, pulled at his lust with
a force he could not comprehend.

Gaaaaaaaaaaah!  Stoker's eyes nearly popped out of his
skull.  Had any pirate been in the right position to
see Stoker's eyes, he would have screamed in terror.
Fortunately, no one saw it, no one but Rapina.

Rage got unsteadily to his feet.  Damn!"

The pirates laughed.

After several minutes of Stoker's gasping orgasm and
spewing seed, Rapina's hunger was blunted and she
relented.  Rapina rolled Stoker off her body and tried
not to notice how limp he had gone. "Greasy!" she
chimed, almost cheerfully.

The cook lasted only a few minutes before he joined his
deathly comrade with a long, eye-popping orgasm.
Rapina rolled him aside and was about to speak, but
another pirate jumped between her thighs before she
could say a word.

With Stoker and Greasy Rapina had lost control -lost it
utterly; but she felt much better now, a little more
herself.  Her clutching wetness was just a joy, and if
she just relaxed and let the men fill her mind and body
with power and pleasure, she would not draw dangerously
on any one of them.  Stoker and Greasy had paid for
their perfidy, but the rest would be just fine.  She
whispered comments, sometimes requests or even orders
to change positions and sometimes endearments as each
pirate bedded her.  Her lively cunny supped
gluttonously as each pirate came powerfully, spewing
seed and energy into her hungry depths.

Few lasted more than five minutes, but hardly a second
would pass between the time one man drenched the warmth
of her clutching vagina and another entered.  It was
almost as though one tireless pirate was bedding her,
and because of that she began to come, and come, over
and over.  She was so sensitized by all the lust and
life force being pumped into her that very nearly
everything drove her to orgasm.  She would peak, then
after a few minutes peak again, and for whatever
perverse reason, vanity, or perhaps revenge, whenever
she did, she filled each man's mind with fealty, utter,
unabashed obedience and worship for their goddess of
lust.  If these pirates thought with the brain between
their legs, then she would command their minds.

Zit realized he was the low man on the totem pole
because everyone had gone up on the makeshift stage,
and several had been on the platform twice, yet he had
not been given a chance at all.

Rapina closed her thighs and turned after sending
Blackjack to the platform.  "I've seen you others
before, let Zit up first, it's not fair keeping him a
virgin forever."

The pirates laughed.  Several in the crowd piped up,
"Get Zit up there, no pirate should be a virgin, it
aren't right."

Zit crawled up onto the platform at last.  He lifted
his palm, the bedroll was afloat in goo.

Rapina giggled.

Zit smiled, and then his mouth fell open as he saw
Rapia's breasts jiggle.  They were so full and pert,
and her nipples were standing up like little pink
towers.  He couldn't quite imagine how she had fit her
breasts into her bodice.

Rapina saw what he was looking at and pulled him to her
breast with a finger under his chin.  He suckled her,
and then she grabbed him around back.  She put her hand
between his buns, found the base of his penis and
pulled him to her.

Zit moaned as Rapina guided him into her and caressed
him inside her.  He hardly noticed the rasping laughter
from across the tent.  He just coursed in and out of
Rapina's captivating cleft.   Hearing the laughter she
clasped her palms over his ears and pumped harder
against him.  He moaned and thrust a while longer then
started coming grandly.

Rapina released one of Zit's ears and pulled him into
her with her right hand between the cheeks of his
behind.  Feeling the delicious pulsing at the base of
his cock with her wrapped fingertips as he came long
and hard.  She bucked against him cried out as she too
began to come.  As her mind touched his, she became his
princess, his sovereign, his queen, and yet one who
held him with great affection.

Kroz chuckled and it amused him all the more that it
came out as a wicked rasping, for his death robes made
his voice sound so very undead.  "Well now, while the
cats are away, it appears the mice will play."

Rapina massaged the base of Zit's waning cock and
looked up at the approaching death mask of Kroz.  She
felt far too good to be embarrassed.  "Rauw," she
mewed.  Zit's organ began to re-engorge.  Rapina
grinned like the cat who had just swallowed the
cannary. "They started it," She said.

Kroz laughed so hard his death robes could hardly cope
with it. He pounded his knee as he looked at the many
sleeping pirates and the gaggle still waiting around
the stage.

"Did you want to see if you could take on the entire
camp?" Kroz asked.

"No, I'm just having fun," Rapina smiled.  Her hand
caressed Zit's behind as her loins moved gently around
his hardening rod.  "Besides, there had to be a few on
guard duty, so it's not quite the whole camp. Zit was
the last of them, and I had to complain to get him a
spot.  Those others are greedy; they're here for
seconds.  Rapina suckled playfully at Zit's neck.

Kroz raised his eyebrows beneath the death mask.  There
was a man lying near the edge of the stage.  Kroz
rolled him over.  He looked dead, but he was erect, and
the very tip of his cock was gray.  Thane took a tiny
hand mirror from within his robe and held it near the
man's nose.  It steamed up, but barely.  "Mmm, he
seems... exhausted.  Was he the first?

Rapina blinked, but did not pause in the slow thrusting
of her hips.  "The second actually.  Rage was the
first, but he just walked in after I danced for them.
I thought I was stalling until an officer came and I
succeeded.  An officer did come, just before they
started in, but there was so much lust, I was...

"Primed?" Kroz asked.

"I was um, Stoked," Rapina grinned.  "Rage, well he
could tell I was ready.  He didn't say anything, he
just came up, and, I couldn't keep my hands out of his
pants.  I didn't tire him out too badly.  This whole
thing, it wasn't his fault, he just walked into it."

Kroz chuckled, "Your sense of justice never ceases to
amaze me Rapina.  And this..." Kroz indicated the
comatose man on the edge of the stage.

"Stoker," Rapina sighed and smiled dreamily as she
continued to pump Zit's erection into her wanton cunt.

"Stoker was the instigator?" Kroz asked.

Rapina nodded,  "I think so.  He and Greasy supplied
the rum for a drinking contest between Dodge and Pike,
the only officer here."

"Kroz laughed. "And you saw the whole thing coming?"

"Not as soon as I should have.  Pike won the contest,
but the last bottle of rum, the one Stoker supplied,
was extremely strong.  I tasted it after Dodge went
down, it nearly burned my throat out, and Stoker had
been pouring them fast and furious at the end of the
contest.  Pike had enough in his stomach to make him
pass out, he just didn't know it until about two
minutes after he had won."

Kroze smiled beneath the death mask, "So the contest
was just a way to neutralize the officer protecting
your virtue.  It really didn't matter who won, both
lost."

Rapina moaned with pleasure, then nodded, "It was very
clever, actually.  Stoker would have taken advantage as
soon as they laid Pike down, but I offered to dance for
everyone before he had the chance."  Rapina giggled,
"At the time I thought I was stalling for time, but oh
did that backfire on me.  I should have known better,
so many men, so much lust, how could I resist?"

"Indeed."  Kroz stepped up onto the stage and stepped
over Rapina and Zit to examine something hanging from
one of the posts of the scaffolding.  It was a pair of
trousers with sheathed weapons still attached.  Kroz
seemed most interested in an impressive-looking sword.
He went around behind it and mumbled a few
incantations.

"Well, I hate to break up your little party, my dear,
but it is nearly dawn and we must get back to the
abode.  We have some urgent business to take care of in
the laboratory." Kroz said.

"Okay, I'll get cleaned up," Rapina smiled as she
continued her wanton rutting.

"Splendid.  Tell me, to whom does this weapon belong?"
Kroz asked.

Zit grunted, "Those are Rage's things, sir, I hung them
up for him while he was busy."

"Ah, that makes sense, I must consult with Red Jack a
moment, so I believe you two will have time to finish
up after all, not that you really appeared to be
stopping," Kroz chuckled.

----


While Thane slept, Rapina retired to her room, but she
could not sleep.  She was simply buzzing with energy.
She took a catnap, but otherwise read for the entire
time she would have slept.  After he had arisen, Thane
ate a rushed breakfast, and then went down to the
laboratory to try to discover what kind of poison
Elizabetta had used on Jack.

Sometime after nightfall, Rapina set "lunch" out for
the two priests of Mortaebius.  "Here you are
Guardians.  Any luck on the poison?"

"Yes, the toxin used comes from a tiny insect.  It
takes a great deal of trouble to make, but it is one of
the most deadly toxins known, which explains why the
scratch on Jack's leg was enough to sicken him so.
Ordinarily the toxin kills in a matter of seconds, but
if the dose is exceptionally small, it works more
slowly.  The poison could still be fatal.  Once
introduced it works on the nerves, including the brain
and the nerves that control the heart.  I must return
to the pirate camp yet tonight.  I contacted Roger just
after dark, and Jack is already in dire need of another
infusion of life force to regenerate his body.  Short
of a magical potion or the spell of a priest of a god
of healing, the poison cannot be neutralized. We shall
have to hope he can find a continuous supply of
victims, or Jack may not make it.  Thankfully, the
nobles of Turnmoor have provided us with at least one.
-----------------

It had been several days since she had seen the pirates
and Rapina was in Thane's magical library with five
books open on the floor. A single flaming skeleton
stood in an alcove near the door.  Ordinarily she might
have taken the books to her room, but she did not see
the point.  Neither Thane nor Rames was home to scold
her, and the book she was reading required many
references just to understand.  No sooner would she
close one reference, than she needed another from the
shelf.  The book she was trying to understand was the
book on magical theory that Red Jack had allowed her to
read when she was a pirate.  Thane owned all of Jack's
old books now.  She had picked up the book just after
returning from the tryst with the pirates because she
needed a challenge.  The energy from the pirates was
keeping her quite alert, and she saw no reason not to
use it.

Rapina fingered the choker around her neck.  Thane made
her wear it whenever she was away from the abode, and
now it appeared she must also wear it whenever both
priests were out.  It was little more than a slave
collar, she supposed.  It was odd that Thane had not
put it on her when she made her mock escape from him in
Granville.  No doubt, he had been testing her.  A few
days ago, Thane, or Kroz as he now liked to be called
sent Rames on some sort of assignment.  He was still
gone, and Thane had gone to infuse Red Jack with
another nightly dose of life force to keep him alive.
Rapina knew he would also check on the results of
Kent's ghoulish scouting efforts.

"Rapina!?" Thane called out.

"In the Library!" Rapina answered.

"Ah, I should have known.   Thane frowned at all the
books scattered across the floor.  For an apprentice
who does the bulk of the cleaning around here, you seem
to be quite at home with slovenly habits.  I see you
did not even button your bodice this morning."

Rapina giggled, "I can't, Guardian."

"No?"

"I gained a cup size from bedding the pirates.
Actually, I'm not as big as I was a few days ago.  I
could probably button at least one or two buttons now,
Rapina said."

"Mmm?" Thane asked.

Rapina stood, took Thane's skeletal left hand and
pushed it down the front of her dress.

Thane's jaw dropped.  Astonishing!  As you know, I can
feel life force with that hand.

Rapina nodded, "Yes, that's why I took your left hand
and not the other.  I'm sure the right would have been
more pleasant, but I don't think you would have gotten
the point.  The other point is, I'm really just reading
the book in my hands, the other five are references,
and I keep having to pull more down from the shelves.
This is a very hard book.  I think you might have kept
it on the shelf in your room had it not been for the
fact that you knew I had already seen it.  It was
Jack's."

"Ah, yes, I know the volume.  It is a difficult work,
not the sort of thing an apprentice would normally try
to tackle.   Why are you locking horns with it?"

"I was so charged up from the pirates, I needed the
challenge.  I am nearly done, I've been at it for
several days."

Hard at it too, I believe your standards for the
cleanliness of the Kitchen have slipped.

"Oooo," Rapina put her hand to her lips.  "I forgot to
tidy up after lunch."

Thane chuckled.  I see you are not far from the end.
Do not break your chain of thought now.  You can attend
to the kitchen at dinner, which can be simple fare
since I will be busy and Rames is not due back until
tomorrow after dusk.

"Thank you Guardian Thane.  I could really use the
time.  I do believe I finally know enough, and have a
big enough library at my disposal to be getting
somewhere."

"Indeed, I will discuss the work with you when you have
finished.  I read it myself shortly after it came into
my possession.  It is a valuable though confusing
treatise.  One more thing, Rapina."

"Hmm?"

"How did you fair when the shadows drained you when you
foiled that little assassination attempt I cooked up
for Red Jack not long after you all arrived on
Graveston isle?

"They seemed to tap my reserves before they started to
hurt me.  Are you out of victims for healing Jack?"
Rapina asked.

Thane chuckled and shook his head, "My dear, you are
far too familiar with the way I think.  Yes, the spy
lasted through four drains in two days before death
claimed him.  Since then the Captain's more loyal
officers have donated life force of one drain apiece.
More would be too dangerous.  Red Jack is still by no
means well, indeed, his straights seem more dire each
time I see him.  I am healing some of the damage, but I
cannot touch the poison itself.  He needs more just to
keep him alive.  Yet, I do not believe he wants to
start using crewmen to keep himself among the living.
Given that one powerful but remote group already
appears to know the location of his camp, I do not
think he wishes to betray his location to other groups
by locating local men and having me drain the life out
of them.  The life force you store appears to be of a
somewhat different character than what I am used to
draining, but as long as it is drainable, it is worth a
try.  You will come with me to help Jack tomorrow
then?"

Rapina nodded, "Yes Guardian.  I wonder, why are you
helping him so much?  You have been there every night
since he was poisoned.  It is not in the contract."

Thane chuckled, "There would be no contract without Red
Jack, that and he has already made his payment.  He
gave me the fresh corpse of Elizabetta, a highly
trained assassin, a rare gem, and I have been working
on her and the enchantments I must learn to complete
her every available hour since I got her back.  I have
had to purchase the corpses of two lesser assassins at
great personal expense just to practice on. Moreover, I
have had to appeal to our cause and ask favors of
several Mortancers of Mortaebius so that I can learn
the process aright and make no mistakes on her
enchantments when she is ready.  I will see you at
dinner.  I still have much to do.  If I am successful
in these next few days, I will have learned a second of
Mortaebius' advanced animations."
---------------------

The next evening at Dusk Thane, as Kroz, used the
graveyard mists spell to transport Rapina and his
guards to the pirate camp.

"I will consult with Kent.  Mayhap you would like to
try to glean some more energy before we try this.  I
see you were able to button your bodice this morning,
though the fit of your dress is too tight," Kroz said.

Rapina nodded and hustled towards the camp with a
couple of guards Thane had assigned to her.  Their
mailed feet crunched the packed snow on the path as
they followed her.  When she entered the ship's tent,
she saw that things had changed somewhat.  The ship was
both more and less built, and a body of a recruit hung
from one of the posts.  It appeared that the men were
making the ship, but also disassembling and packing its
parts for transport by sled.  Red Jack was probably
getting ready to run, but he was probably too sick to
do it just yet.  Rapina rubbed her tingling nose as she
looked around and then realized that a number of the
pirates were already lustfully looking at her, tickling
her senses.

"Lust on deck!  Phhhweeetphweew!" Blackjack bellowed.

Rapina blushed and felt her nipples erect as a great
deal of lustful attention had its effect on her.  The
men had adopted a horse whistle instead of the usual
naval whistle they sometimes used before formal
speeches of the captain.  It appeared she had taken on
new rank, although the rank seemed pregnant with humor.
Rapina covered the "Oh" written on her lips as she
realized the suggestion her mind had cooked up to give
the pirates when she had slipped into their clutches a
few days ago.  She would just have to do it again,
maybe the pirates would become a little more serious.

"Hi men, it looks like you've been hard at work."

"Not as hard as we'd like ta be!" Glinter blurted.

"Oh yea!" The pirates hollered as they gave Glinter the
thumbs up.

Just then Brackston came into the tent, "Captain says
'e's not feelin' up ta satisfyin' de red hot wench
tanight.  Yew men think ye can fill 'is shoes?"

"Aye!" The pirates hollered.

"Damn right we can!" Stoker said with fanatic zeal.

Rapina raised her eyebrows.  After the way she had
abused Stoker the last time she had seen him, she was
surprised he had any interest.  Yet it was apparent
from his eyes that he was obsessed, like an addict who
had been debilitated by opium, yet craved more.

Brackston whispered in Rapina's ear, "Captain Jack says
yew're th' last person 'e wants ta steal life force
from.  Only reason 'e's willin' ta try this is Kroz
says yew got a little natural talent fer sex magic.
Th' Captain will give it a try, but only if yew can
charge yerself way up with yer magic snatch.  Red Jack
don't want yew hurt from Kroz's deadly hand.  Yew fuck
them men, and yew fuck them good, understand?"

"Yes sir," Rapina blushed.

A section of scaffolding was already being moved to the
center of the tent, and a few bed rolls and blankets
were being tossed on top of it.

Rapina jumped up on the scaffold.  "You sure you can
fill Jack's shoes guys?  Jack's got a wicked tongue and
he is awfully long-winded."

"We'll do it 'er die tryin!"  Greasy shouted.

Rapina felt a familar touch on her back and then a
man's fingers began unlacing her bodice.  Rapina looked
over her shoulder.  Arzeal?

"Not the circumstances I would have chosen, but these
men can be rough, best to start well-warmed with a man
who will treat you right."

Arzeal did treat her right.  He undressed her and
caressed her in front of the men like a master showman.
When it was time, he kissed her everywhere, then knelt
to drink the juices from her wanton cleft until she was
writhing over him like a wildcat.  She came powerfully
and touched his mind with affection and only then did
he enter her.  Being half elven, he was slightly
shorter than she, but it worked beautifully for the
standing positions.  By the time he was finished with
her she was sopping with lubrication, and the men were
cheering and lusting so palpably that Rapina's whole
body seemed to vibrate with their sentiment.

After Arzeal broke the ice, pirate after pirate mounted
her, each pumping the power of his loins into her body.
Man after man took her, some she recognized, Stoker,
Greasy, Rage, Skitch and others.  She had seen many of
the remaining pirates but she hardly knew them.  The
entire camp seemed to be participating.  The guards
even changed while she was moaning on her back.

Rough hands grabbed her ankles and pulled her nether
lips even with the edge of the scaffold.  At the same
time, Slice stepped over her, straddled her chest,
knelt down and played with her breasts.  Rapina's mouth
opened as she realized what was happening.  Brackston's
rough hand reached around and grasped Slice's throbbing
organ, but instead of entering the boy, he entered
Rapina.

"Slice leaned forward and whispered to Rapina.  Take as
much as ye can from him, Wench.  He was the only
officer who would not give Kroz a jolt.  He doesn't
trust the old warlock, but he trusts you.  You take him
hard."

Rapina nodded, she clutched and pulled at Brackston's
seed with all her strength, holding nothing back.  She
could hear him grunting behind Slice, and when she did
catch a glimpse of him, his eyes were rolled up in his
head, and his mouth was open and drooling.

UuuaaaaAAAAIIIIIeeeeu-u-u... Brackston came for what
seemed an eternity. Rapina used nearly all of her
strength, pulling nearly as hard as she had on Stoker
the other night.

Brackston tried to stand, but fell forward and
collapsed on the platform next to Rapina.  "Was that
hard enough Brackston, she whispered?"  For several
minutes her only answer was a glassy-eyed stare.

"Aye, close enough.   Yew take it easy on Slice."

Rapina nodded. "You can bet on it, because I'm sorely
winded from tugging your guts out," Rapina giggled.

"Wench!" Brackston groaned.

"Some guys like it rough, and some like it nice and
easy," Rapina said pushing Slice down her body and
engulfing his erection.  She pulled Brackston's hip
towards her and put Slice's hand on the side of his
exhausted lover's rump.  She could tell these men's
lusts did not run strongly for women, but their efforts
on behalf of their captain were touching.

As he peaked, Slice's eyes opened and then popped wide
in a look that communicated both intense ecstasy and
surprise that he could be having it at the hands of a
woman.

Man followed man until Rapina affectionately embraced
Zit and nuzzled his earlobe.  He looked overjoyed to
see her and she could not help dallying with him a
little longer than she needed to.  He was a perceptive
boy.  Somehow, he had known there was something about
her that was unusual, and now he seemed to understand
that she was not a vampire in the usual sense, but that
he had not been entirely wrong about her either.

When Zit rolled off her with a contented sigh, Arzeal
was there to clean her up, get her dressed quickly and
whisk her off to the captain's tent where Kroz was
conferring with Jack and Roger.

"Tharr's me wench," the captain said feebly.

Rapina bent and kissed Jack's lips.

Jack spoke so softly Rapina could barely hear him.
"Aye, lets get on with this afore I can't keep me brain
workin' namore.  Th' poison's reavin' me soul.  These
treatments 'er pullin me back from th' brink o' death,
but it seems like they're pullin' me back less far each
time."

"This may not work, but if it does not, perhaps we can
find a volunteer among the men for a second drain.
Kroz removed the gloves from his hands and began to
cast the first spell.  Unlike Rapina, he had no means
to store life force in his body for any length of time,
thus the first spell drained Kroz's own life force and
bestowed it on the Captain.  Kroz placed his hand on
Jack's head and grimaced as his energy flowed into the
ailing pirate.

"Aye, some better, some better, I can feel th' damage
healin' an me headache, dullin' down towards bearable."

The second spell would draw life force from Rapina to
replace Kroz's loss.  Kroz droned the incantation.

Rapina loosened her bodice and pulled it out so that
Kroz could reach in at the right moment.  When he did,
she was not entirely ready for the squeal of surprise
that came from Thane's lips as he drained a goodly
amount of her reserves.

"How are your reserves?" Kroz asked.

"I've enough for another," Rapina said.

Thane hurriedly cast the draining spell again and
grabbed Rapina's other breast, then before the drain
was even complete he began hurriedly casting the energy
bestowing spell.  This time he placed his hand on
Jack's solar plexus, and poured Rapina's energy into
the dieing pirate.

"Balls o' fire, this'd be th' first time I ever got a
ragin' instant hard-on from the touch of a skeleton.
What was in that?  I'd like that spell again," Jack
chuckled.  "I ain't just tinglin, I feel warm all over
too.  Will you kiss me Kroz?  Jack laughed
uncontrollably."

Kroz cleared his throat.  There is a peculiar property
to the energy.  I noticed that right off.  By replacing
what I had lost and then draining a second time
immediately followed by the bestowal spell, I have
attempted to give you a dose of Rapina's energy in a
purer form, more directly from her.  I have no ability
to store energy, but I attempted to transfer it before
it had a chance to dissipate.  I am curious to see if
it is as effective as the life force I wrench from
myself and others."

"Tharr's no contest on that score, Kroz.  I've been
through this enough ta know what one o' yer energy
transfers is supposed ta do an' how much.  Whatever
Rapina's got, it trounces ye in th' healin' department.
All along there's been a dull fire in me nerves, 'an
even when th' life force ye give me healed th' damage,
th' fire's been still there, eatin' away at me.  All
around me chest an' upper legs, I'm feelin' that fire
goin' out.  Maybe it's just the hellish hard, hard-on I
got that I'm not feelin' things aright, but I think I
got 'em square.  Leave me be fer a bit and I'll let ye
know how things come out.

"What happened to the recruit hanging from the pole of
the ship's tent?"

"Roger, Brackston and I have spent a great deal of time
over the past few nights searching for additional
spies," Kroz said. "After all, there were two outside
spies; it stood to reason there might be an inside spy
as well.  I have a plan to deal with this sorcerer of
Li'Yieraun's, but it would not do if he had a spy in
our camp.  After questioning everyone but the old
officers, we found that we indeed had a spy.  He was
working for an assassin in Turnmoor, possibly
Elizabetta's boss Palo, though he did not use that name
when he hired the boy.  We made use of his life force,
and then hung him up as an example."

Rapina grimaced at the fate of the boy but smirked in
spite of herself.  Kroz was being much more helpful
than the contract Roger had hammered out with Red Jack
said he had to be.  Surely, he was insuring the future
of his contract, but Rapina felt that there must be
something else.  Perhaps Kroz saw some gain for the
church of Mortaebius or himself.

---

[Rapina]031 The Shadows of Wizardry

"You look stunning poured into black silk, my dear,
does she not?" Thane asked.

Rames rubbed his hands together and held them near
Rapina's loins as if by a fire.

Rapina giggled.

"I see only one problem with your outfit," Thane said.

"Hmm?" Rapina asked.

"This is a night operation, and your blades are
silvery, far too reflective.  If you should find
yourself in battle, your blades would betray your
position. Try these instead."  Thane held up a pair of
black leather sheathes.  The hilts of the weapons they
contained were also black leather; the metal of the
pommels and hilt guards were dull black as well.

Rapina loosened her belt and replaced her weapons with
the ones Thane had given her.  She drew the rapier part
way and saw that the metal of the blades was the same
dull black color as the hilt guard.  She squinted at
the tang mark, it was the mark of The Montfort Forge.

"Oh thank you!  Thank you Guardian Thane, I love these
Montfort blades.  I really missed the one I had."

Thane chuckled, "Yes, Guardian Rames said that was
painfully obvious.  Now that you will be helping us
handle the clandestine affairs of the Church, you shall
not lack for quality equipment.  I have a darkwood bow
for you as well.  It is somewhat stronger than the one
you are used to.  I do hope you can bend it." Thane
handed Rapina the bow.

Rapina gritted her teeth a bit but she was able to bend
the bow.

"Splendid, Guardian Rames, I shall never doubt your
opinions as an arms master again."

Rames chuckled, "We had a little disagreement over
bows.  Guardian Thane wanted me to get a somewhat
weaker bow, but I felt you could grow into this one."

Rapina smiled, "What's our assignment?"

It is a simple matter, really.  You are to consecrate
several small graveyards to Mortaebius, and create
another.  In order to accomplish the feat, you must
drive your horses hard, luckily skeleton horses do not
tire.  Guardian Rames will show you the maps.  You are
to study them.  Here also is a compass and your copies
of the maps in case you should become separated.  After
you are finished, I shall take you to this Graveyard in
the county of Li'Yeiraun.  You shall make a large
circle around the area as you consecrate and then you
will create a graveyard here, in a forest just east of
Castle Yeiraun."

Other than feeling a bit of soreness in her rump, the
consecration of various graveyards around Li'Yeiraun
was going very well.  Rapina dismounted at still
another tiny graveyard.  A small parsonage to an
agricultural deity could be seen not far off.

"We begin," Rames said. "Hail Mortaebius guardian of
the dead, the dead who lie here entreat thee, hallow
this ground that the dead might rest."

"Hail Mortaebius, keeper of the deceased, we the living
entreat thee, hallow this ground that the dead be held
in thy embrace, to rise only in the direst need,"
Rapina said.

A door to the parsonage opened and closed, "Is someone
there."

In a lowered voice, Rames continued with the
consecration, "Hearken, ye buried and departed, to the
power of Mortaebius coursing through thy rotting flesh
and bones."

Rapina continued, "Harken, ye living to the call of thy
ancestors in Mortaebius' embrace, and know his power
will preserve thee, until death takes life's grace.

Both Rapina and Rames finished the consecration.
"...and thus we close the circle, life and death, the
cycle is complete."

"Food! Food! You got food? Snuffle-snuff!" Rames half
shouted in a crazed voice as the Parson approached.

The parson held a crossbow on Rames.  "Hold up there
beggar."

"Me smell fooood!" Rames shouted.

Rapina stealthily circled the parson in the darkness as
Rames' voice drew his attention.  Since both she and
her companion were dressed in black with their exposed
skin thoroughly sooted, the Parson was having a
difficult time seeing them in the dim light, and Rames
was making sure the parson concentrated on him.  When
Rapina was behind the parson, she poised her hand just
over the man's sword hilt and raised her other hand to
tap on his left shoulder.

"Look out behind you, sir," Rames said.

At that moment the parson felt a tap on his shoulder
and whirled, but Rapina's hand took his sword and
slowed him long enough for her to hit the trigger on
his crossbow.  The bolt fired into the open air as
Rapina's boot kicked the parson off his feet.

Rames was on the Parson in an instant.  Me told you
look out.  Now me look for Fooood!  Rames knelt on one
of the man's arms and searched him.

Rapina stamped on the man's arm as he went for a knife.
Rames snatched the knife and threw it as far as he
could while Rapina removed the bolts from the parson's
quiver and tossed them as well.

"He not got no food.  You go get us food.  We not hurt
you.  Rames stood the man up and pushed him towards the
parsonage."

As the parson hustled towards his house, Rames and
Rapina stealthily made their way back to their horses
and mounted up.  When the parsonage door closed, they
galloped off.

"Whew, that was close.  I'm so glad you warned him
about the person behind him, I think he might have shot
you in surprise if I had just tapped him on the
shoulder."

Rames chuckled, "Yes, it did work rather well.  For a
moment I was almost his friend."

The consecration of the remaining graveyards went
without a hitch, but there was still the one to be
created.  Rames and Rapina rode slowly, stopping
frequently to listen for guards.  They saw a pair of
them walk by in the distance.

When Rames stopped, Rapina immediately dismounted and
took down her shovel.  She dug a hole, tossed an open
burlap sack of bones into it and buried it.    She
paced off twelve paces distance and did the same with a
second skeleton.  Rames was doing likewise, some
distance away.  After the burial was done, they
immediately did the consecration ritual in voices
barely above a whisper.   When they were finished they
stopped and listened for a moment; a pair of guards was
coming.  Carefully they laid down.

"I hate it when the mists rise off the ground like
that, it gives me the creeps," a first guard said.

"Bah, you afraid of spooks?" his partner asked.

"Na, just don't like the way it obscures things."

"Well come on then, lets walk on through there, nothing
to be afraid of.

Rapina held her breath.  One of the guards nearly
stepped on her, but he passed.  The mists seemed to be
thickening by the minute.  After the guards had gone
some distance, Rapina heard chanting in a low voice
from nearby.

"Be very quiet, the guards are near, Rapina whispered
in a barely audible voice."

Rames picked up leaves and sifted them over the small
burried holes until his spell-enhanced night vision
told him the ground looked untouched.  He could see
Rapina was doing the same.

Thane, who had arrived with the mists, checked the work
of the others, and when he was satisfied, handed them
the leads to their horses, took their hands and began
to chant.

Rapina thanked her lucky stars that the guards were not
due to pass this way for another few minutes.  When the
three of them materialized back at the abode, she
breathed a sigh of relief.  "Do you suppose they will
find the tracks of our horses?"

"Nay, I doubt it, the leaves are thick in that area, as
is the forest.  The trail you came in on is well
traveled by horses and guards, so I expect we will be
just fine. However, I did include some insurance on the
skeletons you buried.  Should they be triggered by an
attacker who unearths them, they will stand up causing
a glyph to fire that will send a message to me," Thane
said.

Our work for the evening is not done.  We must
transport a number of skeletons to Red Jack's camp yet
tonight.  I have animated the bodies of two criminals
delivered by the constable as well," Thane added.

When they arrived, Red Jack's camp was bustling with
quiet activity. A number of ghouls combed the area
surrounding the camp for spies while Rames and Roger
took the skeletons to the appointed locations for
shallow burial.  Rapina assisted the pirates in making
a pack train to the graveyard.  The pirates carried
great pieces of their longship, tools and other
supplies.  Thane began transporting groups of pirates
to some far off graveyard.  By the time the birds sung
heralding the dawn, the pirates had removed the ship
from its tent, but the tent still stood.  Within the
tent, bowls of flaming oil had replaced the flaming
skeletons.

In fact, the pirate camp looked much the same as it
always had, except that the number of pirates in it was
greatly reduced.  Those deemed too green to fight well,
plus a few officers that had been put in charge of
building the new camp, were no longer present.  The
pirates that remained put on a show of activity while
the number of guards searching the forest around the
camp quietly doubled in number.  At dawn, Kroz bid the
pirates adieu and took Kent and most of his ghouls with
him as he left.

---

The next night, Thane came to his afternoon "breakfast"
looking as though he was trying to figure out what
might go wrong with a plan he had worked on for many
hours.

"Good evening Guardian Thane," Rapina said.

"Good evening Rapina.  Tonight is an important night.
We will discuss our plan, and when we are done it will
be time to put it into action..."

---

The sun was just about to slip below the horizon when
Rage walked down the path for the guard post farthest
from the camp.

Rage saw the large tree and took the runed cover from
over the stone set in his sword. A recruit he hardly
knew accompanied him to guard duty.  Kroz had told Rage
that the sword he had stolen from Lord Li'Yeiraun's men
had been bugged with a magic stone.  Now it was his
turn to use their little gadget against them.  He
pocketed the cover then went on.  Once at the guard
post he struck up a conversation with the two young
guards, a conversation he knew Nordula would overhear.
"Okay men, you're relived.  Get back to camp quick;
remember it'll be midnight before you know it, and the
captain wants you to get into your groups and be ready
to move out, so make sure you pack up.  We're going to
slip out right under the noses of those spying dogs."

"Aye sir," the youth said as he started down the trail.

"What group're ye in Blood?" Biler asked.

"Me? Number five, how about you?" Blood said.

"Group seven, we're the best," Biller replied.

"Bah..." Blood said.

Rage smiled to himself.  When this guard duty was over,
he would pry the stone from the sword and give it to
Roger.  The camp wards were going to be unearthed and
packed up for the most part, but Roger was a walking
ward.

---

Rapina waited in a shadow.  She was near the cobbled
path that led to the front door of Madam Agnes' House
of Angels.  It was in Yeiraun Villiage.  Yeiraun castle
was a mile walk up a hill to the north.

The disguise Rames was wearing looked utterly
ridiculous, but the one Thane was wearing was an
absolute scream.

Rapina heard the whinney of a horse.

"I can't believe my luck!" Rames said as he played
"Hans." "Imagine that, an out of town gentleman coming
away with the newest and definitely the most heavenly
angel of the bunch.  It was worth the small fortune I
paid."

Lieutenant Richter looked forward to this night every
week.  Yes, every week he picked up a bottle and one of
Agnes' girls and was back to his room for a nine to
midnight romp.  Occasionally he even let one of the
sergeants have a taste.

Rapina started up the path with Rames and looked up at
the lieutenant as he came down the path.  The coy
expression on her face coupled with the tug on the
officer's lust served to grab his attention and slow
his pace as he gave Rapina a good looking over.

"Hans!  Hansel! I know you're in there, I dragged your
words out of that hotel clerk!" Thane said in a
disguised voice.  Thane, dressed as a rather ugly but
convincing woman opened the gate of Madam Agnes' house
with a resounding squeak.

"Hans" stiffened. Swore under his breath, then
whispered frantically to the Lieutenant,  "Sir, I've
got this new girl for the entire night, and she's yours
if you bail me out of what's about to happen with my
damned wife."  Rames pushed Rapina at the Lieutenant.

"Ooo," Rapina squawked as she bumped into the
Lieutenant, giving his lust a little jerk on impact.

The lieutenant had no time to think or react before a
homely woman bore down on "Hans" like a mad hornet.

"Shame on you!  The very idea that you would fraternize
with harlots!  You are a married man!"

"Nonsense, you have it all wrong. Hilda, I'd like you
to meet my friend," Hans said.

"Good to meet you Hilda, my name's Adolf Richter, I'm
an old friend of your husband.  I'm sure he was just
over here looking for me.  We had a lot of catching up
to do."

"We sure did honey, it's so great to see him, why Adolf
is one of the best swordsmen I've ever known.  Uh, he
works for, uh..."

"Lord Li'Yeiraun."

"Yes, and Lord Li'Yeiraun holds him in high esteem.
It's great to see an old friend with such an honorable
post, isn't it Hilda?  I thought I might find him over
here at the, uh house of the ladies.   I heard he, uh,
sometimes comes here and I was um going to ask around
and see when he'd be in.  Low and behold I bumped into
him coming out with this young lady and we've been
catching up on old times ever since."

Hilda looked a little nonplused, "Well, thank heaven
you weren't frequenting this house of ill repute as I
had first suspected.  Hilda glared at the Lieutenant.
You should get yourself a wife, Adolf.  These ladies
are evil, you understand? eeevil!  Now come along Hans,
you get away from this place."

"Yes dear," Hans whimpered as Hilda hauled him towards
the gate.

Richter chuckled, "Poor sap, it's men like him who
remind me that a smart man never marries."

"Men like him remind you?" Rapina asked innocently as
she tugged at Richter's lust.

"And girls like you," Richter smiled saltily. "Lets
stop in and see Agnes a minute."

"Okay, have you got some money?" Rapina asked.

"Shit, do you think she'd charge me for you all over
again?" Richter asked.

Rapina smiled, "Um, I just got here yesterday; do you
think she would?" Rapina asked.

Richter looked at the door uneasily, then back at
Rapina.  Damn she was so young, and so breathtaking.
He could pay for her all over again but that would
cost... nah.

Richter did an about face, took Rapina's hand and led
her down the walkway, "What's your name?"

"Leanna." Rapina smiled.

---

Edgar the ghoul peered down from the treetop.  Not even
the half-elven sentries posted around the perimeter of
the Li'Yeiraun camp could see him.  His corpse was as
cold as the air around it.  As of a few minutes ago,
men were frantically donning armor, filling quivers,
and generally racing around as if about to go into
battle.  Edgar climbed down the tree.  He had a message
to get to Kroz's assistant.

---


Richter knocked on the heavy door, "It's Richter, open
up."

A grizzled old Sergeant opened the door.

Simply because she was an imp, Rapina tugged at the old
Sergeant's lust.

"Oi, who's th' girl?" the sergeant asked.

"Got her down at Agnes'.  Damn pretty, isn't she
Sergeant Deinzen?" Lieutenant Richter asked.

"Jah!" Sergeant Deinzen agreed.

"'Leanna, this is Sergeant Deinzen.  I Got her for the
whole night," Richter grinned.

"Let me know if he falls asleep on ya," Deinzen
chuckled.

Rapina blushed, "Okay," she said smiling.

The lieutenant led her through the heavy door.  It was
evident that Mansun Dido had given accurate drawings
and descriptions of Castle Li'Yieraun to Thane.  The
plans had come at a price however.  Thane's little coup
was to be much more bloodless than originally planned.
At night all doors to the castle were barred and bolted
from the inside with large, heavy bars and huge metal
bolts.  The only way past the barred doors was down a
corridor that led right through the guard barracks, and
only the Lieutenant had the key into the castle proper.

Rapina followed the Lieutenant down an isle that went
through a large room full of bunk beds.  On the other
side he unlocked a heavy door and entered a corridor.
After ten more paces he opened a door on the left and
took Rapina through a small office room where he
grabbed some glasses and a corkscrew for the bottle of
wine he'd bought while in town.  On the other side of
the office was the Lieutenant's bedroom.

"Who says a man who's supposed to be on call every
night of the week can't have a little fun," Richter
grinned as he passed Rapina a glass of wine.  Richter
looked at the beauty he had picked up and took a moment
just to gloat on his good fortune.  He began to wonder
just how much stuffing she had packed beneath her
breasts to make them look so full.  Heheh, turn around
girl.

Rapina turned and felt the Lieutenant's fingers
unbuttoning her dress. His breathing was rapid and hot
against her neck.  Her nose twitched as his lust
tickled her senses.

"Heheh, step out of that now, I want to see what you've
got on under it."

Rapina turned, blushed and stepped out of her dress.
The black satin lace teddy underneath had been copied
from a sample procured days earlier by Rames from one
of Agnes' Angels.

Richter licked his lips and began to unlace Rapina's
front.  When he was finished he slid the teddy's straps
over her shoulders and pulled it down.  Her ripe
breasts jiggled free, her nipples already erect.

a loud knocking could be heard on the outer door.

"Shit!"

"One minute," The lieutenant whispered and disappeared
into the office.

"It's Captain Gleister, get the men together on the
double.  Leave old Deinzen and a skeleton crew.  We
will need every available man.  The pirates are bugging
out and we need to catch them as they leave or we'll
likely not catch them at all.

"Yes sir!" Richter said.

After the captain left, Richter poked his head in the
room took a few more steps and kissed Rapina's nipples.
Damn pirates!  I might be back before morning.  You
stay here until then."

Rapina nodded, "okay."

In the next half hour, Rapina heard a great deal of
activity, and then the castle around her grew quiet.
Rapina took a lamp and went into the office.
Thankfully the lieutenant had not locked the door out.
Perhaps he knew he might not be back until long after
morning or maybe he had just been in too big a hurry.
Rapina laced up her teddy and walked to the door to the
barracks.  It was locked.  She wrinkled her nose,
trying to settle on a course of action.  Rapina
shrugged and knocked on the door.

What the?  Blade drawn, the sergeant opened the door
into the officer's corridor.

Rapina grimaced and jumped backwards when she saw the
sergeant's blade.  Her breasts jiggled succulently.

"Ooo, um sorry to bother you, but the lieutenant left
me all alone in his room.  He seemed to be in a rush.
He wanted me to stay till morning, but there's nothing
to do in there."

"Well, now I'm sure I could find somethin' for ye to do
out here," Sergeant Deinzen said.

"Who's that," asked one of the four guards remaining in
the barracks.

"That'd be th' lieutenant's harlot.  Deinzen laughed,
"He was just about to dip his rod when the captain came
in and told him it was time to pull out."

The guards laughed.  Two got up from their bunks and
came to take a look.

"One hell of a woman too, isn't she, Deiter?" Seargeant
Deinzen asked

"Jah, she sure is," Guard Deiter agreed.

"Hey, I've got somethin' you can do girl.  Watch the
door for me a second, Dieter."

Deinzen buttoned down his trousers and pulled out his
half erect cock.

"Suck."

Rapina blinked as thoughts raced through her mind, "How
am I supposed to put him to sleep with my mouth?"
Rapina slurped him into her mouth and tried to draw on
his energy, but it was no use, the best she could do
was tug on his lust.  Her mouth just wasn't set up the
same way as her vagina.  She knew how to use her throat
on a man, Guardian Rames had taught her, but how was
she going to work any magic if all he wanted was her
mouth?  Rapina smiled inwardly and began to finger
herself as she sucked on the Sergeant.  She tried to go
slowly as she frantically fingered herself.

"Faster girl, I'm supposed to be on duty," Sergeant
Deinzen said.

Rapina's head bobbed up and down, her moans escaping
her throat as she used everything she had trying to get
herself to orgasm before the Sergeant came in her
mouth.

Deinzen shook his head, "ever seen a hoar who enjoyed
her work like this one?"

The sergeant pumped and plunged adding speed to the
young woman's otherwise impressive performance.

Rapina's could hardly stand it she was giving herself
so much stimulation, and then she felt Deinzen shudder
as hot jets of cum began to shoot down her throat.
Just as the man was about to pull out, Rapina took hold
of his balls.  She sucked what was left of his erection
to the cadence of her own slippery clit-teasing finger.

"Heheh, you're a real natural," Sergeant Deinzen said.

1Uhuhaaah, Rapina rode her orgasm to the cloud of
Deinzen's mind and touched him with lust and stiffness
as powerful as those she had inflicted on the late
reverend Evangeline.

Deinzen removed Rapina's hand from his balls.  Whew,
you're a grabby one, girl.  Care for a whirl men?

---

"Huddle closer!" the magician, Nordula said.  "Good,
now hold together."  Sweat ran from Nordula's brow.
Two a night had been about right, now he was
teleporting groups of four men together at once.  He
had already used up every elixir of power and energy
stone he had, and finally he was nearly done.

Nordula collapsed as he pronounced the final word.  The
men disappeared.

"Nordula, I would be gravely disappointed if you were
unable to teleport the remainder of my personal guards
and I," Lord Heinrich Li'Yieraun said.

"Let me rest a moment m'Lord, I will come with you, and
that should make it a little easier.  Teleporting
others without going oneself is a taxing proposition,
without the stone on the other side it is not even
practical.   Nordula wiped the sweat from his brow with
a handkerchief.  He was spent; he knew he would have to
rest for at least twenty minutes.

Fifteen minutes later Lord Li'Yieraun cleared his
throat, "Nordula?"

"Five more minutes m' Lord, and I should have the
energy," Nordula said.

Li'Yeiraun nearly growled.  Finally Nordula stood and
gathered the two bodyguards and his lord together.

Nordula's head felt as though it had been clubbed
repeatedly, yet he knew he must make one last supreme
effort.  He was sure the warriors would be occupied
making preparations until near midnight.  He would
sleep in the camp.  He wrapped his fur cloak around him
and began to incant the spell.  He did not like the way
the evening was progressing.  His plan had been to
transport the men a day or two before the battle was to
take place so he could rest up from the taxing duty of
teleportation, but because the pirates had decided to
try to slip away he was expected to teleport and fight
in one night, but how could he cast when he had used up
all his reserves on transportation?

---


The guard walking the wall of Yeiraun castle cussed to
himself, "Why do I have to take a second shift anyways,
I should be at my leisure, damn pirates!  Wha? did I
hear something? What in hell's up with the lights going
out?  The guard put his hand up to check for rain, then
whirled suddenly, but it had grown so dark.  He smelled
rotten meat.  Someone was there, but before he could
strike out, they scratched him, and he froze solid with
some kind of magical fear.  The ghoul gibbered softly,
crouching in the darkness that seemed to cling to him,
and then moved off down the wall.

The skeletal assassin, Elizabetta, jumped off the wall
above the gate, her blackjack expertly rapped on the
back of the gate guard's skull before she flattened
against the cobbles with the impact of her thirty-foot
fall.  Her charcoal-colored bones were not brittle like
those of lesser skeletons, but instead were firm but
flexible as rubber.  Blunt weapons and falls were now
mere nuisances.

The second gate guard could hardly see, and certainly
could not believe what was happening.  A shadow fell
off the wall?  He swished his sword behind his comrade,
but hit only air.  Suddenly something hit him like a
rubber ball that had bounced from the top of the wall.
Ulch!  His jaw shattered as the flexible skull hit him
like a blackjack.  He fell over backwards and the
creature gouged a spot behind his ears.  Suddenly
everything went black.

Thane smiled within his death mask as the gate quietly
opened.  Under the cover of clinging darkness, Thane
and his guards led a string of black leather-clad
skeletal draft horses through the gate of Yeiraun
castle. A number of double animated skeletons flanked
the horses and when they were through the gate,
Elizabetta waited as her two flexible skeletal helpers
dragged a body each to the gate from the wall.  A
shadowy Kent came up and scratched the men before
dragging them off into the shadows.

"Nnnggugulp," Rapina gasped and swallowed as Deiter
filled her mouth with cum.  She tugged wildly at
Sergeant Deinzen's lust as he pistoned in and out of
her wanton cleft.

"Ooooo..." Deinzen croaked as his orgasm seemed to
stretch to infinity.  The pleasure was so overwhelming.
When it was finally over, he shuddered and collapsed.

Rapina rolled the sergeant off her and gasped for
breath.  Deiter came around to the front of the bunk
and sat her back up.  His mouth latched onto her right
nipple and he suckled her and fingered her clit like a
man possessed.  She reached behind him and massaged his
buttocks.  Eventually her fingers wrapped under, found
the base of his rod and stimulated him.  His staff
rose.

There came a knocking at the great door to the outside.

Guard Dieter ignored the knock, he would get it later,
besides, the knocker had not identified himself, and
that was the rule.  His fingers had tasted what he must
have and now he would have his rising erection between
her lovely thighs.

Rapina moaned as Deiter entered her.

Dieter laughed and cried as he pumped himself between
the gates of Elysium. At last his eyes rolled back in
his head, his loins surged forward and he hollered in
ecstasy.

Rapina drew the power out of the guard with all her
might.  He pumped and hollered for several minutes
before collapsing on top of her.

An insistent knock sounded at the door.  Rapina was
about to roll Dieter off when he pushed up drunkenly.
He was obviously addled.

Deiter shot back the bolt and opened the door.  Wha?

The ghoul scratched Deiter's face and he froze.

Rapina screamed hoarsely.

Kent pretended to scratch Rapina and she froze.

"Ghouls immobilize those guards, bind the wench over
one of the horses, I think I might have a use for her
later on."  Thane cast vision in darkness on Rapina as
Kent bound her over the back of a horse.

He had the ghouls toss the guards into a cell in the
block just on the other side of the barracks.  Once the
last of them was in, Thane shot home the bolt on the
outside of the door.

After the last skeletal horse had come in from the
courtyard, the Elizabetta, the skeletal assassin bolted
the door to the barracks.

Thane opened the door to the officers' corridor with
the sergeant's key and moved his entourage forward.
"Where is the key to the inner door, Thane whispered in
Rapina's ear.

"The lieutenant had a key ring, but he left in such a
hurry, I think he still had it with him," Rapina
whispered.

"Elizabetta, the lock if you are able," Thane said.

The skeletal assassin removed lock picks from a pouch,
worked a few minutes, then opened the door.

"Splendid."  Thane intoned arcane syllables and filled
the room beyond the door with darkness.  Now, take your
cohorts and scout our way to Nordula's chambers."

The skeletal assassins and the pack of ghouls they led
slunk ahead.  Thane and his entourage followed more
slowly.  At last they arrived at the door to Nordula's
chambers.  Thane first dispelled any magic holding the
door fast, then Elizabetta worked on the lock for about
ten minutes, periodically requesting tools from a case
on one of the horses.  Thane filled the rooms
surrounding the entrance to Nordula's chambers with
darkness.  The ghouls and the other two skeletal
assassins scouted for and immobilized guards in the
area.  There were few to remove, however.  The castle
was largely empty.  At last the door opened.

Elizabetta sent her underlings forward to check for
traps.

Thane assisted with his mage-sight, detecting and
dispelling a glyph on the door.  Once the party made it
into Nordula's library, Thane began dispelling magic on
the books, and designating which books needed to be
packed within the rib cages of the horses.  Any work on
magic was taken away.

Once in, the skeletal assassin carefully checked for
secret doors in Nordula's chambers.  Her two cohorts
assisted, while Thane did the same using magic.

Thane found a magical stone in the mantle of the
fireplace in Nordula's bedroom.  He dispelled it, then
carefully pried it off and put it in a tiny metal box.

In the study Elizabetta found a bookcase that slid
aside revealing another bookcase hidden within the wall
behind the first.

"Excellent, you are a fine servant of our god,
Elizabetta."

Kent ran in. "town guardsmen, master."

Rapina gasped, "You've had it now!"

Thane dispelled the books in the hidden bookcase in
case any were magically trapped.  "Examine the case for
mechanical traps then get those books loaded.  I have
other things to attend to."

Thane smiled. "I Have no worries as long as these fools
have no mage," He rasped as he passed her.  I shall
increase the darkened areas of the castle.  You shall
immobilize these meddling town guardsmen.  It appears
that someone escaped the castle and fetched them.  As
the darkened areas grew, ghouls chittered and men
screamed.

"Skeletons, front four ranks, defend only.  Let the
ghouls handle this," Thane ordered.

A lone guard somehow made it past the skeletons and
into the room.

"Thane pointed a finger at him and said, "Death" in the
frightening voice of his death mask.

The town guardsman blanched and ran from the room as if
the hounds of hell were chasing him.

Rapina peered from the back of the horse she was draped
over as if paralyzed. "What hideous spell was that?"
She whispered.

"He didn't give me a chance to cast one," Thane
chuckled.

Rapina groaned.  Thane had simply scared the man.  It
was much quicker than spellcasting.

"Good, I think we are set here; Let us head for the
laboratory," Thane said.

Rapina just shook her head, Thane was so casual.  He
cast spells to detect and dispel while Elizabetta and
her assassins checked for traps and entered the
laboratory.  It was really surprising how few traps
there were.  Rapina supposed it stood to reason since
Nordula was actually using his books and laboratory
probably less than an hour before they had arrived.

Thane snatched up a kettle, some lab books, various
items and reagents from the lab and then had them
packed in one of the horses.  When he was satisfied
they left the laboratory.  Upstairs the ghouls were
slinking around paralyzing anyone who dared enter the
magical darkness.

Once outside the castle, Rapina heard arrows wiz by in
the air.  Thankfully none hit her.  Soon Thane and his
entourage were marching towards the forest in darkness
that was lost in the night.  The ghouls paralyzed those
soldiers foolish enough to enter the inky blackness
surrounding the necromancer's caravan.

Thane chuckled, "I'm sure Li'Yeiraun's troops would
have been better equipped with light stones and such,
but I would venture to guess just about all of them are
being used at the pirate camp along with any other
magical items Nordula might have that would aid in a
battle.  When they got to the previously consecrated
graveyard, Thane cast graveyard mists.

The entourage appeared in a cemetery next to an ancient
temple that Rapina had never seen.  They entered a
stream near the temple and traveled half a mile to a
lake.  There Thane again cast the graveyard mists
spell.  Next they appeared briefly on an island in a
steamy swamp.  They followed an ancient road into the
water, and from there Thane took them to the abode.

"Was that lake a cemetary?" Rapina asked.

Thane wiped his brow and chuckled, "both the lake and
the swamp were sites where a great many bodies were
dumped or fell from ancient battles.  The cemeteries I
took us too were consecrated and or warded, and each
had a rich history behind it.  All these things tend to
be very hard on divination magics."

"Oh, I get it," Rapina said.

"Given that Nordula's forebears were fond of reading
the tea leaves, I decided to make it very difficult if
not impossible for him to figure out my final
destination.  Thane smiled.  Now get dressed, we must
rescue the pirates.  Rames is with them playing Karmoz,
my soldierly assistant who wears a helmet with a
leather mask.  Thane collapsed on a chair in the great
hall, "I must rest for a moment."  Thane wiped the
sweat from his brow.  He had cast far too many spells
already.

---

Fletcher Arzeal grimaced as an arrow grazed his arm.
It was obvious that Li'Yieraun's men included some
half-elves or elves.  The first decoy group of pirates
had left the camp at half past midnight.  They had
spotted the expected ambush and had routed back into
camp, landing many enemies in the pit traps and deadly
snares that had been set up for them.  The center of
the pirates' camp was now a fortified dip in the ground
that had been squared up, its walls made sheer and
reinforced by timbers.  Earth had been spread out from
the walls to make sure fire would not spread easily in
the pirates' makeshift keep.   Some of the old camp
shacks still stood, and the perimeter of the camp was
protected by standing spears and armed skeletons buried
in extremely shallow graves so that the enemy could not
count them. The tent that once stood around the ship
was empty, but it had been left up as a ploy so that
the enemy would believe there was still a ship within.

Arzeal picked off another man and then heard a far off
scream.  He wondered if Edgar was responsible and found
himself almost wishing Kroz would arrive with the rest
of the ghouls.  For now, the battle was a stalemate.
Afraid of the traps set by the pirates, the nobleman's
forces surrounded the pirate camp and attempted to pick
Jacks men off with arrows, however most of the men were
behind solid cover.  Arzeal was busy attempting to fend
off the elves among the enemy, unfortunately, there
appeared to be perhaps ten of them and they were moving
in to attempt to find a way to get at the hiding
pirates.  Almost too late Arzeal spotted the heat
signatures in the trees.  He tapped the man in the
leather mask.  "Ten archers in the trees over there,"
Arzeal said.

The pirates screamed as many arrows found their marks.

"97th archers rise and fire," Karmoz, the masked
warrior played by Rames said.

Seven skeletal archers rose from their very shallow
graves and fired on the archers in the trees.  Their
vision was not hampered in the least by the darkness.

Li'Yiraun Archers began screaming and falling from the
trees as arrows began hitting them.

Well back from the front lines and surrounded by his
personal guard, Lord Heinrich Li'Yeiraun brooded as
news came in from his messengers.

"The elves attempted to use the trees to get high
enough to get by the cover of the pirate earthworks,
but the pirates somehow spotted them, and fired back
picking our men off!" Captain Gleister reported.

"Damn it!  Does Jack have more elves than we thought?"
Count Li'Yeiraun asked.

"It is easy to see that our archers do not have the
visual advantage as we thought.  The enemy has those
who can see and fire on them even under cover of
foliage and darkness," Captain Gleister said.

"Captain, we must use our infantry.  Our numbers are
superior.  Concentrate them and attempt to break the
pirate perimeter."

---

Arzeal listened as a hoard of soldiers came in from the
South, "Ready archers."

A red spotlight directed by the pirates illumined the
approach.   The hired soldiers screamed battle cries
and came forward.

"Fire at will!" Arzeal ordered.

"77th archers rise to kneel, and fire at will," Karmoz
ordered.  A group of ten skeleton archers rose from
their shallow graves and began firing at the enemy.

"Heheh, I see yew."  Brackston fired arrow after arrow
as did every pirate in a wild effort to break the enemy
charge.

"47th archers, rise, wheel right, fire at will," Karmoz
ordered.  77th infantry, ready spears, all set and rise
to crouch."

"Do them numbers have anything to do with anything?"
Skitch asked.

"Other than incorporating a few memory hooks as to what
direction they're in, the numbers have nothing whatever
to do with anything," Karmoz whispered.  The skeletons
are told what group they are in, and it doesn't really
matter to them what the name or number is.  I like to
keep the numbers large so the enemy thinks we have
plenty of squads," Karmoz chuckled.

"Heheh, good deal."  Skitch let fly another shaft and
then another.  Skitch howled with crazed laughter as
the front lines of mercenaries met the raised spears of
the skeletons.

"Ghosts!"  "Skeletons!" "Vampires!"  The mercenary
charge turned into a route as the sheer horror of
fighting undead enemies was suddenly sprung on them.

"Aye, tharr we got 'em!  Pound tharr backs with arrows
men, every one we hit is one that we won't be seein' in
th' next charge."  That warr shock value; th' idiots
don't know it, but they could 'ave won through if their
livers hadn't turned ta lillies.  That hesitation at
th' skeletons allowed are arrows ta do their best work
an' give their fear some grounds, but it warr smoke and
mirrors.  Now they'll 'ave ta regroup, an' that'll buy
us some time.  If Heinie knew how few there are of us,
and how green me men are, he'd be on us in a heartbeat,
but after we turned 'is ambush on th' road into one of
our own, he's broodin'; he don't trust 'is luck, an' 'e
thinks I got a trick up me sleeve as usual.  He'll be
spittin' nails when 'e finds out what I really 'ad up
me sleeve."

---

"Animated skeletons milord, there must have been
hundreds of them," the mercenary commander said.  "My
men were pinned down by missile fire, and when we made
the edge of the camp proper, the undead met us with
spears!" The commander's voice wavered.  "Morale broke
and we routed."

"Fools, you lost your heads.  How many of these fell
creatures were there?  Have you a reliable count, or
have the numbers grown with the telling?" Li'Yeiraun
asked.

"Pathfinder, send a few trustworthy and level-headed
men up for a look.  If we are outnumbered, I want to
know about it.  If not then we must prepare for another
charge.  Incompetent mercenaries!  It is just like that
slippery, cheating son of a bitch pirate to find
himself a dark priest or necromancer just when I have
him in my grasp!" Li'Yeiraun snarled.
------------

It was the better part of an hour before the
Li'Yeiraun's next charge was set up.  This one had a
backbone of his own men behind the mercenary front
lines, and everyone had been informed that a skeleton
could be destroyed much as a man could be.

"What's keepin' that damn Kroz, I sure hope he didn't
sell out ta Heinie.  Arzeal, what's goin' on out
tharr?" Captain Red Jack asked.

"They're massing for a charge, sir, a big one," Arzeal
replied.

"Karmoz, it's goin' ta be all we can do ta hold this'n
back.  If I had ta make a guess, I'd say we're cooked.
I'd move th' bulk o' yer forces up ta th' front they'll
be attackin.'  Then again, I wouldn't put it past Heiny
ta try ta send a little squad up are ass while we're
occupied. "

"I will move the skeletons on the sides somewhat
towards the front, and leave those in the rear as
reserves," Karmoz whispered.

"Sounds like a plan," Jack said.  "Mates, lets be
gettin' every arrow we 'ave left out an' ready, thisn's
goin' ta be big, and we might not live through it.
Damn necromancer's still playin' hookie.  Thank all th'
gods 'e brought us a hoard o' arrows night before last.
We're going ta need 'em."

A few minutes later the charge was sounded.

Arzeal climbed a large tree in the camp and took cover
behind a stout limb.  He was the first archer to begin
firing.  His elevation, night vision and accuracy were
second to none.

The pirates could see a little better than usual as the
mercenaries had brought a few mage lights with them and
many of the bodies gave spotty illumination to the area
of the forest they had come through.   As soon as the
enemy could be seen, the pirates let fly.

"Shoot fast, but make 'em count, mates."  The captain
drew back his bow and fired.

Many men fell to the pirate archers, but the enemy got
closer and closer, soon melee broke out between the
front lines of the attackers and the skeleton spearmen
at the perimeter of the camp.  The pirates continued to
ply their bows from the fortified center of the camp.

"Good evening," Kroz said as he dropped the illusion he
had used to get Rapina, his ghouls and skeletons from
the graveyard to the pirate camp.  "It looks like the
skeletons could use a hand."

"Glad ye could make it, I was beginnin' ta think ye
were workin' fer Heinie." Jack snaped.

Kroz droned a few syllables and the front line was
engulfed in darkness.

"Nay, the packing took longer than expected, and I had
to use a bit of misdirection to guarantee I would not
be magically tracked later.  What is the news," Kroz
asked.

"Th' news is that tharr is a charge we 'aven't got a
snowball's chance in 'ell o' stoppin.'  Got any bright
ideas on how ye're going ta get us outta here before
they're on top of us?" Jack asked.

"I have brought a few additional troops. And this
scroll of shadow summoning," Kroz said.  Thane rolled
out a scroll and intoned the spell.  The shadows seemed
to coalesce into something shaped vaguely like a human.
Kroz pointed at the creature, "You will obey Kent, this
ghoul.  Kent, you and your ghouls will keep the enemy
occupied while I escape with the pirates.  Eat when it
is safe, and double or triple your number if it is
convenient.  I will set up as much magical darkness in
the area in addition to what I have already cast on you
and yours as I can before I leave.  Be advised,
however, that the other side has a mage.  If their mage
begins dispelling the darkness, then rout and use hit
and run tactics around their parameter until near dawn.
At that time find burrows and dig in.

When Li'Yieraun pulls out, I will come to collect you
and your new friends.  During the nights to come,
continue using hit and run tactics.  If you are doing
well, see if you can locate and loot the tent of their
mage, Nordula.  Use a diversion to draw him away or
wait until he steps out on his own accord if that
proves practical.  Do not risk yourselves unduly once
we have left.  At that time your primary objectives
will be to survive, feed, multiply, and demoralize the
enemy"

Kroz began casting; darkness engulfed more and more of
the forest around the pirates.  Now whisper it to the
next man, join hands, then we go South forty paces to
an area I prepared earlier.  Kroz cast vision in
darkness on the pirate officers, then resumed casting
magical darkness until sweat bristled from his brow.
The last spell put out the lights in the pirate camp.
The men began to march South.  In the darkness, they
could hear the ghouls at work on mercenaries who had
won their way past the skeletal troops.

Kroz took hold of the hands of Rapina and Red jack and
placed them on his shoulders.   "Let us pray."  Kroz
set up an illusion spell to echo the murmurings of the
pirates so that the source of the sound could not
easily be located, and then began casting graveyard
mists.

"Hail Mortaebius, Lord of the dead..." Arzeal stood at
the perimeter of the group of pirates.  He let fly one
shaft after another, assisting the ghouls as they kept
the enemy confused and away from the pirates.  A
recruit kept his hand on the archer's shoulder and kept
him moving as the group stepped forward slowly while
the mists rose. Arzeal droned the prayer to Mortaebius
he had learned as he sent mercenary after mercenary to
join the god of the dead.

When the mists cleared, Rapina and Red Jack were
holding the necromancer up.  "I must rest.  I do hope I
got everyone," Kroz rasped.

"All right, get yer red lights on, lets see who we
got," Red Jack ordered.

Rapina moved the slider on her mage light and illumined
the area around her in Red.

The captain and the officers took stock and conferred.
"We lost about ten ta death before th' escape, and four
either got lost 'er Kroz didn't get 'em moved 'cause
they weren't touchin th' rest of us, er weren't prayin'
ta Mortaebius.  Those men'll be missed.  Thanks ta
Slice, it looks like we still got Bloody Brackston.  Ye
can tell me how ye liked yer first transport by magic
later, Brackston."

Some of ye may wonder what this warr all about.  Well
what we did was Kroz took a stab at their mage while 'e
warr occupied with chasin' us pirates.  If it works,
then that mage is going ta have a harder time nailin'
us, and at the same time, are mage is goin' ta be more
powerful.  Also we made areselves some money, an I got
me wench a little extra education, on account of
negotiatin' a good deal all around.  If we're lucky,
Kroz may be able ta retrieve some o' th' cadavers from
tanight's battle, but ye never know.  It depends on
what ol' Heinie does now that 'e's out there all alone.
Now lets get movin'  Tharr's more'n a few miles ta
cover afore we get ta are new camp."



The story continues in [Rapina]032 Yieraun Castle

copyright 2001, by Rapina

The Touch of Darkness

Back to, The Jolly Roger, page
[Rapina]027 In The Eyes of a Sword
[Rapina]028 The Touch of Darkness
*[Rapina]029 Spies and Assasins
[Rapina]030 Seeping Toxins
[Rapina]031 The Shadows of Wizardry

[Rapina]027  In The Eyes of a Sword

Once Jack Had shaken on the deal, he asked about the
particulars.  "Now when will ye be puttin' up yer
protections again' other mages an' how?"

"Have you buried any recruits or spies near the camp?"
Roger asked.

"Aye, we've got a small collection o' graves o'er
yonder," Jack said.

"Good, Rapina and I will consecrate the graveyard to
Mortaebius yet tonight, and   Kroz will come tomorrow
night to get a closer look at the area and place the
wards for the camp. Even now you are not totally
without protection.  I have within my skull an
enchanted item that wards an area the radius of the
length of a longship around me.  If I am aboard a
vessel it will be protected from faraway remote viewing
by a special enchantment that influences remote viewing
to be unable to see people and their constructions.
Terrain will otherwise appear as it really does.  For
closer-in viewing, such as when an enemy mage knows or
stumbles on the exact location of a ship or the camp,
enemy mages will see natural-looking magical static
that obscures vision.  In addition, teleportation magic
will not function normally within the confines of the
ward.  Those teleporting in will be killed or severely
wounded when their materialization is scrambled
somewhat, and those trying to teleport out will fail to
dematerialize.  In addition, I should be able to detect
remote viewing when it is attempted within the ward.
Enemy mages will be dealt with as Kroz sees fit," Roger
said.

"Kroz will be in tomorrow night?  Then I'd like ta
invite Rapina ta stay here tanight, would that be
aright?"

Roger paused a moment.  "Kroz says She may stay now and
leave with him tomorrow night if she wishes," Roger
said.

"Aye then will ye stay girl?" Jack asked.

Rapina nodded.  "Sure, but I'm not used to sleeping at
night.  Kroz keeps a nocturnal schedule."

"That'll be fine, ye can do yer consecratin' and catch
up w' the night watch once I'm sleepin' if ye like.  I
think Rage is on one o' th' posts tanight. Meantime,
I'd like ta hog ye fer a bit soon as I get Roger
situated to 'is night's work," Jack said.

Rapina nodded and smiled.

"Roger, I'd have ye work here in me tent if it weren't
fer th' fact that I'd feel silly tryin' ta romance me
wench with a walkin' bag o' bones in th' room.  On th'
other hand I got a heap o' book work for ye.  We got so
much new goin' on, and wi' only six o' me old men here
I've been putin off th' book work somthin' fierce.
What little 'as been done, 'as been done by me an'
Drake, an' he's somewhat new at 'is letters so 'e ain't
near as fast as ye are.  I'll fix ye up with a table in
th' supply tent right next ta this tent," Jack said.

"Rapina, this'll take me a bit as I'll 'ave ta explain
ta Roger what's happenin'.  Why don't ye go back ta th'
fire an' catch up with what men are still up 'an around
while ye wait," Jack said.

"Okay, I'll go scare Brackston." Rapina smirked.

The captain laughed as they exited the tent.

Rapina went back to the camp's central fire.  There
were several men sitting around the fire, including
Pike who was there with some bandages.  He was talking
to Brackston and Skitch.

Rapina sat down next to Pike.

Brackston looked uneasily at Rapina.

"I'm sorry I couldn't do any better for him, Brackston,
but I got the distinct feeling it was this, another
execution, or Jack and the rest of you loosing as much
weight as Roger.  Rapina took Pike's hand and started
bandaging it properly.  "You don't have any herbs, do
you?" Rapina asked.

Pike shook his head.  We don't have a leech, and even
if we did, it was already getting cold before we got
the camp built.  Otherwise maybe Arzeal could have come
up with something.  Doanthalas is around here too, but
only since yesterday.  He and his woman Elizabetta,
Rage, and the Li'Yeiraun pair, Mansun the pathfinder
and Adriana Li'Yeiraun.   It turns out Adrianna is
really Captain Red Jack's daughter on account of some
foolin' around he did with Heinrich Li'Yeiraun's wife
years back."

"Jack has a daughter?  I'd like to meet her," Rapina
said.

"She's bedded down for the night, but I expect you'll
be meeting her in the morning," Pike said.

Rapina nodded.  "Sorry about the hand."

Pike grinned, "That was my fault.  After all those
arrows bounced off you and Roger, I should have had
more sense than to try something.  No hard feelings
though, I know you're doing the best you can for Jack."


Rapina nodded.

"So what's that necromancer like.  I mean as a man?"
Pike asked.

"Kroz is intense, a bit scary, very intelligent and, as
long as he respects you, he's a fair man," Rapina said.

"Are you his mistress?" a young pirate named Zit asked.

Rapina smiled at the armed youth who stood nearby.
Blemishes scarred and speckled his face.  "I'm an
apprentice to Kroz actually.  I clean the house, make
the meals, tend the garden and study every spare minute
I can find.  Lately I study more because there's no
garden in the winter."

"Rapina here used ta be a crewman," Skitch said. "I
helped ta train her up meself.  'Best ruttin' student I
ever had."  Skitch chuckled.

Rapina blushed.  "Basic was tough for me.  Thankfully,
I had a number of friends and benefactors here.  If I
didn't enjoy, ah, dealing with men, I probably would
not have made it.  Watch out for Skitch though, he
drives a hard bargain," Rapina smiled.

The men laughed.

"Rapina, yew warr good as any I raised up, but yew
didn't fit.  Yew were always too damn smart, an' too
pretty a pussy.  Yew put a cramp in me style.  All th'
boys were too busy ogglin' yew ta get in trouble so's I
could pump some brains up their ass.  That 'an I had ta
make sure none o' them boys done nothin' again' yer
will an' th' cap'n's orders.  Right taxin' yew were,"
Brackston said.

"You did good though, Brackston, never gave me any
trouble as long as I behaved.  I think the captain put
me in your barracks because he knew you'd be more
tempted by the boys." Rapina smiled.

"No secret I like th' boys.  That's what keeps 'em in
line.  What kind o' spooks do yew have ta put up wif
over wif Kroz?"

"Mostly walking skeletons, but I don't mind them so
much anymore because they help me with the housework,"
Rapina said.

"Help yew with the housework?!"  Brackston cringed.
"Yew mean yew spend yer days in th' company of a bunch
o' dead men?"

"Kroz is a necromancer, I don't have a lot of say about
his taste in servants.  Kroz procured Kent and Edgar
while we were lifting the rest of the pirate bodies.
He is doing some sort of project on Kent.  I see them
both on occasion, though I don't like to deal with
them.  I think the skeletons are more trustworthy,"
Rapina said.

Brackston shivered, "Ghouls!  I don't know why yew
aren't a jibberin' crazy mess, Rapina."

Rapina took a moment to think about what she had been
through.  "Me neither," she said.

The pirates laughed heartily.

"I guess I'm too interested in the magic lessons to
worry too much about the creepiness of it all.  I can't
say much more, you know how sorcerers are about their
secrets."

Brackston nodded gravely, and there was a brief silence
around the fire.

"Aright wench, I got me skinny assistant puttin' me
sorry books back in order.  Hey, ye know, I'll bet he
never has ta take a pee break th' whole night," Red
Jack chuckled as Brackston grimaced.  Back in the old
days Jack had enjoyed having Doanthalas in the cage
just because having something the men were scared of
made it easier to keep them in line.  Although working
with the necromancer might be dangerous in the long
run, depending on how long the holy war lasted, the
captain knew that having the spooks around would make
his job a whole lot easier.

Jack took Rapina's hand and the two of them started
towards his tent as the captain spoke over his
shoulder," Rapina's nocturnal as a minx, er lynx these
days, men, so she'll be out here again whilst I'm
sawing wood.   I'll catch ye in th' mornin.  I got some
speechifyin' ta do afore th' men soon as they get up. I
want 'em up a few minutes early tamarra, so wake 'em
when the birds start a chirpin' heraldin' dawn but
before th' rosy hues start brighten' up th' sky.  It's
got ta still be dark.  That's important."

"There now girl," Jack smiled as he let Rapina into his
tent.  We got a lot o' catchin' up ta do, but I 'spect
we can do some 'o that tamarra.  How's that old spook
been treatin' ye?" Jack asked.

"He's stern, but fair," Rapina said. "I work hard and
study hard, but the fact that the priest who made me an
outlaw in the first place was of the vindicator makes
me something of a heroine with the priests of
Mortaebius.  That certainly hasn't hurt me." Rapina
smiled.

"I'm glad someone got a lucky break out o' that isle o'
th' dead.  Pickin' that rock fer a base almost made me
a shadow o' me former self.  Then it nearly cost me my
head.  It would 'ave if some o' me good men hadna
escaped ta rescue me.  I jus' recently got Doanthalas
an' Rage back, but they came wi' baggage.  Doanthalas'
toatin' a woman I got ta remember ta have Roger check
out.  She walks too much like a feline fer me tastes,
an' Rage brought me daughter and a condemned Li'Yeiraun
pathfinder with 'im.  I don't trust him neither.  It's
been a real zoo since ye left me.  I got way too many
green recruits an' not nearly enough veterans." Jack
grimaced.

"I'm glad you're making the best of it, Jack," Rapina
smirked as she hung her cloak on a peg on Jack's tent
pole while the pirate captain stoked up his tiny pot-
bellied stove.

Red Jack chuckled, "Aye, that I am.  It reminds me o'
th' old days when I first started out as a pirate.
It's full circle, I guess.  Enough o' business, I been
eyein' that scarlet dress o' yours an' it's drivin' me
up a wall.  As ye might 'ave guessed I once 'ad a taste
fer noblewenches.  I've feasted me eyes on plenty o'
finery in me day, but I can't say as though I can
remember a single one o' them noblewenches who could
fill th' finery like ye can, up down, all aroun'."

Rapina smiled and blushed.

Ye've been growin' up while ye've been gone girl.  Ye
carry yerself different too, like a gentlewoman.  Ye're
gettin' class.  Is that spook a nobleman?

Rapina hung her rapier and weapons belt on the
headboard of Jack's bed, then sat down next to him.
"Kroz did have some contact with the upper crust and he
thought it would be wise for someone with my particular
magical talent and specialty to know deportment, so he
has been drilling me on it."

"Drillin ye?"  Jack chuckled.  Well, whatever else 'e
may be, 'e's taught ye a useful thing er two.  What o'
this magical specialty?  Can ye do any tricks?"

Rapina grinned, "Well, I have a talent, but outside of
that I can't do so much as a cantrip.  Even doing those
simple feats of magic requires several years of
practice to develop the necessary underlying ability,
even if the aptitude is there."

"Ye got a talent at least, is that a common thing for
an apprentice?" Jack asked.

"No, I don't think so, but it's certainly more common
for a magic apprentice to have one than just anyone, I
suppose," Rapina said.

"What is yer talent if ye don't mind me askin', girl?"
Jack asked.

"Rapina smirked.  I think you could answer that one for
yourself, Jack," Rapina stroked her hands down Jack's
chest, pulling at his lust all the way down to his
belly.

"Damn yer good at that!" Jack exclaimed.

Rapina smiled as she started to undo Jack's shirt.
"Talented?" Rapina asked.

"Aye, so that's it.  Ye've a magic snatch," Jack said.

Rapina giggled, then caressed the inside of the
Captain's thigh and watched his skin take on a ruddy
hue as his manhood strained to leap out of his pants.
"I suppose you could put it that way," Rapina said.

"Ye do have knack fer th' bedroom; is that yer magic?"
Jack asked.

Rapina noded.

"What can ye do with that besides make a man fall all
over 'imself?  Jack said breathing heavily as he worked
to undo Rapina's bodice."

"With sex magic?  Theoretically quite a bit, but I need
to develop my talent." Rapina unbuckled Jack's belt.

"I think I can help ye with that," Jack took a deep
breath as he pulled Rapina's dress down and looked at
her scarlet bustier.  "I like this one even better than
th' one I first saw ye in," Jack said.

"This one fits." Rapina smiled.

"Aye, th' design looks ta be made fer yer figure, an
there's even more fillin' th' cups than there was when
ye were younger.  Ye always did have nice tits, girl,
an they just keep gettin' better.

Rapina smiled, stepped out of her dress and folded it
over Jack's chair while the Captain removed his
trousers.  The captain's erection stood at attention.

"Ye're still in better shape than any noblewench I've
seen.  'as ol' spooky been makin' ye carry water aroun'
'is 'aunted castle?" Jack asked.

Rapina giggled, "No, actually I have been training with
an assistant of his," Rapina said.

"At arms?" Jack asked.

Rapina nodded.

"Spooky must trust ye quite a bit," Jack said.

"Yes, that and he's a necromancer, so I'd still be in
trouble even if I successfully killed him," Rapina
said.

Jack chuckled, "I see yer point.  I notice ye carry a
rapier, but it ain't that nice one I got ye.  Is that
what ye've been trainin' at?"

"Yes, I miss that blade.  I'm hoping I can convince
Kroz to buy me another from the Montfort forge.  I've
continued to train in rapier, plus unarmed, and a
little bow work so I don't get rusty," Rapina said.

Jack caressed Rapina's sides and back through her
bustier. "Aye, yer in great shape.  Do ye eat bettern'
ye did as a pirate?" Jack asked.

Rapina grinned, "Yes, Kroz is a wealthy man, his table
is well stocked.  Sometimes I'm the one who stocks it.
We apprentices have to work for a living too, you
know," Rapina said.

"Aye," Jack chuckled as he cupped Rapina's breasts
beneath her bustier then grasped her sides and moved
her onto his lap.  I can see how havin' a woman like
you aroun' would make 'im feel especially wealthy.  'e
sure does dress ye nice.  Where did these under things
come from?" Jack asked.

"Argos, Kroz really gets around." Rapina could feel
Jack's hardness against her cheeks.  His lust burned
through her silken panties and coursed up her spine.

The captain chuckled and turned.  He rose slightly so
that Rapina's rump slid off his lap and then he gently
pushed her down on the bed.  Jack unclipped her silk
stockings then reached under her bustier and pealed the
scarlet panties from her body as she lifted her long
legs.  "I'm just glad he ain't th' jealous type.  Ye
know I found ye that isle jus' so ye could get inta the
company of them mage types," Jack winked as he stroked
Rapina's smooth inner thighs.

Rapina smiled up at the captain, her legs bent at the
knees and slightly apart as she lay on the bed.  "I
should have known you had the whole thing planned.
That was quite a sacrifice to make for my education.
How will I ever repay you?" Rapina asked.

Jack chuckled lustily as he caressed Rapina's nether
lips, already quite wet with lubrication.  "I'm sure we
can work somethin' out.  Besides, I couldn't cheat th'
world out o' a magic snatch.  It would be against me
religion.  It would 'ave been down right sacrilegious
o' me even ta think about it.  Jack's nimble fingers
worked over Rapina's slippery labia, dipping into her
honey and using it to lubricate her swollen clit.  It's
a work o' art, an it's got plenty o' zip an' slip to
it.  A woman with sex drive like ye've got is a rare
jewel.  I'll bet ye could take th' whole camp on an'
never go dry," Jack marveled.

"Sometime I'll have to find out," Rapina said half
seriously.

"Sometimes I think ye already have," Jack said.

Rapina giggled.  She did recall certain very busy
evenings during basic. "Well, not everyone."

"Jfft abot," The captain's voice was muffled between
Rapina's velvety thighs.

Rapina moaned between deep breaths, and before long,
lights filled her mind as she came.  She could touch
Jack's mind from her peak as she might have touched a
gray cloud from a mountaintop.   She resisted the urge
to reinforce the captain's lust and let the cloud go
by, gathering only a hint of her affection as it
passed.

Captain Red Jack brought her to climax numerous times
in the next couple of hours.  Rapina let him take her
twice before sending a sleepy, calming mood to his mind
during her final orgasm.  She took it easy on him, but
not quite as easy as she once had, for she felt he now
trusted her enough that she might let him learn the
truth.  After Jack fell asleep, Rapina cleaned up as
best she could at Jack's basin, then gathered up her
clothes, dressed and headed back through the cold
winter's night towards the camp's central fires.  The
wind was chill, but she hardly felt it through the glow
Red Jack had left within her.

The vindicator's teachings admonished her to feel
triply guilty about her tryst with Jack.  It was sex
before marriage, sex with a second partner, and sex in
the face of being involved with Rames, currently her
primary lover.  Honest lust, the vindicator could not
stand it, so he could not stand her either.  Now that
she was back in the pirate camp, she would do what came
naturally if she felt like it.   Rapina shook her head,
the vindicator that had been revealed to her by
reverend Evangeline was a sham.  Jack, Thane and Rames
were evil men, but they were not deceivers as
Evangeline had been.  She did not know what goddess of
lust might control her fait.  For now, she was fairly
sure she had been loaned to Mortaebius, the god of the
dead.  She was content to be of use in his struggle
against the vindicator's "pious" followers who preached
honesty and justice while they dressed as bandits,
killed priests and burned the temples of other gods.

"Hail Mortaebius, guardian of the dead. A creature of
life and lust am I, glad in thy just service to draw
nigh, lust, and life, and death - one cycle, life goes
by.  Death is fact and a god I will not deny, and as
lust I shall serve thee to kill the lie."

"Well met Rapina," Roger said.

Startled, Rapina lurched to a halt.  She looked up just
in time not to run right into Roger.  What was even
more startling than the appearance of the skeleton was
the fact that Rapina could swear she had seen him
smiling when she first looked up.  "How can a skeleton
be smiling without lips?" Rapina rationalized to
herself.

"The graveyard is this way.  Shall we consecrate it
before you begin socializing?" Roger asked.

"Uh, sure, that way I can have the rest of the night
with the men." Rapina smiled.

"Indeed."  Roger silently led the way through the snow,
his boney feet hardly leaving a trail.  "The graves are
here."

"They are?"  Rapina asked, for she could see only snow.


"Yes, I will show you.  Roger walked elongated ovals
marking four graves.  Mortaebius knows where the dead
lie.  What we will do here tonight is merely a
formality.  It works a magic sympathetic to Kroz's
spell and will allow him to come to this graveyard more
easily.  What he attempts tomorrow night is a new feat
for him.  In the past he has come to graveyards he has
been to that are familiar to him.  This one is
different.  He has viewed it only through his pool, and
he will be counting on us to mark it, to add something
familiar to it to make his spell surer.  It is good we
are both present.  If this first attempt is successful,
he will have greater confidence, confidence that could
be very important in the months to come.

This will be a simple ritual.  Roger walked a rectangle
around the four graves.  I will walk along the lines of
this rectangle, as I move you will move, always in the
same direction, but you will remain always be on a
diagonal corner from from me.  I will say a prayer, and
you will repeat it or say another if you cannot
remember it.  Any questions?"

"none." Rapina smiled.

"Good, I will stand on the Northeast corner and you on
the Southwest to start," Roger said.

"Hail Mortaebius guardian of the dead, we the dead who
lie here entreat thee, hallow this ground that we might
rest," Roger intoned.

"Hail Mortaebius, keeper of the deceased, we the living
entreat thee, hallow this ground that the dead be held
in thy embrace, to rise only in the direst need,"
Rapina incanted.

Roger walked clockwise around the periphery to the next
corner, and intoned another prayer.

Rapina moved as Roger did, arriving to pray first in
the Northwest, then in the Northeast where Roger
started.

"...and thus we close the circle, life and death, the
cycle is complete."

"Excellent, Rapina.  I had no idea you knew the prayers
of consecration and in your first prayer you added, "to
rise only in the direst need," a line that is most
often left off these days.  I expected a much less
proper ritual.  Your performance was as flawless as a
priest's.  Tell me, why do you know such things?" Roger
asked.

Rapina blushed, "I don't think I am meant to be a
priestess of Mortaebius.  I'm just not into the dead
like Kroz, but Mortaebius has been a good patron to me,
and I am honored to be his ally.  I studied one of
Guardian Rames' books that he had from being a chaplain
before he actually became a priest.  It's a handbook
for church deacons.  The line I added was mentioned in
the footnote as the historical form, but given the
situation, I thought it would be appropriate," Rapina
said.

"Yes, I remember your uncommon sharp wit," Roger said.
"You know the rituals and serve my master well.  There
are things best done by the living.  Your aptitudes are
a fine complement to our own.  Thank you Rapina.  You
may return to the warmth of the fire, and rest assured,
Mortaebius recognizes a good servant, even if she is an
ally not natural to his service."

"Thank you Roger," Rapina said as she waved and left
death to contemplate the graves in the biting winter
wind.

---

The central campfire shone like a beacon guiding Rage
towards the cluster of tents in the distance.  The
young pirate finished strapping on his sword as he
walked.  He had been cleaning it when one of the new
pirates had brought news of Rapina's arrival. It could
only be Rapina judging by the man's description.  Few
women could rival her beauty. Rage wasn't sure he
believed that she had stepped out of the fire with a
demon in tow. That was a lot of superstitious nonsense
most likely fueled by the return of Doanthalas.  The
old crewmembers knew he wasn't a demon spawn, but the
new crew had yet to come to that conclusion.

"It will be good to see Rapina again," Rage thought as
he felt a swelling in his pants. "For more than a few
reasons..."  He smiled as he looked down at the stone
set in the hilt of his sword. Things were looking up.
Soon what was left of the old crew would be back
together again.  They would once again be strong and
feared.  Rage loved being a pirate.  All the action,
women, and booty a man could want...and then some. His
smile widened as he approached the camp.

---

The mage Nordula watched intently as Rage returned to
the camp from guard duty. "The only thing more boring
than being on guard duty is watching someone who is on
guard duty," he mused.  As much as Nordual hated
babysitting this young pirate he hated the thought of
Lord Li'Yeiraun's wrath even more. At least the magical
stone set in the sword hilt was doing its job... and
remarkably well.  It had been a good plan to leave the
sword where Rage was sure to pick it up.  Now with the
sword and stone strapped to the young pirate's hip the
images were coming through crystal clear.

The image in the center of the kettle shifted and
seemed to shimmer for a moment.  It began to jump and
coalesce into a whirlpool of color.  Something was
interfering with Nordula's scrying.  It appeared as
though it were some natural disturbance, an upwelling
of earth energy, or some such; it might also have been
a clever ward, but where would a simple pirate captain
have come upon such a thing?  In any case, it was not a
good sign.  He did not think that Jack had any mages to
detect let alone deal with his magical workings.  No,
if it was countermagic, some magical device plundered
from one of Red Jack's victims more likely caused it.
It had not been in effect at the guard post. Therefore,
it likely had a range.  If that was so then the stone
in the sword could still be of use when Rage was away
from the center of the camp.

Still Nordula would have to inform Henrich of this
development.  Something would have to be done to ensure
that their prey did not escape.  The mage wrapped his
robes around him and stepped outside to summon one of
his apprentices.  He found a candidate studying in his
library. "Kall!  Come and watch over the scrying
kettle!  The image has faded, but let me know the
moment it reappears.  I must find Lord Li'Yeiraun."  He
waved a hand at the boy as he disappeared in a cloud of
colored smoke.

---

It had been a few days since Doantalis had lain with
Elisabetta.  He had not spoken to her either.  She had
made her choice.  Her loyalty to Paolo had been
stronger than her feelings for Doanthalas.  It hurt...a
lot!  But, then again, the elf's life had been nothing
but pain for the last fifty years or so.  He was
becoming jaded...numb to the whole experience.

Once again everything was happening at once; Elisabetta
was plotting to assassinate Red Jack, Rapina had
returned, and Jack's daughter had come looking for
Drake.  Nothing was ever easy.  Doanthalas had to
decide what to do about Elisabetta.  He felt no loyalty
towards Jack, but he had also seen quite enough killing
for one lifetime.

Almost without thinking the elf pulled the locket out
of his pocket and held it in his hand.  Inside was the
picture of the guard he had slain and his family.  Of
all the lives he had taken over the past fifty years
this one affected him the most.  Doanthalas had been
able to justify the other killings.  It was justice
pure and simple.  But this was different.  The only
thing the guard had been guilty of was doing his job.

Then there was Rapina.  Where had she been and why had
she returned?  He was not going to get an answer while
he sat there and brooded so he pocketed the locket and
made his way towards the center of camp.

---

Mansun Dido sat around the large central fire watching
the pirates with mild interest.  They still regarded
him as an outsider so he sat alone.  In fact, the only
person in the camp who seemed to show him any amount of
respect at all had been the tattooed elf.  He was sure
the elf did not trust him yet, but that would come in
time.  The pirates had been content to sneer at him or
ignore him depending on their moods.

Sitting amongst the pirates chatting away like an old
comrade-in-arms was the woman Rapina.  She was a
difficult one to figure out.  He detected strength in
her that was intriguing and frightening at the same
time.  All the more terrifying because her beauty
seemed to distract, the men at least, from it. At the
moment he wasn't worried about her though.

Elisabetta had him worried.  For the past few days she
had cut herself off from the elf.  Something had
happened to push them apart.  When he had first met
them they seemed to almost dote on one
another...almost.  Now she avoided him whenever
possible.  What's more she had taken on a subtle, but
dangerous edge.

Once again she was nowhere to be found.  Neither was
the elf for that matter. But Doanthalas didn't worry
Mansun.  He was dangerous, no doubt, but the pathfinder
felt secure in the feeling that he had nothing to fear
from him. There was an infinite sadness to the elf that
seemed to permeate everything he did and said.
Something horrible must have happened to him in the
past. The pathfinder's thoughts were interrupted by the
appearance of the young pirate Rage.  Apparently, he
was returning from guard duty.

---

Rage finished his business and exited the latrine.  For
some reason he felt uneasy.  He looked around.  He
guessed it was nothing.  In any case he needed sleep.
He walked briskly back towards the barracks tent.

Nordula's chambers dissolved and were replaced by an
outdoor scene.  Deitrich froze in place and held his
breath a moment.  A young pirate wearing a nice sword
left the outhouse beside him and seemed to look right
through him before he walked up the path back towards
the pirate camp.  Nordula had not explained why he had
to teleport Deitrich so close to the camp, but he was
glad the cloaking spell had lasted through the
transfer.  Looking around, the spy quickly got his
bearings and made his way to a thick cluster of bushes.
Traveling via Nordula's magic had not been nearly as
disconcerting as he thought it might be.  He actually
thought he could get used to it.  It sure beat riding
weeks through rugged terrain to reach his destination.
He stealthily put a little distance between the pirate
camp and himself before the invisibility wore off.  If
he could find out where the watch posts were while
still cloaked, it would make his job much easier.

"I've arrived," he said into the magic stone hanging
from his neck. The stone seemed to pulse with light as
Nordula's voice emanated from it, "Excellent!  Keep us
informed of any developments." The light from the stone
faded as the spy nodded and stealthily made his way
around the periphery of the pirate camp.

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

Adriana was beautiful lying there beside him.  She was
asleep.  Drake hadn't known her long at all, but
already his heart belonged to her.  That was precisely
the reason Drake was lying there seriously considering
Jack's request. He had given up a lot to become a
pirate and had lost just as much during the course of
becoming one.  Drake leaned over and kissed her on the
lips.  She stirred and rolled to her side draping an
arm over his chest.  Losing Adriana was not a thought
he could stand.  That was why he had decided to do as
Jack requested and take her away from the pirates.
They would start a new life elsewhere.  Jack had a
friend who knew important people in foreign lands who
could help them get a start.  Drake Stretched and
yawned.  Pulling the covers up he nestled in close to
Adriana and draped his arm around her.  In minutes he,
too, was asleep.
-------


[Rapina]028 The Touch of Darkness

Rapina looked up from her conversation with a few of
the recruits as Rage approached wearing a new sword.
Pike had gone to bed a few minutes before, looking a
little more tired and worn than she had ever seen him.
She could tell that the turn of events, the magic,
Jack's capture and so many new and potentially
untrustworthy faces had taken their toll on the
Norseman, though he tried not to show it.  The new
recruits were typical of the young men Jack attracted,
full of bravado, bloodthirstiness and often fleeing a
harsh or boring lifestyle for the even harsher
lifestyle of Red Jack's pirate camp.  Rapina smiled to
herself, and then greeted Rage who had just come in
from guard duty.

"Rage!  It's good to see you, not many of the faces
around here look familiar," Rapina said.

"Aye, It's good seeing' ya too," Rage said. "Not many
of us survived the isle o' the dead. Just me an' Pike,
Brackston, Arzeal, Skitch, an' the elf, made off
without gettin' nabbed.  We got Jack back, 'an I guess
that necromancer's still got 'is claws in ye from what
I hear.  He hasn't turned ye inta something like Kent,
has 'ee?

Rapina smiled, "Actually, I'm with a more experienced
necromancer now.  The guardian of the isle sometimes
buys spells and things from Kroz, my master.  They both
worship the same god.  Of course you'd kind of expect
most necromancers to worship a god of the dead."  She
could tell Rage had reservations about her relationship
with the necromancer.  She could not really blame him.
Thane had frightened the wits out of the pirates.  In
spite of their combat experience, they were a
superstitious lot with no understanding of the
principles of magic.  What he had experienced on the
isle of the dead would probably haunt Rage's dreams for
years to come.

"No, no, he has not turned me into something like Kent,
I'd be of less use to him as a dead-brain," Rapina
said. "Kroz is frightening, but to tell you the truth,
I've kind of gotten used to him, as much as that's
possible.  He is a fair master, though not particularly
kindly.  Although he lacks Jack's flair and deadly
humor, he does have a razor wit and he can be quite
engaging to listen to, especially if you have an
interest in magic," Rapina said.

"Magic!  Huh I'd steer clear o' that nonsense if I were
you.  It's dangerous," Rage said with conviction.

"Yes, it is, but that's where my talents are, but you
already knew that, didn't you?" Rapina said.

"Rage smiled crookedly.  "Yeah, I could tell.  I guess
you won't be such a bad sorceress, but damn, why did
you pick a necromancer for a teacher?" Rage asked.

"I didn't, really, life just happened that way," Rapina
said.

Rage's mood softened. He guessed Rapina always was cut
out for sorcery.  Red Jack had seen it in her and
encouraged her magical studies.  Earlier Rage had been
all set to see if he could spirit Rapina off to bed,
but the memories had come back.  She was with a
necromancer, a man who created and ruled the walking
dead, a man like the man who had turned Kent into a
clawed cadaver.  Rage shivered involuntarily.  He
wondered if she slept with the necromancer, wondered if
his blue dead hands caressed her shapely rump, or if
his purple lips had suckled at her breasts.  Rage had
never seen Kroz.  Yet, he could imagine the necromancer
and how frightening he must be in person.  It all made
the young pirate nervous, so he put on his toughest
face.

"I'll see you later, Rapina, I need to get something to
eat here."  Rage busied himself getting food.

Rapina smirked.  It was obvious it would take the young
pirate a while to get used to her again.  She was sure
he would be okay given time.  At the moment she noticed
someone who looked distinctly out of place, for her
emerald eyes had lit on the pathfinder.  She knew
little of him, only that the men seemed not to trust
him, yet she could not help but get the feeling that he
was a good man in a bad situation.  This resonated with
her own reason for getting involved with the pirates.
Sometimes life took some unexpected turns.

Since Rage's soliloquy had cooled the pirates on her
for the moment, she took the opportunity to sit near
the pathfinder.  His story might be interesting.
Rapina's eyes caressed over the man's form, assessing
him.  He was obviously a warrior of some sort, though
not particularly overbuilt. His stature was average,
his dark hair was cut short and his features were
fairly plain, but handsome in their own way.

"You look as out of place as I feel," Rapina said
softly as she sat down beside him.

Mansun Dido was startled out of his thoughts by the
woman's comment. Looking up from the ground he saw a
beautiful woman with the most engaging emerald eyes.
Her smile seemed friendly, but underneath it all she
seemed to be sizing him up for something.  The
pathfinder recovered quickly. "I could say the same of
you milady," Mansun articulated.  He was definitely
familiar with the ways of the nobility as evidenced by
his etiquette.  A sigh escaped his lips as he closed
his eyes for a moment. "Not so long ago I was a
pathfinder in the service of Lord Henrich Li'Yeiraun."
Seeing Rapina's questioning look he replied, "That is
correct. I used to be a loyal servant of the man who
tried to kill Red Jack for sleeping with his wife. But
that was when I thought loyalty and honor counted for
something." Mansun massaged his temples and took a deep
breath.

"I was in charge of the pathfinders that were tracking
Rage.  Lord Li'Yeiraun wanted us to find Red Jack's new
camp and figured this to be the best way.
Unfortunately, we lost Rage's trail a few days after
his escape. I didn't know it then, but this was due to
the help of the elf Doanthalas. To make a long story
short; Lord Li'Yeiraun was so upset that we lost the
pirate's trail that he decided to make an example of me
and have me executed in his place." The pathfinder
shook his head and snorted, "A lifetime of loyal
service...gone." Mansun shook the depressing thought
from his mind and faced Rapina. "My name is Mansun
Dido.  What name do you go by?"

"I go by Rapina."  Rapina extended her hand.  "I'm
sorry to hear a man who should have been noble betrayed
you.  My reasons for originally joining Jack's men were
similar to yours.  When men of power behave in ways
that are criminal, good people are forced to flee the
justice that should be protecting them.   It's sad that
Lord Li' Yeiraun is not more loyal to those that serve
him.  I will stop feeling sorry for him that Jack
diverted his wife's attentions.

Is Lord Li'Yeiraun a religious man?

"As much as any lord is I suppose," Mansun replied.
"That was to say that as religious as he had to seem to
his subjects and still keep his good name.  I too have
stopped feeling sorry for him about Jack and his wife.
It's ironic that Red Jack would turn out to be the
honorable one and Lord Li'Yeiraun the bloodthirsty
tyrant."  He shook his head and laughed. "I owe my life
to Red Jack's daughter you know?  She is the one who
saved me the trouble of swinging from the leafless
tree...if you take my meaning."  The pathfinder sighed
and ran his fingers through his short hair.  "Now I
have to begin my life anew.  By now Lord Li'Yeiraun has
tainted my good name amongst the folks I once knew.  I
wish I knew what to do.  You seem to have adapted to
life on the run fairly easily, milady.  Any pointers
for a recently unemployed pathfinder?"  This last
comment was said with a wry smile.  Apparently, the man
did have a sense of humor.

"Sometimes the currents of life are impossible to swim
against.  The best I've been able to do is keep afloat.
In my case I've been swept to the opposite shore, to
help the enemies of the man who betrayed me.  At first
I was just trying to get away, and since the law was
after me, I took shelter with Jack, an outlaw, but
being a pirate turned out to be a between-stage. I'm
not sure if it's truly good luck or ill, but I now work
for an enemy of the man who betrayed me.  That's why I
ask what religion Lord Li'Yeiraun pays homage too.
There are many issues that divide powerful nobles and
religion is one of them.  It's an important question in
these times.  It might be possible that Lord Li'Yeiraun
has enemies who are more legitimate to the law of
Clairmont than Jack is."

"I'm not a religious man myself so I do have to confess
a sort of ignorance to the religion of the land."  A
wry smile crossed his lips, "The only god I pay homage
to is mother earth and the only service I attend is
that of the local tavern.  And speaking of drink I
could really go for one right about now.  Would milady
Rapina care to join me for a little of the holy
spirits?"

Rapina smiled, "I have a great deal of respect for
anyone who can scare up a drink in a pirate camp, so of
course I would be glad to join you."

Mansun proved to be an interesting conversationalist,
but Rapina felt he was not the kind of fish who enjoyed
being reeled in right away.  She did not need to be in
a hurry, at least that's what she told herself.  In
truth the exposure to so many men, even in spite of the
wintry conditions, was deepening her hunger.  It was as
if she had been on a stringent program of rationing
drawing only from Rames, and now that she was
surrounded by food, she felt hungrier than she had
previously realized.

It had not been long before Mansun's life of early to
bed, early to rise had forced him to retreat to his
bedroll.  Rapina returned to the campfire, but the
early morning hours were not kind.  Only a few men
remained on sentry duty.   Since many of the youths did
not know her, Rapina thought it unwise to go around
talking to the sentries.  It was ironic that Rapina
wound up in the supply tent with Roger.  The death of
Mortaebius said nothing as she entered, and continued
to work on Jack's books as if conversation and breaks
were luxuries reserved for the living.

For her part, Rapina decided there were mental
exercises pertaining to her magical studies to be done.
It was a pity she had not brought a book with her, but
everything had happened so rapidly from her entry into
the inner sanctum of the mortancers to her reunion with
captain Jack.  One thing had stuck in her mind,
however.  In the negotiations, Roger had mentioned
there were necromantic spells that could be used to
drain the life force from another, and transfer it to
the necromancer in order to heal him.  Rapina thought
to herself as she cupped the fullness of her breasts
within her cloak, "Isn't that exactly what I do with
men?  Only it feels good when I do it to them and I can
store the energy."

As Rapina was musing, there came a scratching at the
tent flap.  Roger seemed unmoved.  Rapina slipped out
to see whom it might be.

"Zit?  What are you doing out at this hour?" Rapina
asked.

"I, I wanted to ask you something," Zit said.

"What?" Rapina asked.

The young man looked down at Rapina's feet.  "Is it
true?"

"What?" Rapina asked.

"We were talkin' and... Are ye a vampire?" Zit asked.

"Zit, are you still in basic, because if you are, and
Brackston finds out you snuck out of the barracks, he's
going to pump some sense up your butt, like he always
threatens."

Zit's mouth formed an "O" as his back stiffened.  "But
I have ta know," Zit whispered.  "I'll run back so it
seems I just went ta the latrine."

Rapina smirked.  "If I were a vampire, don't you think
I'd have fangs?"

"Well, yeah, but ye might have an illusion that covers
'em up," Zit said.

Rapina rolled her eyes.  "Was Brackston in on this
little discussion in the barracks?"

"Uh, I'd rather not say," Zit said.

"I'll take that as a yes."  Rapina grinned.  "So you
want to know if I'm a vampire.  Shall we find out?"
Rapina grabbed the boy and bit his neck playfully,
sucking some skin into her mouth.

Zit froze and screamed soundlessly... "Hey, you didn't
even break the skin," Zit said.

"You sound disappointed.  Were you hoping I'd suck your
blood and turn you into my sex slave?"

Zit blushed.

Rapina giggled softly, "Sorry Zit, I just don't have
the teeth for the first part, and you don't have the
time for the second part.  Because if you don't get
back to the barracks, you're going to be Brackston's
sex slave."

Zit's lips formed the familiar "O" once again.  "Okay
bye," He said flailing a hand and running off.

Rapina shook her head and smiled as she reentered the
tent. Roger was as she had left him.  She wondered if
there wasn't a certain urgency in the way the death of
Mortaebius applied himself.   It stood to reason, the
holy war between Mortaebius and the Vindicator was
heating up rapidly.  The mortancers had been deadly
serious.  During the winter months when the orcs made
little attempt to retake the lands Lord Avengene had
wrested from them, his most loyal forces were marauding
the temples of Mortaebius posing as bandits.

Originally, it was hoped that Avengene's religious
fervor would halt at the borders of his own lands, but
it now seemed obvious that the Vindicator's forces had
larger plans in mind.   To these plans the Church of
Moraebius must react swiftly, for they did not have a
standing army like Avengene's on which to draw.  The
Order of the Shroud would likely bloom afresh, and
Rapina intended to ingratiate herself to that
organization to the best of her ability.  For in this
game of chess, her only prospect of finding friends was
to seek out the enemies of her enemy.
------------------

"Captain, time to wake up for your speech, Sir," Arzeal
said.

"Aye I  was jus' gonna... Wha  oi,  oh it's mornin'.
Jack sat up and massaged his face.  Damn ye'd think I'd
pulled an all-nighter last night th' way I feel.  Now I
grant ye I wasn't ta bed early, an me wench were in
rare form, put me practically on the moon, she did, but
it weren't like I staid up th' whole night boffin 'er
brains out.  I sure feel like it though. Damn, well get
me some strong tea.  Th' men need a speech about are
new deal with th' spooks, an' it's a speech they'll
get."

The captain roused himself and began dressing and
preparing for his speech. By the time he emerged from
his tent and went to the central fires, Brackston had
the men assembled for the speech.

"Aye there now, me mates, I'll bet ye're wonderin why
yer up a bit early this mornin', why I'm disturbin' yer
beauty rest," Captain Red Jack said.  "Well some of ye
know we 'ad some visitors last night.  Seems me new
fame that's been drawin' recruits 'as also drawn some
other attention, sorcerous attention.  I'm sure the
tails o' spooks an' sorcery 'ave already made th'
rounds.  Now I'm going ta give ye th' skinny.  Seems
I'm in a bit o' a spot.  Me fame is invitin' th'
attentions o' morn' jus' th' law.  Now I got mages ta
contend with.  Luckily th' first of 'em ain't lookin'
ta cash in are chips jus' yet.

I'm not sayin' I trust 'im completely, but we 'ave
somethin 'e needs, and 'e 'as somethin' we need.  Now
where I come from, that's the grounds fer a deal.  I
found me a necromancer.  His name is Kroz, and 'e's
going ta put up some protections against sorcerous
spyin' an th' like.  In return, come raidin' season
we're going ta supply 'im with cadavers from are raids
ta keep 'is laboratory hummin'.  As ye know, I'm a
little short on experienced help after that damned
illusionist broke up me former men.  I'm tired o'
fightin' sorcery with spar varnish, so now we got us a
magician on are side!"

The pirates cheered.

"Bein' that 'e 'as ta spend most 'o 'is time in some
musty laboratory, Kroz 'as left a pair 'o hands an eyes
with me ta help us out, an bein' as how are new 'elper
looks like th' pirate flag, we'll be callin 'im Roger.
All ye need ta know about Roger is that 'e's a skinny
officer with a rank same as Drake's, an' with th'
weight of bein' th' stiff that keeps th' books for me
an' at times carries me orders.   Other than that, th'
less ye know about Kroz an' are new helper, th' longer
ye're likely ta live.  If ye hear any wild stories
about 'is past or anything ye didn't hear from me, ye
better come straight ta Red Jack an' let me know who's
tellin' tall tales. I'll not be havin' me camp turned
upside down by wild rumors, an' any man who disobeys
that order's going ta be sleepin' with Roger."

"Fer those of ye who don't know what in hell a
necromancer is, I'll tell ye. A necromancer is a
magician who specializes in magic concernin th' dead.
Spells that allow a magican ta speak wi' th' dead, make
th' dead rise up an' dance and such like dark sorceries
are what necromancers are best at. Necromancers are
generally considered ta be th' most evil o' mages, so a
necromancer is just th' kind o' critter who would 'ave
no trouble workin' with rapin', pilligin', murderin',
bloodthirsty pirates like areselves.  Now Roger, I want
ye ta say a few words intraducin' yerself ta th' men,
so as they can recognize yer face an voice."

A figure cowled in heavy black robes came before the
men and stripped back his hood.

A gasp ran through the crowd, and the eyes of many of
the men opened wide with terror.

"I am death, but you may call me Roger if you wish.  I
will see that bodies from the raids are harvested for
Kroz, and I will serve Captain Red Jack," Roger said in
an emotionless tone.

There was a persistent murmuring in the crowd that
would not seem to die down.

"I know what ye're thinkin'," Red Jack said. "Half o'
ye can't believe sorcery like this exists and ye're
sayin ta yerself, 'e's just a collection o' bones wired
tagether an' there's a pirate hidin' behind Jack makin'
'is voice, an' th' others a ye are worryin' about yer
immortal soul on account o' workin' wit' spooks.

Roger go 'round th' crowd and shake th' 'ands o' th men
that're man enough ta shake.  That should 'elp ye all
ta see Roger ain't some prop I put tagether fer yer
entertainment.  'An if ye're so convinced 'e ain't
nothin, ye can 'ave a little sword play with 'im, long
as ye don't mind 'im relivin' ye o' yer 'ead.  Fer ye
that's fearin' fer yer souls, ye should 'o thought 'o
that before ye joined a gang 'o bloodthirsty pirates,
now shouldn't ye?  If yer religious types 'er right
then we'll all meet in hell anyhow."

Captain Red Jack watched as Roger made his way through
the men.   Most shrunk away from the boney appendage,
too terrified to shake.  Others practically scoffed,
thinking Roger was a trick.  They shook, and many came
away with a look of horror.  Two of the scoffers were
big, tough boys from the slums of Turnmoor.  Wedge was
respected for his strength and skill at arms, and Blunt
was the black sheep of weapons practice who didn't give
a damn who got hurt, as long as he got to laugh at
them.  They looked at each other, they looked at Roger
and they grinned.  Just after the death had passed
them, they drew their cutlasses in unison.

The death of Mortaebius carried his scythe in his left
han.  As the men drew, he spun three hundred sixty
degrees in that direction to shake the next recruit's
hand only a fraction of a second after he would
originally have done so.   The fact that Wedge's
cutlass, along with his right hand, fell to the ground
at about the same time as Blunt's head, did not seem to
concern Roger in the least.  He was following orders.
The two recruits would serve as an example.

Open-mouthed, the pirates saw the one recruit fall in a
fountain of blood and the other grab his own handless
forearm.  Had it not been for the movement of his thick
black robes, and the glint of his scythe, the men might
have believed Roger had not moved at all.  Yet, the
death and disfigurement he had left in his wake made
his actions unmistakable.

"Brackston, get a tourniquet on Wedge's stump, and pick
up that 'and.  Maybe we can sew it back on," Jack
chuckled.

Zit's hands were shaking even more than they had been.
The shower of blood and the scent of death hadn't
helped any.  As the skeletal figure approached, Zit
steeled himself.  He had to know.  As the young recruit
reached out and shook Roger's hand he moved closer to
where he thought the skeleton's ear would be, if he
really had one, and whispered, "G-good morning sir,
could you tell me, Is Rapina a-a vampire?"

Roger brought his teeth near the young man's ear and
whispered, "Rapina is a creature of lust.  She offers
pleasure for what she takes from a man; a vampire takes
blood, and offers death."
----------

After Jack's bloody speech, the pirate captain offered
Rapina his bed and she slept there until late
afternoon.  A few hours later, just after dusk, she and
Roger waited in the graveyard for Kroz, the necromancer
who would be played by Thane.  When he arrived, he was
in high spirits, his confidence in his own ability to
use the graveyard mists spell for transportation having
been bolstered.  With him, he had brought his personal
guards a group of double-animated skeletons dressed in
new blackened plate armor.  Behind them, in addition to
the fading magical mists, a cloud of steam rose into
the air.  Rapina recognized six of the flaming
skeletons that were used to heat Thane's abode.  Many
of the more ordinary armored skeletons carried litters
filled with supplies.  The most notable of these being
a very large roll of oiled canvas.  Thane himself was
dressed in his mortancer robes and looked much like
Roger.  For the illusion of a skeletal face obscured
his real face, and his voice was also modified by magic
to sound like the voice of a dead man.

"Roger, Rapina, it is so nice to see you.  I trust
things are not moving too rapidly for you?" Kroz said.

"Things are going as planned here, Kroz.  Your arrival
is a welcome development.  I believe your ease of
transport has been facilitated by the fine job your
apprentice, Rapina, did in assisting me with the
consecration of this graveyard.  She has the skills of
a deaconess, and my master views her deeds of service
favorably."

Kroz raised his chin.  "Excellent, Rapina, as your
service gradually outweighs your sins, I shall make
sure that you do not go unrewarded.  Our master
appreciates service, especially in times of conflict
when it is so desperately needed."

Rapina nodded.

"Now we have much work to do, "Kroz said.  "I must meet
with the captain.  Another house of our master was
sacked early this morning, the last and strongest in
the enemy's territory.  We had largely been abandoning
the others but this one had been serving as a base from
which we were conducting our strategic withdrawal.
Once the enemy saw how easy it was to take those houses
that were largely abandoned, he acted swiftly, but I'm
afraid we lost more than a few brothers in that last
battle.

Word is that those with sentiments that do not agree
with the enemy's are being disappeared rapidly as he
consolidates his power.  My associates and I have
decided to give this pirate project a little boost.  We
need Jack's ship harvesting the dead as early in the
spring as possible.  Winter is more than half over. We
hope our enemy will be too busy consolidating the power
of his church within his own lands to have any time to
launch attacks outside them before the orcs on his
Northern border tie up his forces again this spring.

We will provide Jack the supplies he needs to enclose
the skeleton of the ship he is building within a tent,
and get the temperature within high enough to do the
wood-working now, rather than waiting for spring thaws.
Come, after I speak to the captain, we must plant the
warding devices in the camp. Kroz bustled towards the
captain's tent.  It was obvious he had somehow studied
the layout of the camp.  When the trio arrived they
were allowed into the captain's tent where he was
waiting for them."

Jack looked up from some record books.  "Looks like
ye've been on th' same diet as Roger there, Kroz.  Jack
chuckled.  Good ta meet ye.  I am Captain Red Jack."
The captain shook hands with the new corpse.  What be
the news?  I see ye've brought more of ye're boney
buddies with ye tanight, an' a few torches as well."

"I will bestow upon you a small boon for your
organization in wake of another sacking of my lord
Mortaebius' properties.  Lives have been lost, and time
is of the essence.  I want you to have the necessities
with which to continue work on the building of your
ship during the winter months.  I need you operational
as early as possible.  Here is a modest gift towards
necessaries for the ship.  Thane handed Jack a small
but heavy sack.

Jack peered inside.  "Aye, mixed circulated gold from a
hundred towns by th' looks of it, untraceable," Jack
smiled.  "That'll come in handy."  An th' skeleton
torches, ye brought them ta heat th' tent we build
around th' ship in so the wood will not be brittle?"

"Indeed," Kroz replied.

"Your creations?" Jack asked.

"Let us say that I was able to glean the remains of
your men from a colleague, and that certain of your men
were well suited for that particular animation," Thane
whispered to Jack.

"If ye're tryin ta make up fer th' drubbin ol' Thane
gave me by bringin' me men's walkin' corpses back ta
me, it ain't ganna work, they're all dead," Red Jack
snapped in a vehement whisper.

"I will not try to make anything up to you.  I serve
Mortaebius in this.   I respect your ability or I would
not have proposed this deal.   You must admit, however
that the dead can be useful."

"I'd take issue with ye on that if it weren't fer
Roger's work on me books. He 'asn't lost 'is touch, and
'e's got a load 'o work done fer me already."

Kroz nodded.

"What about me arms master's wounded hand.  I'm dead in
th' water without 'im, and I'm spread thin enough as it
is," Jack asked.

"We have been most fortunate in that regard.  I was
able to locate the two necessary incantations," Kroz
said.

The two men discussed arrangements for the healing work
that needed to be done.  The work on Pike would be
straightforward, but Rapina was sent with Arzeal and a
couple of burly recruits to prepare the stump of the
unwise recruit for the remedy Kroz had recommended.

After he saw the captain, Rapina had helped Kroz bury
ward-bearing skulls in the ground three paces from
skull-bearing pike markers that gave a clue as to the
direction and location of the actual buried wards.
Subsequently Rapina had been sent to supervise the
preparation for Thane's debut as a healer.

A tourniquet had been applied not far above Wedge, the
unwise recruit's stump, and the small sword Rapina was
handed glowed cherry red from the heat of a stone
forge.

"This is going to hurt, Wedge.  If you move, you might
loose more flesh than you need to.  Hold still."

Wedge nodded drunkenly.  The rum he had been given had
dulled his senses, but the agony he suffered as the hot
blade sliced his flesh made him scream in torment.

AAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIHHHH!!!

Rapina grimaced as she sliced the flesh away.  Being
the closest thing Jack had to a leech was not proving
to be enjoyable.  In spite of the man's arm being
pinned by two burly recruits and Arzeal, it was moving,
and Rapina had to compensate in order not to take more
flesh than was necessary, and to make the cuts
straight.

"Flip him over, I need to do the other side."

Wedge roared with pain as blood rendered to steam
billowed from the stump of his severed limb.

Rapina worked as rapidly as she could, handing her
blade to a recruit in exchange for a glowing hot
replacement whenever it grew too cool.

"Okay, it's finished.  Pike, you're next.  Take the
bandages off and Kroz will repair your hand."

Pike brooded just across the room of the shack that
served as the camp's smithy. He stood next to the prone
form of a feverish recruit.  A stench hung about the
man from a brawl's sword wound that had gone bad.  It
was gangrene.  Pike knew the man didn't have a chance,
so why had Jack had him brought near, and why were
Rapina and Arzeal exposing some of the bone of Wedge's
arm behind his severed wrist?  Wasn't a smooth stump
preferable?  The armsmaster unwrapped the bandages from
his mangled right hand as he had been bidden.

Pike grimaced as several skeletons entered the room.
Two were armed and armored; the other two were robed.
One of the robed figures Pike recognized as Roger.  The
other had to be Kroz, a necromancer of Mortaebius.  Was
he too a skeleton?  He certainly looked it.  A shiver
ran up Pike's spine.  He didn't like the smell of
sorcery.

"Splendid, that should do fine.  Armsmaster Pike, hold
out your wounded hand."

Pike complied, glowering at the skeletal figure that
made arcane gestures and utterences, grabbed Pike's
wounded hand and shook in agony.

A scream of pain involuntarily escaped the
necromancer's throat as life force was ripped from him
by the power of his own spell.

Pike gasped as a surge of energy pulsed through his
hand.  The tingling was intense, and he could feel the
flesh knitting as he inhaled.

The necromancer seemed to waver for a second before his
discipline returned. His scream was rapidly replaced by
further arcane utterances and gestures as his skeletal
left hand plunged down to touch the naked chest of the
feverish recruit who then yelled and convulsed.

"Mmm, very good, very good.  The life force I gave the
armsmaster has been restored from this unfortunate
victim of disease.  I believe we can continue," Kroz
said.

More utterances issued from the throat of the
necromancer, then he was again wracked with pain, but
did not scream.  This time he held Blade's stump, which
began to heal instantly, leaving the stub of bone
Rapina had exposed. Without even a moment's hesitation
the necromancer cast the second spell, turned and
grasped the skull of the gangrenous victim.  A silent
scream was all that marked the man's passing.  A gray
handprint colored the skin of the dead victim's
forehead where Thane's skeletal hand had touched it.  A
faint, but similar mark could be seen on his chest
where Thane's first drain of life force had struck him.


"That went very well, very well indeed.  Painful at the
outset, to be sure, but our victim has made up for
that."  The necromancer almost chuckled. "Rapina, our
work here is done for now.  Captain Red Jack, I will
work on the hand of this recruit.  In two days time, I
will return with something that I believe he will find
more useful than a hook.  Come, we must return to the
abode."

Rapina nodded as she turned from inspecting Wedge's
healed stump.  Her job exposing a bit of the bone would
be quite adequate for what Thane had in mind for a
later visit.  She turned to Pike.  "Can you grasp my
hand?" she asked pike.

Pike reached out and gave her hand a squeeze.  His hand
was whole again.

Rapina smiled.

A few minutes later she, her master and their entourage
disappeared into the mists that rose to obscure the
pirate's graveyard.

-----------

[Rapina]029 Spies and Assasins

The next day the pirate camp buzzed with activity as
the men erected a tent around the skeleton of their
ship.  When night fell ending the men's intense effort,
the pirates were glad to finally rest.

Not long before the first light of dawn, a lithe figure
stealthily moved through the shadows.  The guard
stationed outside of Red Jack's tent did not see it
approach.  And no one else was about to see the garrote
slip around his neck. Neither did anyone see the shadow
drag off the guard's body and slip into Jack's tent
without a sound.

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


Outside of the pirate camp another figure moved
stealthily through the darkness. Deitrich had spent
most of the previous day scouting the camp's perimeter
and, after a shortened night's rest, was finally ready
to report his findings.  Unfortunately for him, some
sort of interference was prohibiting him from using his
magical pendant to contact his master.  He moved
silently away from the pirate camp trusting his
master's words that the pendant would function if he
got sufficiently far from the abode of the pirates.
The interference had been less pronounced or widespread
until the previous night when it its influence around
the pirate camp had grown.

Unbeknownst to the spy Deitrich, someone had noticed
his presence.  Doanthalas' feral eyes seemed to glow in
the darkness as he watched the figure move away.  This
man was good, but he was no elf.  He was probably a
human.  Even the best humans could not sneak past an
elf in the woods.  Elves had a sort of magical affinity
with nature that humans could never hope to understand
or achieve ...at least most of them.

Deitrich finally found a spot where the magic seemed to
work again.  He pulled out the glowing pendant and
shielded the magic stone with his body so he would not
be spotted.  He incanted the magic words and a swirling
image began to appear in the stone set in the pendant.
Suddenly it was struck by something hard that sent it
spinning from his grasp. The man rolled to the side and
came up with sword drawn and eyes searching.  Most
likely a lone sentry had spotted him, since he had not
heard an alarm sound.  If he could dispatch this sentry
quickly and quietly then his lord's plan could still be
carried out.

The elf watched the man's back for a few minutes as he
looked around for his assailant.  This human was
certainly a warrior of great skill, but it was obvious
that his eyes were not very helpful in these darkened
conditions. The man seemed to finally sense the elf's
presence behind him and slowly turned around.  He
almost jumped out of his boots when he heard
Doanthalas' guttural growl and saw his emerald eyes
reflecting the moonlight. Doanthalas had his own sword
drawn as he leapt through the high grass straight at
the man.  Although the man was scared Doanthalas had to
give him credit for holding his ground.  In a flurry of
motion man and elf were upon each other with swords
flying. The clash of metal against metal rang through
the night.

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


Back at the camp Drake and Adriana were enjoying a
private walk.  They had made up their minds to leave
everything behind and go to another place and start
over.  Their spirits were flying high with newfound
hope as they meandered around the camp. Suddenly the
sounds of fighting erupted from the stillness around
them.  Drake pulled Adriana close and drew his sword
protectively.

"Drake!  What is that?  What's happening?" she asked as
she strained to see through the darkness.

"I'm not sure my love, but I'm going to check it out."
he turned to face her, "Find a sentry and warn him that
there is trouble afoot."  He saw the worried look on
her face and pulled her close.  "Don't worry Lady
Adriana. I will be careful."  That said he kissed her
passionately on the lips. "Now go!" he said as he
headed off towards the sounds.  He had barely made it
two steps when the sounds stopped.  Drake looked back
to see that Adriana had noticed it too.

Adriana was about to say something when a dark shape
erupted from the darkness heading straight for Drake.
A terrified scream escaped her lips as the shadow
descended upon him.

Adriana's scream had scared the wits out of him, but
had also alerted him to the presence of someone behind
him.  Drake swung his sword with all the strength and
precision he could muster hoping to connect before the
assailant ran him through. A familiar voice rang out
mere moments before his sword connected with the
assailant's.  Metal against metal rang out through the
darkness as Drake composed himself and said somewhat
befuddled, "Doanthalas?"

"Yes." was the reply as the elf grabbed Drake and then
Adriana by the arms. "Come. There is danger afoot.  We
must warn Red Jack."

Drake and Adriana looked at Doanthalas' blood soaked
form and then to each other. They weren't sure what was
going on, but the blood and serious look on the elf's
face made them quicken their step.

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

Inside the tent Red Jack slept soundly.  It had been a
long day of planning, and giving orders concerning the
ship's tent, and he had retired early. That was just
fine for the assassin who crept silently towards the
pirate's sleeping form.  Slowly the assassin drew a
knife.  A few more steps and Jack would be no more.

The elf stopped dead in his tracks as he rounded a
cluster of tents and saw no guard in front of Jack's
tent.  He held up a finger to silence Drake and
Adriana. They complied as Doanthalas indicated the dead
guard's feet in some nearby bushes and motioned for
them to get help.  They quickly departed as the elf
crept forward. He glanced at the guard to see if it was
anyone he knew.  It wasn't.  Most likely it was one of
the new recruits.  The elf didn't give the body a
second glance as he slipped into the tent. His eyes
adjusted quickly to the darkness of the tent's
interior.  It was quick enough for him to see the
figure standing above Jack ready to strike.  Doanthalas
let out a feral scream as he leapt for the assassin.

The assassin brought the knife down in its killing arc.
She had been trained too well to be distracted by the
elf's scream.  However, this must not have been the
first attempt on the captain's life, for he rolled
frantically away from the assassin in spite of having
been deeply asleep a second before Doanthalis' scream.
The knife opened Jack's side rather than piercing the
pirate's heart.  Elizabetta did not have time to
consider her options as Doanthalas was upon her.  With
a deft move she ducked under his attack and drove her
foot into his back.  He crashed to the ground, rolled,
and came up in a fighting stance.

Jack was now awake.  He had grabbed his blade and then
rolled off the side of the bed opposite the assassin.
As he rolled he bellowed, "Roger! Guards!  Assasin!"
Red light from the magelight pendant Roger had given
the captain suddenly illumined the room.

Elizabetta took a gamble and jumped the bed to get
behind the pirate.  She held her knife against his
neck.  "Move and you die!" she hissed.

Doanthalas knew that Elizabetta might try something
like this.  He hadn't anticipated that it would be so
soon though.  But none of that mattered now. He had
tried his best to talk her out of it, but as the days
went by she never wavered in her decision.  She had
been given a choice of living the life of an assassin
and killing Red Jack or living the life that she and
Doanthalas could carve out together. She had made her
choice and she was about to carry out her mission.  If
he did not think fast, Jack was surely dead.  He only
hoped that she would keep him alive as a hostage long
enough for him to form a plan.  "So it comes to this,"
he said as he moved to block the tent's entrance.

"It was always heading in this direction Doanthalas,"
she said with a bit of regret in her voice.  "Perhaps
in another life things could have been different... but
not in this one.  Don't think that I wasn't tempted by
your offer."  Elizabetta sighed as she pressed the
knife firmly against Jack's neck. "I can think of
nothing I would like more than a life with you, but you
have to understand... it's not my life anymore.  If I
betray him he will send his best assassins after me.
We would both be in danger."

"Then let us face that danger together.  Neither of us
are strangers to danger.  We can fight them."

"Quite a romantic picture you paint...my love.  But
unfortunately the end result will be the same for me.
Either way I die... with or without you."  A tear
rolled down her cheek as she glanced over Doanthalas'
shoulder.  My death is a given, but I could not bear to
have your blood on my hands as well.  Sure we could
survive for a while, but sooner or later they would
find us and kill us both." "Trust me.  My way is
better.  I know the way he works and he would not stop
until we were both dead.  I do this because I have
to...because I love you."

A dark shape rose behind Doanthalas.

Doanthalas felt cold steel across his throat as a boney
hand grasped him from behind.

"Your way will have the same result as you believed his
would," The Death of Mortaebius rasped.  "The penalty
for bringing an assassin into this camp is death.
Elizabetta, you are correct, either way you die.  In
your foolishness you have brought death down upon
Doanthalas.  Pirates, some of whom are as lethal with a
bow as the best assassins, will soon surround this
tent.  You will not escape this place alive, nor will
your lover."

"Roger, get away from Doanthalas or the captain dies."


"Do you take me for a fool?  In life I was a pirate.
You will kill the captain regardless of whether or not
I release Doanthalas.  If you wish me to release him,
you must move away from the captain so that there is a
real chance that I can rescue him.  You must make
yourself a more attractive target than the elf.  Right
now, he is a sure thing.  You make the mistake of
believing that death will stop Red Jack.  I assure you,
his grave would hardly have a chance to grow cold
before he rose from it as I have."

Elizabetta swallowed.  Death was no fool.  Slowly she
moved back from the pirate captain.  If she were just
fast enough, she could still pull it off.  She held her
dagger to Jack's back, drew another and used it to
slice an opening in the tent behind her.  She did not
like the way Roger moved Doanthalas to the side to
allow him to get at her more quickly should the
opportunity present itself.  It was almost as though
Roger had done this before.

Suddenly Jack dove forward and rolled.

Run! The assassin screamed to Doanthalas as Death left
the elf behind and jumped towards her.  Roger did not
take the split second of extra time it would have taken
to kill the elf, for Elizabetta was already sending a
deadly blade Jack's way with a snap of her wrist.

The elf dove out the tent flap the way he had come in.
He rolled between two approaching pirates and into the
bushes near the dead guard's body before the men could
catch him to gut him with their swords.

The sound of metal against metal rang briefly through
the tent as death's scythe picked her thrown dagger
from the air.  Elizabetta would not have thought it
possible to deflect one of her throws had she not seen
it with her own eyes.  It was too late to throw
another.  The shadow of death was upon her.  She turned
a back flip and was through the opening, outside and on
her feet in an instant.

Roger removed a small, spike-bladed dagger with a large
bone handle from within his robes.  "kill," he said as
he threw the blade through the breach Elizabetta had
opened.

Once through the opening Elizabetta jumped to the side
to avoid the knife death threw at her.  She drew a
small crossbow, already cocked and loaded with a
poisoned bolt.  Although she could not see him through
the tent, She knew where Jack was; it didn't really
matter where she hit him.  The poison was most
virulent.

Elizabetta took aim.  Uh!?  She dodged backwards as she
fired.   Death's knife had veered in mid flight!

"Poison!" Jack bellowed from within the tent.

Elizabetta allowed herself a half smile on a job well
done.  Now she must escape Death who, despite his robes
and scythe, was out of the tent.  Elizabetta sprinted
and jumped.  The flying bone-handled dagger buried
itself in a pirate's chest as she narrowly got past his
swinging sword and behind him.  Would the dagger be
satisfied with the death of another?  Elizabetta did
not plan to wait around to find out. Neither did she
wish to wait around while archers arrived.  That Death
was right behind her was enough.

Elizabetta pushed deftly through some bushes knowing
that the skeleton's lighter weight would make bushes
more impenetrable to him than they were to her.  She
headed for an area of the forest near the camp where
she knew the bushes, brush and undergrowth would slow
death to a crawl.  She heard pirates behind her, but
she did not run straight.  She put the darkness of the
pre-dawn night and obstacles between herself and her
pursuers and stuck to shadowy areas of the camp as she
fled, not letting them get a clear shot at her back.

At last she made it into the forest.  The darkness
would hide her from all but death, and the thick
foliage ought to hide her from the dangerous skeleton
even if the darkness would not.  If she could evade him
long enough, she believed dawn's light would fight him
for her.

Doanthalas heard Elizabetta making her way through the
forest.  She was far behind him.  Humans were not fleet
of foot in the undergrowth.  For a human, her passage
was quiet, but to him distinctive.  Like him she had
chosen the thickest woods to cover her escape.  He was
about to go to her...

The assassin broke through the bushes and jumped the
narrow path.  Elizabetta stopped abruptly on the far
side of the path.   She stared at the end of the handle
of a scythe against her breast.  She knew the blade
must have passed through her, but it had been so fast,
so fast she had hardly felt it.  Already blood was
soaking her shirt.  Where had it come from?  "How," she
gasped.

Roger stepped from behind a tree.  The darkness made
all but the skull within his black hood invisible.
"Your life force is as a beacon to me, assassin.   It
is true you pass through this foliage more easily than
I, but did you honestly think it would hide you from
death?  I simply took the path and intercepted you.
Even you are relatively blind in this darkness, but I
am not.  In life, I served an unscrupulous master with
unswerving loyalty.  You have done the same.  Now you
will join my master, Mortaebius.  He will set a new
task for you."

As if to punctuate Death's words, the blade he had
thrown through the hole in the tent transfixed her from
behind, but she was already dead.

A single tear rolled down the elf's cheek as he
hastened away through the forest.  He had caught the
faint sound of the death skeleton's voice on the wind.
He turned east and hurried towards the rosy glimmerings
of dawn.  He would miss her; he would miss them all.

[Rapina]030 Seeping Toxins

"Aiii!  That'll do it, Drake, I don't want th'
tourniquet so tight as to kill me leg completely.  Damn
poison 'as been seepin' up, fer hours.  I can't feel a
thing from me toes ta th' middle of me thigh."

"But sir, the wound is just a scratch," Drake said.

"Aye, a scratch on me ankle, and I washed it out with
brandy only seconds after that blasted bolt creased
through me jammies.  I screamed bloody murder like I'd
been hit for real, an I think I fooled that wench
assassin.  She didn't know I shimmed up towards me bed
a bit while she warr occupied with Roger an 'is knife.
Otherwise the wench would 'ave hit me square in th'
chest.  A real pro that one warr, but no one escapes
death," Jack chuckled.  How is th' sun doin'?

Drake exited the captain's tent and then came back
inside.  "It's not quite down to the tree-line sir, but
it's getting there."

"Good, I'll never admit ta bein' grateful to that ol'
warlock after what 'is collegue did ta me men, but he
brought Roger, an Roger just saved me life, an I hope
ol' Kroz can make that savin' permanent.  This pois/g
seon's tryin' ta undo what Roger did.  Any news on th'
trackers?" Jack asked.

"None Sir, they've been at it since dawn, and dusk will
be here soon," Drake said.

"No one in camp could identify th' man Doanthalas
killed afore comin' ta confront me assassin, so he
could be a local, but 'e's too well equipped ta be a
farmer, " Jack said.  "He's got the weapons and th'
look of a tracker.  As soon as our mage gets here 'e
can sniff th' place o' death fer magic.  Damn!  I hate
bein' so dependent on a bunch 'o spooks!  Gettin'
famous has ruined th' piratin' business!"   Anyways,
Arzeal, Dido and a few men are out lookin' for th' dead
man's base camp.  Could be tharr's more than one spy
out tharr."

"Arzeal, reporting Sir," Arzeal said as he scratched at
the captain's tent flap.

"Aye, come in Arzeal.  Did ye find a camp or a new
spy?"

"We found one of his traps, sir."

"Who did ye loose?" Jack asked.

"The recruit named Binge we took as a flanker is down
and dieing, sir; we had to carry him back.  A spiked
snare trap hit him.  We are not sure if the trap was
set by the dead man or someone else, but it was getting
to be too dark to track anyway, so we all returned."

"Damn spies and assassins seem ta be comin' out o' th'
woodwork since Doanthalas and Rage got back here with
you an' me daughter.  Heinie Li'Yeiraun never did have
a mage worth squat.   Seems to me all 'e used to have
was a family line o' second rate tea leaf readers ta
help 'im with his investments.  I'd 'ave been dead ta
rights years ago if that ass had had a real mage.  Any
change in that department Dido?  Who's th' Li'Yeiraun
mage at the moment?

"Nordula, sir," Dido said.

"Has he got any talent?" Jack asked.

Mansun Dido squeezed his chin between his thumb and
forefinger.  "It is true Lord Li'Yeiraun's mages never
could seem to give him a straight answer as to where
you were, Captain.  Their hope was in Nordula, he had
more talent than either of his forebears on account of
the peasant wise woman his father's tea leaves pointed
at to be the boy's future mother.  When he had grown
some, they used up a great deal of the money their line
had siphoned off the Li' Yeirauns and a sizable
contribution from their lord to send Nordula for
outside training.  When he returned from his schooling
he was able to do a few notable spells, creating
sounds, flashes of light, balls of blue magic that
could inflict wounds, that sort of thing."

"Aye, true sorcery, but nothing compared to teleporting
a man's body," Jack said.

"Yes, I see what you mean, but it is possible Nordula
has improved and I may be, in part, responsible," Dido
said.

"An' how might that be?" Jack asked.

"There was an old mage who lived in a deep forest to
the East of the Lord's lands.  We were sent to find and
bring him in for questioning.  Lord Li' Yeiraun said
the man was implicated for harboring a fugitive.  I now
have my doubts.  The mage fought us and we lost many
men to his spells, but he was old and frail.  After a
few volleys that decimated our ranks and sent us
running, Nordula noticed the old man was using spells
of lesser potency.  We regrouped from what should have
been a route, doubled back, and ambushed him just
outside his abode.  Nordula was able to wound him with
a spell from behind while his magical shield was
directed towards fending off the swords of my men.
Once wounded, the mage lost his concentration, his
shield dropped for a moment, and we cut him down right
on the doorstep to his abode.  Two more steps and he
would have been inside.   I was not involved after the
initial mission, but from what I heard, Lord Li'
Yeiraun hired a group of mercenaries to clean the
mage's abode.  His books now sit on Nordula's shelves.

"Aye, so it could be tharr was somethin' to those
volumes an' Nordula has become more'n a second rate tea
leaf reader," Red Jack nodded, and then knocked on the
large chest at the foot of his bed.  "Are ye awake yet
Roger?"

"I never really sleep sir, but the sun makes me...
drowsy."

"Well, it ain't quite down yet, but I need ye ta get
hold o' Kroz as soon as ye can.  Doanthalas killed a
spy before he came ta stop th' assassin wench last
night, and there may be other spies at large as well.
We already lost one man to a trap.

"I will relay the news to Kroz, Captain.  I do not know
if he would wish to become embroiled in such mundane
matters, but I am sure he will come for the assassin's
body if you wish to sell it to him.  I believe
Elizabetta is the perfect subject for an advanced
animation."

"Aye, I'll trade 'er cadaver for a cure ta this poison
if he can get me one."

---

"Captain Jack,  Kroz is here with Rapina and he brought
some ghouls, but he left them at the graveyard.  He is
willing to infuse you with life force to heal the
damage done by the poison if you have a donor," Arzeal
said.

Okay men take me out ta th' infirmary, thar's not a
moment ta loose, damn poison's up to me hip."

Within the ship's tent, the pirates were eating dinner.
Fist one, then another blood-chilling scream
interrupted the men's meal.

"Damn sorcery!  It's gonna to give us all a belly ache
fer sure."

Back at the infirmary tent Kroz entered and addressed
the captain, "How is the leg, Captain?"

"It's still tinglin,' thanks ta Binge, here.  The
captain patted Binge's freshly dead corpse.   Heh heh,
we were both dead men 'fore long.  His dyin' sooner is
goin' ta buy 'is captain some time."

"Without another donor, that is as much as I can do for
you.  If you have the bolt, I may be able to determine
what sort of poison was used.  There may be an
antidote."

"Ye mean ye don't think Binge's whole life is going ta
be enough ta quench this damn poison?"

"Your body will have much more energy with which to
fight the toxin and the damage it has already done will
be healed, however my spell does not neutralize the
poison.  The poison will begin to do damage once
again," Kroz said.

"Damn!  Will we 'ave to take me leg off?" Jack asked.

"It would stop the poison, however you would then be
minus a leg," Kroz said.

"Aye, and what kind o' leader would I be without even
enough leg fer a peg?" Jack scowled.

"We could remove the flesh and leave the bone.  I have
Wedge's hand for him.  I will put it on as soon as he
is brought here.  If you find its functionality to your
liking, we could prepare your leg similarly."

"Here sir," Wedge said.

"Recruit, Kroz 'as got yer hand for ye."

"Splendid, you have arrived, Wedge.  You have a
decision to make.  Let me see your wrist.

Wedge held out his stump.

Kroz carefully fitted Wedge's cleaned up skeletal hand
to the bone of his stump and made a few incantations.

Wedge inhaled involuntarily.

"You have a decision to make, young man.  Your skeleton
is now whole, but you cannot move the bones of your
dead hand, can you?"

Wedge grimaced, "No sir."

"With magic I can give you that power and you will be
able to use it.  It will not, however be any stronger
than the hand of a pampered woman.  If you wish to
serve the god of the dead, I can ask him for his
blessing and additional divine magic.  Your hand will
become formidable in its strength.  You will have no
trouble wielding an axe or a heavy blade, but you will
also wield that blade in the name of the god of the
dead, for you will have a connection to him.  Do you
understand?"

Wedge nodded gravely, "Like Roger?"

"Yes," the necromancer affirmed.

Wedge grinned evilly.  "What do I have to do?"

The necromancer's rasping laugh filled the night.

-----


As quietly as a man could, Gariot Hansfeldt made his
way through the woods.  He held the glowing red bit of
glass aloft and smiled.  One of his traps had been
sprung.  He could see the spikes were deep in the body.
One protruded from the chest of the corpse.  He shook
his head as he thought to himself,  "I should have
known they would be looking for me.  Well it's too
late, they had their chance to find my base camp, and
now I don't have the magic pendant anymore, and I will
not know where the new camp is even if they catch me.
Gariot bent down to examine his handywork."

"Agh!"

Gariot's eyes bulged as the corpse stuck to the spikes
grabbed his face.  The smell of rot seemed to thicken.
How could the corpse be moving?

Edgar the ghoul jumped from the bushes and clawed
rapidly yet savagely at the side of the tracker's head.
He would not let up while he had the advantage.
"Kkhahah," he signaled.  The stench in the area soon
grew in magnitude as Kent sunk his claws into the man's
back and neck.  The victim froze.

Kent removed the tracker's weapons and chittered
happily as Edgar and the newly created zombie of the
pirate named Binge carried their paralyzed victim back
to Red Jack's camp.

---


Brackston blanched.

Wedge opened and closed his skeletal hand so that all
the men within the ship's tent could see it.  A great
vat of stew simmered over the foot of a seated flaming
skeleton.  Bedrolls were spread all around the ship,
for the men had moved out of their chill barracks tents
to where the heat was.  Wedge grabbed a heavy axe and
swung it, "Ahahahah, it's strong, see, I can wield the
best weapons again!  Pitty me now, Slice.  Ahahaha! The
power of the god of the dead is in my hand."

"Oooiiiiakakakahhh!" Kent screamed.

"Thane looked up from an engaging magical conversation
he was having with Rapina under what would soon be the
ship's bow.  "Arzeal, I believe Kent has found some
measure of success.  He is calling us from the
graveyard.  Rapina, carry on."

---

"It is not a man I know whispered Mansun Dido from the
bushes.  If he is working for Lord Li' Yeiraun then he
would have to be new."

"No doubt," Kroz rasped.

"How did yew find are camp?" Brackston questioned.

"I just stumbled upon it.  I had no idea what it was,"
Gariot Hansfeldt said.

Kroz softly imitated the caw of a crow.

Brackston caught the sound of the raspy crow and knew
the tracker was lying, "Yew think I believe that?
Bloody Brackston pulled the man's shirt off.  Gariot
Handsfeld was chained in an upright position between
two stout posts.  His legs and arms were spread and the
lash had already torn his shirt to shreds."  Brackston
reached around front and undid the man's belt, and then
he walked around front and unbuttoned Hansfeldt's
pants.  The tracker looked at the pirate incredulously.


"Yew better start tellin' th' truth.  How did ye find
us, how did ye get here?"

"I told you, I rode," Hansfeldt said.

Brackston jerked the man's pants down and pulled his
sheath knife.  He played the tip over the man's balls.
Yew think yew're really tight lyin' ta ol' Brackston.
I'll bet yer tight," Brackston shoved his middle finger
up the man's butt.

"Hhhh!  Don't you dare sodomize me!" Handfeldt
hollered.

"Heh, heh, if yew insist, but I was going ta use the
branding irons an' save that for latter, Heh heh..."

Hours of pain passed.

"This man is surprisingly resistant to torture," Kroz
said in a bored tone.  "I believe he lasted something
over three hours in Brackston's capable hands."

Mansun was sitting on the cold ground, his back to the
scene.  It was something he had long ago decided he
would rather not see.  He was here as a second opinion
to the magic of Kroz, to help give Brackston an idea of
whether or not the man was telling the truth if the man
were working for Lord Li'Yieraun.  It almost didn't see
fair.  Whenever the tracker lied Brackston knew, and
the tracker suffered for it.

"I was teleported by a mage, damn it!" the prisoner,
Gariot Hansfeldt, finally admitted.

"Where were yew, who done it, and how was it done?"
Brackston asked.

Gariot cried, "I was hired out from Turnmoor and paid
in gold.  The mage, Nordula. told me to hold my breath
and he started casting some kind of spell, and then I,
I just appeared." The prisoner said.

"Where did yew report to this mage ta be teleported?"
Brackston asked.

"In Turnmoor," Hansfeldt said.

Brackston heard the crow and grabbed ahold of a
branding iron.

AAAIIIIII!  Castle Yieraun.  It was at Castle Yieraun!"
Hansfeldt admitted.

"... That's better, now where did yew appear and what
were yewr orders?" Brackston asked.

"Ouu! Please, I was put in a handstand before Nordula
cast the spell.  He told me when I arrived I was to
pick up the pendant dropped by the other man, and that
it would be right under my head, and then I was to set
up a temporary camp.  I left the pendant there."

Brackston heard the caw of a crow, smiled and went
behind the man.

Gariot stiffened as the pirate drove his fleshy rod
into the raw pain of his bowels.  "Ahhhii! You already
know when I'm lying, why do you even ask?"

"Because I like ta fuck yew, yew ass!  Now yew tell de
whole truth or it'll be back ta the brandin' iron."

Hansfeldt shuddered, "All right, all right, the mage
sent two more men earlier tonight.  I was to keep watch
on the pirate camp and go to a specified location two
days every week to pick up the pendent and make my
report," Handsfedt said.

"Why don't they just leave the pendant with you?  If
they ain't watchin' our camp, how come they need it?"
Brackston asked.

"I don't know!  Aaaiii!" Hansfeld said.

"Why do you think?" Brackston asked.

"I, I think the mage needs the pendant to teleport men
to.  I was teleported to the pendant, and so were the
other two.  I held it up and each appeared under it in
turn," Hansfeld admitted.

"So while yew watch our camp, Nordula fills another
camp with soldiers, is that right?" Brackston asked.

"Yes, I think that's the plan.  The river is too choked
with ice, I don't think they can send a ship, so they
are sending us with magic," Hansfeld admitted.

"Why don't they send yew overland?" Brackston asked.

"The Lord here doesn't like Lord Li' Yeiraun.  Isn't
that why Red Jack holed up here?.. Aaaouuch!" Hansfeldt
asked.

"Yew got to remember who asks and who answers..."
Brackston said.

---


"Aln I see yourrr rum and raise you  ahhrum," Dodge
slurred.

"Yourr on," Pike blinked.

The two men slammed back still another round of rum.

Rapina raised her eyebrows.  Pike had come over just
after Kroz had left and the pirate named Dodge had
complained about Pike trying to keep the "wench" for
himself.  Things had escalated from there, but not
exactly the way she would have thought.  Dodge
maintained that a contest of arms between he and Pike
would be unfair, instead, he had challenged Pike to a
contest of cups.

"Yooouulll never oud dlink me, Piike, I've been annn
alcoholic since birff, I suck-kled ale ad mmy mmother's
tteat, hic," Dodge slurred.

"Tthen why are you wavering aaand I'm ssstill sssteady
as a rrock?" Pike asked.

Dodge tittered, "Yyew, sssteady?  Yyewer jusst a-about
ta falll.  One morrre rrround ought ta havvve it, hic,"
Dodge said.

Another round was poured and the two men tossed it
back.

Rapina wrinkled her nose, both men were astoundingly
drunk, how Dodge figured he was going to make use of
her company if he did win the drinking bout was beyond
her.

The cook raised his eyebrows, already the men had drunk
their way through Dodge's stash of rum,  "One of you
better fall now, we're out of rum."

Ssusorry, me dliink all yer rum, but meee nod fallin'
Whho gott's more?" Dodge asked.

"Llookss a draw," Pike said drunkenly.

"Stoker, you got some rum, give it up," Creaser said.

"Should I sir?" Stoker asked.

"Ooonly iff hee's mmman ennnough," Dodge slurred.

Pike slapped the table, "Hhaull id oud."

"Yes sir," Stoker grinned evilly and retrieved a bottle
from his sea chest.  "It's strong stuff Sir."

"Dodge tittered."

"Yyou thththink weee carrre?" Pike asked.

"I see your point sir."  Stoker filled both cups near
to the brim.

The two men slammed back their drinks, and Stoker
immediately filled them up again from his bottle.

"Doouble err nothin'," Dodge said slamming back his
cup.  Pike downed his drink a second later.  Stoker
swiftly refilled them.

"Gggive it ttime ttoo settle, Pike wavered."

Dodge tittered, "Eee's fllagin'."

"Bbbbahh, bbrink id on," Pike said.

The two men slammed back four more drinks in rapid
succession.

"Uhhhooooo" Dodge said as he kept going backwards after
lifting the next cup.

Pike finished the fifth drink in the set, and began to
stand up.  "Baa, liddlelightwade."  For an instant,
Pike looked a little surprised, "Oooooooo"

Stoker and Greasy barely managed to catch the Norse
giant's body.  Once caught they pulled him to his bed
roll.

Rapina looked at the lust written all over the faces of
pirates dragging Pike to his rest, and then suddenly
realized what was going on.  Jack was in his bed
nursing his leg, Arzeal was far away in the night with
Kent and the ghouls, attempting to find the spy's base
camp to see if he had left any evidence of a plan
there.  Brackston, Thane, and Mansun Dido were
interrogating the captured spy.  Rage and Skitch were
on night guard duty.  Pike had been the only officer
present, and the only man likely to protect her
"virtue."  Dodge was likely a dupe of an alcoholic
given free booze in exchange for attempting to drink
Pike under the table, but Pike was a huge man, and
known to drink a bit himself.

From Dodge's slipped remark, the original owner of the
first bottles of rum had probably been Greasy, and the
last cups poured by Stoker had come fast and furious,
and the rum?  Rapina snatched the bottle from the low
table in front of her and tipped the bottle way back,
concealing the fact that she took only a tiny swig.
"Haahhh," she rasped.  Tears came to her eyes as liquid
fire burned down her throat.

The pirates laughed as the spellbinding wench clutched
her throat from the heat of the rum she had just
downed.

The rum was nearly one hundred percent alcohol.  It all
made sense now, Stoker knew the contestants were too
drunk to taste just how strong the new rum was, and he
knew if he got enough of it into them fast enough, it
would not mater who fell first, both were sure to go
down.  Rapina realized she had about one second to put
her own spin on things before the raging river of the
pirates' lust chose a channel other than the one she
would try to send it down.

"No officers?" Rapina asked in mock innocence.  Then in
a husky, conspiratorial tone, "Want to have some fun?"

A hearty roar rose up from the pirates.

Rapina smiled provocatively, "Okay, I'm going to need a
little music, something slow and sultry, and something
to dance on.  How about that scaffold?  Some of the men
looked a bit disappointed.  The river was trying to
escape Rapina's channel.   And Zit, could you be a dear
and collect my clothes when they fall?" Rapina asked as
she diverted the lust back to her channel.

The Pirates grinned lustily, "Oh Yah!," they cheered.
Men hastened to move a section of scaffold to the
central location Rapina had indicated.

"My good things are all gifts from Kroz to beautify his
household, and I'm not sure what kind of sorcerous
experiments he would perform on someone who damaged
them.  Rapina glanced at one of the flaming skeletons.
Just be a dear and put them in your sea chest.

Zit nodded gravely.

"Cmon! Wench, get it on!  Chops began to play his
bongos as a pirate next to him fingered chords on a
lute.

Rapina tossed her cloak to Zit and mounted up on the
stage.  She was suddenly the soul focus of fifty lusty
pirates.  Lust tingled up and down her spine; she
practically vibrated with it as it raced up her legs
and down her arms.  Almost in spite of herself, she
began to tug at it as she danced, with every sway of
her hips, every stretch of her long legs she grabbed
and tugged.  In the past, she had always pulled on the
lust of a single man, now she found groups were a
little different, but came just as naturally.  The
music helped, but the tugging did nothing to slow the
men's appetite for more skin.

She was her own worst enemy.  She had thought that if
she kept them entertained for long enough, surely one
of the officers would happen by.  Now it was impossible
to say what she wanted.  Their lust was so thick she
could almost touch it, and it was making her so hungry,
so wet, she was embarrassed and yet intrigued all at
once.  For so long she had made due with just one man,
now she was looking at a multitude.  Involuntarily, she
licked her lips like the vampire Zit had taken her for.
Rapina's breathing increased as she stepped out of her
dress and kicked it into Zit's waiting arms.  Lust
nearly overwhelmed her as the pirates' eyes caressed
her scarlet lingerie, her involuntary moan was
swallowed by the music and a thousand lusty comments
about her curves.

Her, long legs, her high, round butt, her rich, round
breasts, everything she showed them brought a rush that
overwhelmed her reason.  Her bustier came down, her
breasts jiggled freely, Her garters were unclipped as
she passed the groping fingers of the pirates at the
edges of the makeshift stage. When they tugged down her
panties she had fallen back into a roll and when she
rolled up on her feet again as Rames had drilled into
her in his classes on unarmed defense, she had her own
panties in her hands, dangling from her long delicate
fingers, taunting the men, tugging at their lust.

"Woooo-hu, now thar's a real wench!  Blackjack reached
out and wiped his fingers over the inside of Rapina's
leg, just above the knee.  Then he thrust his fingers
into his mouth.  Mmm-mm, that ain't sweat, mates!

"Oou, that's a PIRATE WENCH!" Glinter hollered.

One of Rapina's silk stockings fell off, a casualty of
the sock-pulling and rolling game the reaching pirates
had come up with on their own.  Her bustier was open to
her navel and sliding down over her hips, but none of
that seemed to matter because she was trying very hard,
very hard to keep from shaking.  She felt like her eyes
should be glowing or something, she felt so much fire
in her body.  Her other sock was pulled from her foot
as she stepped up, and then as she swung from a cross
beam, her bustier fell to the stage.  Other than the
choker Kroz always made her wear when she came to the
pirate camp, there was nothing left to take off, and as
far as she knew, the choker could only be removed by
magical means.

Rage stomped a bit to remove the snow from his boots
and then re-secured the exit flap.  "Wow, it sure was
warmer in the ship's tent than it was outside," he
thought.  As he turned, he realized the music and
cheers had stopped, and fifty pirates were looking at
him.  But when the fifty-first looked at him he gasped
for breath.  His cold, tight balls fell nearly as
rapidly as his shaft rose.  "Aaagh."  For a second he
was going to ask Rapina why she was standing naked on
the scaffold, he was going to scold the men, but his
breathing was way too heavy as he walked to her.  She
was perfect, she smelled like lust, and he had her
undivided attention.  He should have told her off for
inciting the men.  He should have done a lot of things,
but something was wrong with his head and he could only
think about one thing, getting it into her, getting it
into her now.

Rapina idly wondered why her fingers were unbuttoning
Rage's pants, and why she was breathing like a winded
horse.  Someone threw a bedroll over the planking
behind her.  Rapina pulled down his breeches and she
brought him down.

Rage kicked off his pants and thrust like a stallion,
again and again.  Rapina was so wet there would have
been no friction at all had it not been for the muscles
within her, stronger and more facile than those of any
woman he had ever known.  She squeezed him, she pulled
at his seed, she called to it from her wet depths like
a sea of sirens.

The pirates cheered.

Rapina felt as though she had nearly broken something
inside of her holding back her need so as not to
consume Rage as he came violently, fountaining his lust
into her bottomless hunger.

EEEEYAAAAAAAH!  His orgasm seemed to last forever.
When it finally ended he went limp.

"Stoker!"  Rapina rolled the pirate officer off her and
smiled her hunger at the instigator of the drinking
contest.

Had Stoker paused to wonder why the pirate wench had
rolled a limp, exhausted Rage off her body, he might
have hesitated to bed her. However, he had been
plotting all night, and he was not the kind of man who
easily let the spoils of victory go free.  He was on
her in an instant.

Rapina wrapped her legs around him and bucked like a
mule, she had nothing left in her to hold back with,
she pulled at his seed like a crazed animal.  Had it
not been for the cheers of the pirates, she felt
certain Stoker would have lost his nerve.  Perhaps he
would have been better off if he had.

Stoker's eyes rolled back in his head, he had bedded
more women than he could count, and he had never cared
much whether or not they were willing.  The wench
beneath him now was a wildcat, a hellion, a succubus,
and every stroke pulled him down to hell and then shot
him straight to heaven, he moaned, heaved, pumped, and
gasped.  This was extreme, something felt wrong, but he
could not stop, he just couldnot stop.  It felt so
good, he had to spend, his thrusting was compulsion and
she squeezed him, clutched him, pulled at his lust with
a force he could not comprehend.

Gaaaaaaaaaaah!  Stoker's eyes nearly popped out of his
skull.  Had any pirate been in the right position to
see Stoker's eyes, he would have screamed in terror.
Fortunately, no one saw it, no one but Rapina.

Rage got unsteadily to his feet.  Damn!"

The pirates laughed.

After several minutes of Stoker's gasping orgasm and
spewing seed, Rapina's hunger was blunted and she
relented.  Rapina rolled Stoker off her body and tried
not to notice how limp he had gone. "Greasy!" she
chimed, almost cheerfully.

The cook lasted only a few minutes before he joined his
deathly comrade with a long, eye-popping orgasm.
Rapina rolled him aside and was about to speak, but
another pirate jumped between her thighs before she
could say a word.

With Stoker and Greasy Rapina had lost control -lost it
utterly; but she felt much better now, a little more
herself.  Her clutching wetness was just a joy, and if
she just relaxed and let the men fill her mind and body
with power and pleasure, she would not draw dangerously
on any one of them.  Stoker and Greasy had paid for
their perfidy, but the rest would be just fine.  She
whispered comments, sometimes requests or even orders
to change positions and sometimes endearments as each
pirate bedded her.  Her lively cunny supped
gluttonously as each pirate came powerfully, spewing
seed and energy into her hungry depths.

Few lasted more than five minutes, but hardly a second
would pass between the time one man drenched the warmth
of her clutching vagina and another entered.  It was
almost as though one tireless pirate was bedding her,
and because of that she began to come, and come, over
and over.  She was so sensitized by all the lust and
life force being pumped into her that very nearly
everything drove her to orgasm.  She would peak, then
after a few minutes peak again, and for whatever
perverse reason, vanity, or perhaps revenge, whenever
she did, she filled each man's mind with fealty, utter,
unabashed obedience and worship for their goddess of
lust.  If these pirates thought with the brain between
their legs, then she would command their minds.

Zit realized he was the low man on the totem pole
because everyone had gone up on the makeshift stage,
and several had been on the platform twice, yet he had
not been given a chance at all.

Rapina closed her thighs and turned after sending
Blackjack to the platform.  "I've seen you others
before, let Zit up first, it's not fair keeping him a
virgin forever."

The pirates laughed.  Several in the crowd piped up,
"Get Zit up there, no pirate should be a virgin, it
aren't right."

Zit crawled up onto the platform at last.  He lifted
his palm, the bedroll was afloat in goo.

Rapina giggled.

Zit smiled, and then his mouth fell open as he saw
Rapia's breasts jiggle.  They were so full and pert,
and her nipples were standing up like little pink
towers.  He couldn't quite imagine how she had fit her
breasts into her bodice.

Rapina saw what he was looking at and pulled him to her
breast with a finger under his chin.  He suckled her,
and then she grabbed him around back.  She put her hand
between his buns, found the base of his penis and
pulled him to her.

Zit moaned as Rapina guided him into her and caressed
him inside her.  He hardly noticed the rasping laughter
from across the tent.  He just coursed in and out of
Rapina's captivating cleft.   Hearing the laughter she
clasped her palms over his ears and pumped harder
against him.  He moaned and thrust a while longer then
started coming grandly.

Rapina released one of Zit's ears and pulled him into
her with her right hand between the cheeks of his
behind.  Feeling the delicious pulsing at the base of
his cock with her wrapped fingertips as he came long
and hard.  She bucked against him cried out as she too
began to come.  As her mind touched his, she became his
princess, his sovereign, his queen, and yet one who
held him with great affection.

Kroz chuckled and it amused him all the more that it
came out as a wicked rasping, for his death robes made
his voice sound so very undead.  "Well now, while the
cats are away, it appears the mice will play."

Rapina massaged the base of Zit's waning cock and
looked up at the approaching death mask of Kroz.  She
felt far too good to be embarrassed.  "Rauw," she
mewed.  Zit's organ began to re-engorge.  Rapina
grinned like the cat who had just swallowed the
cannary. "They started it," She said.

Kroz laughed so hard his death robes could hardly cope
with it. He pounded his knee as he looked at the many
sleeping pirates and the gaggle still waiting around
the stage.

"Did you want to see if you could take on the entire
camp?" Kroz asked.

"No, I'm just having fun," Rapina smiled.  Her hand
caressed Zit's behind as her loins moved gently around
his hardening rod.  "Besides, there had to be a few on
guard duty, so it's not quite the whole camp. Zit was
the last of them, and I had to complain to get him a
spot.  Those others are greedy; they're here for
seconds.  Rapina suckled playfully at Zit's neck.

Kroz raised his eyebrows beneath the death mask.  There
was a man lying near the edge of the stage.  Kroz
rolled him over.  He looked dead, but he was erect, and
the very tip of his cock was gray.  Thane took a tiny
hand mirror from within his robe and held it near the
man's nose.  It steamed up, but barely.  "Mmm, he
seems... exhausted.  Was he the first?

Rapina blinked, but did not pause in the slow thrusting
of her hips.  "The second actually.  Rage was the
first, but he just walked in after I danced for them.
I thought I was stalling until an officer came and I
succeeded.  An officer did come, just before they
started in, but there was so much lust, I was...

"Primed?" Kroz asked.

"I was um, Stoked," Rapina grinned.  "Rage, well he
could tell I was ready.  He didn't say anything, he
just came up, and, I couldn't keep my hands out of his
pants.  I didn't tire him out too badly.  This whole
thing, it wasn't his fault, he just walked into it."

Kroz chuckled, "Your sense of justice never ceases to
amaze me Rapina.  And this..." Kroz indicated the
comatose man on the edge of the stage.

"Stoker," Rapina sighed and smiled dreamily as she
continued to pump Zit's erection into her wanton cunt.

"Stoker was the instigator?" Kroz asked.

Rapina nodded,  "I think so.  He and Greasy supplied
the rum for a drinking contest between Dodge and Pike,
the only officer here."

"Kroz laughed. "And you saw the whole thing coming?"

"Not as soon as I should have.  Pike won the contest,
but the last bottle of rum, the one Stoker supplied,
was extremely strong.  I tasted it after Dodge went
down, it nearly burned my throat out, and Stoker had
been pouring them fast and furious at the end of the
contest.  Pike had enough in his stomach to make him
pass out, he just didn't know it until about two
minutes after he had won."

Kroze smiled beneath the death mask, "So the contest
was just a way to neutralize the officer protecting
your virtue.  It really didn't matter who won, both
lost."

Rapina moaned with pleasure, then nodded, "It was very
clever, actually.  Stoker would have taken advantage as
soon as they laid Pike down, but I offered to dance for
everyone before he had the chance."  Rapina giggled,
"At the time I thought I was stalling for time, but oh
did that backfire on me.  I should have known better,
so many men, so much lust, how could I resist?"

"Indeed."  Kroz stepped up onto the stage and stepped
over Rapina and Zit to examine something hanging from
one of the posts of the scaffolding.  It was a pair of
trousers with sheathed weapons still attached.  Kroz
seemed most interested in an impressive-looking sword.
He went around behind it and mumbled a few
incantations.

"Well, I hate to break up your little party, my dear,
but it is nearly dawn and we must get back to the
abode.  We have some urgent business to take care of in
the laboratory." Kroz said.

"Okay, I'll get cleaned up," Rapina smiled as she
continued her wanton rutting.

"Splendid.  Tell me, to whom does this weapon belong?"
Kroz asked.

Zit grunted, "Those are Rage's things, sir, I hung them
up for him while he was busy."

"Ah, that makes sense, I must consult with Red Jack a
moment, so I believe you two will have time to finish
up after all, not that you really appeared to be
stopping," Kroz chuckled.

----


While Thane slept, Rapina retired to her room, but she
could not sleep.  She was simply buzzing with energy.
She took a catnap, but otherwise read for the entire
time she would have slept.  After he had arisen, Thane
ate a rushed breakfast, and then went down to the
laboratory to try to discover what kind of poison
Elizabetta had used on Jack.

Sometime after nightfall, Rapina set "lunch" out for
the two priests of Mortaebius.  "Here you are
Guardians.  Any luck on the poison?"

"Yes, the toxin used comes from a tiny insect.  It
takes a great deal of trouble to make, but it is one of
the most deadly toxins known, which explains why the
scratch on Jack's leg was enough to sicken him so.
Ordinarily the toxin kills in a matter of seconds, but
if the dose is exceptionally small, it works more
slowly.  The poison could still be fatal.  Once
introduced it works on the nerves, including the brain
and the nerves that control the heart.  I must return
to the pirate camp yet tonight.  I contacted Roger just
after dark, and Jack is already in dire need of another
infusion of life force to regenerate his body.  Short
of a magical potion or the spell of a priest of a god
of healing, the poison cannot be neutralized. We shall
have to hope he can find a continuous supply of
victims, or Jack may not make it.  Thankfully, the
nobles of Turnmoor have provided us with at least one.
-----------------

It had been several days since she had seen the pirates
and Rapina was in Thane's magical library with five
books open on the floor. A single flaming skeleton
stood in an alcove near the door.  Ordinarily she might
have taken the books to her room, but she did not see
the point.  Neither Thane nor Rames was home to scold
her, and the book she was reading required many
references just to understand.  No sooner would she
close one reference, than she needed another from the
shelf.  The book she was trying to understand was the
book on magical theory that Red Jack had allowed her to
read when she was a pirate.  Thane owned all of Jack's
old books now.  She had picked up the book just after
returning from the tryst with the pirates because she
needed a challenge.  The energy from the pirates was
keeping her quite alert, and she saw no reason not to
use it.

Rapina fingered the choker around her neck.  Thane made
her wear it whenever she was away from the abode, and
now it appeared she must also wear it whenever both
priests were out.  It was little more than a slave
collar, she supposed.  It was odd that Thane had not
put it on her when she made her mock escape from him in
Granville.  No doubt, he had been testing her.  A few
days ago, Thane, or Kroz as he now liked to be called
sent Rames on some sort of assignment.  He was still
gone, and Thane had gone to infuse Red Jack with
another nightly dose of life force to keep him alive.
Rapina knew he would also check on the results of
Kent's ghoulish scouting efforts.

"Rapina!?" Thane called out.

"In the Library!" Rapina answered.

"Ah, I should have known.   Thane frowned at all the
books scattered across the floor.  For an apprentice
who does the bulk of the cleaning around here, you seem
to be quite at home with slovenly habits.  I see you
did not even button your bodice this morning."

Rapina giggled, "I can't, Guardian."

"No?"

"I gained a cup size from bedding the pirates.
Actually, I'm not as big as I was a few days ago.  I
could probably button at least one or two buttons now,
Rapina said."

"Mmm?" Thane asked.

Rapina stood, took Thane's skeletal left hand and
pushed it down the front of her dress.

Thane's jaw dropped.  Astonishing!  As you know, I can
feel life force with that hand.

Rapina nodded, "Yes, that's why I took your left hand
and not the other.  I'm sure the right would have been
more pleasant, but I don't think you would have gotten
the point.  The other point is, I'm really just reading
the book in my hands, the other five are references,
and I keep having to pull more down from the shelves.
This is a very hard book.  I think you might have kept
it on the shelf in your room had it not been for the
fact that you knew I had already seen it.  It was
Jack's."

"Ah, yes, I know the volume.  It is a difficult work,
not the sort of thing an apprentice would normally try
to tackle.   Why are you locking horns with it?"

"I was so charged up from the pirates, I needed the
challenge.  I am nearly done, I've been at it for
several days."

Hard at it too, I believe your standards for the
cleanliness of the Kitchen have slipped.

"Oooo," Rapina put her hand to her lips.  "I forgot to
tidy up after lunch."

Thane chuckled.  I see you are not far from the end.
Do not break your chain of thought now.  You can attend
to the kitchen at dinner, which can be simple fare
since I will be busy and Rames is not due back until
tomorrow after dusk.

"Thank you Guardian Thane.  I could really use the
time.  I do believe I finally know enough, and have a
big enough library at my disposal to be getting
somewhere."

"Indeed, I will discuss the work with you when you have
finished.  I read it myself shortly after it came into
my possession.  It is a valuable though confusing
treatise.  One more thing, Rapina."

"Hmm?"

"How did you fair when the shadows drained you when you
foiled that little assassination attempt I cooked up
for Red Jack not long after you all arrived on
Graveston isle?

"They seemed to tap my reserves before they started to
hurt me.  Are you out of victims for healing Jack?"
Rapina asked.

Thane chuckled and shook his head, "My dear, you are
far too familiar with the way I think.  Yes, the spy
lasted through four drains in two days before death
claimed him.  Since then the Captain's more loyal
officers have donated life force of one drain apiece.
More would be too dangerous.  Red Jack is still by no
means well, indeed, his straights seem more dire each
time I see him.  I am healing some of the damage, but I
cannot touch the poison itself.  He needs more just to
keep him alive.  Yet, I do not believe he wants to
start using crewmen to keep himself among the living.
Given that one powerful but remote group already
appears to know the location of his camp, I do not
think he wishes to betray his location to other groups
by locating local men and having me drain the life out
of them.  The life force you store appears to be of a
somewhat different character than what I am used to
draining, but as long as it is drainable, it is worth a
try.  You will come with me to help Jack tomorrow
then?"

Rapina nodded, "Yes Guardian.  I wonder, why are you
helping him so much?  You have been there every night
since he was poisoned.  It is not in the contract."

Thane chuckled, "There would be no contract without Red
Jack, that and he has already made his payment.  He
gave me the fresh corpse of Elizabetta, a highly
trained assassin, a rare gem, and I have been working
on her and the enchantments I must learn to complete
her every available hour since I got her back.  I have
had to purchase the corpses of two lesser assassins at
great personal expense just to practice on. Moreover, I
have had to appeal to our cause and ask favors of
several Mortancers of Mortaebius so that I can learn
the process aright and make no mistakes on her
enchantments when she is ready.  I will see you at
dinner.  I still have much to do.  If I am successful
in these next few days, I will have learned a second of
Mortaebius' advanced animations."
---------------------

The next evening at Dusk Thane, as Kroz, used the
graveyard mists spell to transport Rapina and his
guards to the pirate camp.

"I will consult with Kent.  Mayhap you would like to
try to glean some more energy before we try this.  I
see you were able to button your bodice this morning,
though the fit of your dress is too tight," Kroz said.

Rapina nodded and hustled towards the camp with a
couple of guards Thane had assigned to her.  Their
mailed feet crunched the packed snow on the path as
they followed her.  When she entered the ship's tent,
she saw that things had changed somewhat.  The ship was
both more and less built, and a body of a recruit hung
from one of the posts.  It appeared that the men were
making the ship, but also disassembling and packing its
parts for transport by sled.  Red Jack was probably
getting ready to run, but he was probably too sick to
do it just yet.  Rapina rubbed her tingling nose as she
looked around and then realized that a number of the
pirates were already lustfully looking at her, tickling
her senses.

"Lust on deck!  Phhhweeetphweew!" Blackjack bellowed.

Rapina blushed and felt her nipples erect as a great
deal of lustful attention had its effect on her.  The
men had adopted a horse whistle instead of the usual
naval whistle they sometimes used before formal
speeches of the captain.  It appeared she had taken on
new rank, although the rank seemed pregnant with humor.
Rapina covered the "Oh" written on her lips as she
realized the suggestion her mind had cooked up to give
the pirates when she had slipped into their clutches a
few days ago.  She would just have to do it again,
maybe the pirates would become a little more serious.

"Hi men, it looks like you've been hard at work."

"Not as hard as we'd like ta be!" Glinter blurted.

"Oh yea!" The pirates hollered as they gave Glinter the
thumbs up.

Just then Brackston came into the tent, "Captain says
'e's not feelin' up ta satisfyin' de red hot wench
tanight.  Yew men think ye can fill 'is shoes?"

"Aye!" The pirates hollered.

"Damn right we can!" Stoker said with fanatic zeal.

Rapina raised her eyebrows.  After the way she had
abused Stoker the last time she had seen him, she was
surprised he had any interest.  Yet it was apparent
from his eyes that he was obsessed, like an addict who
had been debilitated by opium, yet craved more.

Brackston whispered in Rapina's ear, "Captain Jack says
yew're th' last person 'e wants ta steal life force
from.  Only reason 'e's willin' ta try this is Kroz
says yew got a little natural talent fer sex magic.
Th' Captain will give it a try, but only if yew can
charge yerself way up with yer magic snatch.  Red Jack
don't want yew hurt from Kroz's deadly hand.  Yew fuck
them men, and yew fuck them good, understand?"

"Yes sir," Rapina blushed.

A section of scaffolding was already being moved to the
center of the tent, and a few bed rolls and blankets
were being tossed on top of it.

Rapina jumped up on the scaffold.  "You sure you can
fill Jack's shoes guys?  Jack's got a wicked tongue and
he is awfully long-winded."

"We'll do it 'er die tryin!"  Greasy shouted.

Rapina felt a familar touch on her back and then a
man's fingers began unlacing her bodice.  Rapina looked
over her shoulder.  Arzeal?

"Not the circumstances I would have chosen, but these
men can be rough, best to start well-warmed with a man
who will treat you right."

Arzeal did treat her right.  He undressed her and
caressed her in front of the men like a master showman.
When it was time, he kissed her everywhere, then knelt
to drink the juices from her wanton cleft until she was
writhing over him like a wildcat.  She came powerfully
and touched his mind with affection and only then did
he enter her.  Being half elven, he was slightly
shorter than she, but it worked beautifully for the
standing positions.  By the time he was finished with
her she was sopping with lubrication, and the men were
cheering and lusting so palpably that Rapina's whole
body seemed to vibrate with their sentiment.

After Arzeal broke the ice, pirate after pirate mounted
her, each pumping the power of his loins into her body.
Man after man took her, some she recognized, Stoker,
Greasy, Rage, Skitch and others.  She had seen many of
the remaining pirates but she hardly knew them.  The
entire camp seemed to be participating.  The guards
even changed while she was moaning on her back.

Rough hands grabbed her ankles and pulled her nether
lips even with the edge of the scaffold.  At the same
time, Slice stepped over her, straddled her chest,
knelt down and played with her breasts.  Rapina's mouth
opened as she realized what was happening.  Brackston's
rough hand reached around and grasped Slice's throbbing
organ, but instead of entering the boy, he entered
Rapina.

"Slice leaned forward and whispered to Rapina.  Take as
much as ye can from him, Wench.  He was the only
officer who would not give Kroz a jolt.  He doesn't
trust the old warlock, but he trusts you.  You take him
hard."

Rapina nodded, she clutched and pulled at Brackston's
seed with all her strength, holding nothing back.  She
could hear him grunting behind Slice, and when she did
catch a glimpse of him, his eyes were rolled up in his
head, and his mouth was open and drooling.

UuuaaaaAAAAIIIIIeeeeu-u-u... Brackston came for what
seemed an eternity. Rapina used nearly all of her
strength, pulling nearly as hard as she had on Stoker
the other night.

Brackston tried to stand, but fell forward and
collapsed on the platform next to Rapina.  "Was that
hard enough Brackston, she whispered?"  For several
minutes her only answer was a glassy-eyed stare.

"Aye, close enough.   Yew take it easy on Slice."

Rapina nodded. "You can bet on it, because I'm sorely
winded from tugging your guts out," Rapina giggled.

"Wench!" Brackston groaned.

"Some guys like it rough, and some like it nice and
easy," Rapina said pushing Slice down her body and
engulfing his erection.  She pulled Brackston's hip
towards her and put Slice's hand on the side of his
exhausted lover's rump.  She could tell these men's
lusts did not run strongly for women, but their efforts
on behalf of their captain were touching.

As he peaked, Slice's eyes opened and then popped wide
in a look that communicated both intense ecstasy and
surprise that he could be having it at the hands of a
woman.

Man followed man until Rapina affectionately embraced
Zit and nuzzled his earlobe.  He looked overjoyed to
see her and she could not help dallying with him a
little longer than she needed to.  He was a perceptive
boy.  Somehow, he had known there was something about
her that was unusual, and now he seemed to understand
that she was not a vampire in the usual sense, but that
he had not been entirely wrong about her either.

When Zit rolled off her with a contented sigh, Arzeal
was there to clean her up, get her dressed quickly and
whisk her off to the captain's tent where Kroz was
conferring with Jack and Roger.

"Tharr's me wench," the captain said feebly.

Rapina bent and kissed Jack's lips.

Jack spoke so softly Rapina could barely hear him.
"Aye, lets get on with this afore I can't keep me brain
workin' namore.  Th' poison's reavin' me soul.  These
treatments 'er pullin me back from th' brink o' death,
but it seems like they're pullin' me back less far each
time."

"This may not work, but if it does not, perhaps we can
find a volunteer among the men for a second drain.
Kroz removed the gloves from his hands and began to
cast the first spell.  Unlike Rapina, he had no means
to store life force in his body for any length of time,
thus the first spell drained Kroz's own life force and
bestowed it on the Captain.  Kroz placed his hand on
Jack's head and grimaced as his energy flowed into the
ailing pirate.

"Aye, some better, some better, I can feel th' damage
healin' an me headache, dullin' down towards bearable."

The second spell would draw life force from Rapina to
replace Kroz's loss.  Kroz droned the incantation.

Rapina loosened her bodice and pulled it out so that
Kroz could reach in at the right moment.  When he did,
she was not entirely ready for the squeal of surprise
that came from Thane's lips as he drained a goodly
amount of her reserves.

"How are your reserves?" Kroz asked.

"I've enough for another," Rapina said.

Thane hurriedly cast the draining spell again and
grabbed Rapina's other breast, then before the drain
was even complete he began hurriedly casting the energy
bestowing spell.  This time he placed his hand on
Jack's solar plexus, and poured Rapina's energy into
the dieing pirate.

"Balls o' fire, this'd be th' first time I ever got a
ragin' instant hard-on from the touch of a skeleton.
What was in that?  I'd like that spell again," Jack
chuckled.  "I ain't just tinglin, I feel warm all over
too.  Will you kiss me Kroz?  Jack laughed
uncontrollably."

Kroz cleared his throat.  There is a peculiar property
to the energy.  I noticed that right off.  By replacing
what I had lost and then draining a second time
immediately followed by the bestowal spell, I have
attempted to give you a dose of Rapina's energy in a
purer form, more directly from her.  I have no ability
to store energy, but I attempted to transfer it before
it had a chance to dissipate.  I am curious to see if
it is as effective as the life force I wrench from
myself and others."

"Tharr's no contest on that score, Kroz.  I've been
through this enough ta know what one o' yer energy
transfers is supposed ta do an' how much.  Whatever
Rapina's got, it trounces ye in th' healin' department.
All along there's been a dull fire in me nerves, 'an
even when th' life force ye give me healed th' damage,
th' fire's been still there, eatin' away at me.  All
around me chest an' upper legs, I'm feelin' that fire
goin' out.  Maybe it's just the hellish hard, hard-on I
got that I'm not feelin' things aright, but I think I
got 'em square.  Leave me be fer a bit and I'll let ye
know how things come out.

"What happened to the recruit hanging from the pole of
the ship's tent?"

"Roger, Brackston and I have spent a great deal of time
over the past few nights searching for additional
spies," Kroz said. "After all, there were two outside
spies; it stood to reason there might be an inside spy
as well.  I have a plan to deal with this sorcerer of
Li'Yieraun's, but it would not do if he had a spy in
our camp.  After questioning everyone but the old
officers, we found that we indeed had a spy.  He was
working for an assassin in Turnmoor, possibly
Elizabetta's boss Palo, though he did not use that name
when he hired the boy.  We made use of his life force,
and then hung him up as an example."

Rapina grimaced at the fate of the boy but smirked in
spite of herself.  Kroz was being much more helpful
than the contract Roger had hammered out with Red Jack
said he had to be.  Surely, he was insuring the future
of his contract, but Rapina felt that there must be
something else.  Perhaps Kroz saw some gain for the
church of Mortaebius or himself.

---

[Rapina]031 The Shadows of Wizardry

"You look stunning poured into black silk, my dear,
does she not?" Thane asked.

Rames rubbed his hands together and held them near
Rapina's loins as if by a fire.

Rapina giggled.

"I see only one problem with your outfit," Thane said.

"Hmm?" Rapina asked.

"This is a night operation, and your blades are
silvery, far too reflective.  If you should find
yourself in battle, your blades would betray your
position. Try these instead."  Thane held up a pair of
black leather sheathes.  The hilts of the weapons they
contained were also black leather; the metal of the
pommels and hilt guards were dull black as well.

Rapina loosened her belt and replaced her weapons with
the ones Thane had given her.  She drew the rapier part
way and saw that the metal of the blades was the same
dull black color as the hilt guard.  She squinted at
the tang mark, it was the mark of The Montfort Forge.

"Oh thank you!  Thank you Guardian Thane, I love these
Montfort blades.  I really missed the one I had."

Thane chuckled, "Yes, Guardian Rames said that was
painfully obvious.  Now that you will be helping us
handle the clandestine affairs of the Church, you shall
not lack for quality equipment.  I have a darkwood bow
for you as well.  It is somewhat stronger than the one
you are used to.  I do hope you can bend it." Thane
handed Rapina the bow.

Rapina gritted her teeth a bit but she was able to bend
the bow.

"Splendid, Guardian Rames, I shall never doubt your
opinions as an arms master again."

Rames chuckled, "We had a little disagreement over
bows.  Guardian Thane wanted me to get a somewhat
weaker bow, but I felt you could grow into this one."

Rapina smiled, "What's our assignment?"

It is a simple matter, really.  You are to consecrate
several small graveyards to Mortaebius, and create
another.  In order to accomplish the feat, you must
drive your horses hard, luckily skeleton horses do not
tire.  Guardian Rames will show you the maps.  You are
to study them.  Here also is a compass and your copies
of the maps in case you should become separated.  After
you are finished, I shall take you to this Graveyard in
the county of Li'Yeiraun.  You shall make a large
circle around the area as you consecrate and then you
will create a graveyard here, in a forest just east of
Castle Yeiraun."

Other than feeling a bit of soreness in her rump, the
consecration of various graveyards around Li'Yeiraun
was going very well.  Rapina dismounted at still
another tiny graveyard.  A small parsonage to an
agricultural deity could be seen not far off.

"We begin," Rames said. "Hail Mortaebius guardian of
the dead, the dead who lie here entreat thee, hallow
this ground that the dead might rest."

"Hail Mortaebius, keeper of the deceased, we the living
entreat thee, hallow this ground that the dead be held
in thy embrace, to rise only in the direst need,"
Rapina said.

A door to the parsonage opened and closed, "Is someone
there."

In a lowered voice, Rames continued with the
consecration, "Hearken, ye buried and departed, to the
power of Mortaebius coursing through thy rotting flesh
and bones."

Rapina continued, "Harken, ye living to the call of thy
ancestors in Mortaebius' embrace, and know his power
will preserve thee, until death takes life's grace.

Both Rapina and Rames finished the consecration.
"...and thus we close the circle, life and death, the
cycle is complete."

"Food! Food! You got food? Snuffle-snuff!" Rames half
shouted in a crazed voice as the Parson approached.

The parson held a crossbow on Rames.  "Hold up there
beggar."

"Me smell fooood!" Rames shouted.

Rapina stealthily circled the parson in the darkness as
Rames' voice drew his attention.  Since both she and
her companion were dressed in black with their exposed
skin thoroughly sooted, the Parson was having a
difficult time seeing them in the dim light, and Rames
was making sure the parson concentrated on him.  When
Rapina was behind the parson, she poised her hand just
over the man's sword hilt and raised her other hand to
tap on his left shoulder.

"Look out behind you, sir," Rames said.

At that moment the parson felt a tap on his shoulder
and whirled, but Rapina's hand took his sword and
slowed him long enough for her to hit the trigger on
his crossbow.  The bolt fired into the open air as
Rapina's boot kicked the parson off his feet.

Rames was on the Parson in an instant.  Me told you
look out.  Now me look for Fooood!  Rames knelt on one
of the man's arms and searched him.

Rapina stamped on the man's arm as he went for a knife.
Rames snatched the knife and threw it as far as he
could while Rapina removed the bolts from the parson's
quiver and tossed them as well.

"He not got no food.  You go get us food.  We not hurt
you.  Rames stood the man up and pushed him towards the
parsonage."

As the parson hustled towards his house, Rames and
Rapina stealthily made their way back to their horses
and mounted up.  When the parsonage door closed, they
galloped off.

"Whew, that was close.  I'm so glad you warned him
about the person behind him, I think he might have shot
you in surprise if I had just tapped him on the
shoulder."

Rames chuckled, "Yes, it did work rather well.  For a
moment I was almost his friend."

The consecration of the remaining graveyards went
without a hitch, but there was still the one to be
created.  Rames and Rapina rode slowly, stopping
frequently to listen for guards.  They saw a pair of
them walk by in the distance.

When Rames stopped, Rapina immediately dismounted and
took down her shovel.  She dug a hole, tossed an open
burlap sack of bones into it and buried it.    She
paced off twelve paces distance and did the same with a
second skeleton.  Rames was doing likewise, some
distance away.  After the burial was done, they
immediately did the consecration ritual in voices
barely above a whisper.   When they were finished they
stopped and listened for a moment; a pair of guards was
coming.  Carefully they laid down.

"I hate it when the mists rise off the ground like
that, it gives me the creeps," a first guard said.

"Bah, you afraid of spooks?" his partner asked.

"Na, just don't like the way it obscures things."

"Well come on then, lets walk on through there, nothing
to be afraid of.

Rapina held her breath.  One of the guards nearly
stepped on her, but he passed.  The mists seemed to be
thickening by the minute.  After the guards had gone
some distance, Rapina heard chanting in a low voice
from nearby.

"Be very quiet, the guards are near, Rapina whispered
in a barely audible voice."

Rames picked up leaves and sifted them over the small
burried holes until his spell-enhanced night vision
told him the ground looked untouched.  He could see
Rapina was doing the same.

Thane, who had arrived with the mists, checked the work
of the others, and when he was satisfied, handed them
the leads to their horses, took their hands and began
to chant.

Rapina thanked her lucky stars that the guards were not
due to pass this way for another few minutes.  When the
three of them materialized back at the abode, she
breathed a sigh of relief.  "Do you suppose they will
find the tracks of our horses?"

"Nay, I doubt it, the leaves are thick in that area, as
is the forest.  The trail you came in on is well
traveled by horses and guards, so I expect we will be
just fine. However, I did include some insurance on the
skeletons you buried.  Should they be triggered by an
attacker who unearths them, they will stand up causing
a glyph to fire that will send a message to me," Thane
said.

Our work for the evening is not done.  We must
transport a number of skeletons to Red Jack's camp yet
tonight.  I have animated the bodies of two criminals
delivered by the constable as well," Thane added.

When they arrived, Red Jack's camp was bustling with
quiet activity. A number of ghouls combed the area
surrounding the camp for spies while Rames and Roger
took the skeletons to the appointed locations for
shallow burial.  Rapina assisted the pirates in making
a pack train to the graveyard.  The pirates carried
great pieces of their longship, tools and other
supplies.  Thane began transporting groups of pirates
to some far off graveyard.  By the time the birds sung
heralding the dawn, the pirates had removed the ship
from its tent, but the tent still stood.  Within the
tent, bowls of flaming oil had replaced the flaming
skeletons.

In fact, the pirate camp looked much the same as it
always had, except that the number of pirates in it was
greatly reduced.  Those deemed too green to fight well,
plus a few officers that had been put in charge of
building the new camp, were no longer present.  The
pirates that remained put on a show of activity while
the number of guards searching the forest around the
camp quietly doubled in number.  At dawn, Kroz bid the
pirates adieu and took Kent and most of his ghouls with
him as he left.

---

The next night, Thane came to his afternoon "breakfast"
looking as though he was trying to figure out what
might go wrong with a plan he had worked on for many
hours.

"Good evening Guardian Thane," Rapina said.

"Good evening Rapina.  Tonight is an important night.
We will discuss our plan, and when we are done it will
be time to put it into action..."

---

The sun was just about to slip below the horizon when
Rage walked down the path for the guard post farthest
from the camp.

Rage saw the large tree and took the runed cover from
over the stone set in his sword. A recruit he hardly
knew accompanied him to guard duty.  Kroz had told Rage
that the sword he had stolen from Lord Li'Yeiraun's men
had been bugged with a magic stone.  Now it was his
turn to use their little gadget against them.  He
pocketed the cover then went on.  Once at the guard
post he struck up a conversation with the two young
guards, a conversation he knew Nordula would overhear.
"Okay men, you're relived.  Get back to camp quick;
remember it'll be midnight before you know it, and the
captain wants you to get into your groups and be ready
to move out, so make sure you pack up.  We're going to
slip out right under the noses of those spying dogs."

"Aye sir," the youth said as he started down the trail.

"What group're ye in Blood?" Biler asked.

"Me? Number five, how about you?" Blood said.

"Group seven, we're the best," Biller replied.

"Bah..." Blood said.

Rage smiled to himself.  When this guard duty was over,
he would pry the stone from the sword and give it to
Roger.  The camp wards were going to be unearthed and
packed up for the most part, but Roger was a walking
ward.

---

Rapina waited in a shadow.  She was near the cobbled
path that led to the front door of Madam Agnes' House
of Angels.  It was in Yeiraun Villiage.  Yeiraun castle
was a mile walk up a hill to the north.

The disguise Rames was wearing looked utterly
ridiculous, but the one Thane was wearing was an
absolute scream.

Rapina heard the whinney of a horse.

"I can't believe my luck!" Rames said as he played
"Hans." "Imagine that, an out of town gentleman coming
away with the newest and definitely the most heavenly
angel of the bunch.  It was worth the small fortune I
paid."

Lieutenant Richter looked forward to this night every
week.  Yes, every week he picked up a bottle and one of
Agnes' girls and was back to his room for a nine to
midnight romp.  Occasionally he even let one of the
sergeants have a taste.

Rapina started up the path with Rames and looked up at
the lieutenant as he came down the path.  The coy
expression on her face coupled with the tug on the
officer's lust served to grab his attention and slow
his pace as he gave Rapina a good looking over.

"Hans!  Hansel! I know you're in there, I dragged your
words out of that hotel clerk!" Thane said in a
disguised voice.  Thane, dressed as a rather ugly but
convincing woman opened the gate of Madam Agnes' house
with a resounding squeak.

"Hans" stiffened. Swore under his breath, then
whispered frantically to the Lieutenant,  "Sir, I've
got this new girl for the entire night, and she's yours
if you bail me out of what's about to happen with my
damned wife."  Rames pushed Rapina at the Lieutenant.

"Ooo," Rapina squawked as she bumped into the
Lieutenant, giving his lust a little jerk on impact.

The lieutenant had no time to think or react before a
homely woman bore down on "Hans" like a mad hornet.

"Shame on you!  The very idea that you would fraternize
with harlots!  You are a married man!"

"Nonsense, you have it all wrong. Hilda, I'd like you
to meet my friend," Hans said.

"Good to meet you Hilda, my name's Adolf Richter, I'm
an old friend of your husband.  I'm sure he was just
over here looking for me.  We had a lot of catching up
to do."

"We sure did honey, it's so great to see him, why Adolf
is one of the best swordsmen I've ever known.  Uh, he
works for, uh..."

"Lord Li'Yeiraun."

"Yes, and Lord Li'Yeiraun holds him in high esteem.
It's great to see an old friend with such an honorable
post, isn't it Hilda?  I thought I might find him over
here at the, uh house of the ladies.   I heard he, uh,
sometimes comes here and I was um going to ask around
and see when he'd be in.  Low and behold I bumped into
him coming out with this young lady and we've been
catching up on old times ever since."

Hilda looked a little nonplused, "Well, thank heaven
you weren't frequenting this house of ill repute as I
had first suspected.  Hilda glared at the Lieutenant.
You should get yourself a wife, Adolf.  These ladies
are evil, you understand? eeevil!  Now come along Hans,
you get away from this place."

"Yes dear," Hans whimpered as Hilda hauled him towards
the gate.

Richter chuckled, "Poor sap, it's men like him who
remind me that a smart man never marries."

"Men like him remind you?" Rapina asked innocently as
she tugged at Richter's lust.

"And girls like you," Richter smiled saltily. "Lets
stop in and see Agnes a minute."

"Okay, have you got some money?" Rapina asked.

"Shit, do you think she'd charge me for you all over
again?" Richter asked.

Rapina smiled, "Um, I just got here yesterday; do you
think she would?" Rapina asked.

Richter looked at the door uneasily, then back at
Rapina.  Damn she was so young, and so breathtaking.
He could pay for her all over again but that would
cost... nah.

Richter did an about face, took Rapina's hand and led
her down the walkway, "What's your name?"

"Leanna." Rapina smiled.

---

Edgar the ghoul peered down from the treetop.  Not even
the half-elven sentries posted around the perimeter of
the Li'Yeiraun camp could see him.  His corpse was as
cold as the air around it.  As of a few minutes ago,
men were frantically donning armor, filling quivers,
and generally racing around as if about to go into
battle.  Edgar climbed down the tree.  He had a message
to get to Kroz's assistant.

---


Richter knocked on the heavy door, "It's Richter, open
up."

A grizzled old Sergeant opened the door.

Simply because she was an imp, Rapina tugged at the old
Sergeant's lust.

"Oi, who's th' girl?" the sergeant asked.

"Got her down at Agnes'.  Damn pretty, isn't she
Sergeant Deinzen?" Lieutenant Richter asked.

"Jah!" Sergeant Deinzen agreed.

"'Leanna, this is Sergeant Deinzen.  I Got her for the
whole night," Richter grinned.

"Let me know if he falls asleep on ya," Deinzen
chuckled.

Rapina blushed, "Okay," she said smiling.

The lieutenant led her through the heavy door.  It was
evident that Mansun Dido had given accurate drawings
and descriptions of Castle Li'Yieraun to Thane.  The
plans had come at a price however.  Thane's little coup
was to be much more bloodless than originally planned.
At night all doors to the castle were barred and bolted
from the inside with large, heavy bars and huge metal
bolts.  The only way past the barred doors was down a
corridor that led right through the guard barracks, and
only the Lieutenant had the key into the castle proper.

Rapina followed the Lieutenant down an isle that went
through a large room full of bunk beds.  On the other
side he unlocked a heavy door and entered a corridor.
After ten more paces he opened a door on the left and
took Rapina through a small office room where he
grabbed some glasses and a corkscrew for the bottle of
wine he'd bought while in town.  On the other side of
the office was the Lieutenant's bedroom.

"Who says a man who's supposed to be on call every
night of the week can't have a little fun," Richter
grinned as he passed Rapina a glass of wine.  Richter
looked at the beauty he had picked up and took a moment
just to gloat on his good fortune.  He began to wonder
just how much stuffing she had packed beneath her
breasts to make them look so full.  Heheh, turn around
girl.

Rapina turned and felt the Lieutenant's fingers
unbuttoning her dress. His breathing was rapid and hot
against her neck.  Her nose twitched as his lust
tickled her senses.

"Heheh, step out of that now, I want to see what you've
got on under it."

Rapina turned, blushed and stepped out of her dress.
The black satin lace teddy underneath had been copied
from a sample procured days earlier by Rames from one
of Agnes' Angels.

Richter licked his lips and began to unlace Rapina's
front.  When he was finished he slid the teddy's straps
over her shoulders and pulled it down.  Her ripe
breasts jiggled free, her nipples already erect.

a loud knocking could be heard on the outer door.

"Shit!"

"One minute," The lieutenant whispered and disappeared
into the office.

"It's Captain Gleister, get the men together on the
double.  Leave old Deinzen and a skeleton crew.  We
will need every available man.  The pirates are bugging
out and we need to catch them as they leave or we'll
likely not catch them at all.

"Yes sir!" Richter said.

After the captain left, Richter poked his head in the
room took a few more steps and kissed Rapina's nipples.
Damn pirates!  I might be back before morning.  You
stay here until then."

Rapina nodded, "okay."

In the next half hour, Rapina heard a great deal of
activity, and then the castle around her grew quiet.
Rapina took a lamp and went into the office.
Thankfully the lieutenant had not locked the door out.
Perhaps he knew he might not be back until long after
morning or maybe he had just been in too big a hurry.
Rapina laced up her teddy and walked to the door to the
barracks.  It was locked.  She wrinkled her nose,
trying to settle on a course of action.  Rapina
shrugged and knocked on the door.

What the?  Blade drawn, the sergeant opened the door
into the officer's corridor.

Rapina grimaced and jumped backwards when she saw the
sergeant's blade.  Her breasts jiggled succulently.

"Ooo, um sorry to bother you, but the lieutenant left
me all alone in his room.  He seemed to be in a rush.
He wanted me to stay till morning, but there's nothing
to do in there."

"Well, now I'm sure I could find somethin' for ye to do
out here," Sergeant Deinzen said.

"Who's that," asked one of the four guards remaining in
the barracks.

"That'd be th' lieutenant's harlot.  Deinzen laughed,
"He was just about to dip his rod when the captain came
in and told him it was time to pull out."

The guards laughed.  Two got up from their bunks and
came to take a look.

"One hell of a woman too, isn't she, Deiter?" Seargeant
Deinzen asked

"Jah, she sure is," Guard Deiter agreed.

"Hey, I've got somethin' you can do girl.  Watch the
door for me a second, Dieter."

Deinzen buttoned down his trousers and pulled out his
half erect cock.

"Suck."

Rapina blinked as thoughts raced through her mind, "How
am I supposed to put him to sleep with my mouth?"
Rapina slurped him into her mouth and tried to draw on
his energy, but it was no use, the best she could do
was tug on his lust.  Her mouth just wasn't set up the
same way as her vagina.  She knew how to use her throat
on a man, Guardian Rames had taught her, but how was
she going to work any magic if all he wanted was her
mouth?  Rapina smiled inwardly and began to finger
herself as she sucked on the Sergeant.  She tried to go
slowly as she frantically fingered herself.

"Faster girl, I'm supposed to be on duty," Sergeant
Deinzen said.

Rapina's head bobbed up and down, her moans escaping
her throat as she used everything she had trying to get
herself to orgasm before the Sergeant came in her
mouth.

Deinzen shook his head, "ever seen a hoar who enjoyed
her work like this one?"

The sergeant pumped and plunged adding speed to the
young woman's otherwise impressive performance.

Rapina's could hardly stand it she was giving herself
so much stimulation, and then she felt Deinzen shudder
as hot jets of cum began to shoot down her throat.
Just as the man was about to pull out, Rapina took hold
of his balls.  She sucked what was left of his erection
to the cadence of her own slippery clit-teasing finger.

"Heheh, you're a real natural," Sergeant Deinzen said.

1Uhuhaaah, Rapina rode her orgasm to the cloud of
Deinzen's mind and touched him with lust and stiffness
as powerful as those she had inflicted on the late
reverend Evangeline.

Deinzen removed Rapina's hand from his balls.  Whew,
you're a grabby one, girl.  Care for a whirl men?

---

"Huddle closer!" the magician, Nordula said.  "Good,
now hold together."  Sweat ran from Nordula's brow.
Two a night had been about right, now he was
teleporting groups of four men together at once.  He
had already used up every elixir of power and energy
stone he had, and finally he was nearly done.

Nordula collapsed as he pronounced the final word.  The
men disappeared.

"Nordula, I would be gravely disappointed if you were
unable to teleport the remainder of my personal guards
and I," Lord Heinrich Li'Yieraun said.

"Let me rest a moment m'Lord, I will come with you, and
that should make it a little easier.  Teleporting
others without going oneself is a taxing proposition,
without the stone on the other side it is not even
practical.   Nordula wiped the sweat from his brow with
a handkerchief.  He was spent; he knew he would have to
rest for at least twenty minutes.

Fifteen minutes later Lord Li'Yieraun cleared his
throat, "Nordula?"

"Five more minutes m' Lord, and I should have the
energy," Nordula said.

Li'Yeiraun nearly growled.  Finally Nordula stood and
gathered the two bodyguards and his lord together.

Nordula's head felt as though it had been clubbed
repeatedly, yet he knew he must make one last supreme
effort.  He was sure the warriors would be occupied
making preparations until near midnight.  He would
sleep in the camp.  He wrapped his fur cloak around him
and began to incant the spell.  He did not like the way
the evening was progressing.  His plan had been to
transport the men a day or two before the battle was to
take place so he could rest up from the taxing duty of
teleportation, but because the pirates had decided to
try to slip away he was expected to teleport and fight
in one night, but how could he cast when he had used up
all his reserves on transportation?

---


The guard walking the wall of Yeiraun castle cussed to
himself, "Why do I have to take a second shift anyways,
I should be at my leisure, damn pirates!  Wha? did I
hear something? What in hell's up with the lights going
out?  The guard put his hand up to check for rain, then
whirled suddenly, but it had grown so dark.  He smelled
rotten meat.  Someone was there, but before he could
strike out, they scratched him, and he froze solid with
some kind of magical fear.  The ghoul gibbered softly,
crouching in the darkness that seemed to cling to him,
and then moved off down the wall.

The skeletal assassin, Elizabetta, jumped off the wall
above the gate, her blackjack expertly rapped on the
back of the gate guard's skull before she flattened
against the cobbles with the impact of her thirty-foot
fall.  Her charcoal-colored bones were not brittle like
those of lesser skeletons, but instead were firm but
flexible as rubber.  Blunt weapons and falls were now
mere nuisances.

The second gate guard could hardly see, and certainly
could not believe what was happening.  A shadow fell
off the wall?  He swished his sword behind his comrade,
but hit only air.  Suddenly something hit him like a
rubber ball that had bounced from the top of the wall.
Ulch!  His jaw shattered as the flexible skull hit him
like a blackjack.  He fell over backwards and the
creature gouged a spot behind his ears.  Suddenly
everything went black.

Thane smiled within his death mask as the gate quietly
opened.  Under the cover of clinging darkness, Thane
and his guards led a string of black leather-clad
skeletal draft horses through the gate of Yeiraun
castle. A number of double animated skeletons flanked
the horses and when they were through the gate,
Elizabetta waited as her two flexible skeletal helpers
dragged a body each to the gate from the wall.  A
shadowy Kent came up and scratched the men before
dragging them off into the shadows.

"Nnnggugulp," Rapina gasped and swallowed as Deiter
filled her mouth with cum.  She tugged wildly at
Sergeant Deinzen's lust as he pistoned in and out of
her wanton cleft.

"Ooooo..." Deinzen croaked as his orgasm seemed to
stretch to infinity.  The pleasure was so overwhelming.
When it was finally over, he shuddered and collapsed.

Rapina rolled the sergeant off her and gasped for
breath.  Deiter came around to the front of the bunk
and sat her back up.  His mouth latched onto her right
nipple and he suckled her and fingered her clit like a
man possessed.  She reached behind him and massaged his
buttocks.  Eventually her fingers wrapped under, found
the base of his rod and stimulated him.  His staff
rose.

There came a knocking at the great door to the outside.

Guard Dieter ignored the knock, he would get it later,
besides, the knocker had not identified himself, and
that was the rule.  His fingers had tasted what he must
have and now he would have his rising erection between
her lovely thighs.

Rapina moaned as Deiter entered her.

Dieter laughed and cried as he pumped himself between
the gates of Elysium. At last his eyes rolled back in
his head, his loins surged forward and he hollered in
ecstasy.

Rapina drew the power out of the guard with all her
might.  He pumped and hollered for several minutes
before collapsing on top of her.

An insistent knock sounded at the door.  Rapina was
about to roll Dieter off when he pushed up drunkenly.
He was obviously addled.

Deiter shot back the bolt and opened the door.  Wha?

The ghoul scratched Deiter's face and he froze.

Rapina screamed hoarsely.

Kent pretended to scratch Rapina and she froze.

"Ghouls immobilize those guards, bind the wench over
one of the horses, I think I might have a use for her
later on."  Thane cast vision in darkness on Rapina as
Kent bound her over the back of a horse.

He had the ghouls toss the guards into a cell in the
block just on the other side of the barracks.  Once the
last of them was in, Thane shot home the bolt on the
outside of the door.

After the last skeletal horse had come in from the
courtyard, the Elizabetta, the skeletal assassin bolted
the door to the barracks.

Thane opened the door to the officers' corridor with
the sergeant's key and moved his entourage forward.
"Where is the key to the inner door, Thane whispered in
Rapina's ear.

"The lieutenant had a key ring, but he left in such a
hurry, I think he still had it with him," Rapina
whispered.

"Elizabetta, the lock if you are able," Thane said.

The skeletal assassin removed lock picks from a pouch,
worked a few minutes, then opened the door.

"Splendid."  Thane intoned arcane syllables and filled
the room beyond the door with darkness.  Now, take your
cohorts and scout our way to Nordula's chambers."

The skeletal assassins and the pack of ghouls they led
slunk ahead.  Thane and his entourage followed more
slowly.  At last they arrived at the door to Nordula's
chambers.  Thane first dispelled any magic holding the
door fast, then Elizabetta worked on the lock for about
ten minutes, periodically requesting tools from a case
on one of the horses.  Thane filled the rooms
surrounding the entrance to Nordula's chambers with
darkness.  The ghouls and the other two skeletal
assassins scouted for and immobilized guards in the
area.  There were few to remove, however.  The castle
was largely empty.  At last the door opened.

Elizabetta sent her underlings forward to check for
traps.

Thane assisted with his mage-sight, detecting and
dispelling a glyph on the door.  Once the party made it
into Nordula's library, Thane began dispelling magic on
the books, and designating which books needed to be
packed within the rib cages of the horses.  Any work on
magic was taken away.

Once in, the skeletal assassin carefully checked for
secret doors in Nordula's chambers.  Her two cohorts
assisted, while Thane did the same using magic.

Thane found a magical stone in the mantle of the
fireplace in Nordula's bedroom.  He dispelled it, then
carefully pried it off and put it in a tiny metal box.

In the study Elizabetta found a bookcase that slid
aside revealing another bookcase hidden within the wall
behind the first.

"Excellent, you are a fine servant of our god,
Elizabetta."

Kent ran in. "town guardsmen, master."

Rapina gasped, "You've had it now!"

Thane dispelled the books in the hidden bookcase in
case any were magically trapped.  "Examine the case for
mechanical traps then get those books loaded.  I have
other things to attend to."

Thane smiled. "I Have no worries as long as these fools
have no mage," He rasped as he passed her.  I shall
increase the darkened areas of the castle.  You shall
immobilize these meddling town guardsmen.  It appears
that someone escaped the castle and fetched them.  As
the darkened areas grew, ghouls chittered and men
screamed.

"Skeletons, front four ranks, defend only.  Let the
ghouls handle this," Thane ordered.

A lone guard somehow made it past the skeletons and
into the room.

"Thane pointed a finger at him and said, "Death" in the
frightening voice of his death mask.

The town guardsman blanched and ran from the room as if
the hounds of hell were chasing him.

Rapina peered from the back of the horse she was draped
over as if paralyzed. "What hideous spell was that?"
She whispered.

"He didn't give me a chance to cast one," Thane
chuckled.

Rapina groaned.  Thane had simply scared the man.  It
was much quicker than spellcasting.

"Good, I think we are set here; Let us head for the
laboratory," Thane said.

Rapina just shook her head, Thane was so casual.  He
cast spells to detect and dispel while Elizabetta and
her assassins checked for traps and entered the
laboratory.  It was really surprising how few traps
there were.  Rapina supposed it stood to reason since
Nordula was actually using his books and laboratory
probably less than an hour before they had arrived.

Thane snatched up a kettle, some lab books, various
items and reagents from the lab and then had them
packed in one of the horses.  When he was satisfied
they left the laboratory.  Upstairs the ghouls were
slinking around paralyzing anyone who dared enter the
magical darkness.

Once outside the castle, Rapina heard arrows wiz by in
the air.  Thankfully none hit her.  Soon Thane and his
entourage were marching towards the forest in darkness
that was lost in the night.  The ghouls paralyzed those
soldiers foolish enough to enter the inky blackness
surrounding the necromancer's caravan.

Thane chuckled, "I'm sure Li'Yeiraun's troops would
have been better equipped with light stones and such,
but I would venture to guess just about all of them are
being used at the pirate camp along with any other
magical items Nordula might have that would aid in a
battle.  When they got to the previously consecrated
graveyard, Thane cast graveyard mists.

The entourage appeared in a cemetery next to an ancient
temple that Rapina had never seen.  They entered a
stream near the temple and traveled half a mile to a
lake.  There Thane again cast the graveyard mists
spell.  Next they appeared briefly on an island in a
steamy swamp.  They followed an ancient road into the
water, and from there Thane took them to the abode.

"Was that lake a cemetary?" Rapina asked.

Thane wiped his brow and chuckled, "both the lake and
the swamp were sites where a great many bodies were
dumped or fell from ancient battles.  The cemeteries I
took us too were consecrated and or warded, and each
had a rich history behind it.  All these things tend to
be very hard on divination magics."

"Oh, I get it," Rapina said.

"Given that Nordula's forebears were fond of reading
the tea leaves, I decided to make it very difficult if
not impossible for him to figure out my final
destination.  Thane smiled.  Now get dressed, we must
rescue the pirates.  Rames is with them playing Karmoz,
my soldierly assistant who wears a helmet with a
leather mask.  Thane collapsed on a chair in the great
hall, "I must rest for a moment."  Thane wiped the
sweat from his brow.  He had cast far too many spells
already.

---

Fletcher Arzeal grimaced as an arrow grazed his arm.
It was obvious that Li'Yieraun's men included some
half-elves or elves.  The first decoy group of pirates
had left the camp at half past midnight.  They had
spotted the expected ambush and had routed back into
camp, landing many enemies in the pit traps and deadly
snares that had been set up for them.  The center of
the pirates' camp was now a fortified dip in the ground
that had been squared up, its walls made sheer and
reinforced by timbers.  Earth had been spread out from
the walls to make sure fire would not spread easily in
the pirates' makeshift keep.   Some of the old camp
shacks still stood, and the perimeter of the camp was
protected by standing spears and armed skeletons buried
in extremely shallow graves so that the enemy could not
count them. The tent that once stood around the ship
was empty, but it had been left up as a ploy so that
the enemy would believe there was still a ship within.

Arzeal picked off another man and then heard a far off
scream.  He wondered if Edgar was responsible and found
himself almost wishing Kroz would arrive with the rest
of the ghouls.  For now, the battle was a stalemate.
Afraid of the traps set by the pirates, the nobleman's
forces surrounded the pirate camp and attempted to pick
Jacks men off with arrows, however most of the men were
behind solid cover.  Arzeal was busy attempting to fend
off the elves among the enemy, unfortunately, there
appeared to be perhaps ten of them and they were moving
in to attempt to find a way to get at the hiding
pirates.  Almost too late Arzeal spotted the heat
signatures in the trees.  He tapped the man in the
leather mask.  "Ten archers in the trees over there,"
Arzeal said.

The pirates screamed as many arrows found their marks.

"97th archers rise and fire," Karmoz, the masked
warrior played by Rames said.

Seven skeletal archers rose from their very shallow
graves and fired on the archers in the trees.  Their
vision was not hampered in the least by the darkness.

Li'Yiraun Archers began screaming and falling from the
trees as arrows began hitting them.

Well back from the front lines and surrounded by his
personal guard, Lord Heinrich Li'Yeiraun brooded as
news came in from his messengers.

"The elves attempted to use the trees to get high
enough to get by the cover of the pirate earthworks,
but the pirates somehow spotted them, and fired back
picking our men off!" Captain Gleister reported.

"Damn it!  Does Jack have more elves than we thought?"
Count Li'Yeiraun asked.

"It is easy to see that our archers do not have the
visual advantage as we thought.  The enemy has those
who can see and fire on them even under cover of
foliage and darkness," Captain Gleister said.

"Captain, we must use our infantry.  Our numbers are
superior.  Concentrate them and attempt to break the
pirate perimeter."

---

Arzeal listened as a hoard of soldiers came in from the
South, "Ready archers."

A red spotlight directed by the pirates illumined the
approach.   The hired soldiers screamed battle cries
and came forward.

"Fire at will!" Arzeal ordered.

"77th archers rise to kneel, and fire at will," Karmoz
ordered.  A group of ten skeleton archers rose from
their shallow graves and began firing at the enemy.

"Heheh, I see yew."  Brackston fired arrow after arrow
as did every pirate in a wild effort to break the enemy
charge.

"47th archers, rise, wheel right, fire at will," Karmoz
ordered.  77th infantry, ready spears, all set and rise
to crouch."

"Do them numbers have anything to do with anything?"
Skitch asked.

"Other than incorporating a few memory hooks as to what
direction they're in, the numbers have nothing whatever
to do with anything," Karmoz whispered.  The skeletons
are told what group they are in, and it doesn't really
matter to them what the name or number is.  I like to
keep the numbers large so the enemy thinks we have
plenty of squads," Karmoz chuckled.

"Heheh, good deal."  Skitch let fly another shaft and
then another.  Skitch howled with crazed laughter as
the front lines of mercenaries met the raised spears of
the skeletons.

"Ghosts!"  "Skeletons!" "Vampires!"  The mercenary
charge turned into a route as the sheer horror of
fighting undead enemies was suddenly sprung on them.

"Aye, tharr we got 'em!  Pound tharr backs with arrows
men, every one we hit is one that we won't be seein' in
th' next charge."  That warr shock value; th' idiots
don't know it, but they could 'ave won through if their
livers hadn't turned ta lillies.  That hesitation at
th' skeletons allowed are arrows ta do their best work
an' give their fear some grounds, but it warr smoke and
mirrors.  Now they'll 'ave ta regroup, an' that'll buy
us some time.  If Heinie knew how few there are of us,
and how green me men are, he'd be on us in a heartbeat,
but after we turned 'is ambush on th' road into one of
our own, he's broodin'; he don't trust 'is luck, an' 'e
thinks I got a trick up me sleeve as usual.  He'll be
spittin' nails when 'e finds out what I really 'ad up
me sleeve."

---

"Animated skeletons milord, there must have been
hundreds of them," the mercenary commander said.  "My
men were pinned down by missile fire, and when we made
the edge of the camp proper, the undead met us with
spears!" The commander's voice wavered.  "Morale broke
and we routed."

"Fools, you lost your heads.  How many of these fell
creatures were there?  Have you a reliable count, or
have the numbers grown with the telling?" Li'Yeiraun
asked.

"Pathfinder, send a few trustworthy and level-headed
men up for a look.  If we are outnumbered, I want to
know about it.  If not then we must prepare for another
charge.  Incompetent mercenaries!  It is just like that
slippery, cheating son of a bitch pirate to find
himself a dark priest or necromancer just when I have
him in my grasp!" Li'Yeiraun snarled.
------------

It was the better part of an hour before the
Li'Yeiraun's next charge was set up.  This one had a
backbone of his own men behind the mercenary front
lines, and everyone had been informed that a skeleton
could be destroyed much as a man could be.

"What's keepin' that damn Kroz, I sure hope he didn't
sell out ta Heinie.  Arzeal, what's goin' on out
tharr?" Captain Red Jack asked.

"They're massing for a charge, sir, a big one," Arzeal
replied.

"Karmoz, it's goin' ta be all we can do ta hold this'n
back.  If I had ta make a guess, I'd say we're cooked.
I'd move th' bulk o' yer forces up ta th' front they'll
be attackin.'  Then again, I wouldn't put it past Heiny
ta try ta send a little squad up are ass while we're
occupied. "

"I will move the skeletons on the sides somewhat
towards the front, and leave those in the rear as
reserves," Karmoz whispered.

"Sounds like a plan," Jack said.  "Mates, lets be
gettin' every arrow we 'ave left out an' ready, thisn's
goin' ta be big, and we might not live through it.
Damn necromancer's still playin' hookie.  Thank all th'
gods 'e brought us a hoard o' arrows night before last.
We're going ta need 'em."

A few minutes later the charge was sounded.

Arzeal climbed a large tree in the camp and took cover
behind a stout limb.  He was the first archer to begin
firing.  His elevation, night vision and accuracy were
second to none.

The pirates could see a little better than usual as the
mercenaries had brought a few mage lights with them and
many of the bodies gave spotty illumination to the area
of the forest they had come through.   As soon as the
enemy could be seen, the pirates let fly.

"Shoot fast, but make 'em count, mates."  The captain
drew back his bow and fired.

Many men fell to the pirate archers, but the enemy got
closer and closer, soon melee broke out between the
front lines of the attackers and the skeleton spearmen
at the perimeter of the camp.  The pirates continued to
ply their bows from the fortified center of the camp.

"Good evening," Kroz said as he dropped the illusion he
had used to get Rapina, his ghouls and skeletons from
the graveyard to the pirate camp.  "It looks like the
skeletons could use a hand."

"Glad ye could make it, I was beginnin' ta think ye
were workin' fer Heinie." Jack snaped.

Kroz droned a few syllables and the front line was
engulfed in darkness.

"Nay, the packing took longer than expected, and I had
to use a bit of misdirection to guarantee I would not
be magically tracked later.  What is the news," Kroz
asked.

"Th' news is that tharr is a charge we 'aven't got a
snowball's chance in 'ell o' stoppin.'  Got any bright
ideas on how ye're going ta get us outta here before
they're on top of us?" Jack asked.

"I have brought a few additional troops. And this
scroll of shadow summoning," Kroz said.  Thane rolled
out a scroll and intoned the spell.  The shadows seemed
to coalesce into something shaped vaguely like a human.
Kroz pointed at the creature, "You will obey Kent, this
ghoul.  Kent, you and your ghouls will keep the enemy
occupied while I escape with the pirates.  Eat when it
is safe, and double or triple your number if it is
convenient.  I will set up as much magical darkness in
the area in addition to what I have already cast on you
and yours as I can before I leave.  Be advised,
however, that the other side has a mage.  If their mage
begins dispelling the darkness, then rout and use hit
and run tactics around their parameter until near dawn.
At that time find burrows and dig in.

When Li'Yieraun pulls out, I will come to collect you
and your new friends.  During the nights to come,
continue using hit and run tactics.  If you are doing
well, see if you can locate and loot the tent of their
mage, Nordula.  Use a diversion to draw him away or
wait until he steps out on his own accord if that
proves practical.  Do not risk yourselves unduly once
we have left.  At that time your primary objectives
will be to survive, feed, multiply, and demoralize the
enemy"

Kroz began casting; darkness engulfed more and more of
the forest around the pirates.  Now whisper it to the
next man, join hands, then we go South forty paces to
an area I prepared earlier.  Kroz cast vision in
darkness on the pirate officers, then resumed casting
magical darkness until sweat bristled from his brow.
The last spell put out the lights in the pirate camp.
The men began to march South.  In the darkness, they
could hear the ghouls at work on mercenaries who had
won their way past the skeletal troops.

Kroz took hold of the hands of Rapina and Red jack and
placed them on his shoulders.   "Let us pray."  Kroz
set up an illusion spell to echo the murmurings of the
pirates so that the source of the sound could not
easily be located, and then began casting graveyard
mists.

"Hail Mortaebius, Lord of the dead..." Arzeal stood at
the perimeter of the group of pirates.  He let fly one
shaft after another, assisting the ghouls as they kept
the enemy confused and away from the pirates.  A
recruit kept his hand on the archer's shoulder and kept
him moving as the group stepped forward slowly while
the mists rose. Arzeal droned the prayer to Mortaebius
he had learned as he sent mercenary after mercenary to
join the god of the dead.

When the mists cleared, Rapina and Red Jack were
holding the necromancer up.  "I must rest.  I do hope I
got everyone," Kroz rasped.

"All right, get yer red lights on, lets see who we
got," Red Jack ordered.

Rapina moved the slider on her mage light and illumined
the area around her in Red.

The captain and the officers took stock and conferred.
"We lost about ten ta death before th' escape, and four
either got lost 'er Kroz didn't get 'em moved 'cause
they weren't touchin th' rest of us, er weren't prayin'
ta Mortaebius.  Those men'll be missed.  Thanks ta
Slice, it looks like we still got Bloody Brackston.  Ye
can tell me how ye liked yer first transport by magic
later, Brackston."

Some of ye may wonder what this warr all about.  Well
what we did was Kroz took a stab at their mage while 'e
warr occupied with chasin' us pirates.  If it works,
then that mage is going ta have a harder time nailin'
us, and at the same time, are mage is goin' ta be more
powerful.  Also we made areselves some money, an I got
me wench a little extra education, on account of
negotiatin' a good deal all around.  If we're lucky,
Kroz may be able ta retrieve some o' th' cadavers from
tanight's battle, but ye never know.  It depends on
what ol' Heinie does now that 'e's out there all alone.
Now lets get movin'  Tharr's more'n a few miles ta
cover afore we get ta are new camp."



The story continues in [Rapina]032 Yieraun Castle

copyright 2001, by Rapina