Monsters Read online

  The archmage fires lightning from his staff at Jason, and he is barely able to jump out of the way. He stays still for a moment, then frustration appears on his face.

  `That's right! You can't hide in the shadows here, Jason!' says Jenathar. `There aren't any!'

  He makes a gesture with his hand, and the ground around Jason shakes, and he is knocked down. He quickly jumps up, and tries to get close to the archmage. Jenathar fires magic missiles at him, and he is forced to retreat.

  In the mean time, Eric Shyrn tries his best to kill me. He wields that sword of his ferociously, and efficiently. Quite surprising, actually. I never knew he was so skilled with a sword. I always heard he was more an expert of unarmed combat. Yet he obviously is very much skilled with the sword. He slashes and thrusts and swings his sword in a way that I just can't get to him. I am quick enough that I can evade his attacks, but I can't hurt him. I must think up something!

  He keeps coming at me, and he's very quick. There is something about his sword that gives me a strange feeling. But it's just a blade. It must be his black magic doing it. Cursed black magician!

  He suddenly pulls the sword back at a moment when I expect him to strike hardest, and instead pushes his left hand towards me. He doesn't touch me, but I feel a powerful force knocking into me.

  It is some kind of magical attack. He knocks me to the ground with it, and suddenly I feel a powerful invisible force keeping me down. I can't stand up. Then he conjures dozens of sharp spikes, and hurls them at me. I see them pierce my body, and pin me to the ground. I see blood flowing out of the wounds. Yet I feel no pain, nor do I feel weakness. What is he doing?

  Illusion? Why would he bother with that?

  He steps closer, raises his sword high above his head, and then strikes. He thrusts it into me at the side of my torso. His strike hurts, and it bleeds, but it doesn't reach bone. It's a light wound for my vampire body, really. He pulls the sword out, and raises the blade to his lips. He licks my blood off the blade, waves his hand, and his eyes light up briefly. He then takes off the glove of his left hand, and a gruesome sight appears.

  His hand has no flesh! It is but the bare bone, a skeletal hand. It is pale white, whiter than my skin. It looks more like a human hand, than an elven one...

  He puts the glove in his belt, and he smiles at me. His smile reveals sharp vampire teeth, teeth like my own. Is this what my blood did to him? How could that be? So quick? It doesn't make sense!

  He lowers his left hand and turns around, towards Jenathar. He carefully hides his left hand behind his back, keeping it hidden from view. He approaches Jenathar.

  Thankfully, the archmage has been unable to defeat Jason. But he does seem to have the upper hand. Jase is far from him, trying hard to evade his attacks. As Shyrn approaches him, he asks:

  `Is it done?'

  `The bitch is dead.'

  `Good! Then help me out here. That bastard is quick on his feet...'

  `Worry not, I shall end this battle in just two seconds!' says Shyrn, and he quickly reaches towards the unsuspecting archmage.

  He grabs Jenathar with his skeletal left hand, and the archmage freezes in place, paralyzed. Then, Shyrn drives his sword through Jenathar's stomach, and leans over his neck. He bites him, much as I would bite a human. He drinks only a drop of blood, then he pulls his head away and I see sparks of light coming out of the wound. Shyrn breathes them in, and Jenathar seems to weaken.

  As the sparks disappear, Shyrn pulls his sword out of Jenathar. The archmage is still alive, and still paralyzed. Eric Shyrn just stands in front of him. Suddenly, the force that held me to the ground vanishes, as do the illusionary spikes. I stand up, and slowly walk closer. Jason is also approaching slowly.

  Jenathar's paralysis ends, and he stumbles forward, dropping to his knees.

  `You... You cursed night elf! You drained me of my magical power!'

  `That I did, Johnny Boy!' says Shyrn.

  Johnny Boy?

  Where did I hear that before?

  Jenathar's eyes go wide, and Eric Shyrn's figure becomes blurred.

  A moment later, he is gone, and another figure stands in his place.

  A human man dressed in black, with long black hair and a small beard. Zack Sands.

  `No!' exclaims Jenathar. `It can't be!'

  `It is.' says Zack, as he pulls the glove back on his skeletal left hand. `Surprised? Did it not strike you as odd even for a second, that Eric would wield a sword?'

  `I... I should have known. That blasted night elf never smiled so much...'

  `Ah. I almost gave myself away. I suck as an actor...'

  As Jase and I both slowly approach them, Zack turns around.

  `Will you look at that, Johnny Boy! I think there are some people here to see you.' says Zack.

  `I thought you were having dinner...' I tell him.

  `I just did!' he says with a smile, glancing briefly at Jenathar.

  `Explain yourself, before I kill you!' says Jason.

  `Is there anything to explain at all? I just gave you Johnny Boy on a proverbial silver platter. Why bother with the details?'

  `Enlighten us anyway.' I tell him. `What just transpired here?'

  `What transpired here? What transpired, is that after you two killed most of the Council, and Eric decided to lay low, I saw... an opportunity. When I see an opportunity that I like, I take it, whether anybody likes it, or not!'

  `Where is Eric Shyrn?'

  `No idea.' he says, shrugging his shoulders. `When Johnny Boy survived the battle against you, Eric thought to disappear for a while. Dumb move if you ask me, but it was his call. So, I jumped in for him for a few hours. Without his knowledge, of course.'

  `What did you do with him?' asks Jason, pointing at Jenathar.

  `I drained all his magical power and absorbed it into myself.'

  `How?'

  `With your blood.' he says, turning to me. `Black magic can do wonders, and if there are some catalysts, it can do them very quickly. Your blood, the blood of a battle hungry vampire, is one such catalyst. Especially yours, given how much stronger you are than ordinary vampires... It allows one to briefly transform into a vampire-like creature. That which you see before you. This form allowed me to tap into Jenathar's reserves of magical energy. All it took was a bite. Moreover, it allowed me to absorb all his power. All of it!'

  `All of it?' asks Jason.

  `Yes. As long as I am in this form, I can keep it in me. But I must release it soon if I don't wanna end up dead, as this form doesn't last long. Then again, that's no problem. I wanted to absorb his power because I have a very specific use for it. A little experiment, so to speak.'

  He's got to be kidding...

  `Are you trying to tell me that you did this just so you could perform some magic experiment?!' I ask, furiously. `That you fought me, risking both our deaths just for this?'

  `Yes. Precisely.'

  `Are you insane?'

  `Nah... I just like to have fun!' he says, smiling. `Besides... don't tell me you're afraid to die! And admit that you enjoyed the fight!'

  `Fuck you!'

  He laughs. How he pisses me off...

  `What do you intend to do now?' asks Jason.

  `I shall take my leave of you.' replies Zack. `I'll leave you here with Johnny Boy. He's powerless now. You choose his fate from here on out. Time to make your decision. You can do whatever you want, kid! You can kill him fast, you can kill him slow, or, you can just simply take back what's yours, and let him live. Or even let him keep what he took, let him learn what it's like to live with such a curse. It's all up to you to decide. I have what I wanted, now it's time you got what you want. All you've got to do now, is decide what it is...'

  `Not much to decide...'

  `Truly? I think you should at least give it a little thought. But as I said, it's up to you. None of my business.'

  He looks around slowly, and takes a deep breath.

  `So, it ends. I take my leave of you now. It has be
en good fun!'

  He waves his hands and a Portal opens in front of us.

  `This Portal leads back to Ess'yer. Use it when you're done here. Step through it together, as it will close right away after use. Just to be sure, you know...

  Oh, and another thing. Now that Johnny Boy is out of magical energy, there's no-one maintaining the stasis field that Th'Mesh is imprisoned in. Soon, the bloodthirsty little cocksucker will be free. In other words, the clock's ticking...'

  He steps away and opens another Portal, for himself.

  `Now farewell! I really gotta go... Remember, kid, it's up to you now. You decide how to end it...'

  Then he glances towards me, and I hear his voice in my mind: Careful now, Flora. If you and Jason do kill Th'Mesh, the kid will take all of the Destroyer's power. He'll be a runamock wild beast when that happens. And then you'd better run, because if you don't, he will kill you!

  Bah! What a pathetic thought! Jase would never do that!

  The Portal closes behind Zack, but I keep staring at the place where he vanished.

  `One of these days, I'm gonna kick his ass, I swear to you Jase!'

  Jase does not reply, and I turn towards him. He stands in front of Jenathar with his sword drawn, his face cold and emotionless. Jenathar stares back at him with the eyes of a man who knows his time has come to an end.

  Oh yes... This should be fun to watch!

  Coup de Grace

  Realm of Th'Mesh, present day (1 year, 1 month, and 6 days before Twilightfall)

  He stands in front of Jenathar with his sword drawn, his face cold and emotionless. What must be going through his mind right now, I wonder. He always said that everything he suffered in life could be traced back to Jenathar and Th'Mesh. Now he stands before one of the two whom he hates beyond belief. What's he thinking of?

  That idiot Zack Sands said something like Jase could even let the old fool go. Is he thinking of that, perhaps?

  No. Certainly not. No, rather, he is savoring the moment. If you desire somebody's death, the sweet moment of killing them comes only once. So, why hurry?

  What of Jenathar? What is he thinking now? He looks up at Jase like he knows he's going to die, yet he remains silent. What's going through his mind, I wonder? Does he regret anything? Is he just pissed off? I really wonder...

  Finally, he breaks the silence.

  `What are you waiting for? You want me to beg?! Is that it? I will not do that for you! I will not beg! I will not!'

  He is so angry... Poor sod. I wonder how Jase will kill him.

  `Go on! Do it! Let this end! I don't regret what I did, and you just can't understand my reasons. You couldn't understand a year ago and nothing has changed. I have failed, and you have won, that's all there is now. End it! What are you waiting for?!' he screams. Jason still does not reply. He just stands there, and stares at him. So cold. His eyes, his whole face, are a but a mask of stone, lacking any and all emotion. Jenathar's face on the other hand is full of anger... and hate. Despite the look on Jason's face, I am sure the feeling is mutual.

  `Do it!' he says once more. Jason then pulls out his dagger with his left hand, and looks at the blade. Then he addresses Jenathar.

  `I will kill you with this.' he says, coldly. `I do not want to stain the blade with your blood. But there is no choice. I need that essence back to fight Th'Mesh.'

  `Then do it!' replies Jenathar.

  Jason sheathes the dagger and raises his sword high.

  He strikes towards Jenathar's head, and cuts deep into his face with the blade. Jenathar groans in pain, but does not cry out loud. The left side of his face is now covered with a long, deep, bleeding scar.

  `Finish it!' he screams. My, he is in such a hurry...

  Jason raises the sword again and strikes towards Jenathar's right ear. The sword slashes it off with ease, and the ear drops to the ground. Well, to the water, anyway.

  Jenathar still resists the urge to cry out, but his face is visibly contorted by the pain. He presses his right palm against the bleeding wound. Then Jason quickly cuts towards Jenathar's right forearm. The blade cuts through flesh and bone, and Jenathar's hand falls down.

  Now, the old mage cries out. His wail is full of agony. The hatred and anger are barely noticeable, but still very present.

  `Finish it!' he screams, with a much weaker voice than before. Poor sod. He thinks he will escape without suffering much. But it is clear that Jason has other plans. He wants to make him suffer.

  Jase cuts towards Jenathar's left shoulder, and completely severs his entire left arm. Jenathar screams even louder this time.

  `Do it! Just kill me already! Kill me! Finish it!'

  `You don't deserve a quick death, old man.' says Jason calmly and coldly, like a man with no emotions. He then reaches towards Jenathar's face. He forces his mouth open and grabs his tongue as much as he can with his left hand. Then, he takes the sword, and with its tip, he cuts out Jenathar's tongue.

  The old mage screams, and tries to speak once more. Finish it! Kill me! I think that is what he tries to say. His words come out incomprehensibly. That's so much better...

  Well done, Jase! I knew this would be fun to watch...

  Jason now grabs Jenathar's robe and pulls him up on his feet. Still holding him, he slashes with the sword towards the mage's left leg, cutting deep into it just above the knee. The blade cuts straight through it, and severs the leg. Jason then releases him, and lets him fall to the ground.

  Jenathar writhes in pain and screams, still muttering incomprehensible words. Jason stands beside him and raises the sword. He strikes down at his right leg, and cuts it off. The now limbless Jenathar screams even more than before.

  How is he still alive? After all of this? All that pain, all that lost blood? Is it the demon essence he stole from Jase that's keeping him alive? Or is it simply his will?

  Jason stands beside him with his sword lowered and stares down at him. Still his face is cold and emotionless. It's like he found no pleasure in what he did. It's like he merely delivered a punishment, but found no joy in it.

  It's a shame, Jase. Revenge is very much sweet. You should be feeling it, too. Like I did when I killed Gaxev. It faded fast, but for that brief moment, it was sweet. Very sweet...

  Jenathar still writhes in pain, and bleeding profusely from the many wounds. It won't be much longer and he will bleed to death. Or will he? If the demon is keeping him alive, it may take more than that to kill him.

  Jason just stands there, looking down at him. Minutes pass, and he just stands there. With no emotions visible on his face. Then, he raises the sword, and forcefully drives it through Jenathar's gut, pinning him down. The blade enters all the way to the hilt. Then, Jason unsheathes his dagger, and stabs it in Jenathar's heart, then pulls it back out.

  In the next moment, a strange purplish smoke arises from the wound where the dagger pierced his chest, and it drifts towards Jason's dagger. The smoke vanishes into the blade without a trace. Jason sheathes the dagger.

  He twists the sword and pulls it out of Jenathar so forcefully, that some of the old mage's innards protrude from the wound. Jenathar is still breathing, but he's almost dead. Now we could just leave him here to die like this. He'd deserve it.

  But it seems Jason doesn't want to leave him behind. He raises the sword high above his head, and strikes down at Jenathar's neck, promptly decapitating him.

  So ends the life of the mighty Jenathar...

  He doesn't look so powerful now, ha!

  Jason grabs Jenathar's decapitated head by the hair, and places it on his bleeding chest. Then Jase strikes with the sword to the head, and cuts it in half, like a watermelon. Then, he slowly wipes off the blood from the sword with a piece of Jenathar's robe, and then sheathes the sword.

  There. It is done. Part of his revenge is now complete. Jenathar is left mangled and dead, now let's put Th'Mesh into the same state!

  Jase stares off into the distance, and after a brief silence, he says:


  `Th'Mesh is coming. Get ready.'

  He speaks so coldly and completely lacking emotion, as if he had not done anything noteworthy just moments ago. Truly, he found no pleasure in his revenge. I wonder why...

  No matter. Th'Mesh comes. We will kill him. Then, perhaps, Jase will find the sweet pleasure of vengeance.

  Perhaps he will smile briefly. I would so love to see him smile for a moment.

  Last ride

  Realm of Th'Mesh, present day (1 year, 1 month, and 6 days before Twilightfall)

  Jason stares off into the distance and waits. A minute passes but still I see nothing approaching us. As far as the eye can see, nothing is headed our way.

  `Are you sure that Th'Mesh is coming?'

  `Yes. The bastard is almost here.'

  `I can't see where...'

  Suddenly I spot a large shadow beneath the surface of this water-like ground which we walk on. It's steadily getting closer.

  `Th'Mesh is under the water! Or whatever this is.'

  `Yes.' says Jason. `But not for long.'

  Then he says:

  `Flora... Let me handle this. You can't kill Th'Mesh. Only my dagger can.'

  `I won't stand idly, Jase. I want a piece of that bastard.'

  `Fine. But let me weaken Th'Mesh first.'

  `The son of a bitch is weak already, Jase.'

  `Not weak enough...'

  The large shadow gets ever closer. As it gets within ten-twenty feet of us, it begins to surface. The ground cracks open and a gigantic figure emerges from the water. As it completely surfaces, the water seals beneath its feet and it walks on the surface like we do. A gigantic demonic creature, with four arms and a head bearing three faces. The Destroyer. Th'Mesh.

  Surprisingly, the demon doesn't attack us. Instead, it measures us carefully with its eyes. Then it begins to speak, in a thundering voice.

  `My child! You have destroyed the one that imprisoned me. You have my gratitude. I shall reward you. Tell me, what is your desire?'