Day 1 2010

Two young kids are standing in a doorway daring each other to enter the room. Finally the youngest, the girl, takes the step in the door, casting a discussed look at the boy. “I thought the whole point of coming here now was so you could do this with out the eyes on you. Just what are you waiting for?”

The oldest shook his head. “I know, it is just now that we are here. I can’t. You go.”

She shook her head and walked on towards the only item in the room. An old tall chair, carved all over with images of dragons and vines and sat down on it. “See nothing” Her voice trailed off as a light filled the room. She went pale and looked at the boy, who had entered the room. “No it can’t be. It must be sensing you. After all dad said.”

He looked at her. “Dad was wrong. Now I am sure of it. It is not me they sang for but you, Sis.”

She shook her head. “No it can’t. He won’t. No.”

The boy knelt before the throne, for that was what the chair was. He looked at his sisters and said. “Your Majesty. It is my honor to be the first to offer you my pledge.” She shook her head not believing. “I will keep it secret. None will hear from my lips. But my hands and my swords are yours to command. You call I will come.”

She shook her head. “What kind of joke is this? Get” She stop and gasp  in pain and tried to move her arm but it was held tight for a bit.

Her brother looked at her alarmed. “What? Is something wrong?” He went to get up but in doing so put his hand on a raised stone and the at a gasp of his own. “What the devil? The floor shouldn’t be hot?” He managed to jerk his hand back at the same time she was able to get hers free. She looked at her wrist and her eyes went wide. “What is it?”

She held her hand out to him. There was an scar the shape of a dragon in flight on her wrist. “What is yours?” Her voice was trembling slightly. He turned his arm over to reveal a scar of a dragon with its wings folded. She shook her head. “No I can’t do this. I can’t!”

He said. “Not now and no one needs know. But the day will come when you are ready. On that day I will be here for you, you will not be alone.”

CHAPTER 1:

This was not working. This war should have been finished but they just kept coming and dieing. She had to get at the leader, once he surrender the rest would have to. She saw her chance and plunged in. The employers orders were to accept surrenders, but far to few were laying down there weapons. That is far to few of the neighbors were. The outsiders that seemed to be the cause of this, gave up at the slightest hint of defeat. That fact let her get right up to the leader. Who smiled and threw up his hands in defeat. Kel made to set her own blade aside to accept his, but instead swung it and took him in the neck. Forcing the blade on until the head was severed.

A man came up to her yelling. “What the hell! He surrendered that was murder! You were told to.”  His voice died as Kell used the point of her blade to show where the thing before her had been hit in the chest with an arrow, and anther slice in his gut.

Kell said. “By rights he should have been dead before I got to him. Something fowl is going on here. If I was you I would have this burred. I see the fighting has stopped now.”

The man looked around him and blinked as indeed the people the had been fighting had suddenly thrown down the weapons they had been so intent on use and were looking around them. All most as if they had no Idea what was going on, why so many were lying dead or wounded around them. “Still you did not obey the terms of the contract. I will be speaking to your commander!” Kell shrugged and turned to go.

Then paused and picked up a chain with the tip of her sword. Dangled from it was a crest that was carved with withering snakes and a tree. She shuddered and dropped it. “I would keep that way from the corps, though I am not sure why. It is wrong. And as I said burn him.” She counted away from the field and found a place to sit. Once there she set to cleaning her weapons and waiting to hear how much she had cost the company. She would of course give up her share of the pay, but that might not be enough to cover. It was just a matter of wait and see.

It was a few hours latter when the captain and the other officers made it in Kell looked up and waited.  Brendar said. “I have been asked to convey the employers apologies and deepest thanks for riding them of the menace. Turns out this people have stories about bodies that walk when dead. None had been seen for years, but the stories run deep. There were enough others that saw the arrows hit him to convince all that he was a walking corpse. They will be giving the body will get the full treatment outlined in the stories, that includes burring and then reburring the remains. Now would you tell me what the Hell you were thinking? You had better have a damn good reson.”

Kell looked down and said. “I wish I knew. It wasn’t planed I was just going for a surrender. But something told be that it would not work, and that it would not be safe to touch him. Next thing I knew my sword was up and heading for his neck. I wasn’t thinking just doing. You said arrows, so there was more then the one to the chest? I saw a stab wound but didn’t see.” She paused and rubbed her wrist. “Truly I do not know just what came over me. But after I saw the wounds I did I was glad I had killed him.”

Robert shook his head. “There was something strange going on here. The fighting just stopped all at once. It was like they had no idea just what was going on, how they came to be there. Like there was some kind of mass mind control going on. But on that scale. Sorry Bree but I have to go with Kell hear. What ever caused her to take that guys head, it was the right thing. I don’t think anything else would have ended the fighting. It was not a spell I understand, or have seen but there was something at work. I am not certain but I think there is a new cult. All the blades of the fighters had the same symbol etched on them.”

Kell said. “Snakes twine around a tree?” they looked at her. “He had it on a chain around his neck. It was . . . there was a wrong feeling coming from it. I left it but I hope the burry it deep some place. However I don’t think it was new.”

Brendar said. “I don’t like this. Nothing about this has made since. There was no reason for this war. Keep your eyes open and see if you can lean more about this cult, if it is a cult. Though with luck this will be the last we see of it.”

The listeners nodded. Browed said. “I am going to go see to that necklace, you left it by the body right?”

Kell nodded. “But”

Robert said. “I will be extra careful. I promise. But If it is as you said I don’t think we should chance it falling into the wrong hands. Sides I want to get an exact copy of the symbol.” Kell nodded again still rubbing her wrist. “Is her hand all right? You want me to take a look before I go?”

Kell said, dropping her arm,. “It is fine just a twinge from an old injury. Nothing to worry about. But pleas do not touch the necklace. It is tainted. I am not sure but I just know.” 

Robert said. “Don’t worry Sis, I am not going to do anything silly.”

Jordan came up and said. “I will be with him and you know I won’t let him do anything to stupid.” Kell nodded and relaxed. The pair moved off. Kell watched them go then turned back to her own work.

Just as it was getting dark Browed and Jordan came back. Robert handed her a paper. “I thought you would want a copy of the symbol. You were right it was tainted. I had to get Athions to come over and look at it. Between the three of us we think we have it contained. There was a lot of blood magic in its making and something else that were are not sure of. It is now buried in a stone lined pit. Deeply buried. And shield with every spell we could. The place is not one of the seven they will use to bury the walkers remains.”

Kell nodded. “Bree said we will be pulling out as soon as the money gets here in the morning. The locals want us gone and she sees no reason to linger. Doc said that there is none to hurt to move.”

Robert said. “Are you sure you are all right?”

Kell said. “Yes it is just the whole thing gives me the creeps. I never deiced to hit, I just swung. It was like the blade was acting on its own. I know they are spelled, but still. That is a first for me. I will be better after some sleep. I am sure I am just to tired and jumping at shadows. This whole job has been more taxing than it should have been.”

Robert frowned. “Well Athions and Rick should be here soon why don’t you let them finish the packing and turn in?”

Rick said. “You know her better than that, but I will see she gets there soon.” Not really wanting to Robert nodded and left to see to his own packing. Soon it was all done.

Much to everyone’s surprise the employer showed up with the money early next morning. He must have really wanted to see their backs. It didn’t take long after that and they were on the move.  The officers were the last to leave, making sure everything was loaded and on the way.  It was with a sigh of relief that they pulled out. Bree said. “I truly hope that we do not face anther one like that soon, for all it paid well.”

Kell said. “I fear that will not be the last we see that cult. But I hope I am wrong.”

The Dragons had a few months off during witch they tried to forget the last battle. Soon amore work found them. It was yet anther border dispute, but this one made some since as the two countries involved went though this every couple of years. It would be longer but the pay was good. So off they went sure that they knew what they were in for. Things started out right, but as it went on they started noticing little things that seemed off. Then Rick took a leaders head off and the war ended. But there was no sign of the symbol so it was writing off as a coincidence. There were a few more wars that felt off and a few where they saw they the symbol. Then it all came to a head.

It was a couple of years latter, all had been going as it should.  The pros doing most of the fighting and the civilians hiding and fleeing, with an exception now and then, but still it felt right. Then some reinforcements arrived. At first there was nothing unusually. It was your normal team of conscripts, some fresh from the field, some with a bit of training. But it was not long tell things started to look odd.

Chapter 2: