A Long Road Home: Chapter 12

They woke up dark and early just as Shin said they would. The sun had barely attempted to make its presence known but the necromancer was moving around as if it were midday. Isaac didn’t feel energized or refreshed but he didn’t feel sluggish either. Just conscious. A mixed bag that he was used to from his time in service.

They first went to retrieve their horses who also didn’t seem too grumpy about them coming this early. After enough near death attempts the horses seemed to have warmed up to their not so ordinary masters. Leading them out of the stables they got a stare from a few of the other horses that were awake but the stablemaster was snoring in the shed.

They led the horses toward the gate and one of the guards was the same one that greeted them. He didn’t greet them or say anything but did watch them and nodded in their direction opening the gate. Taking a step out of the city they both hopped on the backs of their respective mounts. Coal threw her head back and Soot stamped anxiously.

Consulting his map Shin looked up slowly and back at the map before pointing toward the east. “Let’s get going.”

“Leaving so soon,” The two looked at Alison who smiled her arms folded. “We didn’t think you were in such a hurry.”

“I’m sure you’re aware of your lady that guards this city,” Shin said looking toward the sky and felt eyes looking back at him. Eyes though he couldn’t see them, the eyes were definitely there.

Alison smiled wide and nodded, lowering her head slightly, “She’s very protective of her home and her people.”

“And you seem very observant,” Shin narrowed his eyes. “Nothing goes on in this town without you knowing?”

“We wouldn’t go that far. We’re just protective of our home,” she said slowly and the black spread from her eyes and the color shifted to grey. Shin and Isaac both tensed at this change not sure if they were going to have to fight or not. Alison continued to stare at them with her blackened eyes.

“You remind me of the one that bound me to this soul,” she said with a voice ancient beyond either of them. One that chilled the pair. “But your soul has conflict in it.”

Shin made a noise of dismissal and narrowed his eye feeling the magic come to life in it. “What do you know of my soul demon?”

“Things that you yourself do not know. Or maybe things you refuse to acknowledge. I know of which your blood line connects. And I won’t let that connection destroy what my hosts cares for.”

That made Shin paused, covering his surprise behind more frustration. He all but snarled and spat, “That ‘familial connection’ is the last thing I ever wish to return to. They are nothing more to me than an obstacle. An ugly reminder of my past.”

The demon inside Alison tilted their head to the side and narrowed their eyes slowly. “You believe that. But things do not go the way we often like. Especially for those who dabble in arts as dark as yours.” They looked past Shin and stared at Isaac. “Beware traveling in the company of this man. You may see progress in front of you but instead you would walk to your death. A snake eating it’s own tail thinking it’s found a meal.”

“An ouroboros,” Isaac said shaking his head. “I know of the metaphor. But I’ll continue to take my chances with him. He’s secretive but reliable. He’s helped me a lot. I trust him. Darkness and all.”

The demon blinked slowly and nodded. “Your kind always choose strange company to trust. Strange company to put their lives in the hands of.” Alison shuddered and the darkness in her eyes faded away. She let out a retching noise as it fully left her and leaned against the gate for support.

“Penny can be abrasive but they know more than I,” Alison told Shin who scoffed not hiding his glare. “Be careful of the path you take. There’s a darkness in your way and it’s not the kind you can ignore. It’ll come after you sooner rather than later.”

Shin opened his mouth to retort again but he listened to the words. But like all things he didn’t show it. Nodding slowly, he turned his back to the mage before saying, “Your warning is appreciated. My past will come to roost and when it does I’ll be far from the Free City.”

And so they went, Shin leading the way with the map as his guide and Isaac in tow staring at the sand around them. They rode in silence course correcting every few minutes to the changes in the route. How Shin knew when to change path Isaac didn’t know. Maybe there was some path within the sand that maybe his magic eye could see.

The sun creeped into the sky basking them in the light and bringing with it heat. Heavy and overwhelming heat that lay on them like a massive blanket. It was strange, Isaac didn’t feel the heat nearly as badly as he remembered. In the past heat like this would have been sweltering and he’d complain that he was melting but not now. Now it was just a presence that on his skin.

A shadow passed overhead and he looked up seeing the massive body of the demon rejoining its master. Just looking at the thing in the air, its powerful wings and body, Isaac shuddered at the idea of fighting something like that again even with this one on their side. “How long can you keep that thing alive?”

“Unsure,” Shin said not looking up from the map. “It’s powerful and I value power but I may sacrifice it if it prevents me from resurrecting something more useful.”

“You’re expecting that run into some more dangers?” Isaac asked. “I can’t tell if that’s pragmatic or paranoia.”

Shin turned to look at him with an almost blank look, “The only difference between the two is being right or wrong. In those situations, I don’t mind being proven wrong.”

“You’re not the type to relax much are you?” Isaac asked with an easy smile but Shin turned around focusing on the path in front of them. “I guess I could just talk to myself then.”

“Relaxing is how you got killed,” he replied ahead of him. “And I like living. Learning to maintain a zombie even while asleep was beneficial.”

“That sounds uncomfortable actually,” Isaac made a face imagining a decaying corpse watching over him while he slept. But then again that’s essentially what he was in a lot of ways. “I take it you were an orphan of war or something like that?”

“Orphan yes. War no.”

Isaac blinked in surprise not having expected an answer at all from him let alone one so honest. “Come to think of It you’ve mentioned your mother a few times but it wasn’t exactly positive.”

Shin glanced over his shoulder and sighed softly. “My father and my mother are dead like I said. But I have a sister. Somewhere out there.”

“Take it you two are not close.”

“Not very no. My father fled away with my sister at a young age. I’ve seen her only a few times in my life. I’m not even sure she’s still alive. Not that I’m looking.” He shrugged speaking matter of factly. “What about you? No extended family for you back in the sanctum aside from your husband?”

“No. I’m an orphan with no brothers or sisters.”

“Just because you don’t have any family by blood that doesn’t mean you couldn’t have chosen one for yourself. You were in the service. I’m sure you have brothers in arms.”

Isaac frowned at that, “My unit was all but destroyed in our skirmish. We met some that I knew personally remember? But I guess they count.”

“Good. More motivation for you to get back home.”

Shin traced his finger across the map and then looked in front of them. The sky was mostly clear, a few straggling clouds here and there but not much to speak of. The weather would be clear at least for the day. The sand evened out as they crested a large dune tracing their way forward on the journey.

Watching their path Isaac could see the sands being left behind. Solid ground and grass poking through the sands as it tried to show that it wasn’t dead and life could flourish in these conditions. Staring down at his hand he remembered the night before. The power that he’d summoned into his hand. A weapon that was more potent than anything he’d ever wielded before.

“I take it you don’t want to elaborate on what Alison and her demon mentioned?” Isaac stared at his back. “I know you know what they meant. Even though you refuse to show it on your face. I can sense it. Some sort of unease on you. I don’t know what to call it.”

“No I won’t elaborate on it. If you’re lucky we get you home and you won’t be dragged into my conflict,” His tone was clipped and dismissive.

Hours passed and nothing happened on their travels aside from, the changing of the landscape. Isaac didn’t try to make any conversation with his companion and Shin didn’t reach out either. Though he was distant he had grown to be attached to the mage. Thinking that he had some impending doom in future made him wish to help him. Not abandon him.

The demon above them screeched and both looked above their heads as it coasted to the side. Isaac looked at Shin to explain what it was doing but the necromancer was focused ahead of them. Peaking around his companion Isaac stared at the village that was slowly appearing in front of them.

It was a simple wooden affair, barely a house standing that was more than just a single floor. He doubted they saw many visitors and that this place was just scraping by their living. Seeing one of these meant they were close to Sanctum territory. They wouldn’t dare build a home like this if they were close to bandit territory.

“Are we going to pass through or go around it?” he asked Shin riding up beside him. As he looked at him he paused. Shin’s face was set, eyes seeing something very far away. “Shin?”

“I have to go there but you stay behind,” he said softly.

“What? Why?”

Shin turned on him quickly and his eye was glowing indicating that he was seeing something beyond what Isaac could understand. But beyond the glowing eye he could see fear in the other. He’d almost never seen something like that before out of that man. And that scared him in response but he steeled himself.

“If whatever’s there has spooked you this badly there’s no way I’m not coming with you,” he said setting his jaw.

Reaching forward he grabbed Isaac by the front of his shirt, “I don’t tell you to stay for my own pride Isaac. You have a home to return to. You go to that village you may not go back home to it.”

“And you’re forgetting that you’re my friend!” he shouted and realized that was the first time he’d truly called Shin that. Sure they’d used in passing when talking to strangers but never to one another when alone. Shin glared at him and dropped his shirt letting go. “You’re my friend and I’m not going to abandon you here.”

“You’re an idiot. And I won’t be beholden to your choices. Do you want.”

With that he urged Coal forward and walked toward the village. Isaac watched him for a long moment but urged Soot forward and followed behind not too far away. Crossing the first home nothing seemed out of place to Isaac. The door was shut and the window covered by something solid. That alone was odd and coupled with Shin’s discomfort he worried. This was the same for the other home they passed, a door shut tightly and a window blocked.

Isaac took his eyes off the houses and saw something before him that made him nearly slide off Soot’s back. A wooden cross was planted deep into the ground standing high. But instead of it being decorated like some sort altar three people were hung from it. Except their bodies were bent and twisted so that the trio completed a circle, the mouths bent and torn back to encompass the feet and legs of the person in front of them. To make it worse the corpses were moving, writhing almost like they were trying to eat the body in front of them.

Gripping the reigns tightly his eyes bulged slightly and he tried to avert his gaze but he couldn’t. It was like a magnet that attracted his gaze permanently. “Father have mercy,” he mumbled forcing his eyes away finally and dizziness swept over him as the smell finally reached his nostrils.

Shin didn’t even bother trying to force Coal forward. Sliding out of the saddle he walked toward the monstrosity. Sliding his shovel free he tapped it against the ground and the symbols and runes on it lit up. Waving his hand over the corpses they shuddered and let out a cry, gurgling and choking on the limbs clogging their throats before finally going still.

Spinning the shovel, he smashed it into the base of the cross and it toppled backwards. Hitting with a solid thud he looked at the corpses. They hadn’t been reanimated to do this. They had been contortioned and forced together while alive and reanimated after the fact to keep the display going.

What made it worse was this wasn’t the first time that Shin had seen this. “Show your face Greed! I know this was you!”

His challenge echoed through the village and Isaac stared around them wondering what kind of monster could have done this. Silence hung in the air but then a slam broke the silence. A wooden door breaking the jam and popping off its hinges. Both turned to face it and a bloody corpse dragged itself forward.

It gargled blood frothing from its mouth as its hands dug into the ground pulling itself forward. Its lower body was gone entirely, entrails smearing the dirt with its blood. It groaned and continued pulling staring blankly ahead. More doors opened and more undead came forward stumbling, crawling or walking forward.

Isaac backed away and pressed his back against Shin’s, horrified at the zombies coming toward them. He’d seen Shin’s zombies but these were nothing like those. These things looked barely alive, clinging to life not by magic but by pain stitching their souls to their corpses. Their eyes screamed suffering that their mouths could not convey.

Amidst the groaning, clapping echoed. Both turned to the side and watched a black robed shape make itself known. Their head was entirely covered by a deep hood and yet somehow the clapping conveyed a level of sarcasm no smirk could have done. Putting their hands on their hips they let out incredulous laughter.

“The prodigal son Ryze! You really out here! You know I didn’t believe Pride when she sent me out here,” he threw his hands in the air adopting a serious tone. “She was all ‘My son is likely near The Sanctum. Go and evaluate him there’. And I’m like fuck it sure. Easy peasy mission. Fuck around with some poor people and go back home.”

Then they pointed at Shin and burst out laughing again. “And then here you fucking are. With a lich no less! Like mother like son am I right? I can’t even imagine what The Sanctum did to make you come out here. Oh this is too fucking funny.”

Shin ground his teeth together and shoved his staff into the ground. The shovel glowed brighter as he twisted it to the side and directed his hand down. A screech echoed and Greed looked toward the sky. The demon came down from the sky, it’s mouth a glow as it sent a bolt of lightning straight down.

Greed raised their hand and the bolt deflected off their palm and into one of the nearby homes. It exploded into burning wooden chunks and burning meat. Apparently three more zombies had been behind that building and now they were being on fire and screaming in a voice that was all too human.

The demon continued to descend, talons first. Greed held their hand above their head and crushed their hand into a fist. The demon crumpled and crashed into the ground as a broken heap. Shin’s eyes widened and he staggered back from the magical back lash of the connection being severed.

Greed looked over at the dead demon and whistled, “Wow. Not bad. Honestly, I gotta say I’m impressed you pulled that off. But let’s stop playing around. I’m busy and I don’t want to keep playing games with you. Hit me with your best shot Ryze.”  They flicked their hands back taunting him.

The zombies shuddered and then advanced on them much faster their noises getting louder and more aggressive. Shin was shaken, gripping his shovel tightly and took a step back. His hand shook against the shovel as he tried to concentrate. He swung it at a zombie but his magic didn’t do anything. He just succeeded in bashing in a soft skull.

“Is that really the best you’ve got Ryze? Ran away from home and look at you. Can’t even wrest control of one of these zombies from me. Look at them! They’re barely standing!” Greed shook their head letting a hand rest against their forehead. “Maybe your ma has been wrong about you and you’re just a big waste of time. Hate to be the one to tell her that one! She’d probably turn me brainless.”

One zombie got close enough and lunged teeth first but Isaac was there and kicked it away. His fist raised he threw a punch at the next zombie that got too close its head shattering from the strength of the blow. The zombie stumbled back and fell into the puddle of its own brain matter. “Get it together Shin,” Isaac shouted. “Don’t let this guy rattle you. You’re better than this. You know it and I know it!”

“That’s cute! Your lich is trying to cheer you on. But that’s not a part of the evaluation. So that’s gotta go,” Snapping their fingers they watched as Isaac went stiff. His body went rigid and his hands dropped. Gasping Isaac took a step forward and another but finally couldn’t move. Greed spun their finger around slowly and Isaac turned one step at a time. “Now let’s see if your master can fight you too.”

Isaac lunged at Shin and punched him across the jaw knocking him down. Shin was dazed and stared up at him. Isaac took a step forward his hands shaking and his mouth moved like he wanted to speak but words wouldn’t form. He just lunged after the man he just called his friend.

Shin rolled away as the fist slammed into the ground with a meaty thud. He scrambled backwards leaning on his shovel to stand but a zombie came up from behind him and fell atop him. Shouting he spun around and the zombie felll to the ground its arms and hands slopping out of their sockets and hanging off him. Whirling around he faced Isaac and blocked his fist with his shovel.

His glowing eye stared at Isaac and it was as if he had strings on his limbs. The glow of his own magic being overwritten by the strings tied to him from Greed. Ducking under a hard swing Shin stepped forward and slammed his shovel into Isaac’s back. Putting distance between them he chanted channeling his necromantic energy through the shovel and his hand.

Another zombie latched onto his arm biting into his wrist and breaking his concentration. Isaac lunged after him his punch hitting Shin in the stomach. Grabbing him by the back of his head and their eyes met. Shin saw the glow in Isaac’s hand knowing the touch but more than that he saw the pain in Isaac’s eyes. “You don’t deserve this,” Shin said slowly.

Shin shouted and grasped his shovel feeling his magic burst out of him. Like a shockwave the zombie dropped off his wrist and the limbs from the other fell away. Isaac stepped back surprised but lunged again ready to attack again but this time Shin was ready. Spinning his shovel around he jabbed the butt into Isaacs chest hitting his core.

A small burst of magic flew into him and Isaac’s eyes rolled into the back of his head. Stumbling backwards he fell against the ground unconscious. Panting Shin dragged his shovel through the ground creating a half circle and spun the weapon around stabbing the blade into the dirt. His magic dove into the ground like hands crawling forward.

It reached up to each zombie grasping their ankles, necks, or chest and they spasmed. His magic circulated through them like a worm and their eyes rolled back glowing purple as he took them over. One by one the screams of the zombies fell to silence as they rose to a standing position the best they could. Glaring at Greed Shin pointed the shovel at the robed necromancer.

Greed watched the zombies all approaching them dragging themselves forward. They clapped slowly as the zombies got closer and closer. One final clap though made each zombie shudder and collapse to the ground any necromantic magic within them leaving. The tiny village turned to silence and Shin glared.

“Did I pass your test?” he asked, hate seeping through his words. “Or do you need me to show off a bit?”

“I can report that you did. Mommy will be proud that’s for sure. But I’m not impressed. We don’t need you for the big plan. I’m really surprised Pride cares about you so damn much but hey moms and their kids right?” Shrugging they turned around and waved their hand slowly. “I’ll be seeing you Ryze. Try and get better than this pitiful performance in the meantime. I really want to enjoy seeing what you can do when you stop being a piece of shit.”

Shin wanted to fight more, to argue but he watched the necromancer leave and he knew when he was beat. Knew that provoking them more would just end in a loss. Letting out a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding in he sank to his knees and lowered his shovel.