Zombie Mage (26 page)

Excited chatter erupted from the crowd.  They were
most in awe at what they had just witnessed.

“Now,” Denlik said, “who today would like to abandon
all personal possessions and join us as Dark Cloaks for the remainder of their
living days?”

Denlik watched as hand after hand was raised quickly
in the air, indicating an overwhelming willingness to serve.  He smiled to
himself and thanked Chektri for his good fortune. The more recruits he had, the
more powerful he would become.  Today, even dim-wits would be accepted.

Something struck Olligh's face.  He opened his eyes and stepped back,
alert and ready to defend against any foe that dared to strike him again.

"Sorry about that," Michael said. "It’s
my fault. I knocked that big branch over there and it decided to flick back and
hit you."

Olligh grunted and peered around at his surroundings,
relieved to find that the return trip was successful.  He was standing on the
stone circle in the land of the dead.

"Where are we?" Michael asked. "It's so
dark!"

"Isn't it so," Gull agreed.

Marvin snorted. "Oh, don't get Freaky Face
started.  He'll only end up crying."

"Hey!" Gull said. "Stop calling me
that. If you weren't merely skull and bone I'd have taught you a lesson by
now."

"Ooh, who's the big guy now then?"

"Shh!" Olligh said.  "Stop all this
bickering. Any more noise from you, Marvin, and I'll eat your eye."

Michael wrinkled his nose. "Eurgh! you wouldn't
do that really, would you?"

"He would," Marvin said.

"So, anyway. Where did you say we were?"
Michael asked.

"This is a dark, dreary place that you really
don't want to come to when you die," Olligh said.

Marvin snorted again. "Yeah, especially if you
brain isn't working properly."

"We're in the land of the dead," Olligh
continued."We won't be here for long. We've just got something to pick
up.  Just wait here and relax for a moment."

After a short wait, Renfer and his guards approached
leaving the familiar red trail behind them. Noticing Olligh in the distance,
Renfer returned to the cave network and brought Hetty back out with him.  They
quickly caught up with the guards and Hetty hugged Olligh tightly.

"Lovely to see you again, Hetty," Olligh
said, clutching her waist to his face. "Actually, we could've done with
your help earlier. We had an unexpected problem to overcome."

Hetty nudged Olligh and pointed at her face.  It was
layered thickly with white makeup.  "You like?"

"Oh," Olligh replied. "Erm... yes. 
It's simply divine.  It takes years off you."

Hetty beamed and quickly hugged him again.

"Hey, watch my arms!" Gull yelled.

Renfer smiled and bowed his head slightly. "I
think I owe you an apology, Olligh. It appears you aren't delusional after all
and you can return to other worlds on a whim."

Olligh smiled. "Apology accepted but, really,
don't worry about it.  I'd have been sceptical in my earlier years of study as
well. Scepticism is a good trait to have."

"Indeed. So, where will you be heading
next?"

"I've an old friend to see in a faraway land and
then we'll hopefully be returning to Ekelton."

Renfer gripped Olligh's hand tightly. "You'll be
missed, my friend.  Lady Craggy would love for you to come and stay with us. 
Would you consider this?"

"I think not, Renfer.  My being here is the
anomaly, not your land.  I need to put this right and spend my remaining days
with my wife.  I've left her waiting long enough."

Renfer nodded. "I understand. Family is most
important and I wish you both well. I just wish I had the opportunity to say my
farewells to those I loved before death took me. You are certainly blessed."

"Hey," Marvin said. "Why didn't we get
an invite to stay as well?"

Renfer blinked. "Oh, would you like to?"

"Nah," Marvin replied. "I don't like it
here."

"Marvin!" Olligh said. "That's
shocking.  I do apologise for his terrible behaviour."

Renfer smirked. "Apology accepted. This land
isn't for everyone but we're trying to make it a more hospitable place to
live.  Farewell, friends and be safe out there."

Olligh returned to the centre of the stone circle and
prepared to summon the energies once again. "With Hetty here to look after
us, I'm sure we'll be fine."

Hetty smiled broadly, glad to feel accepted once
again.

* * * *

The next stop for the Walkers was the field of battle on the outskirts
of Cuthbert's fort.  The bodies of the dead soldiers were now stripped bare of
flesh. A blanket of death and despair was spread over the field to ward off
anyone brave enough to bear witness to it.  Even in the bright sunshine, the
field was a terrifying sight to behold.

Michael wrinkled his nose. "Gross, this place
stinks."

"I have to agree," Gull said, "and I've
got a very sensitive nose."

"Ooh, lucky you!" Marvin remarked. "It
must be ever so nice to have a working nose."

"Don't be cheeky," Gull retorted. "It's
not easy trying to live with only half a body."

"Yeah, at least you have half a body."

Olligh began walking through the field, followed
closely by Hetty and Michael.

"What is it with you both?" Michael asked. 
"You're always down each other's throats.  Don't you think life is too
short for all of this?"

"Wise words from the boy," Olligh said,
carefully stepping over a mound of corpses. "You should both kiss and make
up."

"My lips are going nowhere near his," Marvin
said.

Gull shook his head. "That's fine with me.
Besides, you haven't got lips."

"Where we going?" Michael asked.

Olligh pointed to the fortress in the distance.
"Up there is a mage called Cuthbert.  He's a Walker like us and I need to
take him back to the Dark Cloaks."

"That's great.  We should be back home sooner
than we think."

 "The problem is, Cuthbert doesn't trust the Dark
Cloaks and won't return with us to them.”

“That’s not good.”

 “Well, to be honest, I don't entirely trust him or
the Dark Cloaks.  It's difficult to judge people when your memory isn't
functioning properly."

"Oh, so what you going to do?"

Olligh reached the dirt track leading up the hill.
"I'm not too sure.  If I can't convince him to return with us, he may be
able to at least help us make the journey back.  He seems knowledgeable about
the cosmos."

Michael peered up the track towards the fortress.
"It's a long walk up there, isn't it?"

"Yes, it may also be dangerous at the top so,
when we get there, I'd like you to wait outside with Hetty.  She'll take good
care of you, won't you Hetty?"

Hetty chortled. "Hetty good, yes."

The walk to the top of the hill was uneventful but
tiring.  Olligh's muscles ached terribly and he was beginning to notice the
extra burden of carrying Gull on his back.

"I'm a physical wreck," Olligh said.
"I'm going to be ever so glad to finally get home and rest my aching
limbs."

"It's not so bad," Gull said. "At least
the fresh air and scenery is quite invigorating."

"The cheek of it," Marvin uttered.
"You're not exactly crawling up the hill yourself, are you?"

"Oh, you can talk, Skull Face. Dangling there
like a fairy princess."

"Quiet!" Olligh said, stretching his muscles.
"We're nearly at the fort.  You'll notice Cuthbert has guards and lots of
them.  The interesting thing to note is that they're all skeletons."

"Skeletal guards?" Michael enquired.

"Indeed. Hardly ethical but, then again, neither
are we at the moment."

Michael and Hetty waited near the side of the fort
while Olligh walked towards the entrance.  As before, the guards ignored him
and continued to stare blankly at the mountain range in the distance.

"Can't you just remove one of their heads and
stick me on top?" Marvin asked. "It might be worth a try."

Olligh sniggered. "That's an interesting
suggestion but, unfortunately, they're all joined together by strong magic.  I
don't imagine your idea would work."

"Good try," Gull said. "If it worked, I
could've got some new legs as well."

Inside the fort, the courtyard was still strewn with
debris. As before, Cuthbert was sitting in his throne.  He stroked his beard as
Olligh approached, his dark eyes watching him intently.

"Olligh Selthnik!" he called. "You made
it back, and with another I see."

"I have all four Walkers, Cuthbert.  All I need
now is you."

Cuthbert remained seated and unmoving. "So you
do, Olligh. So you do."

"Well?"

"You know how I feel about the Dark Cloaks,
Olligh, and, although you may find my thoughts rather ambiguous, I'll be
sticking with my decision.  They're a corrupt cult and I'll have nothing to do
with them."

Olligh nodded. "Very well.  I respect your
decision but I still need to return to them.  You mentioned earlier that you'd
be able to help me?"

Cuthbert stood and smirked. "Indeed I did."

With a flick of his wrist, a sudden burst of air
cleared some of the debris out of the way.  Satisfied with the empty space, he
stood in silence pointing to the ground.

"What's he doing?" Gull whispered.

"Spring cleaning?" Marvin replied.
"This place sure needs it."

"No, he's concentrating on the Cosmos,"
Olligh said. "In a moment he'll be reciting some words of power."

As predicted, Cuthbert muttered an incantation and a
miniature whirlwind appeared in the empty space; it circled faster and faster
until it became a blur.  Before their very eyes, it then transformed into a
pure black square with green mist swirling around its border.

"There you go," Cuthbert said. "It’s a
portal of pure power.  It'll remain here until dark, or when I choose to
dismiss it."

Olligh studied the portal.  It was like nothing he'd
ever set eyes upon but he certainly recognised its affinity with the cosmos.

"This portal will take you directly to Ekelton. 
It's a separate trail through the cosmos and should drop you in close proximity
to the cemetery.  Be careful when you arrive and don't believe everything the
Dark Cloaks tell you."

Olligh turned to face the fort entrance.  He shouted
for Hetty and Michael.

"You're not going to go in there are you?"
Gull whispered. "I don't trust him.  He's got a manic look in his
eyes."

"What else can I do?"

Marvin coughed. "There is something you can
do."

Olligh peered at him. "Oh?"

"Throw in my eye.  I'll soon tell you what's at
the other end."

"What a fine idea but what if you were to lose
your eye?"

"That's a chance I'll have to take."

Olligh removed the eye from the socket and walked
slowly towards the portal.  Noticing Cuthbert was distracted as he watched
Hetty and Michael approach, he deftly flung the eyeball into the blackness and
waited anxiously by the portal.

Marvin groaned.  "Just what I need. I’m seeing more
green spinning and lots of it.  I definitely won't be missing this
experience."

"Anything else?" Olligh asked.

"Wait... oh... He speaks the truth.  I'm definitely
in a graveyard.  I'm on the ground next to a gravestone belonging to someone
called Roderick Fallow."

Hetty and Michael soon joined them.  They watched the
portal curiously. Olligh smiled and nodded at Cuthbert. "Thank you for all
your help, Cuthbert. It won't be forgotten."

Cuthbert returned the smile. "My pleasure,
Olligh. You take care and please remember my words of advice."

"Okay," Olligh said, turning to his
companions. "Follow me inside and I'll see you both at the other
end."

"In there?" Michael asked.

"Of course, where else?"

With that, Olligh leapt into the portal and once again
became consumed by the swirling mists of the cosmos.

The wet grass soaked Olligh's bottom but he didn't mind.  He stretched
out and peered around the cemetery, grateful that the journey through the
cosmos had been successful and uneventful.  Spots of rain splashed against his
face and a chill wind ruffled his hair. Judging by the dark clouds looming
above he guessed the worst of the weather was still to come.

"Quick, grab my eye before Yeti gets here,"
Marvin asked. "I don't want anyone to crush it. It's just next to the
gravestone over there."