Kreemon dressed and then woke Ziedon and told him where the bones were hidden.
Ziedon got up and adjusted his sling. “Excellent. I'll need to stop and pick up some hooded robes and cloth wrappings on the way. We should gather up the necessary supplies and be on our way in the next day or two. A change of scenery will do us some good.”
“Sounds okay to me,” Kreemon said.
Ziedon asked Korisca, “Would you please gather us the necessary traveling supplies, while we are taking care of that errand?”
Korisca's eyes shot to Ziedon. “What? Oh, sure.”
Kreemon said, “We'll need travel rations, blankets, camping supplies; that sort of thing. I would really appreciate it. You can then get some rest. Ziedon and I will be gone for a while,” Kreemon said with a smile.
Korisca was wary of Ziedon seeing her, but the first chance she got, she mouthed, “thank you,” to Kreemon. Kreemon gave her a conspiratorial wink in return.
Ziedon and Kreemon departed, stopping to pick up four drab, cowled, long sleeved robes, a good measure of cloth wrappings, and another large sack. Kreemon picked up some additional clothes for himself, simple traveling clothes. Then Kreemon led Ziedon to the tannery. On the way, Kreemon couldn't help but notice how many people looked either tired or overly energetic. More than once, he heard some master berating an apprentice for being late to work. Kreemon also kept looking up at the moons. Could they be moving across the sky more quickly than usual? The clouds certainly were.
At the tannery, Ziedon ensured that they had privacy and asked Kreemon to stand watch, before dumping the sack out with care not to get anything splattered on himself. The stench of Galgewe's remains and those of the other unfortunate washed over Ziedon, and he staggered backwards. Even after thorough washing and with the tannery nearby, the smell had built up enough over the past hour or two to be overwhelming. Soon, the wave passed, and Ziedon was able to approach.
Ziedon deftly removed the left eye from each of the corpses and replaced it with a small onyx as he chanted a magical spell. The onyx stones took on a red glow as the remaining flesh slid off the bones, and the bones drew together under their own power, to reassemble into two complete skeletons. With a soft clattering accompanying every motion, the two pulled themselves to a kneeling position, then lifted themselves up. Finally, they stood upright, gazing blankly ahead. Even though Ziedon had known what to expect, he found himself a little on edge with the skeletons before him. At least most of the smell was gone. Now they smelled like old bone, not the most pleasant odor, but barely noticeable.
Ziedon put a robe on each skeleton, instructing them to keep the cowls up and their hands together inside the long sleeves. These instructions seemed too complex for them, and after a few tries, Ziedon had to resort to tying the cloth to their wrists so the bones of their fingers wouldn't be visible. Satisfied with his results, Ziedon said, “Okay, let's head back and get ready to go.”
The two robed figures fell in behind Ziedon, off his left and right shoulder, two paces back. One carried the bag of traveling clothes, holding the package from underneath, so it looked like he was a somewhat clumsy porter. Still, anyone looking at the group would know that something was off. the skeletons just didn't walk naturally, and there was always that occasional rattling sound when arms struck ribs, or knees hit each other.
“I need to make one more additional stop at a jeweler's.” Ziedon led the group to a jeweler's shop, one of the farthest from the House, which didn't mean much, since all of the jewelers' shops were in the wealthy neighborhood near the House. The shop was small – clearly, the jeweler didn't live there – with a short counter, and two thick, semi-transparent glass windows, with open shutters on the outside to let in light. The back door was half-open, and led to a workshop where a couple apprentices could be heard. One was hammering metal, and the other was grinding something on a grinding wheel. A single guard stood in the corner, half-asleep. Ziedon entered, took a quick look around and continued towards the counter, his minions behind him. Kreemon took a station by the door, a bored expression on his face. “Yes… I am looking for onyx stones. Might you have some?”
The jeweler's eyes were fixed speculatively on the skeletons. “There's been a lot of demand for onyx lately, but I have a few. Never taking his eyes off the skeletons, he unlocked a small drawer, pulled it out and placed it on the counter. Sitting on a pad of unspun wool were two small stones and one large one, worth more than any in Ziedon's collection. “I also have an onyx ring and a snake pendant with an onyx eye…” The jeweler rubbed his own eyes and looked back at the skeletons. He leaned his head down a little to get a glimpse into their cowls.
Ziedon stepped in front of the jeweler, blocking his line of sight, as he inspected the three stones on the counter. “A heavy demand for onyx? That seems odd. Could I see the ring and pendant as well please?”
“You never can predict what fashions will crop up,” the jeweler said, while unlocking another drawer. “Two springs ago, there was a run on amethyst, after a purple flower started sprouting around town. Your friends there… they stand awfully still.”
Ziedon looked over his shoulder, seemingly at his two guards, but made eye contact with Kreemon and flickered his eyes towards the guard. Kreemon nodded his head slightly and sighed inwardly, thinking, “Again?”
Slowly, with a grimace, Ziedon slid his arm out of the sling to better examine the items. “Them? Ah, yes, they are trained for obedience and silence. Excellent qualities in a servant.” While the jeweler was distracted pulling the other items out, Ziedon went through the motions of a spell. Recognizing the movements, Kreemon smoothly slid the bolt closed on the door as he crossed over to the guard. The merchant immediately seemed to know what was happening. He opened his eyes wide at the words of the spell and darted for the back door, almost tripping over his own feet. Grabbing the side of the door to swing it open, he took one last backwards glance. This was a grave mistake. Blinding colors sprayed out from Ziedon's outstretched hands. The merchant's keys dropped as he reached up to claw at his eyes. Then he followed them to the ground, unconscious. Ziedon said to his minions, “Kill him.”
Kreemon's fists were flying at the guard before he had a chance to fully stand up. The first blow hit him hard in the midsection, knocking him back into his seat. The second glanced along his jaw. A jeweler's guard was not to be trifled with, however. He twisted and rolled to the floor, and in the same motion, lifted his chair by the seat. With his boot now wedged into a corner of the wall, he propelled his whole body forward. Before Kreemon knew what was happening, he was shoved against the door, two chair legs digging into his chest. The guard then drew his sword, letting the chair clatter to the floor.
Kreemon heard a door slam in the back room, as the apprentices fled.
“Kill the guard,” Ziedon told his minions, and pointed to the man assaulting Kreemon. Ziedon finished the skeletons' work and slit the jeweler's throat. He then shut the back door and started trying keys in the drawers.
Kreemon continued to pummel the guard, who fought skilfully despite his bruises. One powerful slash of his sword would have disemboweled Kreemon if he hadn't jumped back at the right moment. It still hurt like hell. So much for the new clothes. The skeletons closed in, moving awkwardly without any real will of their own. The guard ducked under the first swipe, but the second skeleton caught him across the face, leaving a bloody scratch. “Just going to scratch me like a cat?” he taunted. The skeleton didn't reply, except to swing again. Its sleeve came loose to reveal an arm made of nothing but bone, and the guard was shocked enough that he couldn't avoid the clawing fingers. “The sorcerer,” he said. “The only way is to stop it at the source. Morenth, allow me to aid you in your work!”
Kreemon held back, letting the two skeletons attack first, and hoping the guard would leave an opening when he retaliated against the skeletons. Looking up from his work, Ziedon frowned and pointed a finger at the guard as he chanted again. A sparkling ray of light flew at the guard, who spun out of the way. To everyone's surprise, the man was already charging toward Ziedon, giving up on his more physically threatening opponents. Kreemon was able to hit him in the side as he ran, but the blow didn't even set him off balance. He raised his sword with both hands, and in one smooth motion, leapt onto and over the counter and slashed downward at the necromancer. Watching the well-sharpened blade come rapidly towards him, Ziedon was sure it would slice his head in half, finally ending his luck, but at the last moment, he had the presence of mind to collapse his body into a ball. The sword cut into the floor where Ziedon's head had been only a moment before. Kreemon ran around the counter and swung his fist, but the guard pulled his sword free suddenly, and Kreemon hit air. The guard staggered back, trying to regain his balance, and Kreemon got two good strikes in. The guard's jaw cracked audibly with the second, and he spun to the floor. His head hitting the counter on the way down did him in.
Ziedon got to his feet, visibly shaken. “I'll make you invisible,” he said to Kreemon, “then you run out the back and meet me back at the room.” Ziedon cast the spell, and once he heard Kreemon leave, he closed the door, threw the bolt and lowered the bar. Then he returned to opening drawers. It took a frustratingly long time to match the keys to each of the eight drawers. By the time only a couple were open, he heard pounding on the front door, and then the back. With the third drawer, the door started to crack. From what Ziedon could see through the semi-transparent glass of the windows, a dozen men had picked up a beam that had broken during the earthquake, and were using it as a battering ram. When the fourth drawer was open, Ziedon decided it was time to leave. He quickly painted “Balban will rule!” on the wall in the jeweler's blood. With so little time, he couldn't perform the artistry he'd used with the last jeweler, but there was a good chance the message was at least readable. When the door finally broke and sent splinters of wood flying everywhere, Ziedon was crouched behind the counter with the skeletons. Before the first man could rush in, the three of them had disappeared.
In the alley behind the brewery where Forgolon had hidden him, Ziedon reappeared. He adjusted the skeletons' clothing, and casually walked back to his room. Once safe inside, he poured out the contents of his bag. Finally, something had gone relatively smoothly with nothing but Kreemon's blood to show for it. Three onyxes, plus one in the snake pendant and one in the ring, a dozen amethysts of various sizes, fifteen rings of silver and five of gold, two of which were set with sapphires, one gold ring molded to look like a snake, ten pendants in the shape of the Sign of Morenth, some set with stones and some without, and a handful of loose stones. Quite a hoard, especially for someone who, a few months before, would never have considered robbing a jeweler, let along murdering him for his goods.
Korisca watched, wide-eyed, for a long time before saying, “Forgolon got here before you.” She pointed to the door to Ziedon's room, just as Kreemon entered through the front.
“I see. I shouldn't keep him waiting. Are all of our preparations in place?”
“Sure,” she said, looking warily at the robed skeletons. “All packed and ready to go.”
“Don’t be alarmed, these are my new porters and assistants. Is Forgolon alone?”
“Yeah. Just him.”
Ziedon nodded. “Just as well.” Quietly, he asked, “Did you mention we were departing town?”
Korisca looked scared for a second. “It seemed like something he should know.”
Ziedon smiled his “friendly” tight smile and replied, “Good initiative. Thank you.”
Ziedon then asked Kreemon, “Are you well?”
“It could have been a lot worse. If you could treat me, a good night's sleep will work wonders.”
“Certainly. Please tell Forgolon that I will be a moment longer.” Korisca left to obey.
“We should leave first thing in the morning. Have you two a way to get over the wall?”
“We can get over the wall if necessary, though in the hours of darkness would be better. Since we are traveling some distances, horses to ride and carry our supplies would be good. But horses can't go over a wall.”
“Maybe we can find a way through the wall. Horses would make the journey easier.”
“We could certainly afford horses now.”
When Ziedon was done bandaging his wounds, Kreemon said, “Thank you. You'd best see what Forgolon wants now.”
Ziedon put away his supplies. “Maybe we can find horses outside the wall for purchase.” Then he stood and walked to the other room, waving the skeletons to follow.
Forgolon looked tired - it was the first time Ziedon had seen the man not at his best. “Ah, Forgolon… I see you got my message.”
“I did. A lot has happened since we last met, what with Jewelers found dead and the predicted earthquake stirring things up, but perhaps not quite as much as you'd hoped. And now I hear you're thinking of leaving town.”
Jewelers? How had Forgolon heard about the second jeweler so quickly? “Yes, it seems the earthquake had the unintended result of negating all influences on the ranking townsmen in town. Our previous plan doesn't seem tenable right now, and the army outside the walls makes it time for us to take a short sojourn.”
“Who are they?” Forgolon asked, squinting at the shadowy faces of the skeletons.
“My new minions. I have found a need for good servants and protectors of late.” Ziedon lifted his slinged arm slightly.
“Minions? Very still…” Forgolon stepped up close to one of them, and before Ziedon could stop him, flung open the cowl. He took a few steps back, drawing a sword from who knew where. When the skeletal face did not respond, he regained his composure and slipped the sword back into the folds of his robe, where it vanished from sight. “Now that's new.”
“They are very obedient as well.”
“I imagine so…” Forgolon stared at them for a few seconds, as if expecting them to move. Then he shook his head and focused on Ziedon. “I've been thinking about your problems. There might be one way to salvage the townslady's position. It'll take time, and it will require leaving the lady behind, but it should set things up nicely for when you come back.” Forgolon paused with a slight grin, and then spread his arms wide. “A dramatic display. A battle between good and evil: The townsman's daughter and only heir, loyal and fervent follower of Morenth, against the evil Andrithan sorcerer. When the sorcerer is vanquished and Korisca becomes a hero, it will be hard for the council to turn her away. You, of course, will be safely outside the walls. I know you have more than one way of getting there without being seen.”
“I do not think that Korisca would be remiss in staying in town, especially if she had a sense of security, comfort, and someone to advise her.” Ziedon gave Forgolon a nod at the last part before continuing, “And what exactly would be involved in this 'showdown', and would I actually need to be present?”
“It will certainly be cheaper if you're present, and enough people know your face by now, that it will be much more convincing. I was thinking a dramatic show of magic. Make something explode, or introduce these 'minions' of yours. Then Korisca slays the demonic sorcerer by turning his magic back on himself. A mirror will do the trick for that – it's a common enough device in legends. You are completely destroyed, and vanish without a trace. I could write you a script, but I have a feeling you'll enjoy coming up with the details yourself.”
“I really have a lot on my mind now; you figure it out. I want to handle it today, without my minions. We will be gone in the morning. What of horses? Can you arrange to have some waiting for us outside of the walls, or a way for us to take them out?”
“Let me think about that one… No, I've got it.” He took a copper tube out of somewhere, opened it, and pulled out one of several sheets of paper. The pen appeared in his hand just as mysteriously. He wrote a quick note, sealed it and handed it to Ziedon. “Remember that farmer you met before Ulfendol dragged you into town? Three farms to the east of that one is owned by a man called Felkon. Give him this, and he'll arrange your horses. I'm assuming you can make your way out of Maelbourg on your own.”
“Yes. The two of us can make it out in the morning without a hitch.”
“Good. The script will be here by the morning.”
Kreemon couldn't sleep, even though the night was half over. When dawn came, he finally felt ready to lie down, but there was no time for that. He found that Ziedon had slept poorly as well, and Korisca was already gone. Ziedon was reading the manuscript Forgolon had left, rubbing his eyes occasionally to ward off sleep. He had already prepared his spells, though it had been difficult to focus.
The script was overdramatic in Forgolon's usual style. Korisca would emerge from the baths, having purified herself to enter the House. There she would find Ziedon, perched in a widely-visible spot, who was preparing to destroy the it. “The House of Morenth shall end now!” he would shout. “Not even your god can stand against my power!” He would then cause a few explosions, whatever he could manage. Korisca would recite her heroic lines, throw in that she was Ulan's heir, and challenge Ziedon in the name of Maelbourg and the House. Ziedon would laugh and send some imaginary or real spell her way. She would whip out a mirror, reflecting the spell back on Ziedon, and Ziedon would appear to be destroyed. A pile of ash or a puff of sulfurous smoke would be appropriate. Then Korisca would give a speech about the freedom of Maelbourg and leave in a dignified fashion.
Ziedon asked Kreemon to go out and find four scimitars and some white and black ash. He also handed Kreemon a small bag containing a mouse skull. He instructed him to place it in the walkway leading up to the House, in a corner where it wouldn't be noticed, and added that the bag should be handled with extreme care. Kreemon wasn't able to acquire the weapons without raising suspicion, but ash was easy enough.
When the time came, Ziedon made his way through the alleys to the House, his minions following obediently behind him. The town was in high alert, like it knew something was about to happen. Even the clouds seemed anxious, zipping across the sky faster than Ziedon had ever seen them move. Although he had a few close encounters along the way, Ziedon was able to get within a hundred feet of the House. There, he cast a spell and turned into mist. He floated slowly upwards, and then re-formed on the roof of one of the finer houses in Maelbourg, perhaps that of a townsman. He lowered a rope, and pulled up the skeletons. The mindless creatures seemed to have trouble with the concept, ignoring the rope, then attacking it as if it were an enemy, before Ziedon managed to convince them to hold on and let him pull them up. There, Ziedon dropped the piles of ash, removed his minions' robes and waited for his cue.
Twenty minutes later, Korisca emerged from the Purification Rooms just as the Morning Song ended and people were making their way to their workplaces. She wore the finery of a townslady, and although she looked a little uncomfortable, she hid her discomfort reasonably well.
Suddenly, Ziedon and the skeletons stood up on the roof and looked out over the crowd. “I tried to reason with you but you still attacked me!” Heads rose like a wave, spreading out from the closest to the farthest, as more and more people noticed the man and two fully-formed skeletons on the roof. “I defeated your Golden Priest and caused the earth to quake and yet you would not treat with me! So the House of Morenth shall end now! Your puny god will not save you!” Ziedon cast a spell, and an invisible hand rushed to the bag that Kreemon had hidden. The hand knocked the bag into a tree, and it exploded, sending searing violet light and shards of bone in all directions. Korisca, who had made her way to the front of the crowd, looked as surprised and fearful as anyone else. When the dust settled, a dozen people lay dead on the ground. Only a member of the town guard and a small man who quickly disappeared into the crowd had survived.
Korisca took a deep breath and pointed a finger at Ziedon. “Nay, vile sorcerer! My father, Townsman Ulan, did not serve this town his whole life to have it fall to you! I reject my inheritance, my place among the townsmen of Maelbourg, if anyone here believes you should rule over them in place of our god! You were slain once by the Golden Priest. Today, here, you will be struck down for the final time! Everyone here will fight you to the end, in the name of Morenth, and Malaener, our rightful lands stolen from us by the Andrithans!”
Ziedon raised his arms, and then pointed at Korisca, chanting the mystical words of a spell loud enough for all to hear. A sparkling ray shot from his finger and flew towards Korisca. “No!” Korisca yelled as if commanding the magic to stop. She pulled a large mirror out of an unexpected pocket, its frame engraved with the snakes and goat of Morenth's Sign, and held it in front of her with both hands. She closed her eyes tight, fearful beyond the act, that the spell was real and that she would not survive the day. Ziedon spoke one wrong word and let the spell falter, just as the ray hit the mirror.
“NO!!” Ziedon cried out, and quickly chanted as if protecting himself with a spell. Right before his spell was complete, he subtly kicked at the black ash, so it billowed up around him. He stepped back into the skeletons, and in the blink of an eye, they were gone, with a puff of black ash.
Inspired by Korisca's speech, a couple teenagers had already climbed to the roof. “He's gone!” one of them yelled. “They turned into ash!”
“Now Maelbourg is finally free,” Korisca yelled. “We will no longer be plagued by evil. Let this be the first step in freeing ourselves from the yoke of the Andrithan lords!”
The townspeople were shocked for a few moments, and then a great cheer rose up. Korisca was lifted off her feet, and paraded around the House. A few priests looked doubtful, but nothing would get in the way of the celebratory mood.
Three onyxes, plus one in the snake pendant and one in the ring, a dozen amethysts of various sizes, fifteen rings of silver and five of gold, two of which were set with sapphires, one gold ring molded to look like a snake, ten pendants in the shape of the Sign of Morenth, some set with stones and some without, and a handful of loose stones. The onyxes are worth 30gp, 40gp and 150gp. The ones in the ring and pendant are each worth 15gp.
