The Necromancer

In the middle of the night three figures were running swiftly in the dark forest, their paths lighted faintly by the moonlight as the clouds and trees part. They are like a wind passing through bushes that even the nocturnal beasts of the forest barely saw them. However the presence of one of them caused terror in any living being that came across his path.

The cloaked figure that's running ahead of the two suddenly stopped in the middle of a clearing. A cool wind blows the clouds away showing a full moon. The other two figures cautiously entered the clearing. A silver rosary dangling on their necks shining brightly as it reflects the gentle ray of moonlight.

Slowly the cloaked figure turned around to face his pursuers, lifting his head slowly as his pale bony hands reached over his hood and pushed it backwards revealing a mutilated face. His eyes were missing from their sockets; the mouth has no lips and his forehead have a distinctive mark.

The other two noticed the figure's mark on the forehead and stifled their immediate reaction. There was no word that can describe the hideousness of his face. What caught their attention is the marking on his head. Despite their trained eyes the pursuers can only make out an inverted cross inside the universal magic circle.

With a shrill voice, the cloaked figure broke the silence.

"I'm impressed by how fast the Church acts if something endanger their selfish designs. They even sent two knights to hunt me down. It makes me happy to know that I'm important!"

He then said thoughtfully more to himself.

"Sadly you're too late. But I'm sure my lord will be pleased with me if I bring him two severed heads of the Church watchdogs."

One of the knights, a straw head with a body of bulging muscles screaming of power making Atlas pale in comparison, slowly raises both of his hands in a gesture of surrender.

"I agree at how selfish the Church is, they're slave drivers! Imagine I've been working this whole week to track you down. We've been working all over the place without being paid overtime. Correction also, there is only one knight. This girl here is a squire, so technically you're assumption is wrong."

The cloaked figure did not respond, so the straw head continued.

"You would be smart enough if you surrender now you will not get hurt. Then me, and my squire can get some sleep before we take off to another mission. That will make us all happy, I guess."

Laughing in the most sarcastic and ominous way, the cloaked figure spat out words like venom.

"My my my Sir Knight, you're overestimating yourself too much. Hurt? I've experienced pain more than you could imagine. I never thought that you watchdogs are naïve and so self-centered. I don't think you understand what situation you're in now. We'll soon see how long you can keep that cocky attitude."

In just a fraction of second he clasps his hands and muttered a chant to unleash his power. Blood are now flowing from his sockets. An invisible force was felt around the clearing. The surrounding air became thick and the temperature dropped considerably. Mists appeared and started enveloping the figure then the ground.

The ground started shaking, and then it cracked as skeletons starting to emerge. The knight and his squire's face turned serious upon seeing numerous undead crawling out from the earth.

"This is going to be a tough night Nir."

The straw head said while heaving a sigh of annoyance.

"You shouldn't have provoked him then Master."

The guy looked over his squire, raising his eyebrows in question. Every time his squire was annoyed with him she will call him master instead of calling him by his nickname Max.

"What? I think I'm right. That attitude of yours always gets us into trouble."

Shaking his head as he tried to explain his side to his all too serious squire.

"You silly girl! Isn't it better if we know the capability of our enemy, besides even if I did not provoke him earlier, he sure is eager to kill us."

The girl squire named Nir, kept silent for a moment digesting her masters words. But her thinking was interrupted by the cloaked figure.

"You have the guts to ignore me! I will make sure you're going to eat that arrogant attitude of yours later. I will make you suffer something more painful than death!!!!!"

With his words the undead started moving towards the knight and his squire. There was darkness as the cloud covered the gentle moon. Max and Nir grabbed their silver rosary determined to stop the evil in front of them.

"I am a Knight of Templar, blessed by Zion, protector of the 7 city gates. I am the light in the darkness and the sword to cut through evil. I invoke the sword of the Archangel Michael."

A warm yellow light emanated from their being like a sunlight peeking during the break of dawn. The light grows and burst around the area gradually fading. As the light disappears it reveals a silver long sword with golden hilt. This sword is simple in appearance that those who do not know will mistake it as an ordinary sword, but only the trained eyes will be able to see the runes intricately carved on the blade. The swords are replica of the sword used by the Archangel Michael to defeat Satan. The making of these swords are one the most guarded secret of the church. Legend says that the sword of the Archangel is set on a stone in the middle of a lake making the water the holiest among the holy water. The replicas are then submerged in the lake for a decade with continuous praying and chant by the monks.

The cloaked figure smirked at the sight of the swords; he thought that it would be beneficial if he could also have those swords as a gift to his master.

"Get me those swords!"