Mistglen

Days of travel passed uneventful until we came across an inn at a cross section or roads.

"Busier'en normal, must be more folk traveling these days"

We tied our horses to the stable outside, and sat at one of the few empty tables inside. Once we'd gotten our food Agnar pointed to a couple men at a nearby table.

"See those two? Thems' official post carriers, if they're here they've got news from the capital, I'll be right back"

Agnar stood up and walked over the their table. I couldn't hear what they were talking about but by the length of their conversation and the look on Agnars face it wasn't good. The summary of the news was that the magic council was killed and without their control over the magic world forbidden magic has been sighted. On top of that most legitimate mages have scattered, and the new magic council who calls themselves the Inner Circle have made a deal with the assassins guild which explains all the killings back in Veoson.

As we re saddled and left the inn Agnar said

"No more inns till we reach Mistglen and I sleep in my own bed. We'll stick to off road camps. And no more fires, we'll take our chances with the wolves rather then drawing in a necromancer. I've no desire to serve in the afterlife"

I was suddenly wondering whether my luck had improved or gotten much worse.

That night we went further from the road before laying out bedrolls our. And though the weather was warmer the further south we went, without the fire the night was still too chill for my liking.

Days passed and the only person we saw on the road after the inn was a Magen his 30's by the name of Adius whom Agnar was familiar with as a student from the old academy. From what I gathered he'd studied for several years but had only managed to grasp some simple spells. It seemed the people of Mistglen were not gifted with arcane talent.

We arrived at Mistglen a little before noon and both Agnar and Adius were brought to tears. The little village of 100 or so people had been cut in half after a group of bandits lead by a necromancer had come through. It was a sad sight but they were all strangers to me and I saw that many of the homes were left empty. I almost felt bad for being happy when half their hometown had been murdered or worse.

"At least we're arrived after the necromancer, otherwise we might be dead too"

"Ye think they've gone lad? No they're nearby. We've no soldiers among us. A necromancer wouldn't have left so many free souls. If I that magic is any like the rest that suggests we're dealin with a novice. Someone who started practicing after the council went down. Think o'it like plowing a field, if a body isn't used to the hard work they wouldn't be able to plow for three hours. My guess is they couldn't handle harvesting more souls"

We were in Agnars house where his wife and son, around the age of 9, were listening. Adius had gone to check on his own family.

"So how do defend ourselves, how many men are working for the necromancer?"

If there had been no necromancer preying on the village I would have been content to fish and farm and sleep in my own house till I grow old. But now it seemed as though that wouldn't be possible. My had had slipped inside my bag, touching the mages book had become a habit of mine on our journey here. Agnars wife responded

"Aside from the necromancer there were only nine men. And they didn't seem well trained, but they came at night when the town was asleep almost three weeks ago"

"My guess is that only gives us a few days to prepare for their next raid, we've not enough time"

Agnars theory was that it would take the necromancer one month to fully recover and process the souls from the last raid. And this next time, he would leave no survivors. We spent the rest of the day moving people out of their homes and into the control houses. They next few days passed slowly and the air seemed full of dread. Each house had constant lookouts and those who could sleep did so in shifts.

On the fourth night, long after the sun had set a men entered town from the northern forest. Quietly checking each house but he found them all empty. Until he heard a scream from the center of town. Almost instantly five houses had lanterns and candles lit. The darkly robed man scoffed at the insects banding together.

"How long have you all been crammed into five houses?"

His voice was sinister and condescending. He was now standing in a courtyard and between the moon and lanterns the lightning has shifty. Agnar stepped out of one of the houses. Everyone followed suit so that all fifty of us were in the courtyard. Agnar called out softly

"Tom? Tom is that you?"

Toms face darkened as he started chanting, in the dim light we could see figures enter the courtyard from Tome side, though they walked with an unnatural broken gait.

I'd never felt more adrenaline rushing through my body before. I kept my hand inside my bag stroking the cover of my book until both sides charged. They're were only 20 undead and fifty of us, and we were prepared this time. I was one of five villagers to surround one of them, though it was unnaturally strong, no matter how many times we stabbed it it wouldn't go down. I had a thought, I came in from the front blocking a slash from its long knife with my forearm and could feel it cut through the skin and my muscle and knee my fingers would never have full function. Stepping in I used the dagger Agnar gave me I hacked off its head.

"YOU HAVE TO CUT OF THIER HEADS"

The crowd around me moved in against the necromancer having dealt with his puppets. I stayed to the side my arm stinging with blinding pain.

"So you've played with my pets, but can you deal with the master"

He spoke softly but his voice carried. I knew something was wrong. I stepped back into a side ally carefully and quietly walking away. I needed to find somewhere to hide. My injured hand had entered my bad as if the book would comfort my cut arm. My blood was slowly running down my hand and wet my palm, making it slick against the book cover. With horror I realized the opening of my bag was glowing a ruby red and I quickly ducked into the nearest house hoping no one noticed my disappearance.