Bad Ideas

Bad Ideas

‘It’s time’ Dean says.

We put down the chess board and go outside. The necromancer walks towards the tavern.

‘You’re here’ I say as I shake his hand.

‘Indeed I am’.

I lead him to Sheila’s room and knock on her door.

‘Sheila, it’s me, Noyala’, no response.

‘We have someone who’d like to talk to you’ Dean says calmly.

The door creaks open and Sheila stands in the doorway, her eyes still red.

She shakes the necromancer’s hand, ‘I’m here to help’ he says, ‘I heard about the accident, I believe I could bring you an explanation.’

He’s allowed inside, but me and Dean have to make due with waiting in the hall.

‘What’s troubling you?’ Dean asks.

‘She lets a necromancer into her room but not us?’.

‘It’s just that she feels more comfortable near other mages, it’s nothing personal.’

‘But a necromancer?’

‘There’s nothing wrong with necromancers, not all of them try to kill everyone, you know.’

I sigh, ‘I’m going to go get a drink’.

The door opens and Sheila stands in front of us.

‘I’m sorry’ she says, looking down.

Dean leans in and hugs her, lifting her off the ground. ‘I’m happy you’re okay’.

I turn to face the necromancer, ‘Thank you, you’ve been a great help’.

‘It’s nothing, really. But I would like to ask you something. The yearly mage tournament is just around the corner, but all our healers are gone, would you mind staying for a while to help?’.

Sheila looks up at him, then at us. We nod. ‘Gladly’ she says with a smile.

‘Fantastic, I’ll inform the mayor.’

He walks off and disappears behind a corner. Together with Sheila we look for Geirolf.

‘We’ll be back within a week’ Sheila tells the mayor, ‘Before the tournament starts.’

‘That would be truly appreciated, young lady.’

We say our goodbyes and we’re off again.

‘What are we doing this time?’ Geirolf asks, still riding Craig the cow.

‘We’re going to help people’ Sheila responds.

‘How?’

‘We look around for people in need of assistance.’

There is a long silence as we walk farther and farther away from the magical town. There are no conversations, no fights, just silent thoughts. The gentle breeze mixed with the noon sun gives me a sense of peace. Birds flutter around, mice scurry beneath our feet, and we just walk. It doesn’t matter why.

‘Look’ Dean says suddenly, breaking the silence, ‘a castle’.

We all look up, Dean’s right. A beautiful castle stands in the middle of the plains. It’s walls look new, but sturdy.

‘Should we enter?’ Geirolf asks.

‘Yes’ Sheila responds, and picks up the pace, ‘Perhaps they could use a healer’.

‘Or a sword’.

‘Let’s not rob or kill anyone this time’.

Dean and Geirolf sigh.

The castle becomes larger and larger as we near it, I wonder what’s inside.

‘I’m beginning to regret this decision’ Geirolf says as the large, wooden doors slam shut behind us.

He tries to open them, but to no avail. His swords bounce back harmlessly as he smashes them into the gates. Inside the castle it seems much more depressing. The carpets are rotten and the walls are covered in dark, mushy stuff.

‘So, we’re stuck?’ Dean asks.

‘Seems like it’ I respond.

‘Let’s keep going’ Sheila says, and she starts walking. We hurry after her.

The chairs in the dining hall are filled with skeletons, except for one.

‘Looks like poison’ Dean remarks.

‘Someone escaped, the murderer?’ Geirolf asks.

‘Probably’.

‘They deserved to die’ a voice echoes through the halls.

We get ready to fight, but nothing happens. I scan the area, nothing.

Sheila gets going again.

The halls seem to be endless. We enter a room filled with paintings, which have been preserved surprisingly well. Blood drips from behind one of the paintings. I take it off the wall. The wall is clean, and the blood is gone. My mind is playing tricks on me, or perhaps this place is.

‘We need to get out of here’ I say, my voice shaking.

‘Agreed, we don’t know what we’re up against’ Dean responds.

Geirolf and Sheila nod.

‘Why did we enter the dungeon again?’ Geirolf asks.

‘To find clues’ Sheila says.

‘I don’t see why a dungeon would be the best place for that’.

‘Those people in the dining hall were killed, it seems reasonable to assume the killer got locked away’.

Just as she finishes her sentence, a weak voice is heard from one of the cells. Inside, there is a man, alive.

‘Help me’.

‘How did you get here and who are you?’ Dean asks, his voice stern and determined.

‘Those people upstairs were monsters, worse than monsters. I poisoned them with their own, evil elixir. Now, I’ve been locked away here in this cell, with no way of escape’.

‘How are you still alive? What did those people do?’

‘I come from a species that is very resilient to the dangers of life, almost immortal. The skeletons upstairs were from humans which experimented on my people, often killing them. I ended that’.

‘How can we trust you?’ Sheila asks, her voice emotionless.

‘I suppose you can’t’.

I look around. Strange items are placed randomly throughout the dungeon. Some look like statues, others I can’t identify. We discuss the situation, eventually deciding to free him. My fingers are crossed we won’t regret this choice.

Coloured sparks fly around as Geirolf’s axe breaks through the iron bars bit by bit.

‘A magical cell’ Sheila whispers, confused. ‘Stop!’ she yells, it’s too late.

The cell door breaks and falls down.

‘I spoke the truth about being resilient’ the man says, his voice no longer sounding weak.

A stone wall appears from the ceiling, separating me and Geirolf from the others.

‘The rest was a lie!’ the man’s voice sounds in my head.

We run through the dungeon, hoping to find another exit. Around the corner is a staircase leading up. It ends in a tower, which has a beautiful view of the surrounding landscape.

‘How do we get out?’ Geirolf asks.

‘I don’t know’ my voice is trembling, I’m scared, I don’t want to die.

‘Down there!’ Geirolf says, as he points at the courtyard, where Dean and Sheila are looking around.

‘How do we get down?’ I ask him.

‘We jump, Sheila will heal us.’

‘There has to be a better way’, I see a heap of hay in the yard. It looks dry and old, it’s also covered in dark moss and other miscellaneous plants. ‘We should aim for that’.

He looks down, ‘Agreed’.

Geirolf doesn’t hesitate and jumps, it’s not as easy for me. A fear of heights has never really helped me. I close my eyes and hum softly, hoping to forget the current situation. The tower begins to collapse, forcing me to open my eyes again. I slip and fall, the worst three seconds of my life. There’s a loud cracking sound as I hit the hay. My foot doesn’t feel so good. Geirolf lifts me up, looking away only to check up on the falling tower.

‘I think my foot’s broken’ I say, my eyes are teary.

Large chunks of stone crash to the ground around us.

‘They weren’t here’ he says as he carries me away, ‘it was an illusion’.

I’m not sure what to think. For the first time in years I actually fear for my life. No longer is there a healer by my side to save me. I could easily die here, and they might not find my corpse.

‘You won’t get through that’ I say to Geirolf, as he slams his axe against the door again and again, ‘It’s magic’.

‘I have to’.

I look down at my foot, it’s twisted and swollen.

‘I hope we find the others soon’ I say.

‘We will’.

There are footsteps down the hall, but they don’t sound like booted feet. It’s like a piece of wet meat being slammed against the wall. They become louder and louder, I feel like I’m being watched by a thousand eyes. Something is visible down the hall, something small and grey. It seems to be half my size, but it has friends. They storm forward like a wave of teeth.

‘They’re coming!’.

I grab my bow and open fire, but my arrows are lost in the wall of bodies. Panic overtakes me. My hand reaches for more ammunition, the quiver is empty. It feels as if all hope is gone. Geirolf runs up to me.

‘What’s wrong?’.

I point at the hall, the little monsters are almost upon us.

‘There’s nothing there’ he tells me, he’s hallucinating.

‘We have to run’ I say, ‘quickly!’.

He looks into my eyes and sighs, ‘I’ll prove it’.

Geirolf walks towards the hall. I tackle him to the ground and pin him down.

‘Are you insane?!’ we both ask the other at the same time.

‘It’s not real, Noyala’ he throws me off and grabs my shoulders, gently but firmly. ‘It’s not real’.

The wave comes closer and closer, but Geirolf keeps me on the ground. I struggle, it isn’t effective.

‘Please, don’t’ I beg, the ground vibrates with their every step, ‘Please, don’t’.



I’m lying on the ground. The familiar glow of Sheila’s magic wakes me up. She sits there in front of me, focused on healing. I keep silent and just watch.

‘Hey’ she says as she sits down next to me, ‘are you alright?’.

I rest my head on her shoulders, ‘No’.

There’s a pause, ‘I didn’t want to wake you’.

‘I didn’t want to wake up, either. So, thanks.’

Another long pause, I can hear Dean and Geirolf arguing far down the hall.

‘What did I miss?’ I ask.

‘We heard yelling, so we just followed it. It’s a lot easier to find someone when they stand still, it seems.’

‘I meant about the heated discussion going on over there.’

‘Oh, that. They disagreed on how to escape this place. Now they’re fighting over what to do.’

I lay back down on the ground again, but this time I notice a strange vibration in the ground. It’s hardly noticeable. I’m about the tell Sheila when I see a bright glow coming from the gates. A burning heat radiates outward. There’s an explosion and the doors are sent flying. Behind it is a large group of knights in armour, but they’re not normal soldiers. They all wear the same red and black plating.

‘The enemies of the Followers of the Flame shall burn!’ they say in unison, their voices could send a chill down any man’s spine.

I grab Sheila’s hand and run, only stopping to gather the others.

‘What was that about?’ Dean asks as he sits down in the dark corridor.

‘I thought you knew everything’ I respond, ‘They could easily kill us, that’s all you need to know’.

‘You’ll have to be more specific’ Geirolf says.

‘Followers of the Flame’ I say between deep breaths, ‘linked minds… fire magic… insane…’

‘What do you suggest we do?’ Sheila asks.

‘They opened the doors, we could sneak out.’

‘And then?’

‘We flee, get Craig, and go’

‘What about the demon guy downstairs?’ Dean asks.

‘We let them handle it. They seem quite capable.’

Dean looks around the corner, ‘What makes you think they aren’t guarding the exit?’.

I look at him desperately, ‘Seriously? Well s**t’.

‘We could wait it out, perhaps they’ll leave’ Geirolf suggests.

‘You will do no such thing’ a voice sends chills down my spine, there, down the hall, stand two men in armour, their swords resting in their hands.

‘We will escort you out’ they say in unison.

‘And then what?’ I ask, ‘You’ll burn us alive?’.

‘No. You’ll be free to leave.’

The answer surprises me, ‘Pardon?’.

‘You’ll be free to leave’ they repeat.

I look back at my friends, they nod.

‘Well’ I finally say, ‘in that case…’