Murads Plans Unveiled
Murad strode forward as the human bandit struck out with his sword, even if he had closed his eyes Murad's blade was so heavily enchanted it could have parried the blow its self. The bandit’s blade exploded in fiery shards, his companions suddenly realising this lone elven wanderer was no easy mark.
As Murad's hand clasped around the shocked bandits throat, he muttered an incantation, one of his personal favourites. A terrified groan escaped the bandit’s throat as his very essence was transferred into the witch-king, his flesh shrivelling and mottling grey as his life-essence drained away. The other bandits stood rooted to the ground, transfixed as the unarmoured elf before them released their comrade's desiccated body.
Even though Murad was powerful enough to level the entire clearing with a ball of flame, or turn the five remaining bandits into jumping, sparking marionettes with a chain of lightning energy, that wasn't his style. He enjoyed these encounters with marauders and bandits, it was his chance to spread a little destruction and ensure his skills where sharp, not that these human dregs could truly test him.
Murad staggered forward a step, the muffled sound of metal striking something solid ringing out from behind him. Turning with a mildly annoyed look at the thief who crouched behind him, Murad sneered as the man darted forward. The elf stretched his arm out, violet bolts of magical energy leapt from his fingers smashing five fist sized craters in the thief's chest and throwing the lifeless body back into the tree line.
Turning back to the five bandits he was forced to blink as a heavy crossbow bolt shattered on his chest, even as their apprentice mage incanted a flame ball spell. The detonation sent birds flying from trees for a mile around, the damp ground litter bursting instantly to flame leaving the elf standing unscathed in a fiery circle as if hell had sprung around him.
Laughing he casually remarked, "You have two options, surrender or die!" Immediately two turned to flee, only making a dozen paces before being struck down by green-black magical missiles. Both men's screams told of the agony inflicted by the mystical assault, their bodies writhing on the ground with great gouts of greasy black smoke sizzling from them.
All too soon both where silent, most of their torso's having run off into fatty puddles, the other three stood with fear openly etched on their faces. "I believe the options where surrender or die, I can't remember saying run?" he commented sarcastically. "It’s good to see some humans are smart enough to listen when their lives are dependent on it though."
"Now", he sneered "I have a job for you, from now on you will ... work, for me. You will join a local bandit or mercenary band, even the militia if it so suits. After that you will supply me and my associates with information on their activities."
"You" he pointed at the obviously badly frightened mage "will be opening an academy, any that show magical potential shall be aided and an eye kept on them."
"If any of you have a problem with your new jobs, please speak up now as I'd hate there to be any misunderstandings. It would prove annoying to have to send one of my ... companions, after you worthless hides." With that statement he threw a small purse to the mage, the sound of it being caught easily heard in
the near silence enveloping the woods. "There's 20 gold in that purse, split that as you will, also you will each be paid an additional gold piece per week for your involvement. A large amount considering all you have to do is watch and listen, a task I hope is within your ability to accomplish."
the near silence enveloping the woods. "There's 20 gold in that purse, split that as you will, also you will each be paid an additional gold piece per week for your involvement. A large amount considering all you have to do is watch and listen, a task I hope is within your ability to accomplish."
The three bandits stood stock still, finally the elvan warrior-mage gestured for them to go, starting their flight through the woods all to the sound of an evil mocking laughter. Murad surveyed the ruined clearing, the four shattered bodies and the small fires from the mage fire causing a horrid miasmic mist.
Chuckling the elvan witch-king muttered to himself, "three alive from seven, I must be getting old to leave that many alive." After an apparent moment’s reflection he commented to the empty air, "Follow them, find where they disperse to, and then make sure to keep them aware of their bargain."
With a shimmer four elvan warriors materialized, magic not their grey-green cloaks having kept them invisible. "The war will begin in another season, two at most, we will need all the information that scum can deliver. And when I have them turn on their companies and fellow humans, we will gain the advantage and crush their disordered numbers!"
"My liege, will the goblin hordes be ready by then?" questioned the foremost warrior. An unnoticed frown crossed Murad's face, "Yes the triceratops's are but a month or two away from full growth, the catapult towers and armoured keeps to ride on their backs have been prepared for weeks now. No, they are as fully trained in the heavy crossbows and siege weapons as they will ever be, our scouts will lead the first advanced elements in next winter that should gain us several of the outlying towns easily perhaps even a city or two."
"The goblins will only aid the attack, they where never intended to carry it forward. No it will be the wild elves and the apprentice mages we have indoctrinated, the goblins will draw the humans into combat then our servants can attack from within their ranks. With our men acting against them from within, they will have no way of holding their troops together in a unified force, they will rout and we will harry them till none survive to oppose us." His gaze refocused on his upraised fist, magical energy flaring red and pulsing
with his hatred against the humans that had always intruded on the ancient elven realms.
with his hatred against the humans that had always intruded on the ancient elven realms.
"No the humans will soon learn who really are the masters of this world, as slaves they will learn what it was like for us to have to grovel to them. We came to them in peace and in peace they took our lands and forests, no more, no more will we let them steal our children's heritage!" Murad's lieutenant knew better than to do anything but agree, his master had grown more and more apathetic towards the human race since his return from the nether planes.
He had heard that one of his masters human companions had betrayed him, and from all accounts eaten some of his soul to gain the elvan witch-kings power. And every since, he had worked tirelessly to set plans in motion for the conquest of the known world, five decades had passed since his return, and now with the last of his human companions dead they would finally march to victory, or utter ruin.
No comments:
Post a Comment