Lady White made it out of the pyramid without issue. Getting away from all the mithril made her feel instantly better. She also couldn’t sense Jackal, so hopefully Otto had done away with the hunter. She smiled to herself as she imagined Lord of the Dead’s reaction to losing his favorite assassin. He wouldn’t be pleased, that was certain.
The sun was well into the sky and she guessed they’d been inside for less than ten hours. Amazing how much had happened in such a short time. The strangest thing was she actually hoped Otto made it out safe. This might be the first time she’d ever given more than a passing thought to an ally’s wellbeing. As an undead demon worshipper, caring for others, especially a human, wasn’t normal.
Something about the young wizard drew her to him. Maybe simply the fact that out of all the people she’d known over the last two hundred years, he was the first to actually go out of his way to help her. He even went so far as to put himself in danger to protect her.
That had certainly never happened to her before. Even when she was an apprentice, Lord of the Dead had assured her that she would suffer the consequences of any failure. Was this what it felt like to have an actual friend?
If so, she quite liked it.
Now she needed to find one of the patrols Otto mentioned. Not that she felt the need for protection, but rather to let them know what was happening. Everyone had to be wondering what was going on inside.
Stretching out with her magical senses, Lady White quickly located a group of four humans. Since she seriously doubted there were any groups of random people wandering around out here, that had to be who she wanted.
A brisk walk around to the back of the pyramid brought her within sight of the patrol. One of the men spotted her and pointed. They stopped and Lady White hurried to join them.
“Is all well?” asked a surly sounding man with a beard and narrow eyes.
“Everyone was alive when I left. The enemy’s magic made me more of a hinderance than a help and Otto sent me out to keep watch for any stragglers.” Not exactly the truth, but close enough under the circumstances.
“Any orders for us?” he asked.
“Just keep doing what you’re doing. I’ll join you for a while if you don’t mind.”
“And if I do mind?”
Lady White shrugged. “Then I’ll tag along behind you.”
“Figured. Come on then.”
The group set out at a slow, silent march. Each of the men watched a different direction and everyone appeared tense. Wise of them. Just because the city was quiet now, didn’t mean it would stay that way.
For her part, Lady White was happy not to chat. Back home she would often go days without speaking to anyone, living or dead.
The base of the pyramid was so wide that it took them nearly half an hour at the squad’s slow pace to make it back to the front of the structure. They were just in time to see a group of ragged figures staggering out of the entrance.
The scouts sprinted off and Lady White followed at a more sedate pace. Even from a distance she sensed Otto wasn’t with them. The thought of him lying dead somewhere inside filled her with a strange melancholy. Perhaps even sadness. Very odd.
When she reached them, the one she recognized as Otto’s brother, Axel, glared at her. “Fine lot of help you were. Where’d you run off to?”
She was under no obligation to explain herself to him, but she said, “Otto asked me to flee. With so much mithril-charged ether filling the room, my magic was of no help. I was more of a distraction than anything. What happened?”
“Hell if I know.” Axel touched his side and winced. “That pale bastard sent me flying and when I woke up, Otto was gone and the other guy was lying headless on the floor. Do you have any idea where my brother went?”
Lady White took a moment to absorb the fact that Jackal was dead and Otto likely alive. It was the best possible outcome. “Jackal’s companion was in the process of activating the portal you uncovered. Otto likely followed her in the hope that it led to the Scroll. He—”
She stopped and stared into the ether. A wave of corruption rushed out of the pyramid in every direction.
That couldn’t be good.
“He what?” Axel asked.
“It doesn’t matter. Something just happened inside and it triggered a spell. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I suggest you gather all your people near the portal. That should provide you with some protection.”
“What about you?” Axel asked.
“Whatever that spell did is likely to be far harder on the living than the undead. I’ll find a place as close to your camp as possible.” Another surge of corruption burst out, sending a shiver up her spine. “You’d best hurry. The power is building by the moment.”
Axel turned to the bearded man. “Find the other squads and bring them back to camp. Double time, Cobb.”
The scouts broke up and ran in different directions. Axel and the others limped as fast as their weary bodies allowed toward the portal. Lady White went with them until she couldn’t stand the pressure and broke off.
She levitated to a rooftop and stared over the city. In the distance, a black cloud filled the air. Peering closer, she could just make out hundreds of ghouls sprinting toward the city. Unless she was mistaken, that was the direction of the ghoul pit she crossed. The spell she sensed must have summoned them.
Definitely not good.
As soon as Axel reached their camp, he shouted for everyone to pack up and get ready to go. He didn’t know Lady White well, but what he heard in her voice was enough to convince him that whatever was coming would be bad. Fortunately they only set up the minimum in terms of tents so it wouldn’t take long to break it all down.
The bigger question was, how long did they wait for Otto before they fled? Whatever his flaws, Otto was still his brother and damned if he was going to abandon him in this place. Besides, if he did, Emperor Wolfric would have his head on a spike.
“Do we have a plan?” Hans asked.
“I don’t even know what we’re dealing with. Until some definite threat appears, I’m going to set a perimeter and keep watch.”
Corina and Jet came running up from where the scouts were taking down one of the tents.
“Where’s Lady White?” Jet asked.
“Forget her,” Corina butted in. “Where’s Lord Shenk?”
Axel’s ribs ached and his head throbbed. He didn’t have time to deal with a pair of worried women.
“Otto’s still in the pyramid as far as I know. Lady White’s back in the city.” He waved vaguely behind him. “She said she couldn’t come too close due to the portal.”
Jet stared out over the city as if debating whether to go search for her mistress. Axel didn’t care what she did, as long as she did it quietly.
“Squad incoming!” one of the lookouts shouted.
Good. The sooner Cobb found everyone and brought them to safety, the better. That would be one less thing for him to worry about.
“What can I do to help?” Corina asked.
“Some food would be great. None of us has eaten since we arrived,” Axel said.
He took a step then froze as a chill ran up his spine. A moment later Lady White’s voice whispered in his ear. “There are several hundred ghouls headed toward the city at a full sprint. The portal’s magic should keep them at bay, but if the Arcane Lord’s magic is driving them forward, even that might not be enough to stop them.”
“Forget the food. According to Lady White, we have a small army of ghouls headed this way. Give me one of those lanterns.” Axel took the artifact from the soldier carrying it and held it out to Corina. “Do you know how to turn this thing on?”
She took the lantern and looked it all over, her face scrunched in concentration. At last, she said, “No, sorry. Lord Shenk would know how, but I’m afraid this isn’t something we’ve covered.”
Axel ground his teeth and turned to Jet.
She immediately shook her head. “I can’t even use magic.”
“Of course you can’t.” Axel reclaimed the lantern and handed it back to the soldier that originally had it. “Pack that up with our gear.”
Hans had his gaze turned toward the horizon. “This doesn’t look good.”
Axel didn’t want to look but forced himself. A black cloud rose out in the desert, no doubt kicked up by hundreds of ghoul feet. Given the distance, he figured they had five minutes, ten at the most, before the monsters arrived.
Whatever you’re doing, Otto, do it faster.