Chapter 97 - Ignition (1/2)
Stepping out of the Warp Gate, Professor Kal scanned his surroundings. The entrance to the Cathedral was in ruins, splintered wood and shattered stone lay everywhere, scorch marks were etched into the large stone walls that framed the entrance. Thick, dark smoke was finding its way out of the massive cathedral, deep inside there was a fire raging. A handful of mangled bodies lay in frozen pools of blood, dozens of carrion crows were already circling overhead, waiting for the right time to come down and feed.
”Oops.” Professor Kal said absentmindedly as he suddenly remembered what he had set up inside the bishops' library.
”What is it? What's wrong?” Ryan asked from behind him, on edge, as he was looking around for the monster with wide eyes.
”Oh, nothing, don't worry about it.” Professor Kal answered as he made his way to where his meat-puppet had met its end.
Circling around the large stone that had crushed him, Professor Kal found what he was looking for. Sticking out from underneath the heavy stone was Priest Unilith's arm, with hand attached. On his middle finger was Professor Kal's storage ring, still looking impeccably clean even amongst the blood and filth. Slipping his treasure back onto his own finger, a small smile spread across his plain face. He was naked without his ring, now that they were reunited, he felt complete.
”Great. Now, let's go find that thing, shall we?” Professor Kal said to his student that had his head on a swivel.
”Shouldn't we prepare or something? Do you have any ancient artifacts or rare potions that could help us kill it?” Ryan asked, expecting his teacher to carry the day.
Shrugging his shoulders, his black and purple robe flowing like water in the winter breeze, Professor Kal answered. ”Oh, I probably do, but where is the fun in that?”
”The fun? People are dying and you're worried about the fun?” Ryan said with a stunned face.
”No, not just the fun.” Professor Kal started as they walked towards the sounds of battle and mayhem. ”Just think about it. If I go in there and slay this beast with little to no effort, then they'll think that it really didn't pose a threat. But, if it rampages around, causing massive amounts of damage and casualties, then they will see just how horrendous it was.”
Ryan stopped in his tracks; his face scrunched up as his brain tried to work out his teacher's train of thought. ”I still don't get it. Why do we want to do that?”
”Money! Well, not just money, there's other benefits as well, but mainly money.” Professor Kal said with a chipper tone. ”If we topple a monster capable of destroying, let's say, half the city; then they will have no choice but to pay us handsomely for our troubles!”
”You're a terrible person, you know that, right?” Ryan stated as he caught up with the Professor.
”Hey! I'm not the one that let that thing out, am I?” Professor Kal snapped back as they exited the walled courtyard of the church and walked into a wide, paved road.
Directly across from them were two story villas, with large bay windows and enough space between them for small, manicured courtyards; they were the perfect homes for those with enough wealth. The villas stretched down the road both directions for well over half a mile, smaller roads broke up the line of dwellings every half-dozen houses, allowing for foot-traffic to access the roads behind them. But right now, there was no foot-traffic, the road was completely deserted, except for something neither of them was expecting to see.
”Are they zombies?” Ryan asked.
”No, they're something else, something I've never seen before.” Professor Kal said, his voice full of hardly concealed excitement.
Shambling randomly down the road were the withered bodies of those that the monster had fed upon. They were making no sounds as they took slow steps towards unknown destinations, their mouths hanging open in silent screams, revealing white teeth and black gums. Their eyes were what the two found the most fascinating, and the most unnerving; they were the darkest of blacks, bereft of any light whatsoever.
Their eyes seemed to see nothing, and everything, at the same time. Their heads moved in jerking motions as they scanned their surroundings, looking for something that the Professor and Ryan could only guess at. One creature, dressed in city guard's armor, noticed the two of them standing motionless on the road. Its previously torpid movements shifted into a dead sprint as it ran at them with widespread arms and gnashing white teeth.
”Well, they're much faster than zombies.” Professor Kal stated matter of factly ”And he's bringing some friends along as well.”
Along with the reanimated guard, came over a dozen other former humans, all dressed in fine clothing or priestly garbs. Ryan found it unnerving that they made no sounds as they closed the distance between them, yes, he could hear their pounding footsteps and the clanking armor of the guard, but there was no moans or shouts, not even heavy breathing could be heard. Their speed was not anything super-human, apparently whatever magic transformed them had not granted them enhanced capabilities.
Lifting up his hand, Ryan took the initiative. After reciting a short chant, black bolts of lightning jumped from his fingertips, arcing the fifty-foot gap, and striking the lead monster. Even being struck by magic wasn't enough to illicit any sound from the reanimated corpse, it convulsed where it stood, its leather armor cracked and popped as the lightning cooked the animal hide. Some of the other corpses drew close enough that the lightning jumped from the first, to them, although the effect was much less, they still trembled from the lightning.