Crimson Revenge - Payback in Blood - Part 7

Underneath the ruins of an ancient temple of the goddess,  in the Whispering Woods grew something foul. A thick stench filled the air. Death.

Many bones littered the once-sacred crypts of the noble high elf race. In an adjoining chamber, built for religious ceremonies, sat Malvissa Frozenheart in a throne of twisted roots and bones. Her eyes glowing red in the eerie purple firelight, emitted by black braziers, lining both sides of the chamber. Large demonic horns protruded from her head.  Long, sleek black hair reflected the firelight.

Nightmare Queen by AlexRuizArt on deviantART

At one time, she could have been human, but whatever she was now was far from humanity.  A large werewolf stood guard at her side.  On the other side of  her twisted throne stood an ugly creature with pointed teeth and greenish grey skin and a long tail that ended with an arrow point. An imp.  Clearly without a sane mind, the imp fidgetted and giggled intermittedly by his mistress's side.

The chamber had rows of ornate chairs lining a pathway from the door to the throne. Nearly every one of the chairs had a rotting skeleton slumped in it. There were close to a hundred chairs with skeletons in them.  Behind the row of chairs many glowing, red eyes of werewolves blinked in anticipation.

Malvissa stood then sauntered down the path, her hair trailing behind her like a wedding veil. She came to pause at the first skeleton slumped in a chair. With one finger she gently, seductively traced the lines of the skull, ending with the mouth. She grinned, though there was nothing but malice in her eyes.

"You have done well, my pets." she spoke as she glanced around the chamber at the many eyes watching her.

Malvissa returned to her throne, but did not sit. She turned to face the room. A werewolf gently placed a gnarled black staff, with a small skull fastened atop, into her hand when she reached out. She closed her eyes and held the staff in her hands breathing deeply.  Then, with both hands, she drove the staff into the ground with a loud scream and a devious look on her face.

Purple light snaked out from her staff across the ground, traveling to each chair, up the legs and all over the bones of each skeleton covering them in purple glowing light. Malvissa began to yell out her spell in demonic tongue.  The chamber began to shake, dust and rocks falling from all around.  A thick fog seeped up from the ground.  Some of the werewolves stepped back in fear. Some looked around, but the truly devoted werewolves grinned widely and howled with delight.

The chairs and skeletons shook, then the fog and light was sucked into the bones.  As Malvissa ended her vile spell casting,  everything and everyone was quiet. After several moments in silence, the bones began to wiggle... A finger here, a jawbone there.  The skeletons began to sit up in their chairs. When all of them were sitting, Malvissa gestured for all of the skeletons to stand.  Each of them stood and faced their Dark Mistress, awaiting her orders.  The werewolves began to clap and cheer loudly.  Malvissa smiled wickedly, enjoying the accolades. When she gestured that she wished to speak, the crowd became silent, eagerly listening.

"It is finally time, my pets!  It is OUR time! No longer will we dwell in the shadows of but a single forest. No!  We shall take our place in this realm! We shall take it ALL!" more howling and cheering.  "Too long have they hunted and killed us, my pets.  We are now the hunters!  They WILL FEAR US! They will run and they will hide. But they will join us...  alive OR dead! Let the nightmare begin!"

The crowd cheered louder than ever, excluding the skeletons who stood awaiting new orders. The Dark Mistress cackled with twisted delight.

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Ravvyn had found a small empty herb pouch in Joliset's backpack. She gently placed the acorn in the pouch, tied it, then placed it like a necklace around her neck. She tucked it under her clothing so it would not get snagged on a tree limb, or a creature claw...

Without the fire trail to guide her anymore, Ravvyn had to make an educated guess as to which way to head out.  She was deciding which way to go when suddenly the ground beneath her feet began to shake and rumble.  Ravvyn knelt to place one hand on the ground.  The source was under the ground and not an Earth Rumble...  Purple light snaked out of the ground turning the whole forest a purple glowing hue.

Ravvyn drew her hand back and stood to look around.  The forest had stopped whispering.  An eerie silence fell over the Whispering Woods.

Ravvyn blinked her lavender eyes. "Evil is coming." she whispered to herself, her heart filled with dread.

[to be continued...]