B5 Chapter 45 – The Realm Beyond

FIXED ROUND TWO

When Rolan returned from the realm of his gods, it was clear that they had taken his soul. His eyes were glazed over, sightless, and he shambled like a zombie as he shuffled forward.

A little disappointed, Tyron took the enchanted stone, the latest version of what he had come to call a ‘soul trap’ from his pocket and checked it. As he suspected, it was empty. Whatever the gods had done, it had circumvented his attempt to ensnare Rolan’s soul should it leave his body.

A long shot, but worth a try. A skeleton stepped forward, and he handed over the stone before turning back to see the form of his power reservoir. Obviously, it had worked, since the walking corpse resonated with divine energy so strong it set Tyron’s teeth on edge. Probably every Priest and Priestess in the city could sense it. If he didn’t hurry up, they’d doubtless come running to see just what was going on.

Elsbeth knew, but he doubted she wanted to poke her nose in and take a look at what she had been so willing to adopt as her own fate. The very thought of her standing in front of him, blank and lifeless, a vessel for the Dark Ones, was repulsive. He shook off the thought, then stood and looked at what Rolan had become.

Was he… was he supposed to just… push it around? There was no brain in there, no active consciousness, he couldn’t give it directions.

Or could he?

“Walk over there,” he said.

Unseeing eyes stared back at him. The corpse didn’t move.

“I’m an idiot,” he sighed to himself.

Mentally, he assigned a few skeletons to steer this shambling meat-bag around and turned his mind to more pressing matters. Most of his undead horde had assembled, and there were a few getting worked on by the bone-smiths and others below. The carts laden with the numerous supplies he would need on the other side continued to increase in number as time passed, and the absorption circle was again fully laden with fresh crystal, the power already draining in preparation for their departure.

Satisfied that everything was in hand, he decided to head to his room to check on a final few things. Stepping away, he walked out of the main temple floor, ignored the crowd of onlookers gathering in the street, curious to see what was happening, and walked down to the belowground entrance. It was crowded in the narrow tunnels with so many undead and people moving about. Several of the newly Awakened almost tripped over him without realising who he was, so intent on getting where they were going in time.

It was almost refreshing.

Arriving at his own chambers, Tyron pushed open the door to find his three students sitting in their respective chairs around the fire, which burned low in the hearth. Dove, on the other hand, was pinned to the wall with iron half-circles that had literally been driven into the stone. One for his neck, and one for each of his four limbs, along with another around his lower spine, just for good measure.

“He hasn’t been much trouble, has he?” Tyron asked.

“You fuck-faced fucker! I’ll give you trouble! I’ll ram trouble so far down your throat you’ll be shitting trouble for a week! And piss! Trouble dribbling down your fucking leg! Tyron! Let me free, you fucking prick!”

“He’s been… loud,” Richard winced in the first gap of Dove’s tirade.

“Loud? LOUD?! Richard, you pimply little shit! You can’t find your own pubic hair without fucking glasses on! I’ve been imprisoned against my will!”

“Is he going to insult all of us?” Georg muttered, looking fed up.

“I wasn’t going to, but now I fucking will! I’ve seen knives with less fucking edge on them than you, Georg! Only difference is, they don’t have to try so fucking hard! You think you’re some sort of hard-ass fucking killer? You’ve felt up more teats than tits, you fucking farm boy! You’re better than everyone else in this room at precisely one thing: stepping in shit, and don’t you ever fucking forget it!”

“You don’t have to do me,” Briss said, ducking her head. “I’m fine.”

Before Dove could launch into another tirade, Tyron cut him off.

“Alright, time to let him down.”

“Fucking finally!”

All three students looked at him in shock.

“Are you sure?” Richard asked. “I thought he was going to run?”

“There’s nowhere for him to go anymore,” Tyron said, “it’s time to go.”

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He looked over to the skeleton, who no longer seemed so pleased.

“Ready for our little adventure, Dove?” he said with a slight smile.

“You know what, Tyron? This wall isn’t so bad. It’s soothing in its own way. The world gives us too many options, we have too many directions we could go. It’s dazzling, confusing, confounding even. Having one’s limbs pinned to a wall via cold, hard iron gives a certain perspective, teaches a man what’s truly valuable in unlife.”

Tyron could only roll his eyes.

“There’s no getting out of it. I was never going to leave you behind to do who knows what behind my back. You’re compromised, Dove, and you are absolutely coming along for this little trip.”

“… Hey, Tyron?”

“Yes?”

“Is it possible for a soul to spontaneously explode?”