The Dark Path (34 page)

"Looks Hellenic," Thomas said.

"It is Hellenic," Marcus said quietly. "If it was a color other than black and silver and he wore a brush atop the helm, then he would be thought a general to anyone in Hellas."

"I wear my colors. I find the brush to be annoying. Before you ask, I made the armor myself. I did not take it from a dead Hellenic general," Gen stated. He didn't look toward either of them. His eyes were on his soldiers as they continued to march past.

"Sir!" Gen's first captain stood before them. "The soldiers are about through. Shall I send your companion through now or wait until the soldiers are done?"

"He can wait till the soldiers are done. Are the engines through yet?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Then begin to assemble them outside the walls."

"Right away, Sir." The captain ran off to follow orders.

"Where did you find this many dead?" Marcus asked. Before he could get an answer though, Gen was a blur of movement. He had his sword out and was holding it against a blade of Master Shingami's who had appeared, seemingly, out of thin air.

"I had wondered when you would show up, Master." Gen said through clenched teeth.

"Where do you plan to take all these toys?" Master Shingami asked.

"To kill a man that betrayed me. He is hiding behind an army," Gen stated before the blur of attacks continued again. The ringing of steel against steel filled the area. The sound ended suddenly. Thomas and Marcus stood in stunned silence as Master Shingami stood, his weapon in the ground and Gen's blade against his throat.

"You have won this one, Master," Shingami said quietly.

"Thank you for the lesson, Master," Gen said with a smile. He withdrew his blade and placed it back in his scabbard as he shifted his vision to study Shingami. Shingami had no web of control over him and Gen sighed inwardly. He dropped the spell and handed Shingami back his sword. The handle toward his enemy's left hand.

"You have not forgotten what I have taught you. That is good. Most grow soft when away from their teacher."

"I had a good teacher." Gen bowed slightly. "It also helps when you use those skills almost every day you are away from your teacher." Gen smiled again. He had missed Master Shingami.

"So we go to war today?"

"Oh? Will the teacher join his student in this small conflict?"

"The betrayer must pay. If you fall in battle, I will see that he falls as well."

"Thank you, Master." Gen bowed again. "I'm afraid we have frightened your students and my friends." Gen turned to see that Beth stood with Thomas and Marcus once more. All of their mouths hung open.

"Open mouths draw flies," Master Shingami said quietly. At once the three of them shut their mouths. Gen chuckled.

"How did you beat him, Master?" Beth asked.

"Ask the defeated that question, young apprentice."

"Master Shingami, How did he beat you? I've never seen anyone beat you at bladed combat." Beth bowed slightly before the combat instructor.

"My student here is merely younger and faster. That is all. He has learned all I have to teach him."

Gen turned to Beth. "Have the students come with you?"

"Yes Master. They are waiting over there." She pointed. "Raven told me they await your orders." Gen walked over to the group of twenty mages. Thomas, Marcus, and Beth followed him.

"Master." The group of mages all knelt when he approached. They all, with the exception of three, wore black robes. They had different colored bands around their sleeves and hoods. Thomas supposed they designated rank. Of the three separate mages, one wore white, one gray, and one wore no robes at all. The mage without robes wore strange dark blue pants made of a coarse material. They had odd pouches sewn into them. She wore no shirt or shoes. Her chest was painted with spirals and other odd symbols. Her sandy, brown hair was cut short.

"This is my friend, Thomas." Gen motioned to him. "You are to obey him as you obey me." The students nodded. "This is his companion Marcus, and you have already met my new apprentice, Beth."

"A pleasure to meet you, Thomas." Raven said with a fake smile as she extended her hand toward him. Thomas took her hand quickly then released it.

"These are my students. Not all of them, but the ones that wanted to join in today's combat." He turned to Thomas. "They will all follow you without question. All of them except for Nancy there." Gen pointed to the one not wearing robes. "She follows no one save her crazy god. I just pray she does more damage to the enemy than to us." Nancy smiled charmingly to Gen and winked. Gen shuddered a bit. "Nancy, try to keep the friendly casualties to a minimum this time." She giggled and turned a cartwheel. Gen rolled his eyes and sighed. He turned to the rest of the students. "You will arm and operate the siege engines today. I'm counting on all of you. Hold no mercy for the enemy today. Now go and set up the engines and wait for me." Gen turned to walk back to the portal. He stopped when Nancy appeared before him.

"Yes, Nancy?" He held the sigh inside.

"I have a present for you Shnookems!" She said. Her eyes sparkled with excitement. Gen knew they sparkled with insanity and nothing else.

"Will your present harm me? I have no time today to deal with that type of thing."

"Nope! My present is nice!" She giggled and suddenly tickle attacked Marcus. Marcus fell to the ground laughing, a look of terror on his face. Nancy quickly stopped and stood once more, before Gen.

"Very well. What is it?"

"I will give it to you now." She reached her hand into her front pocket and pulled out a small salve jar. She opened it and dipped her fingers into the glowing orange substance inside. She drew symbols upon Gen's armor. Gen watched with his eyes shifted and saw the random chaos magic bond with the magic of his armor. All of his defensive spells he had woven in the armor strengthened tenfold. He studied the patterns and found no flaw in them. They would not break or quit working. It seemed Nancy was always teaching him things.

"Thank you, Nancy. It is a very wonderful gift."

"You are welcome. It is not the only present today though." She stretched up on the tip toes of her bare feet and kissed him quickly upon the lips. Gen tensed but could feel no magic transfered. He relaxed. "You will get her back today. The kiss was for luck." She winked at him and did a back-flip away. He shook his head and walked back to the portal.

"What was that all about?" Thomas asked when they were away from the group.

"She's insane."

"Yes, I saw that," Thomas said flatly. Gen stopped and turned to face his friend. His eyes burned with a cold, serious look.

"No, I mean it. She is completely and totally mad. Her mind is gone. She released herself completely into chaos magic."

"Oh. Why do you keep her around?"

"I don't. I can't make her leave without killing her. She teaches me from time to time, like today. She leaves when she wants. For some reason she comes back though. Keep your eye on her. She can be as dangerous as she is helpful." Gen reached the portal as the last row of undead marched out. A large dragon skull stuck through the portal. Thomas screamed in fear and hid behind Gen. Gen laughed.

"Taahldreck, come on out," Gen called.

"Is the mageling going to be okay?" Taahldreck asked.

"He'll be fine. He's had a rough day is all."

"I believe the army is through. Is there anything else you need before I come?"

"There is something else I need, but I'll get it after you come through." Gen watched as the dragon squeezed through the portal.

"Taahldreck. This is my good friend Thomas. Thomas, this is my good friend Taahldreck. Now you two play nice till I get back." Gen winked at the dragon and walked back through the portal. He traveled quickly to his private chambers and opened a large chest he kept there. He found the items he wanted and closed the chest again. He took the book he had taken from the Librarian and placed it upon his private bookshelf. He walked over to his armor stand and took his shield down. He placed it over his arm and ran to the stables. The stable-boy shook with fear at seeing Gen wearing his combat armor.

"Sir!" The stable-boy saluted.

"Is my horse ready?"

"Yes sir! I can only feed him. He will let no one else close." The boy shook as he stood.

"Very well. Ready two other mounts." Gen walked into the first stall and dodged a kick from a hoof covered in flames. "Easy!" Gen said soothingly. The kick came again and this time Gen caught it. He applied pressure with his hands and the horse looked back at him. It nodded slightly and relaxed its leg. Gen dropped the hoof and grabbed the brush. He brushed the horse quickly then placed the saddle and harness in place. He shifted his vision and looked for anything out of place. He saw nothing strange and ended the spell. He backed the large black horse with flaming hooves out into the stables and climbed upon its saddle. The stable-boy brought two other black mounts, two mares. Gen reached out his hand and took the reigns. He kicked his heels slightly to the horse and rode through the large castle halls and back through the portal. When he got through, he dismounted and closed the portal. He directed Thomas and Marcus to place the portal back into the hidden building. When that had been done, he locked the door and the spell that hid it activated once more. He held out the reigns to Thomas and Marcus. They accepted the horses with slight bows.

"How many soldiers do we have?" Master Shingami asked. Gen walked over and dropped the reigns out of the way before he answered.

"Around ten thousand, I believe. Most are common skeletons. Some are zombies. I have left the other creatures behind at my fortress. They would do damage to the land here that doesn't need to happen. I hope it will be enough." Gen turned to his former combat teacher. "I'm counting on you to take out their sentries. I don't want the common soldiers to know we are coming. They will know we are there soon enough." Shingami nodded.

"It will be done, Arch-Magus." Shingami bowed.

"If you must call me a title, call me General until this thing is ended," Gen said sadly.

"Very well, General. I will leave at once." Shingami vanished. Gen walked toward the great undead dragon.

"Well my friend. I've been thinking. Are you ready for that upgrade we've talked about?"

"Are you sure you want to perform that before going into battle?"

"If I fall today, then it will never get done. I keep my promises."

"Very well. Do you have all the components?"

"All but one. Just a moment." Gen turned to Beth. "Beth hand me the stone I gave you yesterday."

"Here you are, Master," Beth said as she handed the stone to him. She was getting used to calling him master. It wasn't so bad, she guessed. Especially now that she had learned his ranking. It was the least she could do.

"Thank you." Gen turned to Thomas. "Clear out the main circle. I have to perform a spell that I would prefer not to be interrupted."

"Very well." Thomas went to the task and Gen took the bag he had taken from his room. He walked to the main circle and set out twenty five blocks of adamantite and fifty blocks of mythril. Each block was about as long as his forearm and as wide as his hand.

"Where did you get that!" Marcus asked. He had never known that much of those materials existed.

"It was a gift. Now shut up and stand outside the circle. I don't have time to deal with questions. Taahldreck, it is time. Come to the circle." He turned to Thomas. "Thomas. Please place the strongest protection sphere you know to cast around this area. Have Marcus help you if you feel the need. It's going to get hot in here." Thomas nodded and began to chant. Marcus walked up beside him and chanted with him. Gen felt the barrier go up. He looked up to the undead dragon before him. "This will hurt more than death did," Gen said quietly.

"If it goes as you say, then it shall be worth it." The dragon settled himself inside the circle. Gen took off his helmet and shield and set them upon the ground behind him. He chanted and the sand before him came up to form a large pot. He placed the bars of adamantite into the pot and placed the stone Beth had given him into the bottom. He chanted a word and the stone shattered. The fire it had contained burst out all at once and turned the adamantite instantly into liquid. Gen began to chant in words that seemed impossible to speak. The metal flowed up into the air still glowing a bright orange, and began to cover every bone of the dragon's body.

The fire of the dragon's eyes burned brighter but it made no sound. Eventually, Gen stopped chanting and all the adamantite was out of the pot and cooling upon the dragon's bones. Gen placed the bars of mythril into the pot and pulled a dark green stone out of his pocket. He crushed the stone in his hand and poured the green powder it produced into the pot. A wave of heat poured out of the pot. Gen's armor started to glow a dull red. He chanted the impossible words again and the material began to flow out and over the skull and wing bones of the dragon. Where before there had been only bones of wings, the mythril formed metal wings. Gen continued chanting as he pulled a ruby and a sapphire out of his pouch. Both were the size of one of his fists. He stopped chanting and screamed words of power as he smashed the two stones together. They cracked slowly then exploded. Gen's armor was glowing a bright orange now. He moved his hands and fingers in intricate patterns and the powder moved to coat the wings of the dragon. A small amount of the powder coated his armor as well.