(Continued from Ch 27, In the Eyes of a Sword)
The Chronicles of Rapina
Chapter 28, The Touch of Darkness
Rapina looked up from her conversation with a few of the recruits as Rage approached wearing a new sword. Pike had gone to bed a few minutes before, looking a little more tired and worn than she had ever seen him. She could tell that the turn of events, the magic, Jack's capture and so many new and potentially untrustworthy faces had taken their toll on the Norseman, though he tried not to show it. The new recruits were typical of the young men Jack attracted, full of bravado, bloodthirstiness and often fleeing a harsh or boring lifestyle for the even harsher lifestyle of Red Jack's pirate camp. Rapina smiled to herself, and then greeted Rage who had just come in from guard duty.
"Rage! It's good to see you, not many of the faces around here look familiar," Rapina said.
"Aye, It's good seeing' ya too," Rage said. "Not many of us survived the isle o' the dead. Just me an' Pike, Brackston, Arzeal, Skitch, an' the elf, made off without gettin' nabbed. We got Jack back, 'an I guess that necromancer's still got 'is claws in ye from what I hear. He hasn't turned ye inta something like Kent, has 'ee?
Rapina smiled, "Actually, I'm with a more experienced necromancer now. The guardian of the isle sometimes buys spells and things from Kroz, my master. They both worship the same god. Of course you'd kind of expect most necromancers to worship a god of the dead." She could tell Rage had reservations about her relationship with the necromancer. She could not really blame him. Thane had frightened the wits out of the pirates. In spite of their combat experience, they were a superstitious lot with no understanding of the principles of magic. What he had experienced on the isle of the dead would probably haunt Rage's dreams for years to come.
"No, no, he has not turned me into something like Kent, I'd be of less use to him as a dead-brain," Rapina said. "Kroz is frightening, but to tell you the truth, I've kind of gotten used to him, as much as that's possible. He is a fair master, though not particularly kindly. Although he lacks Jack's flair and deadly humor, he does have a razor wit and he can be quite engaging to listen to, especially if you have an interest in magic," Rapina said.
"Magic! Huh I'd steer clear o' that nonsense if I were you. It's dangerous," Rage said with conviction.
"Yes, it is, but that's where my talents are, but you already knew that, didn't you?" Rapina said.
"Rage smiled crookedly. "Yeah, I could tell. I guess you won't be such a bad sorceress, but damn, why did you pick a necromancer for a teacher?" Rage asked.
"I didn't, really, life just happened that way," Rapina said.
Rage's mood softened. He guessed Rapina always was cut out for sorcery. Red Jack had seen it in her and encouraged her magical studies. Earlier Rage had been all set to see if he could spirit Rapina off to bed, but the memories had come back. She was with a necromancer, a man who created and ruled the walking dead, a man like the man who had turned Kent into a clawed cadaver. Rage shivered involuntarily. He wondered if she slept with the necromancer, wondered if his blue dead hands caressed her shapely rump, or if his purple lips had suckled at her breasts. Rage had never seen Kroz. Yet, he could imagine the necromancer and how frightening he must be in person. It all made the young pirate nervous, so he put on his toughest face.
"I'll see you later, Rapina, I need to get something to eat here." Rage busied himself getting food.
Rapina smirked. It was obvious it would take the young pirate a while to get used to her again. She was sure he would be okay given time. At the moment she noticed someone who looked distinctly out of place, for her emerald eyes had lit on the pathfinder. She knew little of him, only that the men seemed not to trust him, yet she could not help but get the feeling that he was a good man in a bad situation. This resonated with her own reason for getting involved with the pirates. Sometimes life took some unexpected turns.
Since Rage's soliloquy had cooled the pirates on her for the moment, she took the opportunity to sit near the pathfinder. His story might be interesting. Rapina's eyes caressed over the man's form, assessing him. He was obviously a warrior of some sort, though not particularly overbuilt. His stature was average, his dark hair was cut short and his features were fairly plain, but handsome in their own way.
"You look as out of place as I feel," Rapina said softly as she sat down beside him.
Mansun Dido was startled out of his thoughts by the woman's comment. Looking up from the ground he saw a beautiful woman with the most engaging emerald eyes. Her smile seemed friendly, but underneath it all she seemed to be sizing him up for something. The pathfinder recovered quickly. "I could say the same of you milady," Mansun articulated. He was definitely familiar with the ways of the nobility as evidenced by his etiquette. A sigh escaped his lips as he closed his eyes for a moment. "Not so long ago I was a pathfinder in the service of Lord Henrich Li'Yeiraun." Seeing Rapina's questioning look he replied, "That is correct. I used to be a loyal servant of the man who tried to kill Red Jack for sleeping with his wife. But that was when I thought loyalty and honor counted for something." Mansun massaged his temples and took a deep breath.
"I was in charge of the pathfinders that were tracking Rage. Lord Li'Yeiraun wanted us to find Red Jack's new camp and figured this to be the best way. Unfortunately, we lost Rage's trail a few days after his escape. I didn't know it then, but this was due to the help of the elf Doanthalas. To make a long story short; Lord Li'Yeiraun was so upset that we lost the pirate's trail that he decided to make an example of me and have me executed in his place." The pathfinder shook his head and snorted, "A lifetime of loyal service...gone." Mansun shook the depressing thought from his mind and faced Rapina. "My name is Mansun Dido. What name do you go by?"
"I go by Rapina." Rapina extended her hand. "I'm sorry to hear a man who should have been noble betrayed you. My reasons for originally joining Jack's men were similar to yours. When men of power behave in ways that are criminal, good people are forced to flee the justice that should be protecting them. It's sad that Lord Li' Yeiraun is not more loyal to those that serve him. I will stop feeling sorry for him that Jack diverted his wife's attentions.
Is Lord Li'Yeiraun a religious man?
"As much as any lord is I suppose," Mansun replied. "That was to say that as religious as he had to seem to his subjects and still keep his good name. I too have stopped feeling sorry for him about Jack and his wife. It's ironic that Red Jack would turn out to be the honorable one and Lord Li'Yeiraun the bloodthirsty tyrant." He shook his head and laughed. "I owe my life to Red Jack's daughter you know? She is the one who saved me the trouble of swinging from the leafless tree...if you take my meaning." The pathfinder sighed and ran his fingers through his short hair. "Now I have to begin my life anew. By now Lord Li'Yeiraun has tainted my good name amongst the folks I once knew. I wish I knew what to do. You seem to have adapted to life on the run fairly easily, milady. Any pointers for a recently unemployed pathfinder?" This last comment was said with a wry smile. Apparently, the man did have a sense of humor.
"Sometimes the currents of life are impossible to swim against. The best I've been able to do is keep afloat. In my case I've been swept to the opposite shore, to help the enemies of the man who betrayed me. At first I was just trying to get away, and since the law was after me, I took shelter with Jack, an outlaw, but being a pirate turned out to be a between-stage. I'm not sure if it's truly good luck or ill, but I now work for an enemy of the man who betrayed me. That's why I ask what religion Lord Li'Yeiraun pays homage too. There are many issues that divide powerful nobles and religion is one of them. It's an important question in these times. It might be possible that Lord Li'Yeiraun has enemies who are more legitimate to the law of Clairmont than Jack is."
"I'm not a religious man myself so I do have to confess a sort of ignorance to the religion of the land." A wry smile crossed his lips, "The only god I pay homage to is mother earth and the only service I attend is that of the local tavern. And speaking of drink I could really go for one right about now. Would milady Rapina care to join me for a little of the holy spirits?"
Rapina smiled, "I have a great deal of respect for anyone who can scare up a drink in a pirate camp, so of course I would be glad to join you."
Mansun proved to be an interesting conversationalist, but Rapina felt he was not the kind of fish who enjoyed being reeled in right away. She did not need to be in a hurry, at least that's what she told herself. In truth the exposure to so many men, even in spite of the wintry conditions, was deepening her hunger. It was as if she had been on a stringent program of rationing drawing only from Rames, and now that she was surrounded by food, she felt hungrier than she had previously realized.
It had not been long before Mansun's life of early to bed, early to rise had forced him to retreat to his bedroll. Rapina returned to the campfire, but the early morning hours were not kind. Only a few men remained on sentry duty. Since many of the youths did not know her, Rapina thought it unwise to go around talking to the sentries. It was ironic that Rapina wound up in the supply tent with Roger. The death of Mortaebius said nothing as she entered, and continued to work on Jack's books as if conversation and breaks were luxuries reserved for the living.
For her part, Rapina decided there were mental exercises pertaining to her magical studies to be done. It was a pity she had not brought a book with her, but everything had happened so rapidly from her entry into the inner sanctum of the mortancers to her reunion with captain Jack. One thing had stuck in her mind, however. In the negotiations, Roger had mentioned there were necromantic spells that could be used to drain the life force from another, and transfer it to the necromancer in order to heal him. Rapina thought to herself as she cupped the fullness of her breasts within her cloak, "Isn't that exactly what I do with men? Only it feels good when I do it to them and I can store the energy."
As Rapina was musing, there came a scratching at the tent flap. Roger seemed unmoved. Rapina slipped out to see whom it might be.
"Zit? What are you doing out at this hour?" Rapina asked.
"I, I wanted to ask you something," Zit said.
"What?" Rapina asked.
The young man looked down at Rapina's feet. "Is it true?"
"What?" Rapina asked.
"We were talkin' and... Are ye a vampire?" Zit asked.
"Zit, are you still in basic, because if you are, and Brackston finds out you snuck out of the barracks, he's going to pump some sense up your butt, like he always threatens."
Zit's mouth formed an "O" as his back stiffened. "But I have ta know," Zit whispered. "I'll run back so it seems I just went ta the latrine."
Rapina smirked. "If I were a vampire, don't you think I'd have fangs?"
"Well, yeah, but ye might have an illusion that covers 'em up," Zit said.
Rapina rolled her eyes. "Was Brackston in on this little discussion in the barracks?"
"Uh, I'd rather not say," Zit said.
"I'll take that as a yes." Rapina grinned. "So you want to know if I'm a vampire. Shall we find out?" Rapina grabbed the boy and bit his neck playfully, sucking some skin into her mouth.
Zit froze and screamed soundlessly... "Hey, you didn't even break the skin," Zit said.
"You sound disappointed. Were you hoping I'd suck your blood and turn you into my sex slave?"
Zit blushed.
Rapina giggled softly, "Sorry Zit, I just don't have the teeth for the first part, and you don't have the time for the second part. Because if you don't get back to the barracks, you're going to be Brackston's sex slave."
Zit's lips formed the familiar "O" once again. "Okay bye," He said flailing a hand and running off.
Rapina shook her head and smiled as she reentered the tent. Roger was as she had left him. She wondered if there wasn't a certain urgency in the way the death of Mortaebius applied himself. It stood to reason, the holy war between Mortaebius and the Vindicator was heating up rapidly. The mortancers had been deadly serious. During the winter months when the orcs made little attempt to retake the lands Lord Avengene had wrested from them, his most loyal forces were marauding the temples of Mortaebius posing as bandits.
Originally, it was hoped that Avengene's religious fervor would halt at the borders of his own lands, but it now seemed obvious that the Vindicator's forces had larger plans in mind. To these plans the Church of Moraebius must react swiftly, for they did not have a standing army like Avengene's on which to draw. The Order of the Shroud would likely bloom afresh, and Rapina intended to ingratiate herself to that organization to the best of her ability. For in this game of chess, her only prospect of finding friends was to seek out the enemies of her enemy.
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"Captain, time to wake up for your speech, Sir," Arzeal said.
"Aye I was jus' gonna... Wha oi, oh it's mornin'. Jack sat up and massaged his face. Damn ye'd think I'd pulled an all-nighter last night th' way I feel. Now I grant ye I wasn't ta bed early, an me wench were in rare form, put me practically on the moon, she did, but it weren't like I staid up th' whole night boffin 'er brains out. I sure feel like it though. Damn, well get me some strong tea. Th' men need a speech about are new deal with th' spooks, an' it's a speech they'll get."
The captain roused himself and began dressing and preparing for his speech. By the time he emerged from his tent and went to the central fires, Brackston had the men assembled for the speech.
"Aye there now, me mates, I'll bet ye're wonderin why yer up a bit early this mornin', why I'm disturbin' yer beauty rest," Captain Red Jack said. "Well some of ye know we 'ad some visitors last night. Seems me new fame that's been drawin' recruits 'as also drawn some other attention, sorcerous attention. I'm sure the tails o' spooks an' sorcery 'ave already made th' rounds. Now I'm going ta give ye th' skinny. Seems I'm in a bit o' a spot. Me fame is invitin' th' attentions o' morn' jus' th' law. Now I got mages ta contend with. Luckily th' first of 'em ain't lookin' ta cash in are chips jus' yet.
I'm not sayin' I trust 'im completely, but we 'ave somethin 'e needs, and 'e 'as somethin' we need. Now where I come from, that's the grounds fer a deal. I found me a necromancer. His name is Kroz, and 'e's going ta put up some protections against sorcerous spyin' an th' like. In return, come raidin' season we're going ta supply 'im with cadavers from are raids ta keep 'is laboratory hummin'. As ye know, I'm a little short on experienced help after that damned illusionist broke up me former men. I'm tired o' fightin' sorcery with spar varnish, so now we got us a magician on are side!"
The pirates cheered.
"Bein' that 'e 'as ta spend most 'o 'is time in some musty laboratory, Kroz 'as left a pair 'o hands an eyes with me ta help us out, an bein' as how are new 'elper looks like th' pirate flag, we'll be callin 'im Roger. All ye need ta know about Roger is that 'e's a skinny officer with a rank same as Drake's, an' with th' weight of bein' th' stiff that keeps th' books for me an' at times carries me orders. Other than that, th' less ye know about Kroz an' are new helper, th' longer ye're likely ta live. If ye hear any wild stories about 'is past or anything ye didn't hear from me, ye better come straight ta Red Jack an' let me know who's tellin' tall tales. I'll not be havin' me camp turned upside down by wild rumors, an' any man who disobeys that order's going ta be sleepin' with Roger."
"Fer those of ye who don't know what in hell a necromancer is, I'll tell ye. A necromancer is a magician who specializes in magic concernin th' dead. Spells that allow a magican ta speak wi' th' dead, make th' dead rise up an' dance and such like dark sorceries are what necromancers are best at. Necromancers are generally considered ta be th' most evil o' mages, so a necromancer is just th' kind o' critter who would 'ave no trouble workin' with rapin', pilligin', murderin', bloodthirsty pirates like areselves. Now Roger, I want ye ta say a few words intraducin' yerself ta th' men, so as they can recognize yer face an voice."
A figure cowled in heavy black robes came before the men and stripped back his hood.
A gasp ran through the crowd, and the eyes of many of the men opened wide with terror.
"I am death, but you may call me Roger if you wish. I will see that bodies from the raids are harvested for Kroz, and I will serve Captain Red Jack," Roger said in an emotionless tone.
There was a persistent murmuring in the crowd that would not seem to die down.
"I know what ye're thinkin'," Red Jack said. "Half o' ye can't believe sorcery like this exists and ye're sayin ta yerself, 'e's just a collection o' bones wired tagether an' there's a pirate hidin' behind Jack makin' 'is voice, an' th' others a ye are worryin' about yer immortal soul on account o' workin' wit' spooks.
Roger go 'round th' crowd and shake th' 'ands o' th men that're man enough ta shake. That should 'elp ye all ta see Roger ain't some prop I put tagether fer yer entertainment. 'An if ye're so convinced 'e ain't nothin, ye can 'ave a little sword play with 'im, long as ye don't mind 'im relivin' ye o' yer 'ead. Fer ye that's fearin' fer yer souls, ye should 'o thought 'o that before ye joined a gang 'o bloodthirsty pirates, now shouldn't ye? If yer religious types 'er right then we'll all meet in hell anyhow."
Captain Red Jack watched as Roger made his way through the men. Most shrunk away from the boney appendage, too terrified to shake. Others practically scoffed, thinking Roger was a trick. They shook, and many came away with a look of horror. Two of the scoffers were big, tough boys from the slums of Turnmoor. Wedge was respected for his strength and skill at arms, and Blunt was the black sheep of weapons practice who didn't give a damn who got hurt, as long as he got to laugh at them. They looked at each other, they looked at Roger and they grinned. Just after the death had passed them, they drew their cutlasses in unison.
The death of Mortaebius carried his scythe in his left han. As the men drew, he spun three hundred sixty degrees in that direction to shake the next recruit's hand only a fraction of a second after he would originally have done so. The fact that Wedge's cutlass, along with his right hand, fell to the ground at about the same time as Blunt's head, did not seem to concern Roger in the least. He was following orders. The two recruits would serve as an example.
Open-mouthed, the pirates saw the one recruit fall in a fountain of blood and the other grab his own handless forearm. Had it not been for the movement of his thick black robes, and the glint of his scythe, the men might have believed Roger had not moved at all. Yet, the death and disfigurement he had left in his wake made his actions unmistakable.
"Brackston, get a tourniquet on Wedge's stump, and pick up that 'and. Maybe we can sew it back on," Jack chuckled.
Zit's hands were shaking even more than they had been. The shower of blood and the scent of death hadn't helped any. As the skeletal figure approached, Zit steeled himself. He had to know. As the young recruit reached out and shook Roger's hand he moved closer to where he thought the skeleton's ear would be, if he really had one, and whispered, "G-good morning sir, could you tell me, Is Rapina a-a vampire?"
Roger brought his teeth near the young man's ear and whispered, "Rapina is a creature of lust. She offers pleasure for what she takes from a man; a vampire takes blood, and offers death."
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After Jack's bloody speech, the pirate captain offered Rapina his bed and she slept there until late afternoon. A few hours later, just after dusk, she and Roger waited in the graveyard for Kroz, the necromancer who would be played by Thane. When he arrived, he was in high spirits, his confidence in his own ability to use the graveyard mists spell for transportation having been bolstered. With him, he had brought his personal guards a group of double-animated skeletons dressed in new blackened plate armor. Behind them, in addition to the fading magical mists, a cloud of steam rose into the air. Rapina recognized six of the flaming skeletons that were used to heat Thane's abode. Many of the more ordinary armored skeletons carried litters filled with supplies. The most notable of these being a very large roll of oiled canvas. Thane himself was dressed in his mortancer robes and looked much like Roger. For the illusion of a skeletal face obscured his real face, and his voice was also modified by magic to sound like the voice of a dead man.
"Roger, Rapina, it is so nice to see you. I trust things are not moving too rapidly for you?" Kroz said.
"Things are going as planned here, Kroz. Your arrival is a welcome development. I believe your ease of transport has been facilitated by the fine job your apprentice, Rapina, did in assisting me with the consecration of this graveyard. She has the skills of a deaconess, and my master views her deeds of service favorably."
Kroz raised his chin. "Excellent, Rapina, as your service gradually outweighs your sins, I shall make sure that you do not go unrewarded. Our master appreciates service, especially in times of conflict when it is so desperately needed."
Rapina nodded.
"Now we have much work to do, "Kroz said. "I must meet with the captain. Another house of our master was sacked early this morning, the last and strongest in the enemy's territory. We had largely been abandoning the others but this one had been serving as a base from which we were conducting our strategic withdrawal. Once the enemy saw how easy it was to take those houses that were largely abandoned, he acted swiftly, but I'm afraid we lost more than a few brothers in that last battle.
Word is that those with sentiments that do not agree with the enemy's are being disappeared rapidly as he consolidates his power. My associates and I have decided to give this pirate project a little boost. We need Jack's ship harvesting the dead as early in the spring as possible. Winter is more than half over. We hope our enemy will be too busy consolidating the power of his church within his own lands to have any time to launch attacks outside them before the orcs on his Northern border tie up his forces again this spring.
We will provide Jack the supplies he needs to enclose the skeleton of the ship he is building within a tent, and get the temperature within high enough to do the wood-working now, rather than waiting for spring thaws. Come, after I speak to the captain, we must plant the warding devices in the camp. Kroz bustled towards the captain's tent. It was obvious he had somehow studied the layout of the camp. When the trio arrived they were allowed into the captain's tent where he was waiting for them."
Jack looked up from some record books. "Looks like ye've been on th' same diet as Roger there, Kroz. Jack chuckled. Good ta meet ye. I am Captain Red Jack." The captain shook hands with the new corpse. What be the news? I see ye've brought more of ye're boney buddies with ye tanight, an' a few torches as well."
"I will bestow upon you a small boon for your organization in wake of another sacking of my lord Mortaebius' properties. Lives have been lost, and time is of the essence. I want you to have the necessities with which to continue work on the building of your ship during the winter months. I need you operational as early as possible. Here is a modest gift towards necessaries for the ship. Thane handed Jack a small but heavy sack.
Jack peered inside. "Aye, mixed circulated gold from a hundred towns by th' looks of it, untraceable," Jack smiled. "That'll come in handy." An th' skeleton torches, ye brought them ta heat th' tent we build around th' ship in so the wood will not be brittle?"
"Indeed," Kroz replied.
"Your creations?" Jack asked.
"Let us say that I was able to glean the remains of your men from a colleague, and that certain of your men were well suited for that particular animation," Thane whispered to Jack.
"If ye're tryin ta make up fer th' drubbin ol' Thane gave me by bringin' me men's walkin' corpses back ta me, it ain't ganna work, they're all dead," Red Jack snapped in a vehement whisper.
"I will not try to make anything up to you. I serve Mortaebius in this. I respect your ability or I would not have proposed this deal. You must admit, however that the dead can be useful."
"I'd take issue with ye on that if it weren't fer Roger's work on me books. He 'asn't lost 'is touch, and 'e's got a load 'o work done fer me already."
Kroz nodded.
"What about me arms master's wounded hand. I'm dead in th' water without 'im, and I'm spread thin enough as it is," Jack asked.
"We have been most fortunate in that regard. I was able to locate the two necessary incantations," Kroz said.
The two men discussed arrangements for the healing work that needed to be done. The work on Pike would be straightforward, but Rapina was sent with Arzeal and a couple of burly recruits to prepare the stump of the unwise recruit for the remedy Kroz had recommended.
After he saw the captain, Rapina had helped Kroz bury ward-bearing skulls in the ground three paces from skull-bearing pike markers that gave a clue as to the direction and location of the actual buried wards. Subsequently Rapina had been sent to supervise the preparation for Thane's debut as a healer.
A tourniquet had been applied not far above Wedge, the unwise recruit's stump, and the small sword Rapina was handed glowed cherry red from the heat of a stone forge.
"This is going to hurt, Wedge. If you move, you might loose more flesh than you need to. Hold still."
Wedge nodded drunkenly. The rum he had been given had dulled his senses, but the agony he suffered as the hot blade sliced his flesh made him scream in torment.
AAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIHHHH!!!
Rapina grimaced as she sliced the flesh away. Being the closest thing Jack had to a leech was not proving to be enjoyable. In spite of the man's arm being pinned by two burly recruits and Arzeal, it was moving, and Rapina had to compensate in order not to take more flesh than was necessary, and to make the cuts straight.
"Flip him over, I need to do the other side."
Wedge roared with pain as blood rendered to steam billowed from the stump of his severed limb.
Rapina worked as rapidly as she could, handing her blade to a recruit in exchange for a glowing hot replacement whenever it grew too cool.
"Okay, it's finished. Pike, you're next. Take the bandages off and Kroz will repair your hand."
Pike brooded just across the room of the shack that served as the camp's smithy. He stood next to the prone form of a feverish recruit. A stench hung about the man from a brawl's sword wound that had gone bad. It was gangrene. Pike knew the man didn't have a chance, so why had Jack had him brought near, and why were Rapina and Arzeal exposing some of the bone of Wedge's arm behind his severed wrist? Wasn't a smooth stump preferable? The armsmaster unwrapped the bandages from his mangled right hand as he had been bidden.
Pike grimaced as several skeletons entered the room. Two were armed and armored; the other two were robed. One of the robed figures Pike recognized as Roger. The other had to be Kroz, a necromancer of Mortaebius. Was he too a skeleton? He certainly looked it. A shiver ran up Pike's spine. He didn't like the smell of sorcery.
"Splendid, that should do fine. Armsmaster Pike, hold out your wounded hand."
Pike complied, glowering at the skeletal figure that made arcane gestures and utterences, grabbed Pike's wounded hand and shook in agony.
A scream of pain involuntarily escaped the necromancer's throat as life force was ripped from him by the power of his own spell.
Pike gasped as a surge of energy pulsed through his hand. The tingling was intense, and he could feel the flesh knitting as he inhaled.
The necromancer seemed to waver for a second before his discipline returned. His scream was rapidly replaced by further arcane utterances and gestures as his skeletal left hand plunged down to touch the naked chest of the feverish recruit who then yelled and convulsed.
"Mmm, very good, very good. The life force I gave the armsmaster has been restored from this unfortunate victim of disease. I believe we can continue," Kroz said.
More utterances issued from the throat of the necromancer, then he was again wracked with pain, but did not scream. This time he held Blade's stump, which began to heal instantly, leaving the stub of bone Rapina had exposed. Without even a moment's hesitation the necromancer cast the second spell, turned and grasped the skull of the gangrenous victim. A silent scream was all that marked the man's passing. A gray handprint colored the skin of the dead victim's forehead where Thane's skeletal hand had touched it. A faint, but similar mark could be seen on his chest where Thane's first drain of life force had struck him.
"That went very well, very well indeed. Painful at the outset, to be sure, but our victim has made up for that." The necromancer almost chuckled. "Rapina, our work here is done for now. Captain Red Jack, I will work on the hand of this recruit. In two days time, I will return with something that I believe he will find more useful than a hook. Come, we must return to the abode."
Rapina nodded as she turned from inspecting Wedge's healed stump. Her job exposing a bit of the bone would be quite adequate for what Thane had in mind for a later visit. She turned to Pike. "Can you grasp my hand?" she asked pike.
Pike reached out and gave her hand a squeeze. His hand was whole again.
Rapina smiled.
A few minutes later she, her master and their entourage disappeared into the mists that rose to obscure the pirate's graveyard.
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This ends, The Touch of Darkness, chapter 28 of The Chronicles of Rapina.
The story continues in, chapter 29, Spies and Assassins.
Copyright 2001 by Rapina