The Poisonous Truth

Ungonius’s corpse cooling at his feet, Jarel stared up at the spire of Machine metal that had pierced right through the camp. It was wide enough that little of the center of the camp remained and the height of it, he couldn’t begin to guess at, the top disappearing up beyond the blue of the sky.

His gaze skyward, he did not notice a slim small figure creeping up over the shattered remains of a tent. There was a whistling sound and Jarel threw himself to the side to see a feathered dart sticking out of Ungonius’s body and clinging to the tent pole nearby, a small female kaputi.

“Ha! Ungonius weak thing! Lose to weak boy aeln! Not to matter. Not to matter. We fix him and then he fix weak boy aeln.”

Jarel raised his sword at the kaputi and was about to say something when Ungonius’s corpse shuddered on the ground.

“Ungonius always my puppet. Good potion keep under control. But now Finyi no need Ungonius! So now Finyi make monster of Ungonius! Like Dirger!”

Ungonius’s body began to flail and country violently on the floor, the bandit’s bones audibly grinding as they changed their configuration. The fatal wound in his chest split open even more and Jarel watched in horror as lines of razor sharp teeth pushed out from the sides turning the tear in the man’s chest into a maw.

Ungonius rose back up to his feet, every muscle in his body spasming and twitching. His grey lifeless eyes focused on Jarel.

“Hehehe. Much better! Much better!” Finyi cackled.

The thing that had once been Ungonius launched itself forward at Jarel. It was far faster than any human crossing the distance in a second.

Jarel swung the rusted blade down in an arc, the blade cutting into Ungonius’s shoulder and becoming stuck in his collarbone. He tugged on the blade but it would not come free from the giant of a man. Ungonius’ arm shot out and Jarel just managed to duck under it and scramble away, leaving his borrowed weapon stuck in the man’s body.

Unrelenting, Ungonius followed Jarel across the remains of the courtyard. His hands grasping for the young adventurer.

“Brother!” A clear voice cut through the air. Jarel turned to see his sister, Sari, perched atop the wall of the fort. She fired an arrow at the undead Ungonius, distracting it while Jarel got clear. Ungonius chased after Jarel but everytime he got close a well placed arrow from Sari sent the beast reeling.

Jarel needed a new weapon, and quick. Leading Ungonius on a merry chase around the edge of the vortex was all well and good but he knew that he was going to tire before the creature Finyi had made ever did. He noticed something then. He could hear yells and clashing steel on the other side of the spire.

Waving to Sari, Jarel broke into a sprint. His mother was left behind but as long as Ungonius followed him she would be fine. He followed the edge of the wall until he saw the source of the noise.

It was Halen. Daggers in hand, holding back a small group bandits. His back was to the wall of the fort and sat, docilely behind him were a group of naked women including Kamelia, Serepia and Palema. And sat by the group of women, leaned against the wall, Jarel’s own sword and shield.

He could hear Ungonius’s heavy breaths behind him, like a snarling beast about to catch its prey, and he increased the pace, feeling his lungs burn as he went.

“My weapons! My weapons!”Jarel cried out. Halen was too focused on the bandits and the women sat there ignoring him.

“My we-Kamelia!!!!!” Jarel screamed, feeling his voice crack with the strain.

He was surprised to see his sister’s eyes shift over in his direction and felt the spark of hope within.

“Kamelia!!!! Pass me my weapons!!!!”

Whether it was actually her, or the kaputi concoction that drove her, Kamelia reached over and grabbed both Jarel’s sword and shield and tossed it over to him. It was a good throw and Jarel caught both deftly, turning fast and getting his shield up, Ungonius slamming into it with all his unnatural strength.

Jarel roared wordlessly and brought his blade in a low arc, catching Ungonius across the thigh and severing his leg from his body. The undead monster collapsed to the floor but still reached out at him with bloody fingers, intent on ripping him apart.

Jarel took both hands off at the wrist with a flourish and leapt at Ungonius bringing the sword down over his head and cleaving into the dead man’s skull. Ungonius’s head split in half but Jarel did not give up the attack, cutting up the man’s body till every part of it stopped moving entirely.

“Pah! No matter. Finyi got good data. Boss man will be happy.” Finyi grumbled and skittered up and over the wall disappearing before any could react.

At the same time a blast of magical energy exploded amongst the surviving bandits. Sabina had arrived in the fort, and she was not alone. A group of adventurers travelling nearby had seen the spire rise and had rushed to see what had happened. Sabina had told them what had happened in Meadowfort and they had agreed to help.

The adventurers, Sabina, Sari and Halen were too much for the last few bandits who either surrendered or attempted to escape. Some managed to slip away but Guild bounties on them ensured they would eventually be captured.

Jarel sat on the ground by the dead Ungonius and took in a deep breath. It had been hard won, but they had done it. The occupation of Meadowfort was over.