Lady in Red

A mysterious lady in red prowls the back streets of Aeropolis with a purpose

Bane of the Necromancers

©2013 E. Davis

 

 

 

1.

Lady in Red

 

She prowled the dark back alleys of Aeropolis, walking down the mostly empty street with a casual strutting gait that drew more than a few interested glances from those lurking in the shadows. 

Her attire would be scandalous even in the roughest of quarters, seeming to consist of merely strips of bright red leather that concealed -just barely- her most personal regions.  

Her long legs were covered by red leather boots from her hips to the tips of spiked heels.

 

But it wasn’t her skimpy outfit or even the red boots which drew the attention to her.   It was her race.   For the tall, shapely woman had jet black skin, moon-white waist-length hair, glowing red eyes and sharp Elven ears.  

 

She was a Drow lady, incredibly beautiful, but unarmed and unescorted as she kept her proud, feminine pace into the rough unlit parts of the side-streets of the capital city.

 

The lady seemed to know exactly where she was going and kept up her quick step, until, all at once, four shadowy forms stepped out of hiding, surrounding her.

 

“Look what we got ‘ere lads!   A right fine darkie lass!  ‘ello there you curvy little minx!   Me boys and I think we’d like to sample your wares, don’t we, lads?”

 

Four long swords poked her slightly from all sides, promising trouble to her if she screamed or tried to flee.

 

But the Drow woman simply smiled seductively, extending her arms wide toward the dirty young ruffian who had spoken.

 

“Now that’s th’ proper way!   No fuss, no bother, an’ ye will walk away with your pretty black throat in one piece.”

He came forward, his sword blade against her neck as he pushed her back against the wall with his other hand.

His companions kept their swords near, for she did seem to be wearing the attire common to sorceresses.

 

He was unbuckling his pants when she struck.   Her hand snatched at his sword hand’s wrist, ripping his hand down with superhuman strength.   Her other hand grabbed his face, her nails piercing his eyes as she pulled his head to her.

Two of the man’s companions slashed at her, both blows cutting deep into her chest.   When the swords were pulled free, her skin showed no mark.

The leader let out a shrill scream as she bore long canine teeth, but it was too late for him and a second later she had ripped his throat out with precision.   Very little blood fell as she sucked hungrily at the wounds.

 

Two of his friends raced off into the night, but one, perhaps too young, drunk or stupid, to know better, brought a poisoned dagger down at her face as she lapped up blood.

 

Without turning away, her hand shot out and caught his wrist, tightening her grip and crushing his wrist bones.  

Suddenly she was inches away, holding him by his neck, pressing the air from him.

“If you want to live to tell of this encounter, you will answer what I ask you.   Do you understand?”  She whispered in a sensuous voice, releasing her grip on his throat enough for him to gasp out an answer.

“Good.   I’m looking for a creature;   a Doppleganger that works as an assassin or spy for pay.   He is said to live somewhere nearby, and I’ll wager you know where he lives.”

The man nodded, gasping for breath, and pointed down the alley.

“At… end… left… side…”  He managed to get out as she held him dangling in the air by one hand.

 

She smiled prettily at his response, the bright red blood on her lips contrasting with white teeth that seemed to almost glow in the dim light.

“Good choice.   You are a very, very, lucky rivvin, and I would suggest that you run as quickly as you can, as far away as you can.   Linger and I will have your blood for dessert.”   

She let go of the terrified boy, who dropped at her feet, gasping for air.   He quickly leapt up and stumbled out of the alley.  The Vampire lady just snorted in disgust at the gutter rat and resumed walking deeper into the darkness of the alleyway.

 

*What do you want, Vampire?* The words came to her mind as she prepared to open the door at the alley’s end.   She had forgotten about the race’s telepathy.   She smiled with a shake of her head and just opened the door.

“I’m here to offer you an assignment.”  She said as she entered the small dark building.  

 

 

***

 

In a huge, dark, gothic castle deep in the Everdark valley of the Nofesylvis Mountains, a large gathering of the most powerful of the Necromancer’s Guild assembled in the great audience chamber of their master.    The large gloomy room reeked of evil as the hierarchy of the shadowy guild held a strategic meeting.  

 

Against the far wall, seated on a jet black throne atop a raised dais, sat the horrid master of the Necromancer’s Guild, Soric Potollis.   His form was gaunt and corpse-like, yet somehow still seemed to radiant waves of power.   He leaned forward on his throne, his bony hands folded together as he carefully listened to the reports from his captains. 

 Occasionally a detail would cause black eyebrows to rise or furrow, and his eyes, which glowed with an arcane green glow, would shift from speaker to speaker, yet other than this, he stayed perfectly still.

But he was fully aware and those who shared the room with him entered his presence with great nervousness.

 

“- and that is all that we know, my Lord.   Haroldris had the ship burnt, after, no doubt, salvaging anything useful on board.   Our spies inform us that Haroldris has sent messengers throughout his Kingdom asking those he deems as important or powerful to come to King’s Reach in a month’s time, allegedly for a Spring Dance.   It is, no doubt a guise for a council of war, to plan an invasion.”

 

For a long moment there was silence in the great hall, with everyone looking at the Arch-lich as he considered all that he had been told.   Finally he moved, lifting his chin and turning a baneful gaze upon everyone assembled.

“A force of Paladins, Knights, Clerics of Yesh, Wizards and Elves will soon assemble to discuss invasion of my Kingdom, and before me, what do I behold?   The forces of the Grave with no plans to counter this invasion!  

Shall we assume a defensive posture and allow the minions of Yesh to trample our homeland and defile it with light?!   Shall we not move with cunning and aggression against our adversaries?”

A murmur of support filled the room.

 

Soric stood, green flame covering his head, “Are we not forces of darkness?!   Are we not masters of death?!   Do you fear the light-bringers?!”

Nearby, one of his Lich lieutenants dared to speak, “Sovereign Master, a third of our number was destroyed by Haroldris and his nobles!   How much greater is the danger from a stronger force!”

Soric’s eyes blazed with anger, “Cowards!    Is not darkness stronger?!   Is it better to let them build up their army and trap us within these mountains, or strike while the iron is hot!”  

“Fools!   When better to attack?!  They think we have retreated into our crypts to hide.   They think we are weakened and that they are safe.   So Haroldris plans a summit with others of the Yeshish cult; they will all assemble in King’s Reach, feeling safe from any danger due to their number.   This is the best time to destroy them!”  

 

“We shall take all of our forces; all of our airships against them!   Across the Mare Arctica, directly to King’s Reach; an air armada of all of our ships!   We shall have Emperor Fendoris’ faithful legions advance upon Northmarch from the south, to engage his troops!   We shall destroy King’s Reach and our enemies!   This is our destiny, it is my will, and you will obey it!   Why do you sit there?!   Go at once and make plans!   Time is short, for soon we will destroy our enemies forever!   Go and do my bidding!”

 

The room erupted into chaos as everyone scrambled to immediately act on the Dark Master’s words.   

From a seat in the front of the assembly, The Dark Elf Lord Chal excused himself from Morbis Noctunus, his Lich master, and hurried from the chamber, murmuring several times to his fellow Vampire Lords about his hurry to make plans.  

 

His black robes flowed behind him as he hurried to a turret top in the castle and leapt off, changing form into a huge black bat which flew quickly in the permanent darkness of the Everdark valley toward a small round keep that the Dark Master allotted for him.  

She was waiting as he rematerialized into Elven form in front of her and she went to him.   Giving him a brief, but passionate kiss, she fell in beside him and they hurried off the rooftop down into the dreary and small ‘great room’ below.

“Have you met with success, my love?”   He asked as they reclined on a divan.

“Yes, my Lord.”  Her eyes sparkled, “He willingly agreed without any sort of persuasion.   All will be ready in two days time.”

Chal smiled, “Excellent, my love!   Soric has done as expected, ordering a full assault against Northmarch.   The fool!”

“When, my Lord?”

“Soon; there will be a gathering of the Yeshites within a month; Soric thinks to attack when they are all gathered.”

 

“Of course he won’t participate, will he?”

Chal snorted, “Certainly not!   He will sit on his throne and wait, expecting victory.”

“What, my Lord, do you think are the chances of his attack meeting with success?”

“I doubt complete annihilation is possible.   He will wound them, perhaps kill many of them, but it will only fuel their resolve.   All it will do is delay the inevitable.  He is overconfident of his forces; it will be his undoing.”

 

“But his folly could still result in her death!”

“Indeed; this is why we must act first.   She will, of course, journey to King’s Reach to attend the summit.   Soric will desire to wait to begin the assault against them until all are gathered.   If she arrives early, it would be best for us to take her at King’s Reach.”

“What of her lover?   He will certainly not let us take her.”

“We will take him too… or kill him if that is not possible.”

“And Zeatt?”

The Vampire Lord sighed, “I don’t know; perhaps her as well.   Her faith in Yesh may make her dangerous to try to persuade.”

“But we will NOT kill her.   Or Aurei.”   The Vampire lady firmly demanded, and Chal nodded.

“Do not worry, my love, even if they resist us, I will not harm either one.”

“Nor Aurei’s lover; promise me that!”

He nodded again, “Agreed.   One would think that you were my master, my love.”

The Vampire lady just smiled seductively, “We think alike, my Lord, which is why we succeed.”

He chuckled, “Indeed.   It has been a long, dangerous road we have taken, my love, but one that nears the end.”

“Let us hope so, my Lord and my love.”

The two Vampires turned to talk of their plans, hopeful in their endeavor.   

Reviews

[Elina]

"But it wasn’t her skimpy outfit or even her spiked heeled red leather boots that covered her long legs nearly to her hips, which drew the attention to her." This seemed a bit wordy...I'm not entirely sure how you could work this and still get the information in it. Perhaps something like "But it was the skimpy outfit which drew the attention to her. Nor was it her..."
"...still seemed to radiant waves of power." I think you were wanting radiate, here.

[Eddie Davis]

Yeah, this sentence troubled me too, I think I'll just have to overhaul it completely.

[Eddie Davis]

Elina, I've reworked it to read: 'Her long legs were covered by red leather boots from her hips to the tips of spiked heels.

But it wasn’t her skimpy outfit or even the red boots which drew the attention to her.'

[Elina]

Ah! Yes, that sounds much better.