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The stranger walked into town, the sun setting under the trees, casting long shadows over the entire village bathing it in darkness. The streets were desolate, devoid of life. The tall wanderer continued his walk down that empty street until he reached his destination, a tavern where he could bed down for the night. He stepped up to the door and reached out to open it but the door held firm. The bolt was thrown from the other side.
“The tavern’s closed stranger.” called out a voice from behind the wanderer. He turned around to see the source of the voice and found it was a rangy old man, crooked over resting his body on a gnarly cane. “What’s your name stranger?”
The younger man responded in a quiet tone, not befitting his size. “My name is Coron, not that it is of any concern to you. While we are talking however, why is there no man on the streets of this town?”
The older man stood there for a moment, studying the strange youth standing before him, he was quite young, probably in his twenties as far as the older man could tell. He was well developed, with a body that could have been chiseled from stone. His hair was long, partly covering his smooth face. After studying Coron for a minute longer the old man replied to his question.
“The young folk fled this town long ago. The rest of us that were too old to flee had to remain here. If you were smart you would too, though I suppose it is too late for that. If you need a place to rest for the night my house is open.”
Coron studied the old man warily, than responded. “Who are you old man, to offer so freely a place to stay to a complete stranger?”
“Just an old man concerned for the life of a youth. If you will follow me to my house I will tell you of the events that take place in this town, then you can decide what you will do, stay or go.” Then the old man turned and began to hobble down the street. Coron, seeing now harm, followed the old man. The unusual duo walked down the deserted streets of the village which grew even more ghostly as the light continued to fade. Every house that the two passed was in disrepair, all the shutters closed and boarded, no lights shone through the cracks of the windows. The old man may well have been the only person left in the town, every now and then however Coron would catch a quick glimpse of a set of eyes peering furtively through the cracks of the shutters at the two as they continued on towards the old mans house.
Finally the old man walked up to a house, somewhat removed from the rest, and worked the latch on the door. The door gave way with a groan, opening for the two. The old man shuffled inside, Coron following behind. The house was just one large room. There was a bed frame in the corner with a straw mattress was the only sleeping accommodations that Coron could see. There was a small fireplace on the back wall with a small cauldron hanging in it, but no fire was lit underneath to keep the contents inside warm. To the right was a single shelf, housing a few odd trinkets and knick-knacks that Coron could barely make out in the dim light. In the center of the house was a table, bare, except for a bowl, a spoon and a single candle, this the old man lit, revealing a little more of the room in which the two stood.
Finally Coron spoke up. “So why are there no people in this town old man?”
The old man returned gruffly “My name is Griff. The story is that a few years ago a strange traveler came through town. He only stayed one night and then left early the next morning. It was about another day or when all the trouble started. It was quite a lovely night actually, plenty of people out enjoying the pleasant spring air. Then a group of five figures rode up, dark as death himself, just started killing people, men, women, children, they didn’t care. In one night half the town’s population was gone. The next morning everyone set about cleaning up. But then the next night they rode through again, anybody caught outside were slaughtered like lambs. That next day everyone that was able left town heading, for the capital city. Now every night those demon riders come screaming through town and if anyone happens to be outside then they are cut down like the summer wheat.”
The last part of the story struck a personal not to the young warrior and his brow furrowed. Distant memories of an almost forgotten past began to surface in his mind. Then, his jaw set with determination he looked down to the old man. “This is an evil that can go on no further. I vow here and now to destroy these riders and end their reign of terror over this village.”
Griff looked upon Coron with a sort of wonder in his eyes, the boy before him seemed bigger in the flickering light of the candle. He had a sort of superhuman air about him the exhumed confidence.
“Now tell me Griff, from where do these riders hail?”
Griff came back to his senses, “No one knows where the riders come from, every night they ride into town from the north and leave the same way after circling around the town.”
That’s the same road that I came in on.” Coron asked, ready to depart the hut at that moment.
“The very same, but I warn you, many have stood against the black riders but none have survived.” Griff replied gravely.
Coron turned from the doorway to look at the old informant. “Where others have failed I shall succeed.” Then he turned and strode boldly out the door and down the street, turning a corner and disappearing from view of the old man. Griff watched in grave silence then whispered to himself. “The fool goes to his own death.” He then turned and blew out the candle, to keep from attracting the attention of the riders when they came by.
Chapter II
Coron stood outside the tavern where he first was before his encounter with the old man. The sun had just fallen down past the horizon now, and the full moon was hanging in the sky lighting the town with pallid glow, all around was silence. Not even the night birds were out to sing their songs. The air seemed thick to Coron and he thought he could hear the faint patter of hoof beats in the distance. He drew his broadsword that he carried at his side and stood ready for the battle that was coming to him. And sure enough it wasn’t long when the riders were in sight charging the town with ungodly speed.
As they neared Coron could start to make out their features better in the pale light. They were tall as far as he could tell, with dark shrouds wrapped around their bodies. The eyes though are what caught Coron’s attention the most they were red and seemed to glow evilly. The horses were strange, they were far skinnier then any horse that Coron had seen in his travels, and they moved with an unnatural swiftness that did nit fit their slim size. At this point the creatures must have noticed Coron standing there in the street, the moonlight shining wickedly from the cold steel in his hand, for they let forth a great shriek and came right at him.
Coron readied himself for the charge and just as the first of the riders was about to run Coron down he lunged to the side of the horse and leapt atop it to sit behind the rider, it was at this point that Coron realized why the horses were skinny. The creature was nothing more then bone, a skeleton of the creature it had once been. The thought chilled Coron and he froze for a moment, which was a moment to long for the rider had smashed his elbow into Coron’s face. Coron went down to the ground but he brought the rider off of its mount with him. The two combatants rolled around on the ground, one trying to gain the advantage over the other, but after a few unsuccessful attempts Coron dislodged himself from the creature and rolled up with his sword at the ready to face his adversary. Coron looked around for a moment to see about the other riders but the shrieks of the other creatures could be heard form different parts of the town telling him that he only had to worry about the one in front of him for now. He looked back at the creature that was getting up from the ground. The thing was tall, standing at least two feet taller then Coron. The body was thin, almost frail looking. It was hard to tell how the features looked due to the shroud that was wrapped around its entire body. The creature reached into this shroud and pulled out a wicked looking curved sword the likes of which Coron had not seen before.
Then without warning the strange creature charged at Coron swinging the curved blade at his throat. The creature was fast and Coron almost didn’t have time to bring his own sword up to meet that of his opponents. The crash of steel rang out loudly in the night air and caught the attention of the other riders and Coron heard the crash of hooves as they turned back to the spot where Coron battled with the rider. Again the rider swung his sword at Coron, this time in a downward arch, but Coron rolled out of the way and swung his sword at the creature. The sword met no resistance but the blow had rang true because on the ground lay on of the creatures arms and it let out a shriek so horrific that it chilled the marrow in the bones of all the villagers. The creature jumped back as Coron thought to take the initiative and aim another blow, this time for the creature’s head. It reeled around and charged back to its skeletal steed that stood there watching the fight. The creature launched itself up to the top of the horse and turned it towards the road to leave town. Coron, still itching for the battle, charged towards the rider and its steed and again jumped up behind the creature but this time he did not hesitate, he brought his sword up and swung down hard but the creature caught Coron’s sword arm in its hand and held it like a vice, slowly tightening its grip on Coron’s wrist. Try as he might Coron could not wrench his hand free and the nerves in his hand were starting to tingle. Desperate Coron started slamming his fist into the shrouded face of the creature.
It gave out a terrible shriek and fell from its mount once more pulling Coron with it as it still had a grip on his wrist. The two hit the ground again and Coron’s sword fell from his nerveless fingers. Coron quickly rolled around so that he was on top of the creature, straddling it with his legs and pounding his free hand into the face again and again, letting his rage pour out with each blow he dealt to the creature. The creature cried out in pain and fury and released its grip on Coron’s other hand, to try to fend off the massive blows. Coron took the creature’s free hand and pinned it beneath his leg and then continued to smash in the face of the creature with his fists. It wasn’t long before the shrieks of the creature stopped. Coron stopped his merciless beating and looked down at the ruin he had wrought on the creature. If there were any features to these strange things it did not show in the shattered face of the one beneath him. Coron ran over to his fallen sword and snatched it up, ready to take on the next one, but it never came. Coron heard the hooves beat upon the earth and swung around to watch the riders fly out of the town the way they had come in, Coron didn’t waste any time, but he leapt atop the skeletal steed that belonged to the now lifeless rider, and pursued the other four that rode out of town.
The creatures rode hard to the north but Coron kept up with them, trailing slightly behind so as not to alert the others of his presence. They followed the road for a mile or so then turned suddenly and rode through the woods to the east. Coron followed flying through the woods, his steed weaving around the trees. Coron was hardly directing the undead beast but it went of its own accord, almost as if it knew exactly where to go. Before long they broke through the trees and entered a large clearing. In the center was a great hill with a large stone gateway in the center. As the riders approached the gate swung open admitting the riders and Coron inside. As soon as Coron’s steed was inside he tried to halt the beast but it kept going so Coron leapt off and rolled on the floor. He pushed himself up and brushed the dust from his hair and eyes to better survey his surroundings.
The riders and the horse that Coron rode in on had continued down into the great hill quickly going out of sight. He was in a large tunnel that angled down deep into the ground. The tunnel was lit by torches set in the stone wall at regular intervals of fifteen feet. From where Coron stood he could not see the end of the long tunnel and as of yet had no idea how deep into the earth it went. He made his way down the tunnel, keeping his sword drawn the whole time in anticipation of a surprise attack that never came. Then up ahead he saw a light that was brighter then the dimly lit tunnel. As he moved closer to the light he saw that it was a large room into which he strode. In the center of the room was a large circular fire pit, at least three feet deep and roughly ten feet in diameter. It was from the fire in the center that lit the room so brightly, the blaze was at least thirty feet tall and covered the entire area of the fire pit. The heat was enough to feel from the large portal in which Coron now stood. Ahead of the fire pit was a large black stone altar and as Coron neared it he could see the caked on blood and gore of countless sacrifices. There was an evil in the air that could not be described as he neared the altar, almost as if it was something that had come from the very depths of hell itself. The base of the altar was surrounded with human skulls, obviously previous victims of the horrible sacrifices. The skulls were stacked up to the middle of the altar creating a grim totem.
Farther ahead of the altar was a platform with a stair way on either side leading up to it, then another stairway in the center of the platform leading up to what looked to be another hallway. On the left side of the room was a larger set of double doors, and judging from the sounds that Coron heard beyond them, was where the skeletal horses were kept. To the right were another set of double doors but since no sounds came from beyond Coron could not tell what was behind them. Coron decided his next course of action was up the stairs in front of him, he made his way around the grim altar and up the steps. As he ascended to the platform though the double doors burst open behind him and the remaining four riders came through. Not expecting anyone to be there the riders were stunned to see the warrior standing atop the platform. Coron spun around to look at the four stunned riders, and then they charged the platform, their curved swords drawn in wicked anticipation of the kill.
As the four thin creatures neared the platform Coron launched himself down on top of them. Dropping two of the riders to the floor with a tremendous crash, Coron swung his sword at a third as he was falling to the floor, decapitating the creature. Coron rolled to the side to avoid the sword blow of the remaining rider that was still standing. Coron came up and charged the creature while it was off balance, running it through the stomach with his broadsword. The strange thing is that no blood poured from the gaping wound but the creature still roared in pain and fell backwards to the floor. Coron finished the job swinging his sword and slicing the creatures head from its body. Coron reeled around to face the remaining two riders but they had already started running from the warrior, fleeing up the stairs to the platform and then down the hallway. Coron, without hesitating, ran up the stairs and gave chase to the two creatures. The hall wasn’t as long as the first in which Coron made his descent and at the end was another room, but Coron did not have much time to take in his surroundings. As soon as he crossed the threshold of the large room he was struck in the back of the head by some blunt object and fell to the floor, entering the deep void of unconsciousness.
Chapter III
Coron slowly regained consciousness and found himself lying on the cold stone floor. He slowly stood and found himself chained at the ankle to the wall. He rubbed his hand over the bump on the back of his head that was now caked with dried blood. Looking around he saw that he was in a small cell. There were no windows and only one door. The only source of illumination came from a small torch set into the wall by the door. Coron found that his sword and dagger had been taken from him, the sheaths to each hanging empty at his side. He made his way slowly towards the door to see how far he could go with the chain. He made it close enough that he could reach out and grasp the handle of the door but found it locked. He walked back towards the wall that the chain was set in to inspect it. The ring that held the chain was set deep in the stone wall and no amount of pulling, despite his strength, could pull the ring free from the wall. With no other options left to him Coron sat down, with his back to the wall and waited. He wasn't sure how long it had been but Coron had drifted off, waking to the sounds of screaming somewhere further down the way. The screams were enough to chill any mans blood and they did so now with Coron, for he had never heard any man that could scream like that, as if his very soul were being torn from his living body. The screams persisted for minutes and then silence. Coron could only assume that the man now lay dead, or worse. A few minutes after the screaming ceased Coron heard footsteps coming towards his cell, he crouched in anticipation, as a tiger ready to pounce on its prey. The footsteps stopped outside his door and Coron heard the Jingling of keys, heard the key inserted into the lock, and the click of the lock releasing. The door swung open and one of the riders stepped inside. Not expecting the prisoner to be awake the rider was surprised when Coron leapt atop him and with one deft move snapped the rider's neck. The body of the rider hit the floor limp and Coron grabbed the keys, still in the grip of the dead rider. It took Coron only a moment to free his ankle of the shackle. Coron unsheathed the curved sword of the creature and slowly stalked to the door, peering out Coron could see that there were no other creatures in sight.
He crept out into the hall and looked around; on either side were more doors which he assumed lead to cells the same as his. The hall ended on his right so Coron turned to the left and started walking down the hall. Coron passed the doors on either side, listening for any sounds coming from the other side but always there was nothing. At the end of the hall was another door. Coron tried the door and found it unlocked, he opened it up just enough to look through and saw that there were two more of the creatures in this room with their backs to the door. Coron quietly opened the door further and crept into the room, crouched down. One of the creatures started to turn but before he could make it all the way around Coron lunged and with one slash, severed the creatures head from its body. The corpse hit the floor with a thud and the other creature jumped back to avoid the second swing that Coron had aimed at him. The creature pulled out its own curved blade and charged at Coron who managed to deflect the sword but was bowled over by the creature who slammed into him. Both the combatants hit the floor, Coron's blade slipping free from his grasp. The creature, now sitting atop Coron, brought his weapon up and swung down in a deadly arch at Coron's head. Coron evaded the blow by mere centimeters and the blade bit into the ground beside his head, sparks showering his face. Coron grabbed the creatures arm and held it there, and then with his other hand he reached up and grasped the creature’s throat, attempting to choke the life from him. The creature was cold to the touch and no matter how hard Coron squeezed it did not seem to affect the creature at all, even worse, it was managing to pull its other arm back up for another swing, despite Coron's mighty grip. Coron released his grip around the creature’s throat, seeing that it was doing no good, and instead aimed one strong blow at the creatures face. Coron hit the creature so hard that it would have broken any normal mans jaw, but it only knocked the creature back, Coron then brought up his feet and kicked the creature in the chest with such force that he could feel ribs crack. The creature fell back to the floor stunned for a moment and Coron used that time to jump to his feet and grab his blade. The creature too had managed to right itself and did not seem at all affected by the fact that two of its ribs now, protruded from its body, yet strangely there was no blood. This time it was Coron who charged the creature and, deflecting the sword swing that came at his torso, slammed into the creature with such force that it flew back and hit the wall, falling to the floor. Coron leapt into the air and came down with his sword cleaving right through the creatures head and breaking on the floor underneath. The creature lay still. Coron reached down and grabbed the sword that the creature had been using, then Coron Looked around and saw in the corner of the room his own sword and dagger lying on the floor. He walked over and took his weapons, returning them to their empty sheathes. He then picked up the sword of the first creature he had killed too; better to break their weapons then his own.
Now armed with four weapons Coron crossed the room to another door and went through. Coron now stood in another hallway, and at the other end of the hall he could see the chamber where he had first been. Coron stalked forward, more cautious this time, so as to avoid another blow to the head. He entered the chamber again and looked down to the alter. Around it were five of the riders and at the center was a different figure, this one dressed in robes as black as the night. Upon the alter was chained another person. The man chained to the alter was so terrified at this time that he lay there, eyes wide and breathing quickly. The dark robed figure held a dagger above his head and was chanting strange words that no human ears had heard before. Then with startling swiftness the dark wizard brought the dagger down into the captive’s heart, but as the knife plunged hilt deep into his chest there was no blood, but a horrifying scream issued forth from the captive's lips. The wizard raised his hands again, leaving the dagger buried in his prisoner and chanting more of the strange words. The dagger in the prisoner’s chest started to glow a deep red and the blood started to drain out of his body, but instead of running down his body the blood instead collected in the air and started forming into a sphere, meanwhile the captive continued to scream. Coron realized that must have been what he had heard while in his cell. After another minute the screaming stopped and the captive lay still. The sphere of blood floating over the grim alter, torchlight reflecting from it coating the room with a dark crimson, then floated into the wizards hand.
The dark wizard then raised the sphere into the air and started chanting more of his ancient arcane word’s, the sphere began to glow, adding to the eerie light already cast to the room. The chanting lasted only a moment then ceased suddenly, the wizard just stood there silent. Coron grew apprehensive, the long minutes passing slowly, then movement. Just slightly but the captive on the table seemed to wriggle his fingers. The wizard lowered the sphere and unlocked the chains holding the prisoner down. Then to Coron's utter astonishment and horror the cadaver rose from the alter and stood in front of the wizard. Coron realized now that all the creatures he was fighting were the same, bloodless, soulless zombies. The thought that these had once been people until the wizard worked his magic infuriated Coron. He knew that now, no matter what, he had to kill that evil man before any more innocent people would suffer the same fate. As Coron watched the wizard turned and walked to one of the doors at the side of the room and entered. That was where Coron would kill the wizard. Silent as a panther on the hunt he rose to a crouch and made his way down the stairs, staying out of the light cast by the single torch that was set in the center of the room.
Coron edged his way silently towards the little door, creeping along in the shadows as the soulless creatures stood gathered around the alter, unmoving. Coron made it to the door and as quietly as he could he opened it a crack, enough to peer in. The wizard stood in the room with his back to the door. He was placing the blood orb on a shelf with many others. Coron opened the door enough to allow him to stalk in unnoticed, and then he stood and drew back with one of the swords he carried. Coron thrust the sword clear through the wizard, burying it up to the hilt in his back and sending the wizard crashing into the shelf with the blood orbs. Many of the orbs fell to the ground shattering like glass then dissolving back into the liquid state they started out in, coating the floor in a slick sheet of crimson blood. Coron backed up to the door and watched as the wizard fell to his knees, then to Coron’s great dismay the wizard began to stand back up from the floor and turn around to face Coron. The dark mage grabbed a hold of the blade protruding from his stomach, with both hands then started chanting his ancient words of magic and Coron watched as the blade of the sword dissolved into nothing and the hilt clattered to the ground with no trace of the attached blade left. The blood poured from the wizards gaping wound and he fell to his knees again, then he placed his hands over the wound and began chanting more words, the same words Coron heard him chanting before when he turned his last victim into a walking corpse. Realizing what was going on Coron readied the other sword and was bringing it back, ready to take off the wizards head when the door behind came crashing open. A dozen of the zombie creatures came storming into the room, smashing into Coron and knocking him to the floor. Coron quickly recovered from the attack, springing to his feet then lunging towards the wizard, just out of arms reach of the creatures as they came pouring in. Coron focused all his effort into the one swing and sliced clean through the wizard’s throat, severing the head from the body and sending it flying into the wall with a wet thud.
The wizard’s body sat there kneeling on the floor for a moment before slumping to the ground convulsing. Coron then turned to face the creatures that were hording around him then to his astonishment the soulless bodies started collapsing all about him, unmoving. Coron let the blood soaked sword fall from his fingers and clatter to the ground. The orbs left sitting on the shelves became drained of color and started crumbling to dust before Coron’s very eyes. After a moment the bodies of the cadavers started doing the same, crumbling away until there was naught but dust left to litter the small room. The whole of the underground temple was deathly still. Coron turned and walked back into the alter room, surveying his now silent surroundings, noticing that there had to of been at least another fifty of the zombie creatures in the alter room making there way towards the small antechamber where Coron killed the wizard. With a quick sigh of relief Coron started making his way towards the exit and out into the world of the living once again, having had enough of undead and wizards. Coron emerged from the cave in the hill into the blinding light of the hot summer sun beaming down on his face. He took a moment to let his eyes adjust to the light then Coron started heading back towards the town he had come from, hoping now that the tavern would be re-opened for business. It had been a long night for Coron and he felt that a few tankards of mead were well in order, and with that thought in his head he hastened down the road to town.