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Back to Empire on the HPe3000
... and ...
This is a first draft of a story set in the world of Greyhawk.
It is based on a home campaign so some of the people, places and things
may be different. Any helpful comments or suggestions are very welcome.
Thanks
Jason Zavoda
Bones shattered, the edge of the sword cut cleanly through an
arm but the ribs broke against steel as the blade passed through.
The skeleton's spine was severed high where its heart might have been,
a shoulder blade was spun away like a disk and the joint where its
other arm pivoted back and forth was split in two, the knob of bone
and length of arm fell to the floor.
Another skeleton was a step behind the first. It walked into
the swords path as it swung up from the ruin of the first, the tip lodging
in its skull tearing the head free from the neck. Yellow teeth gnawed at
the metal of the blade, the skull became a ghastly trophy at the end of
Harald's sword. Both bodies fell to pieces and rattled upon the stones as
they came crashing down. Whatever force animating them was severed by
Harald's scything blade just as the bones of spine, shoulder and arm had
been.
"Are there more?" bellowed the ranger.
"Yes! Yes!" shouted Harold. The thief ran forward, his small
sword drawn, Little Rat pulled two smaller blades from hide sheaths
he'd made from a wolf's pelt and attached to the old rope he used as a
belt.
"Where?" the ranger swung his blade but this time through empty
air. "I need light!"
"There is one about ten feet to your right." Harold called to him.
"The left, the other two are on your left, they're near!"
The ranger turned the blade to the right, but at the halfling's
word he brought it swinging to the left. The ranger clipped a wooden
frame and thinking that he'd hit a skeleton, Harald drew the sword back
and struck with all his strength.
The ancient wood splintered, the frame flipped over and cracked
apart, old cloth shredding into fragments billowing out in a cloud of
dust. The corner post that formed a headboard broke away, one half sailing
through the air. Teeth shattered from the still animated skull, it bounced
from a wall only a moment after the broken post.
"You hit a bed!" Harold yelled at him.
"Hells, get me some light!" the ranger cursed.
"To the right!" yelled Harold. "No, the left!"
"Make up your mind!" grumbled the ranger.
A skeleton leapt over the heap of broken wood, it collided with
the ranger as he tried to bring his sword around. Its bones were light,
it had no flesh to add weight to its attack. The ranger's arm and shoulder
knocked it hard and threw it back into the fragments of the bed.
Bony hands closed on the ranger's arm, he could not bring his
blade against it while it grappled him. From the left another skeleton
clutched him by the throat, its fingers like a fist of branches, sharp
ends gouging into skin.
One handed the ranger used the pommel of his sword to beat away
the strangling grasp. He spun and lifted both skeletons from their
feet but he could not break their grip. The pommel was a poor weapon
used blindly in the dark.
"Get them off me." the ranger gasped, but the halfling and the
orc could do nothing while they shook clutching to the both throat and
arm.
"Stop twisting!" Harold shifted trying to find a place to strike
a boney leg or hip without cutting the ranger as well.
There was a solid crack, the metal pommel had connected and
broke a skull like the shell of a hollow egg. Clawing fingers dropped
from the rangers throat, the skeleton fell apart like a puppet with
its strings and bindings cut.
* * *
(To Be Continued...)