(continued from Ch 12, Shadows of the Dead)

The Chronicles of Rapina
Chapter 13, Night Terrors


Rapina grinned and reopened the flap, "HOCK, in here on the double! She relished giving the arms master an order. It was a rare treat.

Hock came running up and blinked at Rapina and her bright light.

Rapina felt her lust sense tingle, then realized that, unless you counted a Rapier and two pendants, she wasn't wearing any clothes.

Hock burst into the tent. "What's with th' naked Valkyrie?"

Rapina blushed crimson

"It's th' latest in pirate-wench fashion," Jack chuckled weakly. "See if you and Rapina can hoist me up onto the bed an' prop me up. While yer at it, tell me what's happenin' out there."

Hock looked at Logan, "aren't ye gonna help?"

"Sorry mate, I can barely lift a broadsword. I'm near as wrecked as he is."

"What happened ta you men? I'd say ye'd been wenchin' a bit too hard."

Logan started laughing, and he could not seem to stop. Trouble was he was so weak already that the laugher laid him out on the bed.

Rapina giggled and took the captain's feet while Hock lifted him from behind under the arms. They carried him to the head of the bed and propped him in a sitting position against the headboard. Once they had the captain situated, Rapina started dressing hurriedly.

"I just got done puttin'' a quadrupled guard on the Southeast post 'an on me way back I heard a commotion from the water front, an' then the wench ordered me in here like a soldier."

"Careful Hock, any wench 'can last through me an Logan at are best deserves a ton 'o respect," the captain said firmly, trying to keep from laughing and failing miserably.

Logan shook the bed with renewed laughter.

"We were attacked by somethin' in here, Hock, damndest thing ye ever saw, livin' shadows with a touch chiller than a winter day. Ye couldn't see em at all, an' their touch drained yer strength an hurt ye too. They must 'ave come back from the Southeast guard post with Logan, and I dare say they were lookin' fer me an almost had me an Logan both dead ta rights. Me lucky wench saved are ass. Otherwise ye'd be runnin' th' camp without us.

Hock raised his eyebrows. This was the first time he had heard of a green recruit saving the Captain and his right hand man.

"I know what yer thinkin' Hock, how could a recruit just out o' basic save two seasoned pirates like us. Ye have ta understand, fer some reason when I yelled out about the chills, the wench got her mage light right quick and opened it up. All the shadows in the room disappeared but three and those three seemed ta all want ta touch me some more. Logan drew on one, Rapina jumped up an' tossed the covers over one I kicked out' o' my way so I could get to me sword. She an I drew steel and we was fightin' first the one, an' then the other when it found it's way out from under the blankets. The things were hittin' on me not her so I warr the one gettin' weaker by the second."

"Near the end of the second shadow I was done for. Rapina shielded me an' I staggered out o' the way and went down, too weak ta stand. All I could do was watch, but I had one hell o' a view from down on the floor there," Jack grinned saltily. "She finished the second one off 'an went an' did the same fer Logan as she did fer me. By that time he was weak as a two-year-old."

Pike burst into the captain's tent visibly shaken. This worried those present because not a one of them had seen Pike shaken before. Ever. "Sir." He gasped as he caught his breath. "There's been trouble down by the water...we...were attacked by...by...hideous creatures. We got two of them but they made off with two of our men..." He paused and gave Rapina a meaningful look. "Kent was one of them." Before the captain could say anything he continued, "And there's something else sir...The elf...Doanthalas...well he was fighting one of the creatures when Arzeal sank a special flaming arrow into it. It grappled with Doa...the elf...and they both burst into flames."

"AND!!!" The captain said with an annoyed tone.

"Well sir. The ghoul was burned to a cinder, but...but...the elf...he doesn't have a mark on him...except for the claw and bite marks. The fire didn't hurt him one bit! And that's not all! All the men who the creatures struck were paralyzed. The elf wasn't affected by that either. The men are scared sir. 'Can't say that I blame them, but they might do something drastic. Arzeal has them under control for the moment, but you'd better hurry." Pike paused as he noticed for the first time the state that the captain and Logan were in.

"So th' elf 'as been holdin' out on me, 'e failed ta mention a magical power. Hock an' Roger always ask about skills an powers. It'll go rough on 'im, but 'e 'as the skeleton battle 'an fightin'' th' ghouls ta 'is credit. Was 'e valuable in the ghoul fight?

"I think so, sir, I arrived after the battle had begun. He helped kill the one ghoul I saw killed - the one Arzeal set aflame with a special arrow. The others were only driven back under water by being set aflame.

"If I weren't weak as a babe, I'd have ye clap that elf in chains an' bring 'im 'ere; 'e's got some serious explainin' ta do. Seein' as how I'm an invalid, I'll deal w' him later. No one's ta see me like this but me officers. I need guards I can trust outside th' tent flap.

'An believe me Pike, I'd be out thar ta beat th' men down ta order in a heart beat, but I'm weak as a kitten. The things that killed th' Southeast guard post followed Logan back ta me tent an' attacked us here. If it weren't fer me lucky wench, Logan an' I'd be dead, 'er shadows, 'cause that's what th' creatures that about killed us looked like. Hock, what do ye know about the undead?"

"Precious little, sir. I've heard a few tall tales, but nothin' I could put any stock in. The way I hear, most of 'em slink around at night. They don't like the daylight."

"Good, yer just the man fer the job. Whip those pirates inta shape, arm 'em up, move 'em back from th' water, an' have 'em make a tight camp in a ring right around this tent. We need ta hold out till dawn. Tell 'em th' water front weren't th' only attack we suffered tanight. Make sure they realize that the enemy so far has only attacked at night, an' let 'em know I'll be talkin' to 'em soon as me officers brief me on th' various battles."

"Plant torches an' make fires. We need plenty o' light.

"Pike, send me Drake, an' Arzeal. I need men I can trust in here ta guard me."

"Speakin' o' answers, Rapina, get into them books, find me everything ye can about undead monsters, particularly any o' the ones we've seen."

"Everyone's got 'is orders, now go too."

There was a chorus of, "Yes sir," and everyone rushed off, save Rapina who began to delve into the captain's books there in his tent, and Logan who was too weak to move much.

Rapina sniffed back her tears and told herself she would cry for Kent later. Her expression became very serious, Kent was dead, and Doanthalas was in big trouble. She went to one of the chests of books and began digging almost frantically, but the look in her eyes was pure determination.

Soon arms master Hock's voice could be heard barking orders rapid-fire outside. Intermingled with the orders were blood-curdling screams from here and there around the periphery of the camp. A little while later Pike came into the tent.

"Here is Drake, sir, but he's in no condition for guard Duty. One of those creatures on the water front gashed him and froze him up solid. Edgar and a half dozen of the men are the same way. I had a devil of a time just getting the sword out of Drake's hand so I could put it back in his sheath."

"Damn! Organize a detail ta bring the other frozen men up here," Jack ordered.

"How ye doin' Logan?" the captain asked.

"I think me strength is seepin' back, but it's sure takin' it's time. How 'bout you?"

"Hard ta say yet, but I think ye're right. Rapina, Give Logan here a book that needs searchin'. Might as well put 'im ta work."

Rapina handed a book to Logan from the stack she was building.

Just then, Arzeal came into the tent.

Arzeal, good ta see ya, what's happenin'' out there, Logan an' me got attacked by things lookin' like shadows an' we're pretty much laid up fer the moment. 'Tweren't fer me wench we'd both be dead men.

Arzeal cocked an eyebrow at the captain's remark but knew that captain had better things to do than explain.


"The men are real restless, sir. They've seen that Doanthalas is impervious to flame and they were going to lynch him, but I told Brackston to chain him up, that you wanted some answers out of him. He was the only person I figured could keep the elf from being lynched since he was the one who got the men all scared of him in the first place.

Kind a' oversteppin' yer authority, don't ya think.

"Yes, sir but it was that or let them kill him. I don't know what to think about Doanthalas myself, but when I saw him, he was fighting those creatures on the waterfront, not conjuring them. The men are sure he's a demon, and they want blood. Only the fact that he was chained and a prisoner of Brackston and on his way to answer to you kept them from lynching him."

"Aye, e's got some grave answerin'' ta do. 'Ave Brackston steak 'im down outside the tent. I'll deal w' him later. What're those screams I keep hearing.

"Men keep getting chills sir."

Listen up, Arzeal, those aren't chills, they're the attack of a nearly invisible critter that looks like a shadow, ye can only see 'em in strong light an three o' 'em nearly killed me an Logan. Th' fact that ye can't really tell anything's attackin' ye an' ye can't see 'em is what makes 'em so dangerous. They drain strength every time they hit 'an the cold gives ye a real wound if ye'll look under yer clothes ta see it. Ye can hit 'em with swords, but ye can only see 'em in good light. Go on an' warn 'em. It'll scare 'em ta death, but at least they might be able ta save their own skins.

Arzeal nodded and left the tent in a hurry.

Not too long after Arzeal left, Brackston's voice could be heard outside the tent.

"I told 'em all this elf was a demon, but no, they didn't believe me. We'll see what kinda trouble ye're in now freak! "

Gods! He's bleedin' bleedin out 'is tattoos. Yiiii!, 'e's possessed! Run! Woof! Grrrr, woof! Aaaaagh!

"Well I'll be damned!" Brackston said.

"Step out there an' see what's up Rapina - an leave the light."

Rapina set her book and light down and jumped up. Outside, the torches that often illuminated the area around the captain's tent had been lit.

Brackston was standing and staring at Doanthalas whose tattoos were bleeding all over his body.

Brackston was dumfoundedly holding the other end of his infamous neck chain and staring at Doanthalas. Thumper was barking wildly. Several pirates had drawn back and a few were running away.

Rapina crouched down and lifted Doanthalis' sagging chin. "Doanthalis, What's happening to you?"

The elf barely had any strength left. He had lost a lot of blood yet he still managed to speak. "My... curse... a 'gift' from... from... those of... the flaming... black... heart... I..." Doanthalas collapsed as unconsciousness enveloped him.

When Rapina came back into the tent about five minutes later, Brackston could be heard pounding a huge steak into the ground with a sledge hammer.

"Gods girl, ye're covered w' blood, what happened?"

"It's Doanthalas, sir, he bled profusely from his tattoos and passed out. It scared the men badly. Brackston's chaining him to an iron post outside."

"There's a rag over there, wipe yerself down an' use me basin. Then get me old Blue shirt from me chest an' put it on. No sense in ye gettin' the books bloody. Damn, all this goin' on an' me weak as a wilted flower."

Once Rapina got back to the books she and Logan began to find some references to the undead. Whenever they located a passage, they read it aloud to Captain Red Jack.

About a quarter hour after Rapina got back to the books, Hock stuck his head into the tent.

"I tried recallin' the watch posts, but the central post is gone and one man on the Southwest came runnin' in here telling me his partner started complaining o' chills then disappeared right before 'is eyes. My messenger for the quadrupled Southeast post an' six o' the eight men from the post came back runnin' here like a ghost was chasin' 'em, an they said the other two'd been killed by walkin' skeletons. Is everybody goin' daft?" Hock asked.

"Those are real Hock, I got me a skull an' two arms that still move in that bag over there from th' scoutin' mission. 'Found out last night, the South o' this isle's a grave yard. Ye'd best set up a defense."


Hock did a double-take. "I'll believe it when I see it."

"Believe it, Hock. The best weapons again' 'em are heavy an' blunt. Ask Pike if ya need any pointers."

Rapina heard Renewed screams and the clash of steal from the Southeast.

Hock left shaking his head.

Before long Pike's battle cry could be heard loud and clear. "Blood an' Bones! Hold yer ground an' drive these bags a bones back ta the hells they came from."

It had been nearly an hour since the attack started when Drake felt his muscles ease. Some time ago, Pike had carried him up from the waterfront and left him standing in the captain's tent like a statue. He could see and hear what was going on, but he could not move. The scratch of the ghoul had filled him with supernatural fear that had locked up every muscle in his body.

"Uhhh!" he said as he collapsed to the floor. His muscles were so sore it felt as if he had just worked two days and two nights on his father's farm without a break.

"Can ye speak Drake?"

"Uh, yes sir," Drake said quietly; "'muscles all hurt, sir."

The captain swung his legs off the bed. "Damn, I'm still weak but gettin' better."

"Rapina, I need ye ta help me up. I'm going ta get dressed an' I'm going ta talk ta the men. Hopefully by the time I'm ready, I'll 'ave the strength o' a four-year-old 'stead of a two-year-old."

Once he was up, the captain put on his trousers and got some keys from the pocket. He opened a strong box and took out a vial. He drank half and gave the other half to Logan."

"Drink a third o' what remains an' give th' rest ta Drake an' Rapina. That there is a magical potion I got off th' noblemen who was in charge 'o that blockade we broke. Seein' as Rapina was wieldin'' 'is blades tanight, I'd say killin' 'im helped save me life twice so far.

Drake drank about half of what was left, then passed the rest to Rapina.

Rapina tipped back the vial heartily, but only drank a bit of the potion. It tasted somewhat odd and made her nose and lust sense tickle. Rapina knew it must somehow contain healing life force. She could feel her wounds shrinking as warmth flooded her belly. She paid a great deal of attention to the feel of the potion. It was not too unlike the feel she got when healing her wounds using the power men gave her. Rapina wondered if there might be a way she could heal others with life force she stored, just as the potion was now healing her.

"There's a little left, may I save it for later? I don't have as much meat to wound as you big men."

"Aye, it's yers girl, save some if ye want. It seems ta be helpin' me wounds, but it ain't doin' much fer me strength. Just the same, it were a good draught."

The captain dressed very slowly as his wounds disappeared.

"How ye feelin' now, Drake? If ye're up to it, tell me about the battle earlier this night at the water front."

"Well, sir. The battle was quick and deadly. Those creatures...I'm not sure what they are...they are hideous looking...I'd call them men, but whatever they were they weren't men. I was bathing in the water along with a few other men...and Doanthalas. We heard some screams and saw... them... rising out of the water. They caught a few of the men by surprise. Kent... Kent... was one of them." Drake paused as the tears flowed down his face. When he had regained his composure he continued, "They carried no weapons, but they had claws that would cause your muscles to freeze up if they scratched you. I was clawed by one of them... It was terrifying! All I could do was stand there and watch as the ghouls dragged... they... I couldn't do anything to help Kent... I tried, but... The creature paralyzed me and I'd be dead if Doanthalas hadn't saved me. I fell over in the water and would have drowned because I couldn't move, But he saved me...me and Edgar...but there wasn't anything he could do for Kent..." The young pirate stopped and wept for a few minutes. The captain respected his grieving silence before speaking.

"Good then, Drake, 'least I know what happened. Step outside an' See what's up. If they're free, get me Arzeal, Pike an' Hock. If th' elf's up, take this key, unlock th' chain from th' steak an haul th' elf in here yerself. It's damn near dawn but I still need a bit o' time more ta recover me strength fer me speech, but there's goin' ta be a lot ta do soon as I step outside that flap. Might as well do what I can do sittin' down right now. And Drake...I'm sorry about yer friend. But right now I need ya to be strong. Our very survival just might depend on it. Now get gone boy!"

Arzeal was the easiest for Drake to find. He was doing his best to keep some semblance of order in the camp. The half-elf reluctantly left the frightened pirates behind and reported to the captain. Pike and Hock were busy breaking out weapons for the defense of the camp. They grabbed what they needed and left another pirate in charge until they returned. Doanthalas was barely conscious when Drake reached him. He was grateful that the elf had saved him, but he was also scared. There was something to the elf that Drake wasn't sure he wanted to know about. The young pirate unlocked the chain from the stake and reluctantly lifted the elf in his arms. Doanthalas' skin felt cold and clammy and bits of dried blood flaked off as they headed towards the captain's tent.

After about fifteen minutes, the birds could be clearly heard heralding the coming of the dawn. Hock, Arzeal and Pike came into the tent. Drake followed holding the elf in his arms the chain dragging on the ground behind him.

"Yer in a heap 'o trouble Doanthalas. Holdin' out information on powers ye 'ave when Hock an Roger ask ye ain't healthy, an' holdin' out on magical powers can be a killin' offense. The best thing ye can do now is come clean an' tell me all about every power ye 'ave. Ye can start by tellin' me what ye know about them creatures that attacked on the waterfront, an why th' other men who got raked by 'em froze solid, but ye didn't."

It was obviously a great effort for the elf to even speak, but after a short pause Doanthalas did speak, "power... is... not... not... tis a curse. Bestowed upon... me... by those of the... flaming black... hearts. To me the... sun... flower does not kill, but... it does burn... and in exchange for... my life... my life... nectar flows freely... from..." The elf managed to feebly indicate one of his many fiendish looking tattoos. "The... creatures... ghouls... dead men walking... hungering for the... life nectar... and... flesh they lack. The foul touch of their... tainted flesh... causes men to take root as the oak. My... people have... always been... immune to the foul... touch of... the ghoul. Why? I know not. It just... is... as the sun is... so is this..." That said the elf laid his head back and closed his eyes for a moment.

"Sir, I can vouch for elves being more resistant to magic that warps a man's mind or makes him sleep, but that's as far as I know." The half-elf cast a worried look in Doanthalas' direction. "Sir. He's in bad shape. I've got a little something I learned from an elf a while back that should help him."

Red Jack looked at Arzeal and nodded, "Okay. Do what ye need. I'll be needin' im healthy and soon. Go now! Doanthalas, I don't know if I can believe ye about th' undead 'r at all anymore since ye held out on me, an yer in deep w' the men's superstitions. Fer now yer the best source o' information we got, so I'll have ta take what ye say as true whether I like it or not. If bein' impervious ta flame ain't an elven characteristic, then I want ye ta fill me in on where ye came by it 'an any other powers ye been hidin', understand?"

The elf's body shivered for a few moments before Doanthalas regained his composure and continued. "Countless seasons ago... I and... my... brother lived amongts our... people. Here. One sun cycle we... were gathering... herbs for our parents when... when we were surrounded... by a radiant... pool of magical waters. The forest... seemed to fade like the light... as dusk approaches. The earth mother had... lost all color. All was grey. The sky... the earth mother...everything. Except my brother, me... and... and one of the flaming dark hearted. I believe... you word... for them... is...Dee-mahn... or Fiend. My... brother..." Doanthalas paused as a lump caught in his throat. "My brother... my elder... tried to bargain with... the dar... feend... so that we might return home... we were lost... later we would... discover... just how lost we... were."

"Ya mean ta tell me ye were captured by DEMONS!?!?!? I find that a little hard ta swallow." The captain said with a snicker. Most of those assembled nodded their heads in agreement thinking this to be some sort of elaborate fairy tale.

Doanthalas waited for the gathered pirates to scoff for a bit before he began speaking. The words that the elf produced were horrible to hear and left a sickening feeling in the stomach of those assembled. Images flooded into the minds of the pirates. Images so horrible that many of them covered their ears and shrank back fearing the elf was attempting to cast some sort of evil spell. The tattooed elf stopped and let the pirates compose themselves. "I... just spake to you... in their tongue... the wicked tongue of the Dee-mons. It is a horrible... tongue that no... mortal should... ever hear... much less learn... I have done both... be grateful that... you only had to... hear it. Your nightmares will be strong, but... nothing like..."


Doanthalas shook his head and continued his story, "The feend... my brother thought he... could trick him into... helping us... but that was just... youth... ful... arrogance. We both paid for it... in the end..." Doanthalas paused as horrible images came flooding back into his mind. Images of rivers of blood and towers built out of the broken living bodies of countless races. He saw their tormented faces as they screamed in agony and begged for a quick and merciful death. He felt their flesh on his feet; their feeble struggles to achieve freedom.

More and more dreadful images assaulted him, but he fought against them and pushed them to the dark recesses of his mind. He did not know how to make them understand how to adequately describe what he had been through. What they had heard of the fiend's language gave them a little insight, but nothing more. He swallowed hard and continued, "We were held... captives by the dark ones for... many seasons. They tortured us... and forced us to... fight in their... vile... war. They... 'gave'... me these tattoos so that... I might survive...in a few... of their... hostile environments. But they also made... sure... there was... a... a... price. Though my flesh does... not melt... I still feel... the pain. I still pay the... price... in blood. My blood. I would gladly embrace...death... rather than endure... this. That was... how... I acquired... my... 'powers'." Doanthalas decided that he had told the captain enough. Besides he did not want to relive any more of his experiences at the hands of the fiends that night. All he wanted was sleep. He was so weak from the loss of blood that he could barely move.

"Tanight we got attacked by things that look like shadows an are nearly invisible. Tell me what ye know about 'em."

"They... are shadows. They... feed off... of your life... spirit... soul... yes. I believe... that to be... the correct word. They are weakest in bright light... and strongest in the... darkness from whence... they came. That is... all that I know... about... shadows."

"All right, put Doanthalas back out on th' steak. That's probably the safest place for 'im w' th' men as riled as they are by now."

"Hock, what's been goin' on out there?"

The arms master looked as though he'd aged a couple of years in the last couple of hours.

"Well sir, first it was shadows. They took out the central guard post and half of the one on the Southwest. When they attacked the men in camp, they seemed to like to hit and run. I've never seen the men so terrified, sir, and we lost a few even though we used the torches and the fires and flailing around with weapons once I managed to get the men organized."

"Just a little later during that mayhem a dozen skeletons came from the Southeast, routing the guard post. When the skeletons got here, some of the men ran. I wouldn't count on ever seeing 'em again. I got the lion's share of 'em ta stand an' fight by yellin' myself hoarse. Pike and a squad of men that had been moving supplies in from the waterfront ran ta bolster my forces, then all hell broke loose when we saw what was following 'em - forty more bags of bones wet from bein' in the water were followin' them."

"The men were stunned, sir, Pike turned back the way he'd come, stepped forward a few paces with that battle axe o' his an' that old club he brought back from the scoutin' mission. He screamed bloody murder an' lit into 'em. They practically exploded when 'e hit. Not ta be outdone, Brackston lit into 'em with a broadsword an a Roman shield. I previously had the men arm up, an' many o' em' had been usin' shields tryin' ta keep the shadows off em. I just started yellin' again, "Shield bash an' strike! Shield bash and strike!"

"Th' men were terrified, at first it were a rout, but as soon as some of em' saw Pike annihilatin' skeletons like there was no tomorrow an heard me yellin those familar orders I drum into 'em in basic, fewer of 'em ran an' we stopped givin' ground. The tide turned and we beat those skeletons ta bones. We got more wounded than I can count. Leach Kennon's goin' crazy an we got plenty o' dead too sir, we'll have ta pick em' up an' burn em so's they don't get up on their own," Hock grimaced.

"Arzeal?"

"I was keeping an eye out for Pike's men moving essential supplies up from the waterfront. It's only fifty paces, but we were tightening the camp up. One thing you should know, sir. I haven't told anyone because there wasn't a thing any of us could do about it. Every boat you own is sunk in the cove."

The officers drew a collective gasp.

"Ghouls from under water, I expect, sir," Arzeal said. "There wasn't a thing we could do about it. At best maybe the rowboats and the fishing boat are okay, they were pulled up on shore."

"Me ships." The captain's face and ears went red and anger leaked out of his every pore.

"Pike, carry me table just outside, plant a couple o' torches next to it and assemble the men in front o' the tent."

Pike left to get things ready, then came in and whispered something in the captain's ear.

As the men were assembling for the captain's speech Rapina's determination paid off.

"Sir, look at this. She handed an old crusty holy book to the captain and pointed to a passage."

Jack took the book and red aloud, "The touch o' th' ghoul or barrow fiend freezes a man's mind an' muscles w' supernatural fear. Only th' wisest an' most courageous men can resist. The touch o' the barrow fiend is a supreme test o' a priest's faith. Those who resist magical influence on th' mind, such as wise men an' th' elves o' the forest are like ta resist the paralyzin'' touch o' the ghoul. Ghouls inhabit graveyards where they tunnel to feast on the flesh of the dead. When possible, they also feast on the living."

"I found a reference to shadows, sir," Logan added. "It doesn't say much we don't already know from Doanthalas and the battle, but it does say if ye loose all yer strength, yer body decomposes inta dark vapors and reforms as a shadow. If I hadn't seen 'em with me own eyes, I'd think this book was tellin' tales taller than a tower, but I'll bet this tail is true."

Red Jack nodded, "Aye then, Rapina, ye've proven Doanthalas right on one count. Bein' an elf is likely why 'e didn't freeze up. That cuts th' charges again' him in half. Seems like I'm about ready ta talk ta th' men. Keep up th' good work. We need every scrap o' knowledge we can get on th' undeads, an' we don't have much time ta get it. I know in me heart that elf had nothin' ta do w' th' works o' th' undead. This ain't random conjuration 'r consortin' with demons, this is low down, cut throat military-grade strategy."

With that, the captain shoed everyone out ahead of him and stepped out the flap to make his speech.

"Rumors an' superstitions 'ave been flyin' aroun' this camp like stones in a hail storm. Grown men 'ave been shakin' in their boots an' peein' their pants like kids because they were afraid o' a stupid damn elf. Well now ye got somethin' *real* ta be afraid of, an' it ain't no elf!"

"Remember Cudge an' Blade. Brackston caught th' elf hangin' over Cudge's body, an jumped to a few conclusions, but me an' Skitch weren't so sure the elf had eaten th' meat off two big men an left only one o' their skeletons behind. It was easy ta see somethin' dragged the other body off. Ye want ta know what happened to it, what happened ta yer friend Blade? I'll show ye what happened to 'im."

The captain dumped the animated arms and skull of Blade onto his table, then scooped up the scull and held it from the back so the men could see its teeth gnashing. The arms crawled towards the captain on their fingers but the captain kept moving and forcing them to change directions."

"I bet yer all wonderin' why Pike is so damned good at fighting skeletons. 'Cause practice makes perfect! They tracked Blade's missin' body yesterday. It wasn't hard 'cause the ghouls that got 'im left a trail 'o blood. Ghouls, you know, them creatures that froze a number of ye like statues. They're undead, they hang around haunted graveyards, an yesterday I found out the whole damn Southeast o' this island is a big fuckin' graveyard."

"Whoever got Blade's skeleton here made it walk. An how much do ye want ta bet we might be seein' Kent an' some o' the other men we lost this night again real soon? I'll bet some o' the men from the guard posts were givin' ye chills an' drainin' yer strength last night, because a man that gets killed by a shadow, turns into a shadow. Just by havin' the ill luck of choosin' this isle ta camp on, we've given its lord plenty o' fodder ta swell 'is armies. Why am I so sure this isle has a lord? Is it the fact that on this isle there are mausoleum caves carved out o' the granite and adorned with runes and equipped with traps? That might o' had a bit ta do w' it."

"I'll tell ye why I know this isle ain't run by a bunch o' these ol' bone heads or a kid elf w' enchanted tattoos. The captain pointed at the gnashing skull and Doanthalis in turn. "'Night before this last one, some ghouls bumped into a guard post, Two men were no problem for ghouls, just a light snack. Doanthalas here was bein watched, but 'them that were watchin' 'im didn't look at 'im fer a second an 'e was gone, so they ran fer Brackston ta track 'im."

"Doanthalas heard the damn ghouls eatin' my men -ghouls do that, drag ye off an eat ye. The wild elf tracked 'em, an got in a hell of a lot o' trouble for it from bloody Brackston. He didn't know shit about this island, an' everyone knows he don't like th' elf. But those ghouls, they brought a body an' a little news ta their master, an th' next night what happened?"

"I'll tell ye what happened, a doubled Southeast guard vanished with only one scream that could be heard from camp, and then the pack o' shadows that killed 'em did somethin' awful damn intelligent for a collection o' dark vapors. They came back through the camp, snackin' a bit on Logan but not botherin' another soul, an then when he stepped into my tent ta tell me what was goin' on, they all jumped on me - a surgical strike, couldn't a planned it better meself."

It's a cinch me an' Logan were dead 'cept I invited are favorite wench ta me bed that night. She has that mage light o' hers, and when I doubled over w' chills, she turned it on straight away ta see why 'er captain was actin' so strange. Well, in good light it was obvious -shadows. Bein' able ta see 'em, was nice, but they 'ad already drained most o' me strength, an Logan's. We fought 'em, an while they were drainin' us silly, Rapina killed em, even shielded each o' us near the end there w' her body. Could' a easily got 'erself killed. By all rights, I should be dead right now 'an so should Logan."

"At th' same time the lord o' the isle sent a ghoul attack ta distract you men from th' fact that shadows was killin' me an' Logan -nice little diversion. Was that effective 'er what? Without, the damned 'demon' elf, and the damned half elf an' his damned special fire arrows, them ghouls woulda stacked you men up like cord wood an' hauled ye off ta the ghoul farm. Ye better open yer eyes and think about how yer treatin' them that saved all o' yer miserable lives, stead o' worryin' about them elven differences that make ye feel uncomfortable. Without them differences, a dozen 'er two o' ye'd be corpses."

"'An if that wasn't enough, when th' enemy's troops weren't quite as effective as they should 'ave been 'cause o' a wench an a couple o' elves, th' lord o' th' isle had a fuckin' back-up plan. Fifty skeletons! 'An what 'appened? It was a rout, men ran like scared children. Me mistress Rapina did bettern' that when a score o' skeleton's attacked the scoutin' party. An ye know we'll be seein' the men who ran again, they'll be walkin' an' fightin' but they won't be alive, now will they?"

"I know what yer thinkin'. Yer thinkin', "Are you daft, Red Jack? We'll never see those goddamned men again 'cause we're gettin' the hell off this isle quicker than ye can light a fire under us." Ye're forgettin' one thing. The lord o' this isle is one hell o' a fine general, an 'is troops don't need ta breath. They're dead! Stayin' under water ain't a problem fer them. The captain pointed to the waterfront. It was still too dark to tell much, but that was rapidly changing."

"Every fuckin' ship in me fleet is sunk in that cove!"

The men blanched.

"We got a couple choices. We can put are tails between are legs an' make some rafts 'an see if any 'o the smaller boats are seaworthy 'an try ta get off this isle before night falls. In that case we will be hopin' beyond hope that the lord o' the isle doesn't send a party ta wipe us out on the shore."

"That or we can fortify the hell out of some ground an hole up tanight."

"Either way, if any o' ye are brave enough, ye can form a party ta try ta root the devil pullin' the strings on these undeads out o' his catacombs an' cut the head off his army o' undead before 'e has time ta stage another brilliant attack tanight."

"Regardless, If we don't best the lord o' the isle we forfeit are ships. Right now, my guess is they've got a few holes stove in 'em so they'd sink. We'd have ta build us a make-shift dry dock, but we could fix 'em if we can tame th' isle."

Whether the rest o' us go or stay, if any of ye are goin' after th' general who routed us last night, ye'll need ta be packin' up an startin' off soon. I don't need ta tell ye this mission is goin' ta be dangerous. Th' best I can do is appeal ta yer greed. Men who go can split half the booty among 'em, er ask me fer a really big boon in exchange fer their share. A boon like forgettin' about them not tellin' me about their magical skin, fer instance. The captain glared at Doanthalas. Volunteers, form up w' Pike, 'e's yer leader.
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This ends Night Terrors, Chapter 13 of The Chronicles of Rapina.
The story continues in, Chapter 14, The Noble Jaws of Death.

Copyright 2001 by Rapina